Kendall County, Illinois facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Kendall County
U.S. county
Kendall County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	1841
Named for	Amos Kendall
Seat	Yorkville
Largest village	Oswego
Area
• Total	322 sq mi (830 km²)
• Land	320 sq mi (800 km²)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5 km²) 0.61%
Population (2020)
• Total	131,869
• Density	412/sq mi (159/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	14th

Terminal moraines, such as this one in central Kendall County, rise dramatically from the surrounding plain.

Kendall County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, within the Chicago metropolitan area. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 131,869. Its county seat is Yorkville, and its most populous municipality is Oswego.

Kendall County is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and was the fastest-growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2010.

History

Kendall County was formed in 1841 out of LaSalle and Kane Counties.

The county is named after Amos Kendall, who was the editor of the Frankfort, Kentucky, newspaper, and went on to be an important advisor to President Andrew Jackson. Kendall became the U.S. Postmaster General in 1835.

Early Settlement and Native American Presence

Before European settlers arrived, the land that would become Kendall County was inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Potawatomi, Fox, and Kickapoo. These tribes lived in semi-permanent villages along the Fox River and relied on hunting, fishing, and agriculture for their sustenance. The presence of these indigenous peoples influenced the early European settlers' interactions and land use practices.

Pioneer Life and Establishment of Towns

The first European-American settlers arrived in the 1820s, primarily from New England and New York. They were attracted to the region's fertile soil and abundant waterways. These pioneers faced numerous challenges, including harsh winters, prairie fires, and conflicts with Native American tribes. Despite these obstacles, they established homesteads, farms, and small communities. Towns like Newark, Lisbon, and Plattville began to take shape, serving as centers of commerce and social activity for the burgeoning population.

Role in the Underground Railroad

Kendall County played a significant role in the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to free states and Canada. Abolitionist sentiments ran strong in the area, and many residents actively participated in assisting runaway slaves. Notable figures like the Lewis and Sackett families in Oswego provided shelter and support to freedom seekers, risking their own safety in the process.

Civil War and Military Contributions

During the American Civil War, Kendall County made substantial contributions to the Union cause. Hundreds of local men enlisted in the Union Army, serving in regiments such as the 36th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 104th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Additionally, Kendall County residents organized relief efforts, raised funds, and supported families of soldiers serving on the front lines.

Industrialization and Economic Growth

The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed the rapid industrialization of Kendall County. The construction of railroads, particularly the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, spurred economic development by facilitating the transportation of goods and materials. Industrial centers emerged in towns like Yorkville, Plano, and Sandwich, where factories, mills, and foundries produced agricultural implements, machinery, and other goods.

Impact of Agriculture

Agriculture remained the backbone of Kendall County's economy well into the 20th century. The county's rich soil and favorable climate made it ideal for farming, especially for corn, soybeans, and dairy products. Family-owned farms and agricultural cooperatives played a crucial role in sustaining rural communities and providing food and commodities to urban markets.

Suburbanization and Population Growth

Following World War II, Kendall County experienced a population boom as suburbanization swept across the United States. Improved transportation infrastructure, including the construction of Interstate 88 and Interstate 55, facilitated commuting to nearby urban centers like Chicago. Subdivisions and housing developments sprang up throughout the county, catering to the needs of a growing population seeking the tranquility of suburban life.

Kendall County at the time of its creation in 1841

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 322 square miles (830 km²), of which 320 square miles (830 km²) are land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.6%) are covered by water.

Kendall County is a small but rapidly growing county that has the majority of its population in the northeast and along the Fox River (the only river in the county), which runs through the county's northwestern section. Many new subdivisions have been constructed in this county, which has produced considerable population growth. Southern Kendall still remains largely agricultural. Kendall County has two primary ranges of low-lying hills formed by what is known as an end moraine. Ransom, the more predominant of the two moraines, runs through the west and north-central part of the county. This moraine has created elevations over 800 feet (240 m), in contrast to elevations in southern Kendall County that drop to the lower 500-foot (150 m) range. Minooka, the other major end moraine ridge in Kendall County, runs along its entire eastern border with Will County. The two moraines intersect at almost a right angle in the township of Oswego. The county's only designated state park is Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area.

