Greenville, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greenville, Illinois
City
The City of Greenville, Illinois
Second Street in Downtown Greenville
Motto(s):  "Arms Wide Open"
Location of Greenville in Illinois
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Bond
Township	Central, Pleasant Mound
Founded	Municipal corporation, 1872
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
Area
• Total	6.31 sq mi (16.34 km2)
• Land	6.31 sq mi (16.34 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	577 ft (176 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,083
• Density	1,122.68/sq mi (433.49/km2)
Demonym(s)	Greenvillian
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	62246
Area codes	618
FIPS code	17-31589
GNIS feature ID	2394995
Wikimedia Commons	Greenville, Illinois

Greenville is a city in Bond County, Illinois, United States. It is about 51 miles (82 km) east of St. Louis. In 2020, about 7,083 people lived there. Greenville is the main city of Bond County.

It is part of the larger St. Louis area. It is also in the Metro East part of Illinois.

Greenville is one of the oldest towns in Illinois. It celebrated its 200th birthday in 2015. The city is home to Greenville University. It also has several interesting museums. These include the Richard Bock Museum and the American Farm Heritage Museum. You can also find the Armed Forces Museum and the Demoulin Museum here. Greenville is home to some well-known companies. Nevco Scoreboard is the biggest private scoreboard company in the world. DeMoulin Brothers makes band uniforms and is the oldest and largest company of its kind.

History of Greenville

Greenville was started in 1815 by George Davidson. He bought land near Little Shoal Creek. At that time, it was part of the Illinois Territory. Davidson built a tavern and began selling land lots in 1816. The first post office opened in Greenville in 1819. It became a town in 1855 and a city in 1872.

People have different ideas about how Greenville got its name. Some think it was named after Greenville, North Carolina. That city was named after a Revolutionary War general. Others say an early settler named Thomas White called it "so green and nice." Another idea is that it was named after Green P. Rice, the town's first merchant.

Greenville became the main city of Bond County in 1821. The previous main city, Perryville, became part of another county. So, a new main city was needed. George Davidson offered land for the county government. His offer was accepted, and a courthouse was built in 1821.

Helping People on the Underground Railroad

In the 1840s, some people in Bond County helped slaves find freedom. This was part of the Underground Railroad. People often helped slaves from Missouri travel through Illinois. Reverend John Leeper used his milling business to hide his activities. Dr. Henry Perrine also helped with the secret railroad. In the 1930s, a secret room was found in Reverend George Denny's house. It had been used for the Railroad.

Greenville University's Beginnings

Greenville University started as Almira College in 1855. It was a college for women. This was an early step in helping women get an education. It was also part of the movement for women's rights. In 1941, the college president said that both Almira and Greenville were founded on prayer. Women in Bond County could vote for the first time in 1914.

Famous Visitors to Greenville

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas gave speeches in Greenville. They were running for the United States Senate. Douglas said he was happy to see so many people. A newspaper called the Illinois State Register said it was a huge gathering.

On November 21, 1915, the Liberty Bell passed through Greenville. It was on a tour across the country. After this trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania. It has not been moved since.

During the Great Depression in 1934, about 500 people marched in Greenville. They were asking for help from the government.

Later, two U.S. presidents visited Greenville. Ronald Reagan came in 1980 when he was running for president. He gave a speech in front of the courthouse. A plaque marks his visit. Barack Obama visited Greenville in 2004. He was campaigning for his Senate seat.

Old Businesses in Greenville

Greenville used to have three newspapers. Today, it has only one, The Greenville Advocate. This newspaper comes out twice a week. It is the oldest business in Bond County. It is also one of the oldest newspapers in Illinois. The first owner, Jediah Alexander, was friends with Abraham Lincoln. He helped bring Lincoln to Greenville for his visit.

Another old business was the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company. It later became the Pet Milk Company. The plant was built in 1899. It was the oldest condensing plant in the world for many years. It was torn down in the early 1990s. Pet Milk also had its research center in Greenville. Many products were created there. These included Instant Pet and Pet-Ritz pies. They also developed Sego diet foods and Old El Paso products. The company also found a way to add Vitamin D to milk. The remaining buildings were sold to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. This company still operates there today.

Other historic businesses in Greenville included a shoe factory and cigar makers. There was also a glove factory. In the early 1900s, Greenville had its own power company. It was later bought by Illinois Power and Light Service.

The Watson family ran a pharmacy in Greenville for over 125 years. It started in 1881. It was sold in 2006 but is still called Watson's Drug Store. Greenville once had a silent movie theater called the Lyric. Now, it has a modern movie theater called the Globe.

Bradford National Bank was started in 1867. It is one of the oldest banks in Illinois. In 2017, the bank celebrated its 150th birthday. Today, it has locations in Greenville and other nearby towns.

Geography and Location

Greenville is located in the middle of Bond County. U.S. Route 40 and Interstate 70 pass south of downtown. Both highways go west 49 miles (79 km) to St. Louis. They also go east 19 miles (31 km) to Vandalia.

Greenville is also on Illinois Route 127. This is a main road that goes north and south. It connects Southern Illinois to Springfield.

The National Road also goes through Greenville. This historic road follows different routes near the city. The National Road was supposed to connect Greenville to St. Louis. But the state government wanted it to go to Alton instead. When money ran out in 1840, people in Greenville and nearby towns paid to finish the road to East St. Louis.

Greenville covers an area of about 6.31 square miles (16.34 km²). All of this area is land.

People in Greenville

In 2020, there were 7,083 people living in Greenville. Most people were White (75.35%). About 13.84% were African American. About 6.54% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was 39.5 years. About 14.8% of the people were under 18 years old.

Education in Greenville

Greenville has several schools and colleges.

