Grant Park, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grant Park
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| Village of Grant Park | |
Grant Park, Illinois, Looking South
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Location of Grant Park in Illinois
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Kankakee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.44 sq mi (8.90 km2) |
| • Land | 3.41 sq mi (8.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 689 ft (210 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,294 |
| • Density | 379.14/sq mi (146.40/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
60940
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| Area codes | 815 and 779 |
| FIPS code | 17-30991 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2398191 |
Grant Park is a small village located in the northeastern part of Kankakee County, Illinois, in the United States. It became an official village in 1883. In 2020, about 1,294 people lived there.
Grant Park is part of a larger area that includes the cities of Kankakee and Bradley. A big storm called a cyclone caused a lot of damage to the town in 1912. Pictures of the damage were even shown in a magazine called Frank Leslie's Weekly.
Contents
Geography and Population of Grant Park
Grant Park covers a total area of about 3.44 square miles (8.90 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water.
The number of people living in Grant Park has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at its population:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 279 | — | |
| 1890 | 340 | 21.9% | |
| 1900 | 442 | 30.0% | |
| 1910 | 692 | 56.6% | |
| 1920 | 459 | −33.7% | |
| 1930 | 508 | 10.7% | |
| 1940 | 519 | 2.2% | |
| 1950 | 564 | 8.7% | |
| 1960 | 757 | 34.2% | |
| 1970 | 914 | 20.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,038 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,024 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,358 | 32.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,331 | −2.0% | |
| 2020 | 1,294 | −2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Grant Park?
In 2000, there were 1,358 people living in Grant Park. These people lived in 497 homes, and 389 of these were families.
- Many homes (about 40%) had children under 18 living there.
- Most homes (about 64%) were married couples living together.
- The average home had about 2.73 people, and the average family had about 3.09 people.
The people in Grant Park are of different ages:
- About 28% were under 18 years old.
- About 31% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- About 12% were 65 years or older.
The average age of people in the village was 36 years old. The typical income for a family in Grant Park was around $55,250 per year.
Tornadoes and Weather Events
Grant Park has experienced several strong storms, especially tornadoes.
Tornadoes in the Past
- In 1912, a large tornado hit Grant Park. It destroyed several homes in the northern part of the village and injured many people.
- Another big tornado struck on April 7, 1948. This storm was very serious, causing three deaths and injuring eight people. It also caused a lot of damage to homes and farm animals. This tornado is known as the worst in the history of Kankakee County.
- On April 7, 1954, a third tornado hit the area. It caused one death and two minor injuries. The damage from this storm cost millions of dollars.
Recent Tornado Activity
- On August 10, 2020, a smaller tornado touched down in Grant Park. While not as strong as past ones, it still caused significant damage to trees and roofs. This tornado was part of a larger weather event called the August 2020 Midwest derecho.
Education in Grant Park
Grant Park has schools for all ages, from young children to teenagers. There is a preschool, an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.
The sports teams for the elementary, middle, and high schools are called the Dragons. Their school colors are green and gold.
The high school used to have a special schedule where students had four longer classes each day. Now, they have a more traditional schedule with eight classes a day and tray lunches.
Notable People from Grant Park
- Richard L. Alexander, a famous fighter pilot from World War II, was born in Grant Park.
See also
In Spanish: Grant Park para niños
