Grand Ridge, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grand Ridge
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Grand Ridge in 2011
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| Nickname(s):
The Ridge
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Location of Grand Ridge in LaSalle County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | LaSalle |
| Township | Farm Ridge |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2) |
| • Land | 0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 650 ft (200 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 515 |
| • Density | 1,114.72/sq mi (430.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61325
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| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-30757 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2398188 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Grand Ridge, Illinois |
| Website | https://villageofgrandridge.org/ |
Grand Ridge is a small village located in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 515 people lived there. This village is part of the Ottawa area, which is a group of towns connected by their economy.
Contents
History of Grand Ridge
Early Days and Founding
In 1860, Judge John T. Porter and his family moved to Illinois. They settled on a farm near what would become Grand Ridge. Judge Porter was a farmer, then later worked with lumber and grain. In 1872, he moved into the town of Grand Ridge. He built and ran two large buildings called grain elevators. These buildings are used to store and move grain. Later, in 1882, he moved to Florida. He even started a town there, naming it Grand Ridge, Florida, after his old home in Illinois.
In 1868, Nelson Jones became the first blacksmith in Grand Ridge. He bought houses, lots, and a shop. This was an important step for the growing village.
Railroad and First Businesses
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad finished its Fox River Division in 1870. This new railroad line helped Grand Ridge grow. The first business building was put up by E. Core in the same year.
Churches in Grand Ridge
There are different stories about how the Presbyterian church started in Grand Ridge.
- One story says the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was formed in 1871. Robert M. Antram was an important leader there. The church building was built in 1890.
- Another story says the Presbyterian church was started earlier, on June 17, 1865. It began in the Van Doren school house. Its first church building was built in 1864.
Village Growth and Trade
By 1874, the village started to grow even more. Landowners David Crumrine and Joseph Boyd divided their land into town lots. This led to more buildings being built. Grand Ridge became a busy farm village. A lot of grain and other farm products were sent to market from here.
In 1876, F. McIlvaine bought Judge Porter's grain elevator. Another elevator was run by E. Cole. In 1877, it was estimated that about 1,200 train car loads of grain were shipped each year. This shows how important farming was to the village.
F. H. Poundstone built the second business house in 1871. In 1873, Garrison & Hornick opened a store selling dry goods and groceries. By 1877, Grand Ridge had nine businesses, two doctors, and many skilled workers.
Community Organizations
In 1875, a group called The Victor Lodge, No. 578, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) was started. This was a social and community support group.
In 1903, the First National Bank of Grand Ridge was created. Thomas Dean Catlin, a banker from Ottawa, Illinois, helped organize it.
Geography of Grand Ridge
Grand Ridge covers a total area of about 0.46 square miles (1.20 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the village limits.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 135 | — | |
| 1890 | 328 | 143.0% | |
| 1900 | 392 | 19.5% | |
| 1910 | 403 | 2.8% | |
| 1920 | 389 | −3.5% | |
| 1930 | 367 | −5.7% | |
| 1940 | 385 | 4.9% | |
| 1950 | 530 | 37.7% | |
| 1960 | 659 | 24.3% | |
| 1970 | 698 | 5.9% | |
| 1980 | 684 | −2.0% | |
| 1990 | 560 | −18.1% | |
| 2000 | 546 | −2.5% | |
| 2010 | 560 | 2.6% | |
| 2020 | 515 | −8.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2020 census, 515 people lived in Grand Ridge. There were 252 households and 187 families. The village had about 1,114 people per square mile.
Most people in Grand Ridge are White, making up about 93.79% of the population. About 7.18% of the people are Hispanic or Latino.
About 30.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 54.37% were married couples. The average household had about 3 people.
The median age in the village was 39.1 years old. This means half the people were younger than 39.1 and half were older.
Grand Ridge Grade School
Grand Ridge Grade School is the local school for younger students. The school's leaders are Superintendent Ted Sanders and Principal Terry Ahearn. The school's mascot is a Mohawk Indian, and its colors are maroon, gold, and white.
The school's sports teams have done well. In 2007, the 7th grade girls basketball team placed 4th in the state. The academic team also took second place at their regional tournament in 2008.
Notable People from Grand Ridge
- Joseph Robert Buckley, a person known for creating podcasts.
- Bill Essick, a pitcher who played baseball for the Cincinnati Reds.
- John Huston Finley, who was the Editor in Chief of The New York Times. He also served as the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York.
See also
In Spanish: Grand Ridge (Illinois) para niños
