Staunton, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Staunton, Illinois
City
Location in Macoupin County, Illinois
Staunton, Illinois Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Macoupin
Townships	Staunton, Dorchester
Area
• Total	4.01 sq mi (10.38 km2)
• Land	3.97 sq mi (10.29 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	623 ft (190 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,054
• Density	1,271.77/sq mi (491.04/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	62088
Area code(s)	618
FIPS code	17-72403
GNIS feature ID	2395959

Staunton is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. It is the second largest city in the county. In 2020, about 5,054 people lived there.

History of Staunton

How Staunton Got Its Name

A man named Mr. Stanton bought land in this area a long time ago. He later gave this land to the village for a town square. When people met to name the new post office, someone suggested "Stanton" to honor him.

The request was sent to Washington, D.C. But the clerk who handled it might have thought the spelling was wrong. So, the name came back as S-t-a-u-n-t-o-n. This is the same name as a town in Virginia. It would have taken a lot of effort to fix the mistake. So, the name Staunton stuck. For many years, people in Staunton, Illinois, said the name like "Stanton."

Important Dates in Staunton's History

Here are some key moments in Staunton's past:

• 1817: John Wood, a blacksmith, arrived in the area.
• 1820: Richard Chapman built the first mill. This saved people trips to St. Louis.
• 1825: The first schoolhouse was built. William Wilcox taught students for $2 each.
• 1831: Stephen Hicks opened the first general store.
• 1835: David Hendershot planned the first part of the village.
• 1835: Luke Coons became the first doctor in Staunton.
• 1837: The first Post Office opened. William Bonner was the first Postmaster.
  • This was important because it brought more people and trade.
  • Staunton changed from a farming community to a trading one.
• 1859: Staunton officially became an incorporated village. Before this, it was just a group of farms.
• 1870: The railroad arrived. This brought big changes to the community and the country.
• 1873: The Royal Gem Mill was built.
  • It won a gold medal in Paris in 1875 for its "Jack Frost Flower" flour.
• 1878: The Staunton Star Times newspaper started.
• 1891: Staunton became a city. Its population reached 2,209 in 1890.
  • F. E. Godfrey was the first mayor.
• Early 1900s: Staunton started to look more like it does today. Many downtown buildings were built then.
• 1904: The Illinois Traction System, a type of electric railway, passed through Staunton.
• 1910: Staunton's population reached 5,049. It was the biggest city in Macoupin County then.
• 1913: The Staunton Public Library was started. Bess Kirkwood was the first Librarian.
• 1922: The Staunton Country Club was established.
• 1923: The Staunton Volunteer Fire Department was formed.
• 1923: The Staunton football team had a perfect 10-0 season. They even won one game 233-0!
• 1925: Staunton Community High School was built.
• 1925: Staunton's population unofficially reached 6,600. This was its highest population ever.
• 1927: Lake Staunton, also called "The Rezzy" by locals, was built.
• 1946: The Community Memorial Hospital Association was formed. The hospital opened in 1951.
• 1956: The Illinois Traction System ran its last passenger train through Staunton.
• 1956: Interstate 55 was built near Staunton. This led to less traffic on Route 66.
• 1959: Staunton celebrated 100 years since becoming a village.
  • The celebration lasted a week and included games and a parade.
  • Many men grew long beards for a "Brothers of the Brush" contest. This showed respect for the town's history.
• 1971: The City Complex was built. It holds the Library, City Clerk's Office, and Police Station.
• 1991: Staunton celebrated 100 years since becoming a city.
• 1993: Staunton won the IHSA Class A basketball title.
• 2004: Livingston schools joined the Staunton School District.
• 2009: Staunton celebrated its 150th anniversary.
• 2013: Staunton's football team was the IHSA Class 2A Runner-Up. They had a great playoff run.

People Who Settled Here

• Most early settlers in the mid-1800s were from Germany. The first German family arrived in 1846.
• Many Irish people moved here in the 1870s.
• Italian immigrants arrived in the early 1900s.

Coal Mining in Staunton

Coal mining was a very important industry in Staunton for almost 100 years.

• Henry Voge opened the first coal mine, called "The Gin Shaft," in 1869.
• Two large piles of leftover rock from mining, called slag, can still be seen outside Staunton. They show how much coal was dug here.
• When the mines were open, they provided most of the jobs in town.
• Staunton Local 755 became the largest coal miners' union in Illinois.
• The Labor Temple was built in 1914 by the local Miners' Union. It had an auditorium that showed movies. It was also used for union meetings, graduations, and dances. It even had the first air conditioning system within 35 miles of Staunton!

The last coal mine in Staunton closed in 1951.

Religion in Staunton

• The Lutheran Church was started in 1847. Its first school building was built in 1881.
• The Catholic Church was started in 1867. Its first school building was built in 1904.
• Many other religious groups also have places of worship in Staunton.

Staunton During World War I

During World War I, some people in Staunton showed strong support for the war.

• In early 1918, the local union decided to make sure everyone in the city was loyal to the U.S.
• A group of people marched through Staunton. They visited homes where they thought people might not be fully loyal.
• At each house, they asked people to come outside. They were asked to kiss the American flag or sign loyalty cards. This was to show their patriotism.
• Newspapers in the area praised these actions. The Staunton Star-Times said the union members should be congratulated.
• The Governor of Illinois also supported what the union did. He called them "the best citizens."
• Because of the war, the German language was removed from the school curriculum at Zion.

The Great Depression and World War II

• During the Great Depression, new art was created in Staunton.
• The Post Office has a mural called "Going to Work." Ralf Henrikson finished it in 1941. This art was funded by the government to help artists during tough times.
• Many people from Staunton joined the Armed Forces during World War II.
• After the war, Staunton became a place where people lived but traveled to other towns for work. It is still like that today.

Geography

Staunton is located at 39°0′39″N 89°47′16″W / 39.01083°N 89.78778°W / 39.01083; -89.78778. The city covers about 3.088 square miles (7.998 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part is water.

Climate

Population of Staunton

In 2010, Staunton had 5,139 people living in 2,258 homes. The population density was about 1,678 people per square mile. Staunton's population was highest in 1920, with 6,027 people. It then decreased until 1950, when it reached 4,047. Since then, the population has slowly grown again.

How Staunton is Governed

The city of Staunton is divided into four areas called wards. This helps manage the city and make sure everyone has a voice. Union Street divides the city into east and west. Main Street divides it into north and south. The wards are located in the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest corners. Each ward has two aldermen who represent it on the city council. One serves a four-year term, and the other serves a two-year term.

Media

The Staunton Star-Times has been Staunton's local newspaper since 1878.

Education

Staunton Community Unit Schools provides education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school district has one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, Staunton High School. In 1993, Staunton High School won the IHSA Basketball championship. In 2004, the Staunton School District welcomed students from the Livingston Schools District. This happened because Livingston had fewer students.

Notable People from Staunton

• Harold Brodkey: A famous writer and novelist who was born in Staunton.
• Bruno Gaido: A brave WWII naval aviation machinist and gunner. He was born near Staunton.
• Archibald Hoxsey: An American aviation pioneer who worked with the Wright Brothers. He flew former President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910. He was born in Staunton.
• Henry Keupper: A pitcher for the St. Louis Terriers baseball team. He was born in Staunton.
• Lou Rochelli: A second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. He was born in Staunton.
• Hampton W. Wall: An Illinois state legislator and banker. He was born on a farm near Staunton.

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See also

In Spanish: Staunton (Illinois) para niños