Strawn, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Strawn, Illinois
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Location in Livingston County, Illinois
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Livingston |
| Township | Fayette |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.51 sq mi (1.32 km2) |
| • Land | 0.51 sq mi (1.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 771 ft (235 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 101 |
| • Density | 198.04/sq mi (76.52/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
61775
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| Area codes | 815 & 779 |
| FIPS code | 17-73131 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2399919 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Strawn, Illinois |
Strawn is a small village located in Livingston County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 101 people lived there. It's a quiet place with a rich history, named after a wealthy landowner who helped start the town.
Contents
Where is Strawn Located?
Strawn is found in the southeastern part of Livingston County. It's a small area, covering about 0.52 square miles (1.35 km2) of land. This means it's a very compact village, with no large lakes or rivers within its borders.
The Story of Strawn
How Strawn Was Started
Strawn was officially created on June 6, 1873. It was founded by a man named David Strawn. He was born in 1818 and passed away in 1873, the same year the village was planned. David Strawn moved to Illinois with his family when he was young. He became a very successful landowner, owning lots of land in Livingston County. Even though the town was named after him, David Strawn never actually lived in Strawn.
At the time, a railroad called the Chicago and Paducah Railroad was being built through the area. This railroad was important for connecting towns and moving goods. Alfred C. Hueston, a surveyor for Livingston County, designed the town of Strawn. He planned ten blocks on the west side of the railroad tracks. Each block had many lots for houses and businesses.
Strawn was designed in a special way for its time. It included a Public Square, which was a common feature in Illinois towns built much earlier, in the 1830s. This square was a central open space, likely for community gatherings. The town's layout followed the railroad tracks, not the usual compass directions. There was also a special area called the Depot Ground near the tracks for the train station.
Early Days in Strawn
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 331 | — | |
| 1890 | 233 | −29.6% | |
| 1900 | 224 | −3.9% | |
| 1910 | 277 | 23.7% | |
| 1920 | 248 | −10.5% | |
| 1930 | 221 | −10.9% | |
| 1940 | 199 | −10.0% | |
| 1950 | 173 | −13.1% | |
| 1960 | 152 | −12.1% | |
| 1970 | 144 | −5.3% | |
| 1980 | 143 | −0.7% | |
| 1990 | 132 | −7.7% | |
| 2000 | 104 | −21.2% | |
| 2010 | 100 | −3.8% | |
| 2020 | 101 | 1.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
To encourage people to move to Strawn, David Strawn offered a unique deal. He said that every other lot would be given away for free! The only condition was that people had to build a house of a certain size quickly. He wanted nice homes, not temporary shacks.
The first person to buy a lot was E. H. Roberts. John Colfer built the very first house in Strawn, which later became a hotel. Roberts also helped open the first store in town, selling goods to the new residents.
By 1878, Strawn was growing. It had eight stores, a shop for making horse harnesses, a blacksmith shop, shoe shops, a business for selling grain, and even a saloon. A Post Office was set up in 1873, making it easier to send and receive mail.
The railroad station opened on July 1, 1873. The first item shipped into Strawn was a barrel of meat for a local boarding house. Just six days later, the first freight shipped out of town was a carload of hogs. These hogs were sent by Walter D. Strawn, David Strawn's son, who had a farm nearby. The first school in Strawn started in the summer of 1873, taught by Sarah Hanagan.
The railroad that served Strawn eventually became part of the Wabash system, and later it was known as the Bloomer Line. Strawn's population grew quickly at first, but then it settled down.
Who Lives in Strawn?
According to the 2010 census, there were 100 people living in Strawn. These people made up 40 households, with 25 of those being families. There were also 46 housing units in the village. The population has stayed fairly small over the years, as you can see from the census numbers.
See also
In Spanish: Strawn (Illinois) para niños
