Kankakee, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kankakee
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Location of Kankakee in Illinois
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 Kankakee
Location in Illinois
Kankakee
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Illinois | |
| County | Kankakee | |
| Established | 1853 | |
| Incorporated (city) | 1865 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor–council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 15.62 sq mi (40.44 km2) | |
| • Land | 15.14 sq mi (39.20 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.48 sq mi (1.24 km2) | |
| Elevation | 617 ft (188 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 24,052 | |
| • Density | 1,588.95/sq mi (613.51/km2) | |
| Demonym(s) | Kankakeean | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
60901
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| Area codes | 815, 779 | |
| FIPS code | 17-38934 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395489 | |
Kankakee is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the main city of Kankakee County. Kankakee is located right on the Kankakee River. In 2020, about 24,052 people lived here. It is an important city in the countryside near Chicago.
Contents
History of Kankakee
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The name Kankakee likely comes from an old Native American word. It might be from the Miami-Illinois word teeyaahkiki. This word means "open country" or "land exposed to view." It describes how the area looked before, when it was a marsh. Kankakee was officially started as a city in 1854.
Geography of Kankakee
Kankakee covers about 14.62 square miles (37.87 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The Kankakee River
The Kankakee River flows right through the city. This river is about 133 miles (214 kilometers) long. It is a very important natural feature of Kankakee. The city uses the river water for drinking. Electricity is also made at the Kankakee River Dam. This provides important resources for the people living there. The river has many curves and quiet spots, which are great for fishing.
Kankakee's Climate
| Climate data for Kankakee, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1887–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
74 (23) |
85 (29) |
91 (33) |
99 (37) |
103 (39) |
103 (39) |
107 (42) |
99 (37) |
90 (32) |
79 (26) |
71 (22) |
107 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 32.5 (0.3) |
36.8 (2.7) |
48.6 (9.2) |
61.2 (16.2) |
72.5 (22.5) |
81.9 (27.7) |
84.8 (29.3) |
83.2 (28.4) |
77.9 (25.5) |
65.1 (18.4) |
49.9 (9.9) |
37.8 (3.2) |
61.0 (16.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.4 (−4.2) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
39.0 (3.9) |
50.3 (10.2) |
61.8 (16.6) |
71.5 (21.9) |
74.8 (23.8) |
73.1 (22.8) |
66.5 (19.2) |
54.1 (12.3) |
41.0 (5.0) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
51.2 (10.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.3 (−8.7) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
29.4 (−1.4) |
39.4 (4.1) |
51.0 (10.6) |
61.0 (16.1) |
64.8 (18.2) |
63.0 (17.2) |
55.1 (12.8) |
43.1 (6.2) |
32.1 (0.1) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
41.4 (5.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) |
−21 (−29) |
−7 (−22) |
8 (−13) |
27 (−3) |
38 (3) |
46 (8) |
39 (4) |
30 (−1) |
18 (−8) |
1 (−17) |
−26 (−32) |
−29 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.37 (60) |
1.94 (49) |
2.49 (63) |
3.87 (98) |
5.15 (131) |
5.21 (132) |
4.65 (118) |
3.85 (98) |
3.56 (90) |
3.40 (86) |
2.82 (72) |
2.35 (60) |
41.66 (1,058) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.1 (21) |
3.4 (8.6) |
3.0 (7.6) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
5.3 (13) |
20.7 (53) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.7 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 10.9 | 11.7 | 10.1 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 7.6 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 113.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.6 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 16.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Kankakee has a climate with four different seasons. Summers are warm, and winters are cold. The city gets rain throughout the year and some snow in winter. The weather box above shows more details about temperatures and rainfall.
Population of Kankakee
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 5,651 | — | |
| 1890 | 9,025 | 59.7% | |
| 1900 | 13,595 | 50.6% | |
| 1910 | 13,986 | 2.9% | |
| 1920 | 16,753 | 19.8% | |
| 1930 | 20,620 | 23.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,241 | 7.9% | |
| 1950 | 25,856 | 16.3% | |
| 1960 | 27,666 | 7.0% | |
| 1970 | 27,575 | −0.3% | |
| 1980 | 29,633 | 7.5% | |
| 1990 | 30,944 | 4.4% | |
| 2000 | 27,491 | −11.2% | |
| 2010 | 27,537 | 0.2% | |
| 2020 | 24,052 | −12.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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The population of Kankakee has changed over the years. The table above shows how many people have lived in the city since 1880.
