Broadwell, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Broadwell, Illinois
Village
Location in Logan County, Illinois
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Logan
Township	Broadwell
Area
• Total	0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2)
• Land	0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	587 ft (179 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	136
• Density	755.56/sq mi (292.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	62634
Area code(s)	217
FIPS code	17-08472
GNIS feature ID	2397462
Wikimedia Commons	Broadwell, Illinois

Broadwell is a small village located in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It's a quiet community with a rich history. In 2020, 136 people lived there.

Exploring Broadwell's Location

Broadwell is found in the southwestern part of Logan County. A major highway, Interstate 55, runs along the western edge of the village. You can get to Broadwell from Exit 119 on I-55.

• Travel North: If you head northeast on I-55, you'll reach Lincoln, the main city of Logan County, about 7 miles away. Further north, about 41 miles, is Bloomington.
• Travel South: Going southwest on I-55 will take you to Springfield, the capital city of Illinois, which is about 25 miles away.

Broadwell is quite small in size. In 2010, its total area was about 0.18 square miles (0.47 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

Broadwell's Past: A Look at Its History

How Broadwell Started

The village of Broadwell was officially planned in 1856. This happened when a railroad was being built to connect the big cities of Chicago and Springfield. William Broadwell and Jacob Eisiminger were the people who planned the village.

Jacob Eisiminger was offered the chance to have the village named after him. However, he thought his name was too unusual. He believed it might make the new village seem strange. So, the village was named Broadwell instead, after William Broadwell, who owned the land. William Broadwell didn't stay in the village for long and later moved to Kansas. The Eisiminger family, however, stayed and became important members of the community. They were merchants, postmasters, and even schoolteachers for many years.

The Tantivy Inn: A Historic Stop

Before Broadwell was even a village, there was a famous inn called "Tantivy" located nearby. It was about three-quarters of a mile east of where Broadwell is today. The name "Tantivy" comes from an old English hunting cry. Tantivy Lodge was open from around 1840 until the early 1950s.

It is said that Abraham Lincoln himself stopped at Tantivy while traveling. He was a lawyer at the time, riding his judicial circuit between Springfield and the Logan County courthouse. It is also known that John Dean Gillett, a famous cattle and land owner, proposed to his future wife at the Tantivy cabin around 1840.

Broadwell's Farming Roots

Broadwell quickly became an important place for shipping farm products. Farmers would send hogs, corn, wheat, and later soybeans from here. The village and the surrounding area have always been stable. They haven't had big economic booms or busts. The land around Broadwell is known for having some of the best farming soil in North America.

Route 66 and the Pig Hip Restaurant

Broadwell was once directly on the famous U.S. Route 66, from 1926 to 1978. This historic road was a major route across the country. Today, the modern Interstate 55 runs along the village's western edge. There's even a full exit from the interstate for Broadwell. The old northbound lane of U.S. Route 66 is still there. It serves as a local road and attracts tourists who love the history of Route 66.

Broadwell was home to the well-known "Pig Hip" Restaurant. Ernest L. ("Ernie") Edwards and his family ran it from 1937 to 1991. Ernie was famous for being "The BEST U.S. Route 66 attraction where the ORIGINAL GUY is still there." For a while, the Pig Hip building was a museum filled with Route 66 items, and Ernie Edwards himself would host visitors.

Sadly, a fire destroyed the restaurant and most of its contents on March 5, 2007. Ernie then ran a small museum from his home until late 2010. He passed away in 2012. Ernie was known for his amazing memory and stories about Route 66. In 1990, he was one of the first people inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame of Illinois.

On August 5, 2007, a special memorial was unveiled for the Pig Hip Restaurant and U.S. Route 66. Ernie Edwards himself was there for the event. His family, friends, and neighbors gave him the large stone and bronze marker for his 90th birthday.

Broadwell's Political Figures

Two men from Broadwell went on to serve in the Illinois General Assembly, which is the state's law-making body. John R. ("Jack") Lauer was a state representative from 1973 to 1978. Robert F. ("Bob") Olson served as a state representative from 1986 to 1994. Both of these men were local farmers for many years.

Broadwell's Population: Demographics

In 2010, Broadwell had 145 people. Most of the residents were White. There was also one Black person and one person of Hispanic or Latino background.

The village had 66 households. About 16.7% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (57.6%) were married couples living together. About 25.8% of all households were made up of people living alone. Also, 24.2% of households had someone aged 65 or older living there.

The population's age range was spread out. About 84.8% of residents were over 18, and 15.2% were 65 or older. The average age in Broadwell was 47.3 years. The number of males and females was almost equal, with 50.3% male and 49.7% female. Most households (65.2%) owned their homes, while 34.8% rented.

Learning in Broadwell: Education

Children in Broadwell attend schools in two different districts. For elementary school, they go to West Lincoln-Broadwell Elementary School District 92. For high school, they attend Lincoln Community High School District 404.

See also

In Spanish: Broadwell para niños