Beardstown, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beardstown
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The Beardstown Grand Opera House, a site on the National Register of Historic Places
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Location of Beardstown in Cass County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cass |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.65 sq mi (9.45 km2) |
| • Land | 3.62 sq mi (9.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 446 ft (136 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,951 |
| • Density | 1,620.41/sq mi (625.64/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
62618
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-04351 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394096 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Beardstown, Illinois |
| Website | http://cityofbeardstown.org/ |
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,951 people lived there. Students in Beardstown go to schools in the Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.
Contents
Where is Beardstown Located?
Beardstown is found in Illinois, right next to the Illinois River. It's a city with a total area of about 3.6 square miles (9.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
What is Beardstown's Economy Like?
The Illinois River is very important to Beardstown's economy and history. The city has two places where farm products are loaded onto barges. These barges then carry the goods away on the river.
People also enjoy hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities along the river. These activities help the local economy.
Major Employers in Beardstown
A large pork processing plant is a big employer in Beardstown. This plant used to be owned by companies like Kraft and Cargill. Now, it is owned by JBS. This plant has brought many new people to Beardstown in recent years.
Beardstown's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 2,528 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,135 | 24.0% | |
| 1890 | 4,226 | 34.8% | |
| 1900 | 4,827 | 14.2% | |
| 1910 | 6,107 | 26.5% | |
| 1920 | 7,111 | 16.4% | |
| 1930 | 6,344 | −10.8% | |
| 1940 | 6,505 | 2.5% | |
| 1950 | 6,080 | −6.5% | |
| 1960 | 6,294 | 3.5% | |
| 1970 | 6,222 | −1.1% | |
| 1980 | 6,338 | 1.9% | |
| 1990 | 5,270 | −16.9% | |
| 2000 | 5,766 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 6,123 | 6.2% | |
| 2020 | 5,951 | −2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, Beardstown had 5,951 people living in 2,155 households. The city's population density was about 1,631 people per square mile.
Who Lives in Beardstown?
The people living in Beardstown come from many different backgrounds. About half of the population is White. Other groups include African American, Native American, and Asian people. A large part of the population, about 40%, is of Hispanic or Latino heritage.
Many households, about 38%, have children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Beardstown is 33 years old.
A Look at Beardstown's History
Thomas Beard first settled in this area in 1819. He built a log cabin by the Illinois River. From his cabin, he traded with local Native Americans and ran a ferry. The town was officially planned in 1827 and became a city in 1896.
Beardstown During the Black Hawk War
During the Black Hawk War in 1832, Beardstown was an important place. It served as a base where supplies were kept for the Illinois troops.
Lincoln and the Beardstown Courthouse
The town is also famous for a debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. This debate happened at the Beardstown Courthouse. Today, you can visit a Lincoln Museum on the second floor of the courthouse. It also has many Native American items.
The Famous Beardstown Ladies
From 1984 to 1993, a group of 16 older women from Beardstown became very famous. They were known as the "Beardstown Ladies." They claimed to have made amazing returns on their stock investments.
How the Beardstown Ladies Became Famous
When their success became public, they gained national attention. They appeared on popular TV shows like The Donahue Show and The Today Show. They were even honored for their investment skills for six years in a row.
In 1993, they made a video called The Beardstown Ladies: Cooking Up Profits on Wall Street. The next year, they wrote a book, The Beardstown Ladies' Common-Sense Investment Guide. This book sold over 800,000 copies and became a New York Times best-seller. Their story became known around the world, with TV stations from Germany, Brazil, and Japan interviewing them.
A Closer Look at Their Returns
Later, it was found that the women's claimed returns included fees they paid each month. Without these fees, their actual returns were much lower. This led to some jokes and questions about their financial claims. However, as of 2006, the Beardstown Ladies were still buying stocks.
Notable People from Beardstown
Many interesting people have connections to Beardstown:
- William "Duff" Armstrong was accused of a crime and defended by Abraham Lincoln in Beardstown.
- Walter Flanigan, who helped start the National Football League, was born here.
- Stanley J. Korsmeyer, a doctor, was born in Beardstown.
- Richard Henry Mills, a judge, was born in Beardstown.
- Red Norvo, a famous jazz musician, was born here.
- Janice O'Hara, a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, was also born in Beardstown.
- Jesse Wallace, a U.S. Navy Captain and Governor of American Samoa, was born in Beardstown.
Images for kids
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