Who Lives in Kankakee? (2020 Census)
| Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop. 2010 | Pop. 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 13,130 | 10,432 | 8,096 | 47.76% | 37.88% | 33.66% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 11,216 | 11,128 | 9,233 | 40.80% | 40.41% | 38.39% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 58 | 54 | 62 | 0.21% | 0.20% | 0.26% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 86 | 175 | 116 | 0.31% | 0.64% | 0.48% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 49 | 39 | 107 | 0.18% | 0.14% | 0.44% |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | 401 | 599 | 916 | 1.46% | 2.18% | 3.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,544 | 5,107 | 5,519 | 9.25% | 18.55% | 22.95% |
| Total | 27,491 | 27,537 | 24,052 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The 2020 census shows the different groups of people living in Kankakee. This helps us understand the city's diverse community.
Arts and Culture in Kankakee
The Kankakee Public Library provides library services for everyone in the city.
Famous Architecture
Kankakee has some interesting buildings. Two houses in the Riverview area were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. He was a very famous architect. These houses are the B. Harley Bradley House and the Warren Hickox House. Both of these special homes are still standing today.
The Kankakee courthouse was built between 1909 and 1912. It has a grand, classic style. The architect, Zachary Taylor Davis, also worked with Frank Lloyd Wright earlier in his career.
Parks and Recreation
The Kankakee Valley Park District manages 37 parks. These parks cover a total of 600 acres (2.4 square kilometers). There are many fun things to do. You can find an indoor ice skating rink and a recreation center. There is also a dog park and a campground.
The district has a marina with 72 boat slips on the Kankakee River. If you like fishing, you're in luck! There are 13 parks along the river. There is also a 5-acre (2-hectare) quarry stocked with fish.
Kankakee has two softball complexes that are famous enough to be in the Softball Hall of Fame. They host big tournaments every year. These events bring in nearly 50,000 visitors. Some youth baseball teams from Kankakee have even won state championships!
Education in Kankakee
Kankakee offers many options for learning, from elementary school to college.
Higher Education
Kankakee Community College was started in 1966. It was created by local citizens. The college provides education for people in the Kankakee area after high school.
Primary and Secondary Education
Public schools in Kankakee are part of School District 111. This district includes:
- Five elementary schools: Edison, Mark Twain, Lincoln Cultural Center Montessori, Steuben, and Taft.
- Two middle schools: Kennedy and King.
- One junior high school: Kankakee Junior High.
- One high school: Kankakee High.
There are also three private high schools in the city:
- Bishop McNamara Catholic School (Catholic)
- Grace Christian Academy (non-denominational)
- Kankakee Trinity Academy (inter-denominational)
Transportation in Kankakee
Kankakee has several ways for people to travel in and out of the city.
Airport
The Greater Kankakee Airport serves the city. It is a general aviation airport. This means it is mostly used for private planes and smaller aircraft, not big commercial flights.
Railroads
Amtrak provides train service to Kankakee. The Kankakee Amtrak Station is where trains stop. You can catch the City of New Orleans, the Illini, and the Saluki trains here. Each of these trains runs once a day in both directions.
Highways
Interstate 57 is a major highway that runs through Kankakee. It goes east-west in the southern part of the city. Then it turns north-south in the eastern part. United States Highways US 45 and US 52 run together through Kankakee. Along with Illinois Route 50, they are the main north-south roads. Illinois Route 17 is the main east-west road that crosses the city.
Public Transportation
The River Valley Metro Mass Transit District (RVMMTD), also called River Valley Metro or METRO, runs the local bus system. Buses operate seven days a week. They go to places in Kankakee and nearby cities like Aroma Park, Bradley, Bourbonnais, and Manteno. All Kankakee bus routes start from the Chestnut & North Schuyler Transfer Station. River Valley Metro has 12 regular bus routes and two routes for commuters. These commuter routes go to Midway and University Park.
See also
In Spanish: Kankakee (Illinois) para niños
