Maeystown, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maeystown, Illinois
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Western side of Mill Street at the Franklin Street intersection
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| Etymology: Jacob Maeys, early settler | |
Location in Monroe County, Illinois
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 Maeystown, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Monroe |
| Precinct | 23 |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.30 sq mi (0.77 km2) |
| • Land | 0.29 sq mi (0.76 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 490 ft (150 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 150 |
| • Density | 508.47/sq mi (196.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62256
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-46058 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Maeystown, Illinois |
Maeystown is a small village located in Monroe County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 150 people lived there. It's known for its interesting history and charming feel.
Contents
Where is Maeystown?
Maeystown is found in the southwest part of Monroe County. Its exact location is 38°13′32″N 90°14′1″W / 38.22556°N 90.23361°W. This means it's at 38 degrees, 13 minutes, 32 seconds North latitude and 90 degrees, 14 minutes, 1 second West longitude.
The village is about 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Waterloo, which is the main town of Monroe County. Maeystown sits in a valley next to Maeystown Creek. This creek flows into the Mississippi River floodplain, which is about 2 miles (3 km) to the southwest.
The village covers a total area of about 0.30 square miles (0.77 square kilometers). Only a very small part of this area is water.
The History of Maeystown
The story of Maeystown began long ago, even before it was a village. Around 1782, a soldier from the American Revolution named James McRoberts claimed 100 acres of land here. He later returned in 1797 and added another 100 acres. On this second piece of land, he built his home from cedar logs and raised his family.
One of James McRoberts' sons, Samuel McRoberts, became a very important person. He was the first person born in Illinois to serve in the United States Senate.
How Maeystown Grew
Maeystown really started to grow as a town in 1852. That's when Jacob Maeys bought the land, which was then called McRoberts Meadow. He built a sawmill there. At first, the mill didn't work because there wasn't enough water to power it. So, Steam engines were added, and then the mill worked well.
In 1858, Jacob Maeys opened the first store in the area with Judge Abraham Poston. By this time, a few houses had already been built. In 1856, Maeys had the town surveyed and officially named it "Maeysville."
A post office was set up in 1860. At this time, the name of the town was changed to Maeystown. Jacob Maeys himself became the first postmaster, which is the person in charge of the post office.
Today, almost the entire village of Maeystown is special. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Maeystown Historic District. This means its old buildings and history are protected.
Maeystown's Population
Demographics is the study of how populations change over time. It looks at things like how many people live in a place, their ages, and how households are made up.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 284 | — | |
| 1920 | 270 | −4.9% | |
| 1930 | 187 | −30.7% | |
| 1940 | 160 | −14.4% | |
| 1950 | 137 | −14.4% | |
| 1960 | 158 | 15.3% | |
| 1970 | 109 | −31.0% | |
| 1980 | 143 | 31.2% | |
| 1990 | 116 | −18.9% | |
| 2000 | 148 | 27.6% | |
| 2010 | 157 | 6.1% | |
| 2020 | 150 | −4.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the census from 2000, there were 148 people living in Maeystown. These people lived in 54 households, and 44 of those were families.
Most of the people in the village were White (about 98%). A small number were Asian or from two or more races. About 1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of households:
- About 35% of households had children under 18 living with them.
- Most households (about 70%) were married couples living together.
- A small number (about 6%) had a female head of household with no husband present.
- About 17% of all households were made up of individuals living alone.
- Almost 15% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone.
The average household had about 2.74 people, and the average family had about 3.09 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 25% were under 18 years old.
- 10.8% were between 18 and 24.
- 29.1% were between 25 and 44.
- 18.9% were between 45 and 64.
- 16.2% were 65 years or older.
The median age in the village was 37 years. This means half the people were younger than 37 and half were older. For every 100 females, there were about 111 males.
See also
In Spanish: Maeystown para niños