Climate and weather

Weather chart for Yorkville, Illinois

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temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel

Metric conversion

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
41 -2 -12	39 2 -9	65 8 -3	99 15 2	99 22 8	110 27 13	112 29 16	111 28 14	89 24 10	69 17 3	81 8 -2	61 1 -9
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Yorkville have ranged from a low of 10 °F (−12 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 111 °F (44 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.52 inches (39 mm) in February to 4.39 inches (112 mm) in July.

Major highways

Interstate 80
U.S. Highway 30
U.S. Highway 34
U.S. Highway 52
Illinois Route 25
Illinois Route 31
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 71
Illinois Route 126

Adjacent counties

DeKalb County - northwest
Kane County - north
DuPage County - northeast
Will County - east
Grundy County - south
LaSalle County - west

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	7,730	—
1860	13,074	69.1%
1870	12,399	−5.2%
1880	13,083	5.5%
1890	12,106	−7.5%
1900	11,467	−5.3%
1910	10,777	−6.0%
1920	10,074	−6.5%
1930	10,555	4.8%
1940	11,105	5.2%
1950	12,115	9.1%
1960	17,540	44.8%
1970	26,374	50.4%
1980	37,202	41.1%
1990	39,413	5.9%
2000	54,544	38.4%
2010	114,736	110.4%
2020	131,869	14.9%
2023 (est.)	139,976	22.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020

2000 census age pyramid for Kendall County

As of the 2010 United States Census, 114,736 people, 38,022 households, and 30,067 families were residing in the county. The population density was 358.2 inhabitants per square mile (138.3/km²). The 40,321 housing units averaged 125.9 per square mile (48.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.6% White, 5.7% African American, 3.0% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 5.0% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 15.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.0% were German, 16.0% were Irish, 9.5% were Polish, 9.4% were Italian, 7.5% were English, and 3.2% were American.

Of the 38,022 households, 47.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 20.9% were not families, and 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.01, and the average family size was 3.41. The median age was 32.9 years.

The county's median household income was $79,897, and its median family income was $87,309. Males had a median income of $64,048 versus $42,679 for females. The county's per capita income was $30,565. About 2.9% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Kendall County was listed as the fastest-growing county in the US from 2000 to 2009, experiencing a population growth rate of 110.4% in this period. The reason for this growth is heavy suburbanization from the metropolitan Chicago area.

Communities

Cities

Aurora (part)
Joliet (part)
Plano
Sandwich (part)
Yorkville (mostly)

Villages

Lisbon
Millbrook
Millington (mostly)
Minooka (mostly)
Montgomery (part)
Newark
Oswego (mostly)
Plainfield (part)
Plattville

Census-designated place

Boulder Hill

Other unincorporated communities

Townships

The county is an 18-mile (29 km) square, which is divided up into 9 townships. Each township is divided into 36 one-mile-square sections, except that the Fox River is used as a township border, resulting in Bristol being the smallest township with the extra area being assigned to Oswego and Kendall Townships. Two exceptions to the section grid reflect Indian land grants under the Treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1829: the Mo-Ah-Way Reservation in Oswego Township and the Waish-Kee-shaw Reservation in Na-Au-Say Township. These areas were eventually sold to European settlers.

Big Grove Township
Bristol Township
Fox Township
Kendall Township
Lisbon Township
Little Rock Township
Na-au-say Township
Oswego Township
Seward Township

Education

Lisbon Community Consolidated School District 90
Newark Community Consolidated School District 66
Newark Community High School District 18
Oswego Community Unit School District 308
Plano Community Unit School District 88
Yorkville Community Unit School District 115
School District #101
School District #201
School District #202
School District #429
School District #430 (Sandwich Community School District #430)

The northern half of the county is in Community College District 516 and is served by Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, Aurora, and Plano. The southern half is in Community College District 525 and is served by Joliet Junior College in Joliet.

In popular culture

Locations within and around the City of Plano were stand-ins for Clark Kent's hometown of Smallville, Kansas, in the 2013 film Man of Steel as well as the 2016 film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Plano has also been used in the film Witless Protection, with both films having been filmed in Plano's historic downtown area. Filming has also taken place south of Plano at the Farnsworth House, a modern architectural landmark for documentaries and commercials.