Beecher, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beecher
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| Village of Beecher | |||
Beecher, looking east
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Location of Beecher in Will County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Illinois | ||
| County | Will | ||
| Incorporated | 1884 | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 2.74 sq mi (7.09 km2) | ||
| • Land | 2.74 sq mi (7.09 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 738 ft (225 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,713 | ||
| • Density | 1,721.33/sq mi (664.62/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP Code(s) |
60401
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| Area codes | 708/464 | ||
| FIPS code | 17-04585 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2398066 | ||
Beecher is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. It's located along an old railroad line and a historic highway called the Dixie Highway. The village is in the middle of Washington Township and was first called Washington Center. It was named after Henry Ward Beecher, a very famous speaker of his time. Beecher was founded in 1870 and became an official village in 1884. The village is led by a Village President and a board of trustees.
In 2020, about 4,713 people lived in Beecher.
Contents
History of Beecher
How Beecher Started
The story of Beecher began in 1862 when T.L. Miller came to Washington Township. He started buying land because he wanted to raise Hereford cattle. He knew the area had good land for grazing. Mr. Miller admired Henry Ward Beecher, a famous speaker, and decided to name the new village after him.
Mr. Miller bought his first 320 acres from the government. Later, he bought 400 more acres. He called his property "Highland Stock Farm." His son, T.E. Miller, said that his father built "the finest and largest herd of Hereford cattle in America." T.L. Miller helped make Hereford cattle popular in the United States.
To help promote Hereford cattle even more, he started a magazine called the "Breeder’s Journal" in 1880. He also put together the family trees of Hereford cattle in the first two "Hereford Herd Books." Both of these were published right there in Beecher.
The Railroad Arrives
After buying his first land, T.L. Miller found out that a new railroad was going to pass through the area. This was the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad. He bought another 340 acres next to his property, right where the railroad would be. He made sure that a train station would be built on his land.
Work on the new railroad started in early 1869. The tracks were laid through the future village of Beecher by late 1869. By January 1870, trains were running all the way to Chicago. The railroad was very important for Beecher's future. Chicago was only 37 miles away by train, which connected Beecher to the rest of the country. In 1870, Mr. Miller asked George Dolton to plan out the new village. It included a business area on both sides of the railroad and areas for homes and other businesses.
Beecher's Old Train Depot
With the new train service, more businesses and buildings grew up near the railroad. By the end of the 1800s, Beecher had a busy business area. The train depot became the center of everything. It was built in 1881 by the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad. Later, the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad took it over and used it until the 1960s.
The depot was then sold and moved to Monee, Illinois, where it was used as a gift shop at Thompson's Winery. In 2000, it was brought back to its original spot in Beecher and fixed up. It's a classic wooden train station, and one of the last of its kind from the old railroad line. Today, it's home to the local historical society and is open on Saturdays.
Geography of Beecher
Beecher covers about 2.96 square miles, and all of it is land. Most of the village is in Section 16 of Washington Township. A small stream called Trim Creek flows through Beecher, but it doesn't carry much water for most of the year.
Beecher is in the middle of a farming area. The Beecher Consolidated School District provides education for Washington Township and some of the nearby Will Township.
Here are some towns close to Beecher:
- Crete, Illinois is 7 miles north.
- Grant Park is 7 miles south.
- Peotone is 9 miles west.
- Cedar Lake, Indiana is 10 miles east.
Beecher
Crete (7 miles)Grant Park (7 miles)Monee (8 miles)
Park Forest (10 miles)Peotone (9 miles)South Chicago Heights (9 miles)Steger (9 miles)University Park (7 miles)Cedar Lake (10 miles)Population of Beecher
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 342 | — | |
| 1900 | 410 | 19.9% | |
| 1910 | 543 | 32.4% | |
| 1920 | 609 | 12.2% | |
| 1930 | 772 | 26.8% | |
| 1940 | 742 | −3.9% | |
| 1950 | 956 | 28.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,367 | 43.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,770 | 29.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,024 | 14.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,032 | 0.4% | |
| 2000 | 2,033 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 4,359 | 114.4% | |
| 2020 | 4,713 | 8.1% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 4,674 | 7.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Beecher has grown quite a bit over the years. In 1890, there were only 342 people, but by 2020, the population had reached 4,713.
Who Lives in Beecher?
The 2020 census showed that most people in Beecher are White. There are also growing numbers of Black or African American, Asian, and people of mixed races. About 9.3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, there were 2,033 people living in Beecher. About 29.4% of homes had children under 18. The average age in the village was 42 years old.
Parks and Gardens
Beecher is a small town, so it doesn't have a special park district. Instead, the village's Public Works Department takes care of all the parks.
Beecher has ten parks for its residents to enjoy. These parks offer many things to do, like jogging paths, soccer fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, and baseball fields.
- Welton Stedt Park is the biggest park, covering ten acres. It's next to Beecher Junior High School and has four baseball fields, a pond, and restrooms.
- Firemen's Park is in the heart of Beecher. It has picnic areas, a snack stand, a stage, bathrooms, ballfields, walking paths, and an ice rink in winter. The annual Fourth of July Festival has been held here for many years.
"Ribbon of Hope” Cancer Awareness Garden
In 2013, the Beecher Village Board created the Ribbon of Hope Commission. Their goal was to build a small garden to raise awareness about cancer. A spot in Fireman's Park was chosen for the garden. On May 20, 2018, a metal sculpture shaped like a ribbon was placed in the garden as its main feature.
Education in Beecher
Beecher has both public and private schools.
Public Schools
- Beecher High School
- Beecher Junior High School
- Beecher Elementary School
Private Schools
- Zion Lutheran Grade School (This school is now closed.)
Notable People from Beecher
Some well-known people have lived in Beecher:
- Rube Ehrhardt – A baseball pitcher who played for the Brooklyn Robins and Cincinnati Reds.
- Milt Pappas – A baseball pitcher who played for teams like the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.
See also
In Spanish: Beecher (Illinois) para niños
