Edwardsville, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edwardsville, Illinois
City
Downtown Edwardsville with the Madison County Administration Building in the background
Location of Edwardsville in Madison County, Illinois.
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Madison
Area
• Total	20.50 sq mi (53.10 km2)
• Land	19.89 sq mi (51.53 km2)
• Water	0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2)
Elevation	564 ft (172 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,808
• Density	1,347.54/sq mi (520.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	62025, 62026
Area code(s)	618
FIPS code	17-22697
GNIS feature ID	2394626

Edwardsville is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the main city of Madison County. In 2020, about 26,808 people lived there.

The city is named after Ninian Edwards, who was a governor of the Illinois Territory. Edwardsville is part of the Metro East area, which is near St. Louis, Missouri. It is about 18 miles (29 km) northeast of downtown St. Louis.

Many important places are in Edwardsville. These include Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Edwardsville Arts Center, and local newspapers. Edwardsville High School is also here. The main office for Prairie Farms Dairy, a large dairy company, is in Edwardsville. The city is part of a school district that also includes nearby villages like Glen Carbon.

Edwardsville's Story: A Look at Its History

Edwardsville was first made a city in 1818. This makes it the third oldest city in Illinois. It was one of the first places where European-American settlers moved onto the tallgrass prairie.

Early Settlers and Naming the City

The first European-American settler was Thomas Kirkpatrick in 1805. He started a community and named it after his friend, Ninian Edwards. Edwards was the governor of the Illinois Territory at that time. Illinois became a state in 1818. The Edwards Trace, an important trail, started from Edwardsville.

The Bank of Edwardsville

In 1868, The Bank of Edwardsville was started. It is still a local bank today.

Leclaire: A Special Village for Workers

In 1890, a businessman from St. Louis named N.O. Nelson built plumbing factories near Edwardsville. He also created a special village for his workers called Leclaire. Nelson wanted his workers to have good pay, fair hours, and a share of the company's profits.

He named the village after a French economist, Edme-Jean Leclaire. The village offered chances for education and fun. It also helped workers afford their own homes. Unlike some company towns, Leclaire focused on the well-being of its workers and their families.

Leclaire Joins Edwardsville

In 1934, the Village of Leclaire became part of Edwardsville. Today, this area has a lake, a park, and a baseball field. The Edwardsville Children's Museum is in the old Leclaire schoolhouse. Many of Nelson's old factory buildings are now part of the N. O. Nelson Campus of Lewis and Clark Community College. The Leclaire area is now a recognized Historic District. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Every year in October, the Friends of Leclaire host the Leclaire Parkfest. This festival has food, music, history displays, and activities for kids.

Historic Saint Louis Street

In 1983, Edwardsville's historic Saint Louis Street was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. This street is about a mile long and has over 50 historic homes. These homes were built between the mid-1800s and early 1900s. The Historic Saint Louis Street Association helps protect these old homes.

Governors from Edwardsville

Five governors of Illinois came from Edwardsville:

• Ninian Edwards: He was a territorial governor and later a state governor (1826–1830).
• Edward Coles: He was elected governor in 1822 and was against slavery.
• John Reynolds: Governor from 1830 to 1834.
• Thomas Ford: Governor from 1842–1846.
• Charles Deneen: Governor from 1909 to 1913.

Abraham Lincoln's Visits

Former president Abraham Lincoln visited Edwardsville twice. He was here as a lawyer in 1814. He also gave a speech outside the courthouse on September 11, 1858. The current county courthouse was built between 1913 and 1915. It is a large building made of white marble.

Edwardsville's Location and Weather

Edwardsville covers about 20.165 square miles (52.23 km2). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The weather in Edwardsville changes with the seasons. In January, the average low temperature is about 19°F (-7°C). In July, the average high temperature is about 90°F (32°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded was -27°F (-33°C) in January 1977. The hottest was 114°F (46°C) in July 2012. The city gets the most rain in May.

Who Lives in Edwardsville? (Demographics)

In 2020, Edwardsville had 26,808 people living in 8,814 households. About 5,291 of these were families. The population density was about 1,549 people per square mile (598 per km2).

Most people living in Edwardsville are White (87.70%). There are also African American (8.66%), Asian (1.69%), and Native American (0.28%) residents. About 3.6% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.8% of households had children under 18. Many households (52.4%) were married couples. The average household had 2.44 people, and the average family had 2.99 people.

The median age in Edwardsville was 33 years old. This means half the people were younger than 33 and half were older. About 22.6% of the population was under 18.

