Sullivan, Illinois facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Sullivan, Illinois
City
South side of courthouse square in Sullivan
Motto(s): "More Than Just a Small Town”
Location in Moultrie County, Illinois
Sullivan, Illinois Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Moultrie
Township	Sullivan
Founded	March 7, 1845
Named for	Sullivan's Island, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
Area
• Total	2.78 sq mi (7.19 km²)
• Land	2.77 sq mi (7.17 km²)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km²)
Elevation	676 ft (206 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	4,413
• Density	1,593.72/sq mi (615.44/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	61951
Area code(s)	217
FIPS code	17-73495
GNIS ID	2395997
Wikimedia Commons	Sullivan, Illinois

Sullivan is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the largest city and the main town of Moultrie County. In 2020, about 4,413 people lived there. The city gets its name from Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. This island is famous for Fort Moultrie.

Discovering Sullivan's Past

Moultrie County Courthouse

How Sullivan Began

Sullivan was started in 1845. It was first called Asa's Point. Two years later, the first county courthouse was built. This building was made of brick and had two stories. The county jail was in its basement.

When court was in session, the town became very lively. Famous lawyer Abraham Lincoln visited this courthouse many times. He practiced law there from 1849 to 1852. Today, a painting in the current courthouse shows what that first building looked like.

Choosing Sullivan as the County Seat

Some early leaders did not think Sullivan was the best place for the county seat. Another village, Nelson, was already developed. The land where Sullivan was built was wet and had many mosquitoes. But in 1844, Sullivan was chosen because it was in the center of the county.

The original village was about 40 acres, or 25 city blocks. Its first school was built in 1846. The first church was built in 1848.

Lincoln's Visit and a Town Square Event

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech in Sullivan. He was campaigning for the state senate against Stephen A. Douglas. His speech took place in Freeland Grove, which is now the Sullivan Civic Center parking lot. A small monument marks the spot of his speech.

During this campaign, a small riot happened on the town square. It was between supporters of Lincoln and supporters of Douglas.

Fires and New Buildings

In 1864, a fire destroyed the first courthouse. Many county records were lost in this fire. A second, larger courthouse was built. This building was used until 1904. Then, it was taken down to build the third and current courthouse.

The Grand Titus Opera House

The Titus Opera House was built in 1871. It was on the north side of the town square. This opera house was very fancy for its time. It had a large auditorium, a balcony, and box seats. It could hold up to 800 people.

Famous pianist Teresa Carreño from Venezuela performed there. Joseph Titus, a businessman and Civil War veteran, built it. He wanted it to be a place for high society. He also built it for his daughter, Winifred, who became a talented pianist and singer. She even performed in Paris. Sadly, the Titus Opera House burned down on February 20, 1910. This ended a time of live entertainment in Sullivan. Later, The Little Theatre on the Square brought live shows back.

Wyman Park: A Gift to the City

Wyman Park is one of two parks in Sullivan. Albert Wyman, who came from Germany, owned a shoe shop in town. Sullivan did not have a public park when he was alive. In his will, he left money to the city to buy land for a park.

Mr. Wyman's will said that nothing could be sold in the park. However, concession stands were built near the baseball fields in the 1960s.

Moultrie County History Museum

The Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society has a small museum. It shows items from the county's past. It used to be downtown and is now on South Hamilton Street.

Sullivan's Location and Landscape

Sullivan is in the southern part of Moultrie County. Route 32 and Route 121 go through the city. Route 121 goes northwest to Decatur and southeast to Mattoon. Route 32 goes north to Lovington and south to Windsor.

The city covers about 2.78 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. Asa Creek flows through the east side of the city. It goes south to the Kaskaskia River in Lake Shelbyville.

Sullivan's Population Over Time

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	528	—
1870	742	40.5%
1880	1,305	75.9%
1890	1,468	12.5%
1900	2,399	63.4%
1910	2,621	9.3%
1920	2,532	−3.4%
1930	2,339	−7.6%
1940	3,101	32.6%
1950	3,470	11.9%
1960	3,946	13.7%
1970	4,112	4.2%
1980	4,526	10.1%
1990	4,354	−3.8%
2000	4,326	−0.6%
2010	4,440	2.6%
2020	4,413	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, Sullivan had 4,326 people living there. There were 1,820 households. About 28.3% of households had children under 18. Most people were White (98.68%).

The average age in the city was 40 years old. About 22.8% of the population was under 18. About 21.7% were 65 or older.

Local Businesses and Jobs

Sullivan is home to several companies. Agri-Fab makes tools for lawns and gardens. Hydro-Gear makes parts for machines that move. Both companies have their main offices and factories in Sullivan.

Metro Communications is also located here. The First Community Bank of Moultrie County started in 1905. It was first known as First National Bank of Sullivan.

Learning in Sullivan

Sullivan has its own school district, Sullivan Community Unit School District 300. This includes Sullivan High School. The school's sports teams are called the "Redskins."

The official school song is "Go Northwestern." The fight song is "Hail Red and Black." A former student wrote the lyrics for the fight song. The music was composed by Dr. Paul Van Buskirk Yoder, a famous composer.

Fun Places to Visit

The Little Theatre on the Square

The Little Theatre on the Square is a non-profit theater in Sullivan. It has received money to help with its operating costs. This theater is a popular place for live shows.

Abraham Lincoln Memorial

A monument in Wyman Park remembers Abraham Lincoln's speech. He spoke there on September 20, 1858. The monument is near where he stood.

Huntsburger Hood Ornament Collection

The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library has a special collection. It displays some of Lynn Huntsburger's vintage hood ornaments. There are over 700 of them in his full collection.

Ward Museum: A World of Treasures

The Ward Museum is at Mason Point, a care home east of Sullivan. It shows items collected by the Ward family from all over the world. It has one of the largest collections of seashells in the country.

The collection was first shown in 1948. It was even featured on a TV show called Illinois Adventure. The museum was started by Abraham Lincoln "Link" Ward and his wife, Cora Anne. Besides seashells, it has over 1,000 pieces of old glass. It also shows items from frontier life, like old clocks and spinning wheels.

Richard Nixon's Campaign Stop

During the 1960 presidential election, Vice President Richard Nixon visited Sullivan. He held a campaign rally there. He was given a buffalo burger but did not finish it.

A local resident, Steve Jenne, kept the unfinished burger. He later showed it on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1988. He was also a guest on I've Got a Secret in 2006.

Famous People from Sullivan

Albert J. Beveridge, a historian and U.S. senator
Steve Buxton, an NFL football player
Gregory Cochran, a physicist, anthropologist, and writer
William Granville Cochran, an Illinois state judge and lawmaker
John R. Eden, an attorney and congressman
Tiny Hill, a bandleader
R. Eden Martin, a lawyer
Samuel W. Moulton, an attorney and congressman
Gary Noffke, an artist
Harold Pogue, a football player
Art Schwind, a Major League Baseball player in 1912
William Irving Shuman, a businessman and politician
Douglas Wilson, an interior designer from Trading Spaces

Images for kids

South side of courthouse square in Sullivan
Location in Moultrie County, Illinois