Otterville, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otterville
Town
Location of Otterville in Jersey County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Jersey
Township	Otter Creek
Incorporated	March 7, 1867 (1867-03-07)
Area
• Total	1.01 sq mi (2.61 km2)
• Land	1.01 sq mi (2.61 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	627 ft (191 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	87
• Density	86.48/sq mi (33.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	618
FIPS code	17-56978
GNIS feature ID	2396842

Otterville is a small town located in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is an "incorporated town," which means it has its own local government. In 2020, the town had a total population of 87 people.

Geography of Otterville

Otterville is found at a specific point on the map: 39.051073 degrees North and 90.397601 degrees West. This helps us pinpoint its exact location.

The town covers a total area of about 1.01 square miles (2.61 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the town limits.

Population and People in Otterville

This section tells us about the number of people living in Otterville over the years and some details about them.

In 2000, there were 120 people living in Otterville. These people lived in 41 different homes, and 33 of these were families. The town had about 120 people per square mile.

Most of the people living in Otterville in 2000 were White (about 97%). A small number were Native American or from two or more races. About 2.5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many homes (about 41.5%) had children under 18 living there. Most families (about 66%) were married couples. The average household had nearly 3 people, and the average family had over 3 people.

The population included people of all ages. About 34% were under 18, and about 25% were between 45 and 64 years old. The average age of residents was 34 years.

Famous People from Otterville

Otterville has been home to some notable individuals:

• John B. Hamilton (1847–1898): He was an important doctor who served as the top health official for the U.S. government, known as the U.S. Surgeon General, from 1879 to 1891.
• Stephen V. White (1831–1913): He was a politician who represented New York as a congressman in the U.S. government.

History of Otterville and Hamilton Primary School

Otterville is famous for being the home of the first free school in the United States that welcomed students of all races. This school is called the Hamilton Primary School and is located on Main Street.

In 1834, a local doctor named Silas Hamilton left $4,000 in his will. This money was meant to build and run a school for both education and religious purposes. A school made of stone opened in 1836. Because it offered free education, many families moved to the area so their children could attend.

The original school building was taken down in 1872. A new, larger school was built in its place, using the original stones at the bottom. Classes continued at this school until 1971.

One of the students at this school was George Washington. He had been a slave freed by Dr. Hamilton. George Washington became very successful after studying at the school. He later created a special fund to help African American students pay for their education forever. He also paid for a monument to be built at the school to honor his former master, Dr. Hamilton.

The Hamilton Primary School was recognized as a very important historical site in 1998. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

See also

In Spanish: Otterville (Illinois) para niños