The median income for a household was $50,921. For families, it was $65,555. The average income per person was $26,510. About 8.6% of the people in Edwardsville lived below the poverty line.

Fun Things to Do in Edwardsville: Parks and Recreation

Edwardsville offers many ways to enjoy the outdoors and learn new things.

• MCT Trails: Madison County Transit has over 125 miles (201 km) of bike paths. These trails go through Edwardsville and nearby towns like Glen Carbon. They connect to neighborhoods, schools, and parks. You can find maps of the trails online or at kiosks along the paths.
• Watershed Nature Center: This is a 46-acre (19 ha) wildlife area. It has displays of local plants and animals. You can also learn about the environment here. They offer programs for both kids and adults.
• SIUE Campus: The campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is very large, covering 2,660 acres (1,076 ha). It has rolling hills, forests, and open fields to explore.
• Edwardsville Parks: The city has many parks for different activities. Some popular ones include Plummer Family Park, Winston Brown Sports Complex, and Joe Glik Park. There's also the Leon Corlew Splash Pad for water fun.
• Arts & Culture: For arts and culture, you can visit the Edwardsville Arts Center or the Wildey Theater. The Edwardsville Children's Museum is a great place for younger kids. You can also learn about local history at the Madison County Historical Museum.
• Lakes: Edwardsville has a few lakes, including Leclaire Lake, Dunlap Lake, and Tower Lake.

Media in Edwardsville

Edwardsville has its own local media, and it also gets news and entertainment from nearby St. Louis.

Print News

• The Edwardsville Intelligencer is the local daily newspaper.

Radio Stations

• WSIE-FM 88.7: This is the radio station for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
• WRYT-AM 1080: This station plays religious programs.
• You can also listen to most radio stations from St. Louis, Missouri.

Television

• ECTV Channel 10: This is a local channel available on Charter Cable in Edwardsville and Glen Carbon.

Edwardsville in Pop Culture

Edwardsville has been featured in movies and books!

• The movie The Lucky Ones was filmed in downtown Edwardsville in 2007. Even though it was filmed here, the scene was set in Denver, Colorado.
• A book of poems called Edwardsville by Heart was written by Nigerian writer Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún. He wrote it after spending three years in Edwardsville as a student.
• An episode of the TV show House Hunters was filmed in Edwardsville. It showed a local couple looking for a home and aired in 2018.

Famous People from Edwardsville

Many notable people have connections to Edwardsville.

• John Hicks Adams: A famous gunslinger and lawman from the Wild West.
• William H. Berry: He was the Treasurer of Pennsylvania and Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania.
• John Bischoff: A professional baseball player.
• Max L. Bowler: An Illinois state representative.
• Evelyn M. Bowles: An Illinois state senator.
• Hedy Burress: An actress known for movies like He's Just Not That Into You.
• Edward Coles: The second governor of Illinois.
• Charles S. Deneen: A US senator and the 23rd governor of Illinois.
• Ninian Edwards: A US senator, judge, and the third governor of Illinois. Edwardsville is named after him!
• A. J. Epenesa: A professional football player for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
• Thomas Ford: An Illinois Supreme Court judge and the eighth governor of Illinois.
• Pamela L. Gay: An astrophysicist.
• Earl E. Herrin: An Illinois state representative.
• Jason Isringhausen: A pitcher who played for five MLB teams.
• Mannie Jackson: The chairman and CEO of the Harlem Globetrotters.
• Thomas Judy: An Illinois legislator.
• Charles E. Lippincott: A California State Senator and Illinois Auditor.
• Mark Little: An outfielder who played for five Major League Baseball teams.
• Kate Martin (basketball): A guard for the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces. She played college basketball at Iowa and high school basketball for Edwardsville High School.
• José Martínez: A first baseman/outfielder for the New York Mets.
• Laurie Metcalf: An actress famous for playing Jackie Harris on Roseanne.
• Joseph P. Newsham: A lawyer and US congressman from Louisiana.
• Billie Poole: A jazz singer.
• John Reynolds: A speaker of the Illinois House, US congressman, and the fourth governor of Illinois.
• AJ Schnack: A film director.
• Jesse L. Simpson: A Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
• James W. Stephenson: An American militia officer and politician.
• Sam M. Vadalabene: An Illinois state legislator.
• Lee Wheat: A pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Kansas City Athletics.
• Rudolph G. Wilson: The first black school board member/president in the city's history.

See also

In Spanish: Edwardsville (Illinois) para niños