Thomson, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomson
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The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad depot in Thomson in November 2016, serving as a museum.
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| Nickname(s):
The Melon Capital of the World
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Location of Thomson in Carroll County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Carroll |
| Township | York |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.22 sq mi (5.75 km2) |
| • Land | 2.22 sq mi (5.75 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 597 ft (182 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,610 |
| • Density | 725.55/sq mi (280.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61285
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| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-75172 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Thomson, Illinois |
| Website | http://www.thomsonil.com |
Thomson is a small village in Carroll County, Illinois, United States. It's located close to the Mississippi River. In 2020, about 1,610 people lived there.
Thomson is famous for its delicious watermelons! Because of this, it's often called "The Melon Capital of the World." Just north of the village is a large federal prison called the United States Penitentiary, Thomson.
Contents
Where is Thomson Located?
Thomson is in northwestern Illinois, about one mile (1.5 kilometers) east of the Mississippi River. It's about 9 miles northeast of Clinton, Iowa, and 38 miles northeast of Moline, Illinois. The big city of Chicago is about 120 miles west of Thomson.
The village covers a total area of about 2.22 square miles (5.75 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
How Many People Live in Thomson?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 380 | — | |
| 1890 | 374 | −1.6% | |
| 1900 | 467 | 24.9% | |
| 1910 | 487 | 4.3% | |
| 1920 | 495 | 1.6% | |
| 1930 | 508 | 2.6% | |
| 1940 | 529 | 4.1% | |
| 1950 | 559 | 5.7% | |
| 1960 | 543 | −2.9% | |
| 1970 | 617 | 13.6% | |
| 1980 | 911 | 47.6% | |
| 1990 | 538 | −40.9% | |
| 2000 | 559 | 3.9% | |
| 2010 | 590 | 5.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,610 | 172.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 1,610 people living in Thomson. The village had 190 households. About 13.2% of these households had children under 18 years old.
The average age of people in Thomson was about 52.9 years old. About 12.2% of the population was under 18.
History of Thomson
The Thomson Prison
The United States Penitentiary, Thomson is a large federal prison near the village. It first opened in 2001. For many years, only a smaller part of the prison was used.
In 2012, the United States government bought the prison. It was then updated to become a federal maximum-security prison. Today, it houses federal inmates.
Local Businesses and Culture
Thomson is home to Schafer Fisheries, a company that processes fish. Every December, Schafer Fisheries processes a huge amount of fish, sometimes up to 300,000 pounds! This is to help with the Polish "Christmas Carp" tradition. They send these fish packages to many places, both in the U.S. and other countries.
See also
In Spanish: Thomson (Illinois) para niños