Greenville University

Greenville University is a private college. It celebrated its 100th birthday in 1992. The college was even featured on NBC's Today Show. In 2006, it was featured again for its growth. In 2007, it had about 1,100 students. The college was the first campus in America to have completely wireless internet.

Today, Greenville University has over 1,500 students. Most students come from different Christian backgrounds. The college offers many different study programs.

Other Schools and Colleges

Greenville also has a satellite center for Kaskaskia College. This is a community college.

For younger students, Greenville has Greenville High School. Its sports teams are called the Comets. The Comets football team has done very well in state playoffs. Students from nearby towns like Pocahontas and Sorento also attend Greenville High School. Famous country singer Gretchen Wilson went to GHS.

Greenville Junior High is now a middle school. It teaches students from sixth to eighth grade. Its teams are called the Bluejays. Greenville Elementary School is for younger students. Its teams are called the Rockets. In 2006, Greenville Elementary was chosen as a NASA Explorer school. This was a partnership with NASA to promote math, science, and space.

Media and News

Greenville has a local newspaper, The Advocate. It also has a radio station, WGEL. This station plays country music and covers local news. WGRN 89.5 is another radio station in Greenville. It is run by Greenville University. WPMB 102.7 also serves Greenville.

Culture and Events

For 37 years, Greenville hosted AgapeFest. This was a Christian music festival run by Greenville College students. Many famous Christian bands played there. The festival was moved in 2014 but plans to return to Greenville.

Greenville used to host the World Powered Parachute Championships. This event was called the "Chute-Out on the Prairie". Greenville is home to some famous people in this sport.

The Bond County Fair is held in Greenville every August. In 2008, the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Traveling Wall visited Greenville during the fair.

The Greenville Graffiti Car Show is held downtown. It features a large car show. Famous celebrities have also appeared. In 2013, Donna Douglas from The Beverly Hillbillies visited. In 2014, James Best from The Dukes of Hazzard was there.

Fun Things to Do

Greenville is a popular stop for people on cross-country walks and bike rides. It is a time station for the Race Across America bike ride.

Greenville Municipal Airport is south of downtown. It has a skydiving center called Gateway Skydiving Center. It is one of the closest skydiving centers to St. Louis.

Governor Bond Lake is a man-made lake near Greenville. It is named after Illinois' first governor, Shadrach Bond. The lake was built in the 1960s for the city's water supply. Now, it is also used for fishing, boating, and camping. Greenville is also close to Carlyle Lake. This is the largest man-made lake in Illinois. It is a very popular place for outdoor activities.

Places to See

Greenville has an old-fashioned downtown area. You can see murals and antique shops. The city has been working to restore the downtown murals.

Lincoln-Douglas Campaign Site

A large stone and plaque mark the spot where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas gave speeches. This was in 1858 when they were running for the United States Senate. There is also a Veterans' Memorial on the courthouse lawn. It honors all county veterans.

Sears Catalog Homes

You can find many Sears Catalog Homes around town. These were houses that people bought as kits from the Sears and Roebuck catalog.

Greenville University Museum

Greenville University has a special museum. It is the only museum dedicated to the sculptures of Richard Bock. He worked with famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Bock designed many sculptures for Wright's homes.

American Farm Heritage Museum and Hills Fort

Greenville is home to the American Farm Heritage Museum and Hills Fort. This museum works to save the history of farming. It shows old tractors and other farm items. The museum also holds several festivals each year. In 2007, it had the largest Oliver equipment show in America. In 2006, 500 tractors were on display. About 5,000 people attended. The museum also has a small train that goes around the grounds.

In 2011, the St. Louis Armed Forces Museum moved to the American Farm Heritage Museum. It moved because of the many visitors to the Greenville museum.

The DeMoulin Museum

The DeMoulin Museum is a very unique museum in Greenville. It started in 1892 as a company making items for clubs. Later, DeMoulin Bros. & Co. became a top maker of marching band uniforms. The company also made graduation caps, choir robes, and church furniture. The museum, founded in 2010, celebrates the company's history. It shows many of DeMoulin's creations. The most famous items are the "lodge initiation devices." These include the Bucking Goat and the Invisible Paddle Machine. These unique items have brought visitors from many states. The museum has been featured in publications like Atlas Obscura.

Getting Around

Greenville Municipal Airport is about 3 miles from the city center.

For shipping goods, Greenville has access to major train lines. These include BNSF and CSX. There is also a local train line, the Illinois Western Railroad.

Major roads include Interstate 70, U.S. Route 40, Illinois Route 127, and Illinois Route 140.

Bond County Transit also has several bus stops in Greenville.

Notable People from Greenville

• Ernest L. Boyer, former U.S. Commissioner of Education
• Robert Briner, Emmy Award-winning television producer
• Job Adams Cooper, former governor of Colorado
• Gerald Greider, Wisconsin legislator
• Phyllis Holmes, former basketball coach for Greenville College and U.S. Olympic Team; member of Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
• Enoch A. Holtwick, temperance activist and candidate for President in 1956
• Alfred Harrison Joy, astronomer
• Edwin G. Krebs, a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist
• Herbert Lyle Mayfield, inventor of the guitalin (a musical instrument)
• Tom Merritt, former executive editor on TWIT network and host of the Daily Tech News Show.
• Henry Perrine, famous for growing plants
• Robert E. "Ish" Smith, president of IBAF and the United States Baseball Federation
• Ron Stephens, formerly of the Illinois House of Representatives
• Manuel Velazquez, anti-boxing activist
• Frank Watson, former Republican Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate
• Howard Zahniser, environmental activist, wrote Wilderness Act of 1964

See also

In Spanish: Greenville (Illinois) para niños