Paulton, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulton, Illinois
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 Paulton, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Paulton, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Williamson |
| Elevation | 541 ft (165 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
62974
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| GNIS feature ID | 415461 |
Paulton is a small, unincorporated community located in eastern Williamson County, Illinois. An unincorporated community means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's usually managed by the county.
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Discover Paulton, Illinois!
Paulton is a unique place with an interesting history. It's known for its quiet charm and a very clever way its streets got their names. Let's explore what makes Paulton special!
A Brief History of Paulton
Paulton officially got its name when a post office opened there on September 24, 1921. This was an important step for the community. However, the post office didn't stay open for long. It stopped working on July 31, 1925. Since then, people in Paulton have received their mail from the nearby city of Marion. In 1958, about 125 people were estimated to live in Paulton.
How Paulton's Streets Got Their Unique Names
One of the most interesting facts about Paulton is how its streets were named. This happened in the mid-1990s when a new 9-1-1 emergency system was set up across the entire county.
What is 9-1-1 and Road Naming?
The 9-1-1 system helps people get emergency help quickly. For it to work well, every road and street needs a clear, unique name. This helps emergency services like police and ambulances find locations fast. In unincorporated areas like Paulton, many roads didn't have official names, or their names were very common. For example, many places had streets called "Main" or "Elm." These names were already used in bigger towns nearby, like Marion and Crab Orchard, which share the same postal code. This could cause confusion for emergency responders.
So, a committee was formed to give official names to all the roads. At first, they used placeholder names, like old political party names (Whig, Federalist). They hoped people in Paulton would suggest names they liked. But no one gave any feedback!
The "Paul" Theme
Since the community's name, Paulton, means "Paul's Town," the committee decided to use "Paul" as a theme for the street names. This was a fun and meaningful way to name the streets. Today, if you visit Paulton, you'll find streets named after famous people who share the name "Paul."
- McCartney is named after Paul McCartney, the famous singer from The Beatles.
- Simon honors two important "Pauls": Paul Simon, another well-known singer, and Paul Simon, who was a respected senator.
- Saint refers to Paul the Apostle, an important figure in early Christianity.
- Pope represents the many Catholic leaders who have been named Paul.
- Revere is for Paul Revere, an American patriot famous for his midnight ride.
- Newman is named after Paul Newman, a beloved actor.
This unique naming system makes Paulton a memorable place with a story behind every street sign!
