Tremont, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tremont, Illinois
Village
Location of Tremont in Tazewell County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Tazewell
Founded	1834
incorporated	July 1835
Area
• Total	1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2)
• Land	1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	650 ft (200 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,277
• Density	1,921.52/sq mi (741.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	61568
Area code(s)	309
FIPS code	17-75965
GNIS feature ID	2400000
Wikimedia Commons	Tremont, Illinois

Tremont is a small village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. About 2,277 people lived there in 2020. Tremont is located about 14 miles southeast of a bigger city called Peoria.

History of Tremont

The first people to settle in the Tremont area arrived around 1820. These early settlers included James Chapman, William Sterling, and the Broyhill brothers. A post office opened in 1835, helping the community grow. Josiah James and J. H. Harris helped plan the village. They also built a school and a church. Tremont officially became a town in March 1835.

The Old Courthouse

In 1836, Tremont became the main town for Tazewell County. This meant it was the "county seat," where the most important government buildings were. A man named John Harris gave 20 acres of land for a new courthouse. The people of the town also raised $2,000 to help build it.

The courthouse was a two-story building made of red brick. It had tall columns and a special tower on top with a weathervane. Building started in 1837 and finished in 1839. However, because of disagreements, the county seat moved back to Pekin in 1849.

Even though it was no longer the county seat, the courthouse was famous for another reason. Abraham Lincoln, who later became president, visited Tremont many times when he was a lawyer. He was at the Tremont Courthouse in 1842. He even had a famous disagreement there that almost led to a duel! Lincoln gave his last speech in Tremont on August 30, 1858. Today, a special marker shows where the old courthouse once stood.

Tremont's Geography

Tremont is a small village. According to a study in 2010, it covers about 0.94 square miles (2.43 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Tremont's People

Tremont is part of the larger Peoria metropolitan area. This means it's connected to the bigger city of Peoria.

In 2010, there were about 5,500 people living in the village and the areas around it. These areas include nice neighborhoods and farms. Tremont has four main neighborhoods: Lake Windemere, Royal Colony, Hickory Hills, and Lake Knolls.

The village has many helpful places for its residents. As of 2018, there are five churches, two grocery stores, and a coffee shop. You can also find a fast-food restaurant, a diner, and a seasonal ice cream shack. There are four gas stations, two banks, a library, and a fitness center. The Tremont Medical Clinic, now called OSF Healthcare Tremont, offers health services. It has doctors and nurses to help people stay healthy.

Tremont's Economy

The biggest employer in Tremont is a company called R.A. Cullinan. Another important company, Precision Planting (AGCO), is located a few miles south of Tremont. These companies provide many jobs for people in the area.

The main office for the Tazewell County Health Department is also in Tremont. This department helps keep the community healthy.

Schools and Learning

Tremont has its own school district, called Tremont Community Unit School District 702.

There are three public schools in Tremont:

• Tremont Grade School
• Tremont Middle School
• Tremont High School

In 2004, the Tremont School District received three special awards from the State of Illinois. These awards recognized the district for being excellent and well-managed.

The Tremont District Library is a very important place in the community. You can check out books, movies, and other materials there. The library also has many activities for people of all ages. They offer services like borrowing books from other libraries and delivering books to people who can't leave their homes. You can also use public computers there. The library is a great place to find information about local history and your family's past.

Fun Events

Tremont is very well known for its yearly summer festival, the Tremont Turkey Festival. This festival brings between 20,000 and 30,000 people to the small village each year.

The festival offers lots of fun things to do:

• Free entertainment
• Bed races (where teams race beds!)
• An antique tractor pull
• A pageant
• A parade
• Craft and antique sellers
• A carnival

Tremont celebrated its 50th Turkey Festival in 2015. The festival has been run entirely by volunteers since 1966. It is famous for its delicious turkey sandwiches and strawberry shortcake.

Famous People from Tremont

• Bonnie Cooper (1935-2018), a baseball player.
• Danny Lloyd (Born 1972), a former child actor. He starred in the movie The Shining.
• Katy Nichole (Born 2000), a Christian singer.
• Bob Trumpy (Born 1945), a former professional football player for the Cincinnati Bengals.

See also

In Spanish: Tremont (Illinois) para niños