Palmer, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palmer
Village
Location of Palmer in Christian County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Christian
Area
• Total	0.99 sq mi (2.58 km2)
• Land	0.99 sq mi (2.58 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	617 ft (188 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	216
• Density	217.09/sq mi (83.82/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	62556
Area code(s)	217
FIPS code	17-57303
GNIS ID	2399612
Wikimedia Commons	Palmer, Illinois

Palmer is a small village located in Christian County, Illinois, United States. In 2010, about 229 people lived there. By 2020, the population was 216.

Geography of Palmer

Palmer is a village that covers about 1 square mile (2.58 square kilometers) of land. It doesn't have any large bodies of water within its borders.

People Living in Palmer

In 2020, there were 216 people living in Palmer. Most people (about 95.83%) were White. A small number (4.17%) were from two or more races. Less than 1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 119 households in the village. About 36% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.66 people.

The median age in Palmer was 43.5 years old. This means half the people were younger than 43.5, and half were older. About 21.9% of the people were under 18 years old.

History of Palmer

Palmer has kept a similar population size for many years. Even though new roads or railroads can make towns grow, Palmer stayed about the same. The local school building was eventually closed and torn down. Now, children from Palmer travel by bus to Morrisonville for school.

The Palmer State Bank opened in 1912. It was the oldest state bank in Christian County and managed to stay open during the Great Depression. However, it finally closed its doors in 2006.

Early Days of Palmer

Before Palmer, there was a place called Harpers Ferry. It had a post office for mail delivery by horse (like a pony express), a mill for grinding grain, and a stop for stagecoaches.

In 1869, J.H. Boyd and J.M. Simpson planned out the new village of Palmer. They built the first store, and soon other businesses followed. The first post office in Palmer opened in 1870.

The village officially became a town on February 5, 1873. Most people voted for it, but one person voted against it. Their reason was to "keep saloons out of the neighborhood." The village was named Palmer to honor John M. Palmer. He was a major general in the Union army and served as the governor of Illinois from 1869 to 1873.

Over the years, Palmer had many different kinds of shops and services. These included hardware stores, restaurants, grocery stores, and even hotels.

Mining History

A well-known part of Palmer's history is the old coal mine shaft. Years ago, some people in the area hoped to open a coal mine. They thought it would bring jobs and fuel to the community. The mine was planned for the southwest edge of town, near the railroad.

Drilling for the mine started around 1872. People bought shares in the mine, hoping it would be successful. The shaft was dug to a depth of about 500 feet (152 meters). However, the project was stopped in late 1873, and the mine was abandoned. No one knows exactly why.

Around 1932, Illinois State Route 48 was built, and part of it went over the old mine. For many years, the abandoned mine shaft was just a landmark. But on September 10, 1969, it became dangerous. A small hole appeared, and by the end of the day, it had grown into a large hole about 20 feet (6 meters) wide and 375 to 400 feet (114 to 122 meters) deep. The old mine shaft had caved in!

The collapse threatened to flood the highway. Traffic had to be rerouted, and trains had to slow down. Workers brought in about 190 truckloads of material to fill the shaft. It cost about $30,000 to fix the problem.

Churches in Palmer

• Palmer Advent Christian Church

Cemeteries in Palmer

• Anderson Cemetery
• Harpers Ferry Cemetery
• St. Joseph's Durbin Cemetery