Chestnut, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chestnut, Illinois
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 Chestnut, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Chestnut, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Logan |
| Township | Aetna |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2) |
| • Land | 0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 620 ft (190 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 220 |
| • Density | 1,788.62/sq mi (688.21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Postal code |
62518
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-13230 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2628546 |
Chestnut is a small community in Logan County, Illinois. It is known as a census-designated place, which means it's a special area identified by the census bureau. In 2020, about 220 people lived there.
Chestnut is located in Aetna Township, northwest of the railroad tracks. It is near Illinois Route 54 at Dauphin Street. Some people in Chestnut like to say it's the exact middle of Illinois. There's even a small monument in a park to celebrate this idea. However, the real geographic center of Illinois is actually about eight miles southwest of Chestnut. It's closer to the town of Mount Pulaski.
Contents
History of Chestnut
How Chestnut Started
The town of Chestnut was officially created in 1872. A man named David Clark worked with the directors of a new railroad line to plan the town. This railroad was called the Gilman, Clinton, and Springfield line. A surveyor named Thomas G. Gardner mapped out the land on April 24, 1872.
Before Chestnut, there was another small town planned in the same area. It was called Allenville, named after William M. Allen. A post office had even been set up there. But when Chestnut was laid out, Allenville was no longer used.
Naming the Town
Chestnut got its name from one of the directors of the Gilman, Clinton, and Springfield railroad. The first stores in Chestnut were built by the Britton Brothers and by Dement and Clark. The Britton Brothers even moved their building from a nearby place called "Yankeetown."
Soon after, William H. Daniels opened a blacksmith shop. George Lakin started a drug store. In 1873, I. J. Michener built an elevator, which is a building used for storing grain. Mr. Lakin became the postmaster, and Mr. Michener worked as the railroad agent.
Fires and Community Life
Chestnut faced some challenges with fires. In 1876, the Britton Brothers' store and all their goods burned down. This caused a loss of $3,000. The next year, in 1877, Dement and Clark's store also burned, with a loss of $5,000. Later, in 1905, another large fire destroyed the Gobleman & Bapst general store. This fire caused a big loss of $10,000.
Despite the fires, the community grew. A Methodist church was built in Chestnut in 1873. People in Chestnut tried to make it an official village in 1898, but the idea was voted down in a special election.
People of Chestnut
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 220 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Let's look at the people who live in Chestnut. In 2010, there were 246 people living there.
Most of the people were White. There were also a few people who identified as Native American or Asian. Some residents were of two or more races, and some were of Hispanic or Latino background.
The population was spread out by age. About 72% of the people were 18 years old or older. About 15% were 65 years old or older. The average age in Chestnut was about 37.5 years.
When it came to gender, about 47.6% of the population was male, and 52.4% was female. There were 99 homes where people lived. Most of these homes (88 of them) were owned by the people living in them. The other 11 homes were rented.
See also
- In Spanish: Chestnut (Illinois) para niños
