Gibson City, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gibson City
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| Nickname(s):
The BIG LITTLE CITY of Ford County, Illinois.
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Location of Gibson City in Ford County, Illinois.
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.svg)
Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Ford |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.36 sq mi (6.10 km2) |
| • Land | 2.32 sq mi (6.01 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,475 |
| • Density | 1,497.20/sq mi (578.07/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
60936
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-29125 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394891 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Gibson City, Illinois |
Gibson City is a friendly city located in Ford County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 3,475 people lived there. It's known as "The BIG LITTLE CITY" of Ford County!
Contents
History of Gibson City
Gibson City started when Jonathan B. Lott bought the land and planned out the town in 1869. In 1870, he built his home and a post office. Soon, stores and a grain elevator were also built.
Lott named the place Gibson after his wife, Margaret Gibson Lott. The "City" part was added later by the post office. An early business partner, Andrew Douglas Winslow, thought about changing the name to Winslow City when he became mayor. But the townspeople didn't like the idea, so he kept the name Gibson City. Winslow dreamed of Gibson City becoming a huge city like Chicago or St. Louis.
Later, Eric "Richard" Ryder became mayor. He helped create important trade routes, including one to nearby Champaign. Ryder also helped the city grow in size. His work led to a time of big growth that continues today.
Two railroads, the Gilman, Clinton and Springfield Railroad and the Chicago and Paducah Railroad, reached the town in 1871. This helped the population grow even more. Gibson City officially became a village in 1872. A third railroad, the LaFayette, Muncie and Bloomington Railroad, arrived in 1874. That same year, one railroad made a deal with Augustana College (which was in Paxton at the time). The college earned money for every acre of railroad land sold to Swedish settlers.
In 1883, a large fire caused a lot of damage in the town.
Geography and Climate
Gibson City covers an area of about 2.36 square miles (6.10 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
What is the Climate Like?
The weather in Gibson City changes with the seasons. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for Gibson City, Illinois (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.0 (0.0) |
36.5 (2.5) |
48.2 (9.0) |
61.6 (16.4) |
72.5 (22.5) |
81.7 (27.6) |
84.0 (28.9) |
82.7 (28.2) |
77.8 (25.4) |
64.1 (17.8) |
49.3 (9.6) |
36.7 (2.6) |
60.6 (15.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.0 (−4.4) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
38.8 (3.8) |
50.3 (10.2) |
61.9 (16.6) |
71.2 (21.8) |
73.8 (23.2) |
72.1 (22.3) |
65.5 (18.6) |
52.7 (11.5) |
40.1 (4.5) |
29.4 (−1.4) |
50.7 (10.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.0 (−8.9) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
39.1 (3.9) |
51.2 (10.7) |
60.7 (15.9) |
63.6 (17.6) |
61.5 (16.4) |
53.2 (11.8) |
41.4 (5.2) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
40.7 (4.9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.95 (50) |
1.77 (45) |
2.74 (70) |
3.57 (91) |
4.51 (115) |
4.57 (116) |
3.57 (91) |
3.64 (92) |
3.20 (81) |
3.40 (86) |
2.63 (67) |
2.18 (55) |
37.73 (959) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.7 (17) |
4.1 (10) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.1 (2.8) |
4.6 (12) |
18.3 (46.41) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Gibson City? (Demographics)
The population of Gibson City has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,260 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,803 | 43.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,054 | 13.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,086 | 1.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,234 | 7.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,163 | −3.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,401 | 11.0% | |
| 1950 | 3,029 | 26.2% | |
| 1960 | 3,453 | 14.0% | |
| 1970 | 3,454 | 0.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,498 | 1.3% | |
| 1990 | 3,396 | −2.9% | |
| 2000 | 3,373 | −0.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,407 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 3,475 | 2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 3,475 people living in Gibson City. There were about 1,585 households. Most people living in the city were White. A small number of people were African American, Native American, or Asian. Some people were from two or more races. About 3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Gibson City was about 43.8 years old. About 22.8% of the population was under 18 years old.
Transportation in Gibson City
Several important roads meet near Gibson City. These include Illinois State Highways 9, 47, and 54. A train line, the Norfolk Southern Wabash line, also runs through the city.
Local Media
Newspapers in Gibson City
The town used to have its own newspaper called the Gibson City Courier. It was published from 1874 until 2015. Now, Gibson City gets its news from the Ford County Record, which is based in nearby Paxton.
Radio Station
Gibson City has a local radio station called WGCY. You can find it at 106.3 MHz on your FM dial. It plays easy listening music and covers local high school sports.
Famous People from Gibson City
Many interesting people have come from Gibson City:
- Scott M. Bennett – He was a member of the Illinois Senate.
- Thomas M. Bennett – He is a current member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
- Dwight Eddleman – A legendary athlete who played three different sports for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
- Earl Hamilton – A baseball pitcher who played for teams like the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns.
- Russell Johnson – A talented cartoonist.
- John Arthur Love – He was the 36th Governor of Colorado.
- Frances McDormand – A very famous actress who has won many awards. She was born in Gibson City.
- Larry Pratt – A baseball catcher who played for teams like the Boston Red Sox.
See also
In Spanish: Gibson City para niños
