Fidelity, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fidelity
Village
Location of Fidelity within Jersey County, Illinois
Location of Fidelity in Jersey County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Jersey
Township	Fidelity
Area
• Total	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
• Land	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	633 ft (193 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	96
• Density	950.50/sq mi (365.86/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	618
FIPS code	17-25960
GNIS feature ID	2398873

Fidelity is a small village located in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is about 35 miles north of Saint Louis, Missouri. In 2020, the village had a total population of 96 people.

Fidelity is often known for its special postmark.

Geography of Fidelity: Where is it Located?

Fidelity is found at coordinates 39°9′17″N 90°9′50″W / 39.15472°N 90.16389°W / 39.15472; -90.16389. This tells us its exact spot on a map.

The village covers a total area of about 0.11 square miles (0.26 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

History of Fidelity: How the Village Got Its Name

The story of Fidelity's name is quite interesting!

The Legend of the Lame Horse

In 1829, some travelers from Tennessee were passing through this area. A popular local story says that a settler named Joseph Russell had a horse that became lame, meaning it couldn't walk well. This left Russell stranded. Another settler, Samuel Simmons, offered Russell a new horse.

According to the legend, Russell was so grateful that he said, "That's true fidelity!" The word "fidelity" means loyalty or faithfulness.

Another Version of the Naming Story

There's another version of how the name came about. Joseph Russell and his brother William were traveling from Tennessee to Missouri. They were looking for good, affordable land. They set up camp right where Fidelity is today.

William's horse injured its foot trying to escape. William told Joseph, "You take my horse to finish the trip and get back to East Tennessee. I'll stay here and take care of your horse until his foot gets well." William then said, "Well, that's what I call real fidelity!" William later went to St. Louis, found some land, and returned to Tennessee. On July 31, 1849, William wrote to Joseph, saying he planned to name the town "Fidelity."

Early Settlers and Growth

Samuel Simmons built a log cabin in the area. In 1850, Joseph Russell and his brother also settled there. The Russell brothers are given credit for making sure the town was officially named Fidelity.

A post office was opened in the village in 1854. In the middle of the 1900s, Fidelity was a busy place. It had "a small Army barracks, grain elevator, several doctors and dentists, a blacksmith shop and grocery stores."

Fidelity Today: A Small Community

Over time, Fidelity has become a very small village. It is mostly made up of small homes. The post office is now the only business left. Its special postmark is very popular, especially for Valentine's Day cards. Hundreds of people from all over the United States and the world ask for their greetings to be stamped with the Fidelity postmark each year.

Population of Fidelity: How Many People Live There?

In 2000, there were 105 people living in Fidelity. These people lived in 41 households, and 30 of those were families. The village had about 941 people per square mile. All the residents were White.

Out of the 41 households, 46.3% had children under 18 living with them. About 51.2% were married couples living together. A smaller number, 12.2%, had a female head of household with no husband present. About 17.1% of all households were individuals living alone. Some of these individuals, 12.2%, were 65 years old or older.

The average household had about 2.56 people. The average family had about 2.77 people.