Kinmundy, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kinmundy, Illinois
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Location in Marion County, Illinois
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 Kinmundy, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Marion |
| Township | Kinmundy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.45 sq mi (3.76 km2) |
| • Land | 1.20 sq mi (3.10 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2) |
| Elevation | 577 ft (176 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 733 |
| • Density | 611.85/sq mi (236.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62854
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-40117 |
| GNIS ID | 2395542 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Kinmundy, Illinois |
Kinmundy is a small city in Marion County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 733 people lived there.
People believe the city was named after a place in Scotland. This was the birthplace of William Ferguson. He was a London agent for the Illinois Central Railroad. He visited the area in 1856 when the railroad was being built.
Contents
Exploring Kinmundy's Location
Kinmundy is in the northeastern part of Marion County. Illinois Route 37 runs through the city center. This road is also called 1st Street. It goes southwest about 12 miles (19 km) to Salem, which is the main city of the county. It goes northeast about 6 miles (10 km) to Farina.
Interstate 57 is a major highway that passes northwest of Kinmundy. You can get onto it from Exit 127. I-57 goes northeast about 32 miles (51 km) to Effingham. It also goes southwest about 38 miles (61 km) to Mount Vernon.
Kinmundy covers a total area of about 1.45 square miles (3.76 km²). Most of this is land, but about 0.25 square miles (0.66 km²), or 17.44%, is water. This water area includes Kinmundy Lake. This lake is a reservoir about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the city. The city's water flows northwest towards the East Fork of the Kaskaskia River.
A Look at Kinmundy's Past
The city of Kinmundy began because of the expanding railroads in southern Illinois. The first big economic boost came from building the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. In April 1857, the town was first planned out east of the railroad tracks. It had 15 blocks of different sizes. Later, in 1867, it officially became a city.
In 1903, a fire hit Kinmundy one evening. It burned down most of the downtown area. This caused the city's population to drop sharply. One of the buildings that burned was the opera house. It was rebuilt, but then it burned down again in 1916. After that, it was not rebuilt.
In January 1912, a serious train wreck happened in Kinmundy. Illinois Central Railroad train No. 3 was going 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). It crashed into passenger train No. 25, which was stopped at the station. Train No. 25 was getting water at the time. The crash destroyed the private car at the back of train No. 25. Five passengers died, including James T. Harahan. He was the recently retired president of the Illinois Central Railroad.
Arts, Culture, and Fun in Kinmundy
Important Places to See
The beautiful Italianate Calendar Rohrbough House is a famous landmark. It is located on a place called "Quality Hill." This house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Illinois Central Railroad Water Tower and Pump House is another important site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
The Kinmundy Log Cabin Village is a special collection of twelve original pioneer homes. These homes were saved in the 1960s from the areas around the town. They were then put back together in a wooded area on the edge of Kinmundy. All of these cabins were built before the American Civil War. The oldest one was built in 1818.
The log cabin village hosts an annual fall craft fair. During this event, local volunteers and craftspeople dress in old-fashioned clothes. The homes, which are decorated with old furniture, are open for people to visit. Some of the volunteers are descendants of the people who first lived in these historic cabins.
Outdoor Adventures Near Kinmundy
Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area is about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Kinmundy. This park offers trails for hiking, camping spots, places for hunting, and fishing. The park has a man-made lake that was finished in 1968. This lake has about 18 miles (29 km) of shoreline.
Famous People from Kinmundy
- Marilyn Kaytor: She was a journalist and a well-known food critic around the world. She was born in Kinmundy in 1929.
Kinmundy's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,096 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,045 | −4.7% | |
| 1900 | 1,221 | 16.8% | |
| 1910 | 997 | −18.3% | |
| 1920 | 898 | −9.9% | |
| 1930 | 813 | −9.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,015 | 24.8% | |
| 1950 | 912 | −10.1% | |
| 1960 | 813 | −10.9% | |
| 1970 | 759 | −6.6% | |
| 1980 | 945 | 24.5% | |
| 1990 | 879 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 892 | 1.5% | |
| 2010 | 796 | −10.8% | |
| 2020 | 733 | −7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census in 2000, there were 892 people living in Kinmundy. There were 365 households and 246 families. About 25.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 16.0% were 65 years or older. The average age was 38 years.
Ameren has a power plant in Kinmundy called the Kinmundy Power Plant. It uses a special type of engine called a combustion turbine generator (CTG) to make electricity.
See also
In Spanish: Kinmundy para niños
