Cambridge, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cambridge
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Henry County Courthouse
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Location of Cambridge in Henry County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Henry |
| Township | Cambridge |
| Government | |
| • Type | Village Board |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.00 sq mi (5.19 km2) |
| • Land | 1.99 sq mi (5.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,086 |
| • Density | 1,047.71/sq mi (404.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
61238
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| Area code(s) | 309 |
| FIPS code | 17-10643 |
Cambridge is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2020, about 2,086 people lived there.
Contents
History of Cambridge
Before 1843, a man named Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury owned a large piece of land. This land later became the town of Cambridge. He was well-known among the many settlers from New England and upstate New York. These settlers were moving to Henry County at that time.
Reverend Pillsbury gave a big part of his land to the town council. This land was used to create the town. People bought plots of land, and on June 9, 1843, construction began. The town founders had some disagreements about how to pay for everything, but they eventually started building.
They created roads, set up mail routes, and built public buildings. This helped attract new residents to the area. Most of the first settlers came from New England or upstate New York. Their families had moved there after the American Revolutionary War. They were looking for new land to settle.
Because of these settlers, Henry County became part of the "Northern Tier." This means its culture was similar to that of upstate New York and early New England.
Geography of Cambridge
Cambridge is a village located in Illinois. It covers a total area of about 2.01 square miles (5.19 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.99 square miles (5.16 square kilometers), is land. A very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.04 square kilometers), is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,203 | — | |
| 1890 | 940 | −21.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,345 | 43.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,272 | −5.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,335 | 5.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,355 | 1.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,312 | −3.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,489 | 13.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,665 | 11.8% | |
| 1970 | 2,095 | 25.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,217 | 5.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,124 | −4.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,180 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 2,160 | −0.9% | |
| 2020 | 2,086 | −3.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the village of Cambridge had 2,086 people living there. There were 795 households, which are groups of people living together. Many of these households, 576, were families.
About 20.7% of the people in Cambridge were under 18 years old. Around 16.4% were 65 years old or older. The average age of people in the village was about 40.9 years.
Henry County Courthouse
Cambridge is the county seat of Henry County, Illinois. This means it is where the county government operates. The Henry County Courthouse is a very important building in the village.
It was designed by Thomas J. Tolan & Son, Architects, from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The building was constructed between 1875 and 1878. In 2004, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical buildings in the United States.
Schools in Cambridge
Cambridge has one school district, called School District #227. This district includes an elementary school, a junior high school, and a high school. The junior high is connected to the high school building.
Each year, about 50 to 60 students graduate from the high school. In many small towns like Cambridge, the school is a big part of community life. People often gather for school sports events and arts programs.
In 2006, the elementary school was chosen as a Blue Ribbon School. This is a special award given to schools that achieve very high academic standards. It was one of only 18 schools in Illinois to receive this honor that year.
Cambridge and Bishop Hill
Cambridge has historical connections to a nearby community called Bishop Hill, Illinois. Bishop Hill was founded in 1846 by Swedish immigrants. They were led by a prophet named Erik Janson.
For many years, the people of Cambridge and Bishop Hill lived and traded peacefully. However, in 1850, Erik Janson was sadly murdered in the courthouse in Cambridge. This event showed some tension between the two communities.
Many Swedish immigrants were drawn to Henry County because of the Bishop Hill community. As more Swedes arrived, they looked for religious leaders from the established Lutheran Church of Sweden.
Notable People from Cambridge
Many interesting people have come from Cambridge:
- Dan Halldorson was a professional golfer who played in the PGA.
- John P. Hand served as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
- John Hughes (lawman) was a Texas Ranger. He is thought to be the inspiration for the famous fictional character, The Lone Ranger.
- George Allen Neeves was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, which is a part of Wisconsin's government.
- Brian Phelps was a radio host for 25 years on the popular "Mark and Brian Show" in Los Angeles.
- Charles F. Wennerstrum was a lawyer and a justice on the Iowa Supreme Court.
See also
In Spanish: Cambridge (Illinois) para niños
