Rochelle, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rochelle, Illinois
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Sign seen entering the city of Rochelle
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| Nickname(s):
The Hub City
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Location of Rochelle in Ogle County, Illinois.
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 Rochelle, Illinois
Location in Ogle County, Illinois
Rochelle, Illinois
Location in Illinois
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Illinois | |
| County | Ogle | |
| Township | Flagg, Dement | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 13.42 sq mi (34.76 km2) | |
| • Land | 13.40 sq mi (34.71 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) | |
| Elevation | 823 ft (251 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,446 | |
| • Density | 704.87/sq mi (272.16/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | |
| Postal code |
61068
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| Area code(s) | 815 | |
| FIPS code | 17-64746 | |
Rochelle is a city in Ogle County, Illinois. The population was 9,446 at the 2020 census. Rochelle is approximately 80 miles (130 km) west of Chicago and 25 miles (40 km) south of Rockford.
Contents
History
Originally named Hickory Grove, the town sits at the intersection of two rail lines. Having a number of granaries holding corn, wheat and other crops for shipping eastward, the town was an important rail link for farmers. During the Civil War, an arsonist burned some of the granaries. He was arrested but vigilantes stormed the local jail and hanged him from a tree. The town then was called Hang Town by locals and travelers. Later in the local pharmacy, some of the city fathers were discussing the problem of lack of people coming to reside in the town. It was agreed a new name was necessary. One of the men reached up on a shelf and picked up a bottle of Rochelle Salts, saying Rochelle would be a good name for the town.
After World War II, Rochelle grew, becoming a center for Swift Meat Packing and Del Monte canned vegetables such as asparagus, corn, green beans, and peas. Now the town hosts Nippon Sharyo, a Japanese maker of railroad passenger cars for commuter lines and regional corridor routes operated by Amtrak, as well as a meat packing plant owned by Hormel Foods.
On April 9, 2015, parts of the city suffered damage after a large wedge EF4 tornado struck the town.
Geography
Rochelle is located along the Kyte River (commonly, if inaccurately, known to most locals as "Kyte Creek").
According to the 2010 census, Rochelle has a total area of 12.919 square miles (33.46 km2), of which 12.9 square miles (33.41 km2) (or 99.85%) is land and 0.019 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.15%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,893 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,789 | −5.5% | |
| 1900 | 2,073 | 15.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,732 | 31.8% | |
| 1920 | 3,310 | 21.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,785 | 14.4% | |
| 1940 | 4,200 | 11.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,449 | 29.7% | |
| 1960 | 7,008 | 28.6% | |
| 1970 | 8,594 | 22.6% | |
| 1980 | 8,982 | 4.5% | |
| 1990 | 8,769 | −2.4% | |
| 2000 | 9,424 | 7.5% | |
| 2010 | 9,574 | 1.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,446 | −1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 6,918 | 6,128 | 72.26% | 64.87% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 208 | 239 | 2.17% | 2.53% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 21 | 20 | 0.22% | 0.21% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 65 | 73 | 0.68% | 0.77% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 15 | 0.00% | 0.16% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 107 | 323 | 1.12% | 3.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,254 | 2,648 | 23.54% | 28.03% |
| Total | 9,574 | 9,446 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Transportation
Rochelle Railroad Park has spawned many imitators, such as the Railroad Platform in Folkston, Georgia. For many years the Whitcomb Locomotive Works, founded by George Dexter Whitcomb, manufactured industrial locomotives as well as the Partin Palmer automobile, in Rochelle.
Rochelle is also home to Union Pacific's Global III Intermodal Facility. At the time it opened it was Union Pacific's largest intermodal facility. Construction on the state-of-the-art facility was completed in 2003. On May 2, 2019, it was announced the yard would be closing in July 2019.
The Illinois River Energy ethanol plant is located in Rochelle.
Rochelle owns and operates Rochelle Municipal Airport.
Hub
Rochelle is known as the "Hub City" because of its location at the intersection of several major transportation routes. The first transcontinental highway in the United States, the Lincoln Highway, passed through Rochelle, as did US-51, one of the first highways to go the full north–south length of the United States. Both these roads have diminished in importance (and are now state highways 38 and 251, respectively), but Rochelle continues to be crossed by major highways, especially Interstates 88 and 39. Besides roadways, Rochelle is also crossed by two major rail lines; the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway mainlines cross inside of the city limits. The effect, as seen on a map, was one of the spokes of an old wagon wheel meeting at the "hub", and thus the nickname was born. Today, literally dozens of businesses carry the moniker "Hub City", including furniture stores, shopping centers, realty firms, dry cleaners, and many others. Even the local high school's teams are known as the "Hubs".
Rochelle was once a stop for passenger trains operated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and its successor, the Burlington Northern, such as North Coast Limited. The town saw its last passenger train in 1971, and in 2007, the depot, which had been built in 1921, was demolished.
Notable people
- Joan Allen, actress
- Joanna Baker, professor of ancient languages
- Delos W. Baxter, Illinois state senator, lawyer, and mayor of Rochelle
- Stan Campbell, pro football player
- Mabel Craft Deering, journalist, born in Rochelle
- William Gehring, Professor of Cognitive Psychology and one of the discoverers of Error Related Negativity
- Lloyd Ingraham, actor
- Paul R. Lawrence, Harvard professor and pioneer of contingency theory
- William W. May, American athlete, competed in the 1908 London Olympics, Rochelle Township High School graduate and 1905 State Champion in the 50 yard dash
- Daniel Van Kirk, comedian
- Judith C. Toth, member of the Maryland House of Delegates (1975–1990)
Education
Rochelle is served by two separate school districts. Rochelle Community Consolidated District 231 serves Rochelle and limited areas just outside town. District 231 has four elementary schools serving grades K–5: Abraham Lincoln Elementary, Central Elementary, Floyd J. Tilton Elementary, and Phillip May Elementary. The district also operates one middle school, Rochelle Middle School, serving grades 6–8. Rochelle Township High School District 212 operates Rochelle Township High School. About half of the high school's students come from Rochelle and District 231; the remaining students come from a number of outlying communities, including Kings, Steward, Creston, Hillcrest, Esmond, and Lindenwood.
There is also a private school named, St. Paul Lutheran School which enrolls children from the age of three, and up through the eighth grade.
See also
In Spanish: Rochelle (Illinois) para niños
 | Oscar De La Hoya |
 | Michael Carbajal |
 | Lee Trevino |
 | Lorena Ochoa |
