Mineral, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Village of Mineral
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Grain elevator in Mineral
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Location of Mineral in Bureau County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Bureau |
| Township | Mineral |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.553 sq mi (1.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 206 |
| • Density | 372.5/sq mi (143.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Zip Code |
61344
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| Area code(s) | 309 |
| FIPS code | 17-49516 |
Mineral is a small village located in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 206 people lived there. It is part of the wider Ottawa area.
Contents
Geography of Mineral
Mineral is found at coordinates 41°22′55″N 89°50′12″W / 41.38194°N 89.83667°W. It covers a total area of about 0.55 square miles (1.42 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
History of Mineral
Early Settlement and Coal Mining
The area around Mineral was first settled in the early 1830s. People soon discovered that the land just south of the village was rich in coal. Many mines opened up to dig for coal. Later, a method called strip mining became common.
Town Formation and Growth
The area became so populated that it was officially organized as the Township of Mineral in 1850. It was named "Mineral" because of its rich coal supply. When train tracks were built north of the coal mines, the town of Mineral began to form. The town was officially planned out in 1857. Soon, it had several small stores and a population of 300 to 350 people.
Schools and the Hennepin Canal
A school was built in 1870. The first high school class graduated in 1894 with three students. In 1907, the Hennepin Canal was finished north of Mineral. However, trains had become so advanced that the canal was not very useful for transportation anymore. Today, the Hennepin Canal is a popular spot for fishing and boating.
In 1919, the Mineral School building was destroyed by fire. The school district quickly decided to rebuild. A new two-story brick school was built in 1922. It was on the northwest side of town and taught students from first grade all the way to twelfth grade. It even had a gym with a stage and a balcony!
Life in Mineral's Heyday
During this time, Mineral continued to grow. Even though the town's population never went over 350 people, it had many small businesses. This meant residents could find everything they needed close to home. The creation of U.S. Route 6, a major road that passed through Mineral, also brought many visitors to the town.
Mineral was very successful in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. It had its own school system and many businesses. At different times, it had:
- three gas stations
- three restaurants/taverns
- an upholstery store
- a motel
- two grain elevators
- two churches
- a lumber yard
- two grocery stores
- a bank
- a volunteer fire department
- a library
- a barbershop
- a beauty shop
- an ice cream parlor
- Mineral High School
Changes and Challenges
In 1961, the high school closed because not enough students were enrolled. The Mineral School District joined the Annawan School District. The Mineral School building continued to be used as a grade school until 1974, when it closed for good.
The building of I-80 north of Mineral in the 1960s was another big challenge for the town. Before, hundreds of cars traveled through Mineral every day on U.S. Route 6. But with I-80, people took the faster highway instead. One by one, the businesses in Mineral started to close down.
Mineral Today
Today, Mineral still has a grain elevator, a restaurant/tavern, a library, a new post office, a Methodist Church, a volunteer Fire Department, and a trucking business. The old school building has been taken down. A new ethanol plant is being built nearby, which brings hope for more people to move to the area.
Population of Mineral
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 173 | — | |
| 1890 | 188 | 8.7% | |
| 1900 | 339 | 80.3% | |
| 1910 | 349 | 2.9% | |
| 1920 | 308 | −11.7% | |
| 1930 | 266 | −13.6% | |
| 1940 | 307 | 15.4% | |
| 1950 | 274 | −10.7% | |
| 1960 | 330 | 20.4% | |
| 1970 | 286 | −13.3% | |
| 1980 | 325 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 250 | −23.1% | |
| 2000 | 272 | 8.8% | |
| 2010 | 237 | −12.9% | |
| 2020 | 206 | −13.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2020 census, there were 206 people living in Mineral. Most residents were White, with smaller numbers of African American, Native American, and people of two or more races. About 2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 21.5% of the people in Mineral were under 18 years old. The median age was 41.1 years.
Notable people
- Hiram Boardman Conibear, a famous rowing coach
- Jaclyn Hill, a well-known YouTube personality
See also
In Spanish: Mineral (Illinois) para niños
