Chatsworth, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chatsworth, Illinois
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Buildings along Locust Street
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| Motto(s):
Bluebird capital of Illinois
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Location in Livingston County, Illinois
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Livingston |
| Townships | Chatsworth, Charlotte |
| Incorporated | March 8, 1867 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.69 sq mi (6.96 km2) |
| • Land | 2.68 sq mi (6.95 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 781 ft (238 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,185 |
| • Density | 441.83/sq mi (170.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
60921
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| Area code(s) | 815 & 779 |
| FIPS code | 17-12710 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396640 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Chatsworth, Illinois |
Chatsworth is a small town located in Livingston County, Illinois, in the United States. It is an "incorporated town," which means it has its own local government. In 2020, about 1,185 people lived there. Chatsworth is also known as the "Bluebird capital of Illinois."
Contents
Where is Chatsworth?
Chatsworth is in the southeastern part of Livingston County. Most of the town is in Chatsworth Township. A small part extends north into Charlotte Township.
U.S. Route 24 is a main road that goes through the town. This road helps people travel east to Gilman (about 15 miles away) or west to Chenoa (about 23 miles away). The town covers an area of about 2.8 square miles, and it's all land.
The Story of Chatsworth: A Look Back
How Chatsworth Began
Chatsworth was officially started on June 8, 1859. It was planned by Zeno Secor and Cornelia Gilman, both from New York. Zeno Secor was an important person involved with railroads. He helped build the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad. He was also known for designing marine engines and building warships.
Cornelia Gilman might have been the wife of Samuel Gilman, another railroad director. The nearby town of Gilman is named after him. Chatsworth itself might be named after Chatsworth House, a famous home in England. Trains were already running on the railroad before the town was even planned!
Designing the Town
The town's layout was surveyed by Nelson Buck. The plan for Chatsworth was very similar to other towns along the Peoria and Oquawka Railroad. This suggests the railroad company provided the design.
Chatsworth was built around a long, narrow area for the train depot, not a public square. The original town plan was quite large, covering 160 acres. One special block, Block 16, was set aside as the City Park. Later, over 500 maple trees were planted there, and a pavilion was added in 1962.
Growing Over Time
Chatsworth grew very quickly at first. The first building was a small house and store built by Charles D. Brooks and Truman Brockway. Brooks became the first postmaster and grain dealer. By 1870, the town had almost 1,000 people.
A newspaper called the Plaindealer started publishing. In 1879, a second railroad, the Kankakee and Southwestern, came through town. In 1887, the town helped out during a big train accident known as the Great Chatsworth Train Wreck.
Telephone service arrived in 1883, and an electric light plant was built in 1894. In 1924, many workers came to build a paved highway, which became Route 24. This road became a very important route across Illinois.
People of Chatsworth
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 20 | — | |
| 1870 | 999 | 4,895.0% | |
| 1880 | 1,054 | 5.5% | |
| 1890 | 827 | −21.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,038 | 25.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,112 | 7.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,087 | −2.2% | |
| 1930 | 981 | −9.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,036 | 5.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,119 | 8.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,330 | 18.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,255 | −5.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,187 | −5.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,186 | −0.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,265 | 6.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,205 | −4.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,185 | −1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Chatsworth has changed over the years. In 2000, there were 1,265 people living in the town. About 27.7% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 39 years, meaning half the population was younger than 39 and half was older.
Famous People from Chatsworth
- Alice Gentle, an opera singer, was from Chatsworth.
Gallery
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Caboose on Locust Street
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Town signs on South 7th
See also
In Spanish: Chatsworth (Illinois) para niños
