Galt, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Galt, Illinois
Unincorporated community
Galt, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Galt, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Whiteside
Area
• Total	0.29 sq mi (0.76 km2)
• Land	0.29 sq mi (0.76 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	640 ft (200 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	193
• Density	660.96/sq mi (255.37/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	61037
Area code(s)	815 & 779
GNIS feature ID	408859

Galt is a small place in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. It is called an unincorporated community. This means it's a settled area that doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.

Galt is about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Sterling. It has its own post office and a special code for mail, which is ZIP code 61037.

Galt's History

Galt got its name from an early landowner named John Galt. He was one of the first people to own land in this area.

When Galt Was Founded

The community of Galt began in 1857. This happened when the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad built tracks through the area. A "depot" (a train station) and a post office were set up. The railroad helped the community grow.

The Railroad's Journey

The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was very important back then. Over time, this railroad changed its name. It later became known as The Chicago and North Western Railroad. Railroads were key for travel and moving goods in the past.

Who Lives in Galt?

This section tells us about the people living in Galt. It's often called "demographics."

Galt's Population Count

According to the 2020 United States Census, 193 people lived in Galt. A census is like a big count of everyone living in a country. It happens every ten years. This helps us understand how communities are growing or changing.