Hecker, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hecker, Illinois
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| Etymology: Friedrich Franz Karl Hecker | |
Location in Monroe County, Illinois
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 Hecker, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Monroe |
| Precinct | 1 |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.26 sq mi (0.66 km2) |
| • Land | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 476 ft (145 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 429 |
| • Density | 1,695.65/sq mi (655.60/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62248
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-33877 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2398483 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Hecker, Illinois |
Hecker is a small village in Monroe County, Illinois. A village is a type of small town. In 2020, about 429 people lived there.
The Story of Hecker
Hecker wasn't always called Hecker! It was first known as "Freedom." The town was started on land owned by Theodore Hilgard. The first house was built in 1849.
In 1895, the people of Freedom decided to make their town official. This is called "incorporating," and it helps a town get better services like roads and water. But there was a problem: another town in Illinois was also named Freedom. The Post Office asked them to change their name.
So, the villagers chose a new name to honor a respected person: Friedrich Franz Karl Hecker. He was a famous German revolutionary, a great speaker, and a colonel in the American Civil War. His farm was nearby, and the people of Freedom admired him. That's how the village got its unique name!
Where is Hecker?
Hecker is located in the eastern part of Monroe County. Its northern edge touches the border of St. Clair County.
Two main roads pass through Hecker:
- Illinois Route 159 goes through the village on Main Street. You can drive north about 15 miles (24 km) to Belleville or south about 6 miles (10 km) to Red Bud.
- Illinois Route 156 also enters Hecker. It goes west about 9 miles (14 km) to Waterloo, which is the main town of Monroe County (called the "county seat"). It also goes east about 8 miles (13 km) to New Athens.
The village of Hecker is quite small. It covers about 0.27 square miles (0.70 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water. The water in the village flows into different creeks that are part of the larger Kaskaskia River area.
People of Hecker
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 200 | — | |
| 1910 | 187 | −6.5% | |
| 1920 | 159 | −15.0% | |
| 1930 | 177 | 11.3% | |
| 1940 | 205 | 15.8% | |
| 1950 | 204 | −0.5% | |
| 1960 | 313 | 53.4% | |
| 1970 | 380 | 21.4% | |
| 1980 | 531 | 39.7% | |
| 1990 | 534 | 0.6% | |
| 2000 | 475 | −11.0% | |
| 2010 | 481 | 1.3% | |
| 2020 | 429 | −10.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Hecker has changed over the years. You can see how many people lived there in different years in the chart.
In 2000, there were 475 people living in Hecker. Most of the people were White. A very small number were African American or from two or more races.
About 32% of the homes in Hecker had children under 18 living there. The average family size was about three people. The median age of people in the village was 36 years old. This means half the people were younger than 36, and half were older.
The median income for a family in Hecker in 2000 was about $51,071 per year. This shows how much money families earned on average.
See also
- In Spanish: Hecker (Illinois) para niños
