La Harpe, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Harpe, Illinois
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The former Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad tracks through La Harpe
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Location of La Harpe in Hancock County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Hancock |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.36 sq mi (3.53 km2) |
| • Land | 1.36 sq mi (3.53 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 696 ft (212 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,175 |
| • Density | 861.44/sq mi (332.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61450
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-40832 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395566 |
| Wikimedia Commons | La Harpe, Illinois |
La Harpe is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 1,175 people lived there.
Contents
A Look at La Harpe's Past
In the 1700s, French explorers led by Bernard de la Harpe spent a winter near where La Harpe is today. Around 1896, some stone tablets were supposedly found. They were written in French and said, "We are surrounded by Indians and have no hope for survival unless help soon arrives." These stones were later found to be a hoax. No one knows where they are now.
After 1830, people started building a town called "Franklin." In 1836, they wanted to open a post office. But another town in Illinois was already named Franklin. So, the first postmaster, Louis Rice Chaffin, suggested "La Harpe." This name honored the French explorer from long ago. La Harpe officially became a city in 1859. Its borders have changed over the years. Today, the city has 22 streets.
In 1867, a railroad line called the TP&W was built through the town. In 1888, the city bought its first fire engine. Even so, a big fire in 1893 destroyed many businesses on Main Street. The City Hall was built in 1894. In 1895, women in La Harpe voted for the first time on a local issue.
The La Harpe Carnegie Public Library was built in 1905. It received money from Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman. Today, this library is a historic site. The City Park was given to the town by Marvin Tyron, one of La Harpe's founders.
In 1986, La Harpe celebrated its 150th birthday. A book about the city's history was published then.
Each summer, the town used to have a "Summerfest" on the town square. There is also an annual car show in August. This show used to be named after Fred Gibb, who was known for special cars in the 1970s.
Many old buildings in La Harpe's business area are now on the National Register of Historic Places. La Harpe once had the only four-story building in Hancock County. The city's park district has a community clubhouse, a swimming pool, a golf course, and lighted ball fields. The city park also has a lighted shelter and stage.
Where is La Harpe?
La Harpe is in the northeastern part of Hancock County. It is south of the South Branch La Moine River. Illinois Route 9 goes through the city. This road leads east to Bushnell and west to Dallas City, which is on the Mississippi River. Illinois Route 94 meets Route 9 at the west side of La Harpe. Route 94 goes north to Stronghurst.
The city covers about 1.36 square miles (3.53 square kilometers) of land.
La Harpe's Weather
| Climate data for La Harpe, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
79 (26) |
88 (31) |
94 (34) |
105 (41) |
108 (42) |
110 (43) |
113 (45) |
103 (39) |
96 (36) |
83 (28) |
73 (23) |
113 (45) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 31.8 (−0.1) |
36.6 (2.6) |
49.3 (9.6) |
61.7 (16.5) |
72.3 (22.4) |
81.1 (27.3) |
84.6 (29.2) |
83.0 (28.3) |
76.7 (24.8) |
64.2 (17.9) |
49.3 (9.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
60.6 (15.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.3 (−4.8) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
39.3 (4.1) |
50.9 (10.5) |
62.0 (16.7) |
71.2 (21.8) |
74.6 (23.7) |
72.8 (22.7) |
65.3 (18.5) |
53.2 (11.8) |
39.9 (4.4) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
50.8 (10.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 14.9 (−9.5) |
19.0 (−7.2) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
40.0 (4.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
61.3 (16.3) |
64.7 (18.2) |
62.6 (17.0) |
54.0 (12.2) |
42.2 (5.7) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
40.9 (4.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) |
−30 (−34) |
−13 (−25) |
5 (−15) |
26 (−3) |
37 (3) |
42 (6) |
36 (2) |
23 (−5) |
1 (−17) |
−3 (−19) |
−26 (−32) |
−30 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.60 (41) |
1.83 (46) |
2.42 (61) |
3.92 (100) |
5.22 (133) |
4.94 (125) |
4.23 (107) |
3.42 (87) |
3.83 (97) |
3.10 (79) |
2.54 (65) |
2.05 (52) |
39.10 (993) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 9.3 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 89.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in La Harpe?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 958 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,113 | 16.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,591 | 42.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,349 | −15.2% | |
| 1920 | 1,323 | −1.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,175 | −11.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,322 | 12.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,295 | −2.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,322 | 2.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,240 | −6.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,471 | 18.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,407 | −4.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,385 | −1.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,235 | −10.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,175 | −4.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 1,175 people living in La Harpe. There were 612 households and 354 families. Most people (97.19%) were White. A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 1.96% of people were of two or more races. Less than 1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 19% of households had children under 18. Nearly half (49.67%) were married couples. About 42% of households were individuals living alone. Many people (27.94%) living alone were 65 or older. The average household had about 2.88 people.
The median age in La Harpe was 53 years old. This means half the people were older than 53, and half were younger. About 19.3% of the population was under 18. About 30.3% of people were 65 or older.
The median income for a household was $37,361. For families, it was $56,389. About 11.9% of all people lived below the poverty line. This included 29% of children under 18.
Schools in La Harpe
Illini West High School
- Home of the Chargers
In 2007, La Harpe High School joined with Dallas City and Carthage High Schools. This created a new school called Illini West High School. It is located in Carthage, Illinois. Former La Harpe students now go to this new high school.
La Harpe Grade School/Jr. High
The La Harpe Community School District #347 was formed later. The old high school building was updated. La Harpe Elementary was recently named an Illinois Spotlight School. This award goes to schools that help students improve their learning.
History of La Harpe High School
The first school in La Harpe was a log cabin built in 1839. It was first a blacksmith shop. In 1844, a brick school building was used. It had 98 students. A new building was built in 1898 for more students. This building burned down in 1927. A new school was built in 1929. This building was used until 2012.
In 1996, the Northwestern-La Harpe Thunder football team reached the IHSA State Finals. They were the first La Harpe team to do so. They lost a close game. In 2000, the team made it to the State Finals again.
Fun in La Harpe: Park District
- Lamoine Valley Golf Club
- LaHarpe Community Swimming Pool
Famous People from La Harpe
- Harold Arlin: He was the first person to be paid as a radio announcer.
- Charles Duryea: He helped invent the first car powered by gasoline.
- Olive Oatman: A pioneer teenager who was abducted by Native Americans.
- Olan Soule: A well-known actor.
See also
In Spanish: La Harpe (Illinois) para niños
