Mahomet, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mahomet, Illinois
Village
Lake of the Woods
Location of Mahomet in Champaign County, Illinois.
Mahomet, Illinois Location in Champaign County, Illinois Show map of Champaign County, Illinois Mahomet, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Champaign
Area
• Total	9.79 sq mi (25.36 km2)
• Land	9.72 sq mi (25.18 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)
Elevation	732 ft (223 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,434
• Density	970.38/sq mi (374.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	61853
Area code(s)	217
FIPS code	17-46136
GNIS feature ID	2399226

Mahomet is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. It is located along the Sangamon River. In 2020, about 9,434 people lived there. Mahomet is located about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Champaign. It is found where Interstate 74 and Illinois Route 47 meet.

The Name of Mahomet

The town's founder, Daniel T. Porter, named the new village Middletown. He named the post office Mahomet. This name came from Mahomet Weyonomon, a Native American leader from Connecticut.

In 1871, the village changed its name to Mahomet. This was because there was already another Middletown, Illinois in Illinois. Having two towns with the same name caused problems with mail delivery.

Some people think the name "Mahomet" came from the local Masonic Lodge. This lodge was called "Mahomet Lodge." Others believe the name was chosen randomly by the US Postal Service.

History of Mahomet

Mahomet was first settled in 1832. It was built on the banks of the Sangamon River. This made it the first community in what is now Champaign County.

The village was first called Middletown. This might be because it was halfway between Danville and Bloomington. As mentioned, the name changed to Mahomet in 1871.

Most early settlers came from Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. They chose Mahomet because it had plenty of water from the Sangamon River. There were also many trees. Today, many residents travel about 10 miles (16 km) to work in Champaign and Urbana. However, Mahomet also has its own busy small business area.

In 2007, the people of Mahomet voted to allow alcohol sales again. Alcohol had been banned in the village since World War II.

Mahomet's Geography

Mahomet covers a total area of about 9.79 square miles (25.36 km2). Most of this area, about 9.72 square miles (25.18 km2), is land. A small part, about 0.07 square miles (0.18 km2), is water.

Population of Mahomet

The Early American Museum at Lake of the Woods forest preserve.

As of the 2020 census, Mahomet had 9,434 people living in the village. There were 3,030 households. About 43.5% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households, about 72.24%, were married couples.

The average age of people in Mahomet was 37.4 years. About 29.4% of the population was under 18 years old. About 8.4% were 65 years or older.

The average income for a household in Mahomet was $113,871. For families, the average income was $122,585. Very few families, about 0.8%, lived below the poverty line.

Parks and Fun Things to Do

"HI Tower" at the Champaign County Forest Preserve District Headquarters in Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Mahomet, Illinois.

Mahomet has many fun places to visit. Most of these are part of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District.

• Lake of the Woods Park: This park is about 900 acres (3.6 km2) along the Sangamon River. It has a beautiful botanical garden and a lake. You can also see a covered bridge. People enjoy boating, fishing, cross-country skiing, and sledding here. Inside the park is the Museum of the Grand Prairie. This museum shows what life was like in East-Central Illinois in the 1800s and early 1900s. The park also has a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) bike path and a tall bell tower.

• Hartwell C. Howard Golf Course: This golf course is part of Lake of the Woods Park. It has an 18-hole course, a smaller 9-hole course, and a practice area.

• River Bend Forest Preserve: This preserve is 275 acres (1.1 km2). About 130 acres (0.5 km2) of it is water. It has two large lakes, including the biggest lake in Champaign County. There are also 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of forest along the Sangamon River.

Lake of the Woods forest preserve covered bridge.

Education in Mahomet

The Mahomet School District has five schools. About 2,980 students attend these schools. There are also 183 teachers and staff members.

The Sangamon River as viewed from the covered bridge at Lake of the Woods forest preserve.

Famous People from Mahomet

• Melanie Paxson

Places to See

• Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden
• Hazen Bridge - A historical bridge northeast of Mahomet.
• Mahomet Public Library

See also

In Spanish: Mahomet (Illinois) para niños