Eliza, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliza, Illinois
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 Eliza, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Eliza, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Mercer |
| Township | Eliza |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) |
| • Land | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 696 ft (212 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25 |
| • Density | 196.85/sq mi (76.18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
61272 (New Boston)
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| Area code(s) | 309 |
| FIPS code | 17-23139 |
| GNIS feature ID | 407865 |
Eliza is a small, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. It is located within Eliza Township. An unincorporated community is a place that has a shared identity but does not have its own local government like a city or town. Eliza is about 9 miles north of New Boston. As of the 2020 census, only 25 people lived there.
History of Eliza
The Bishop family first settled the area around the 1840s. Later, John Bishop, a grandson, owned most of the town. He even had his own general store, which sold all sorts of everyday items.
John Bishop was also the manager of the town band starting in 1914. Eliza was a lively place, even having its own basketball team! The community also had a church called the Eliza Episcopal Church.
By the late 1920s, Eliza had about 53 acres of farmland. It also had a general store, a drugstore, a church, a theater, a dancehall, a pool hall, and a barber shop. There were also many houses and other community buildings.
On November 14, 1929, John Bishop decided to sell almost all of the town at an auction. He kept only four houses. The reasons for his decision were not officially stated. However, it was likely because of the start of the Great Depression, which began in late October of that year. News of this auction was so interesting that it was featured in newspapers as far away as Ohio, Iowa, and New Jersey.
Geography of Eliza
Eliza is located in the northwestern part of Mercer County. It is about 10 miles north of New Boston. It is also about 17 miles northwest of Aledo, which is the county seat (the main town where the county government is located).
The community sits on a hilltop. Water from this hilltop drains east into Irwin Branch. Irwin Branch is a small stream that flows south into Eliza Creek. Eliza Creek then flows southwest to the Mississippi River at New Boston.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Eliza census-designated place covers an area of 0.13 square miles. All of this area is land, with no water.
Population of Eliza
The population of Eliza is counted during the U.S. Decennial Census.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 25 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2020 census, the total population of Eliza was 25 people.
