Chillicothe, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chillicothe
|
|
|---|---|
| Chillicothe | |
Art deco movie theater on North 2nd Street
|
|
Location of Chillicothe in Peoria County, Illinois.
|
|
.svg)
Location of Illinois in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Peoria |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.54 sq mi (14.34 km2) |
| • Land | 5.27 sq mi (13.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.26 sq mi (0.68 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 6,128 |
| • Density | 1,161.93/sq mi (448.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61523
|
| Area code(s) | 309 |
| FIPS code | 17-14117 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Chillicothe, Illinois |
Chillicothe is a city located in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. It sits right on the Illinois River. In 2020, about 6,128 people lived there. Chillicothe is just north of the larger city of Peoria. It is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area, which means it's connected to the bigger Peoria city area.
Contents
Exploring Chillicothe's Location
Chillicothe is found at coordinates 40.919792 degrees North and 89.492848 degrees West.
The city covers a total area of about 5.4 square miles (14 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 5.1 square miles (13.2 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.28 square miles (0.7 square kilometers), is water.
Chillicothe is important because it's on the Illinois River. It's also on a major railroad line called the Iowa Interstate Railroad. This line used to be the Rock Island Railroad. Another big railroad, the BNSF Railway, crosses the Iowa Interstate line and the Illinois River right here.
Just outside of Chillicothe, there's a place called Edelstein Hill. It's one of the steepest climbs on the railway system. Many train fans like to visit to watch powerful locomotives pull long trains up the hill.
The Illinois River flows both north and south from Chillicothe. It connects big cities like Chicago and St. Louis. Large boats called barges sometimes use the river to transport goods.
Even though Chillicothe is in a river valley, it's surrounded by many forests. Places like Marshall State Refuge and Atchison Waterfowl Refuge are nearby. The hills around the city are popular for hunting deer. Duck hunting is also common in the watery areas to the north.
A Look at Chillicothe's Past
The name Chillicothe comes from the Chalahgawtha group of the Shawnee Native American nation.
Like many towns along rivers, Chillicothe grew because of river traffic. It quickly became a busy stop for both riverboats and trains. These trains and boats traveled to and from Chicago and St. Louis.
In the late 1800s, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built its main line. This line went from Chicago to Kansas City. They chose Chillicothe as the place to cross the Illinois River. The railroad became a big part of Chillicothe. It was a place where train crews would change shifts. Today, Chillicothe is still a key spot on the BNSF Railway's route. Many freight trains pass through daily.
On November 5, 1988, Vice President George H.W. Bush visited Chillicothe. He was joined by Representative Robert H. Michel and Governor James Thompson. They came to finish their political campaign in Illinois. Governor Thompson even declared that day "Ilion Crabel Day." This was to honor the city's clerk, Ilion Crabel. He was elected in 1923 and served for an amazing 66 years!
Chillicothe also hosts the Summer Camp Music Festival. This is a multi-day music event held every year at Three Sisters Park.
Learning in Chillicothe
Chillicothe is served by the Illinois Valley Central Unit School District 321. This school district also includes nearby towns. These towns are Rome, Mossville, Edelstein, and parts of the area near Dunlap.
The school district has three primary schools and two junior high schools. South School teaches students from preschool to 3rd grade. Chillicothe Junior High (CJH) serves grades 4-8 for the northern part of the district. Mossville Junior High serves grades K-8 for the southern part. Both junior high schools are known for their success in various sports.
Illinois Valley Central High School (IVC) is the main high school for Chillicothe. Their sports teams are called the Grey Ghosts. IVC High School is well-known for its activities. The IVC Marching Grey Ghosts band has won 15 state titles since 1990. They won most recently in 2019. In sports, IVC has won state championships in baseball. They have also been state runners-up in boys' basketball and scholastic bowl.
There are also two private schools in the Chillicothe area. Calvary Baptist Academy is a small school for grades PK-12. St. Edward's is a Catholic school for grades PK-8. In 2016, St. Edward's was in the news for a special fundraising effort. It was called the "Miracle in Chillicothe." They raised over $500,000 in just one week to fix their school roof!
Chillicothe's Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 663 | — | |
| 1880 | 936 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,632 | 74.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,699 | 4.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,851 | 8.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,986 | 7.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,978 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,303 | 16.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,767 | 20.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,054 | 10.4% | |
| 1970 | 6,052 | 98.2% | |
| 1980 | 6,176 | 2.0% | |
| 1990 | 5,959 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,996 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 6,097 | 1.7% | |
| 2020 | 6,128 | 0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census in 2000, there were 5,996 people living in Chillicothe. There were 2,429 households, and 1,649 families. The population density was about 1,213 people per square mile. The median age in the city was 38 years old.
Getting Around Chillicothe
Illinois Route 29 is a main road that goes through Chillicothe. It runs north to south. This road connects Chillicothe to I-180 in the north and Peoria in the south.
Railroads have always been important for connecting Chillicothe to other places. The Rock Island Railroad, now called the Iowa Interstate Railroad, runs along the Illinois River. Passenger trains like the Rock Island Rockets used to serve Chillicothe. They connected Peoria and Chicago. But as more people started using cars, these train services became less popular. The last passenger train left Chillicothe on December 31, 1978.
Chillicothe was also once a stop for famous trains like the Santa Fe's Super Chief. This train traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles. Another train, the Texas Chief, went from Chicago to Houston. However, in 1996, the railroad lines changed. The passenger trains were rerouted to a different path. The last passenger train service ended on July 31, 1996.
Unlike some other towns, Chillicothe has mostly used railroads to cross the Illinois River. For a short time in the 1920s, there was a ferry service. This ferry helped people from Woodford County cross the river. But a plan to build a road bridge across the river has never happened.
Fun Places to Visit in Chillicothe
- Chillicothe Post Office: You can see a special mural here called "Rail Roading." It was painted by Arthur Herschel Lidov.
- Train Watching Spots: The old Santa Fe Railroad station and Edelstein Hill are popular places. People go there to watch trains.
- Chillicothe Historical Society Railroad Museum: This museum is in the old Rock Island train station. It's located at Cedar and 3rd Streets.
- Chillicothe Historical Society Fourth St. Museum: This museum has eight rooms full of old items. You can find it at 723 N. 4th St.
- Shore Acres Park: This park is right by the river. It has an old clubhouse from the 1800s.
- Three Sisters Park: This is a big park that hosts events. It's home to Spider Hill and the Summer Camp Music Festival.
- Town Theater: This is an old-style movie theater on N. 2nd St. It's still open and shows movies!
Famous People from Chillicothe
- Bill Krieg: A professional baseball player.
- Lance (Henry) LeGault: An actor known for his role as Colonel Roderick Decker on The A-Team.
- Gene Maddox: A lawyer and state legislator in Iowa, born in Chillicothe.
- Zach McAllister: A professional baseball pitcher.
- Johnston McCulley: An author who created the famous Zorro stories.
- Josh Taylor: An actor known for roles on Days of Our Lives and The Hogan Family.
- William Owens: A highly decorated Navy SEAL.
Images for kids
-
Art deco movie theater on North 2nd Street
-
Location of Chillicothe in Peoria County, Illinois.
-
Location of Illinois in the United States
See also
In Spanish: Chillicothe (Illinois) para niños
