Tuscola, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tuscola
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Douglas County Courthouse in Tuscola
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| Motto(s):
"A Complete Community"
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Location of Tuscola in Douglas County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| County | Douglas |
| Township | Tuscola |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.96 sq mi (7.66 km2) |
| • Land | 2.95 sq mi (7.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,636 |
| • Density | 1,572.06/sq mi (606.92/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
61953
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-76407 |
| GNIS ID | 2397071 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Tuscola, Illinois |
Tuscola is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Douglas County. In 2020, about 4,636 people lived there.
Contents
History of Tuscola
The name Tuscola comes from a word used by an unknown Native American tribe. It means "flat plain," which describes the area well.
The first leader of Tuscola township was O. C. Hackett. He was elected in 1868. Hackett was the grandson of Peter Hackett, a famous frontiersman from Kentucky. O. C. Hackett planted a special group of sassafras trees called Hackett's Grove. This grove is about 20 acres (81,000 m²) in size. A small stream, Hackett's Run, flows through it. The Hackett family owned this land long before Douglas County was even created.
O. C. Hackett's father, John Hackett, moved to nearby Coles County in 1835. A family story says that Abraham Lincoln stayed at the Hackett farm. This was during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858.
From the 1890s to the 1940s, many African-American citizens lived in Tuscola. Some notable people included Arthur Anderson, a dancer, and Cecil "Pete" Bridgewater, a musician. His sons, Cecil Bridgewater and Ronnie Bridgewater, also became well-known musicians. Ruth Calimese was an educator and musician. Bruce Hayden was a mail carrier and war veteran. His son, Bruce Hayden, Jr., became a distinguished violinist.
Tuscola had two churches mainly for black congregations. These were the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the White Horse Riders church. Unlike some towns nearby, Tuscola did not have rules that stopped African-American people from being outside after dark. People of different backgrounds generally got along well in Tuscola.
Geography and Climate
Tuscola is a city built on mostly flat land. In 2021, the city covered about 2.96 square miles (7.66 km²). Most of this area, about 2.95 square miles (7.64 km²), is land. Only a very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²), is water.
Tuscola's Weather
Tuscola has a varied climate with warm summers and cold winters. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for Tuscola, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
73 (23) |
87 (31) |
92 (33) |
98 (37) |
105 (41) |
113 (45) |
104 (40) |
103 (39) |
93 (34) |
82 (28) |
71 (22) |
113 (45) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) |
38.9 (3.8) |
50.3 (10.2) |
63.5 (17.5) |
73.8 (23.2) |
82.4 (28.0) |
84.9 (29.4) |
84.0 (28.9) |
78.8 (26.0) |
66.2 (19.0) |
51.2 (10.7) |
39.1 (3.9) |
62.3 (16.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.0 (−3.3) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
40.5 (4.7) |
52.5 (11.4) |
63.6 (17.6) |
72.6 (22.6) |
75.1 (23.9) |
73.5 (23.1) |
66.9 (19.4) |
54.8 (12.7) |
41.8 (5.4) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
52.4 (11.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.0 (−7.8) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
41.5 (5.3) |
53.4 (11.9) |
62.8 (17.1) |
65.4 (18.6) |
63.0 (17.2) |
55.1 (12.8) |
43.4 (6.3) |
32.4 (0.2) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
42.5 (5.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −25 (−32) |
−23 (−31) |
−10 (−23) |
15 (−9) |
26 (−3) |
34 (1) |
44 (7) |
41 (5) |
21 (−6) |
18 (−8) |
−7 (−22) |
−26 (−32) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.44 (62) |
2.07 (53) |
2.87 (73) |
4.52 (115) |
4.24 (108) |
4.84 (123) |
4.38 (111) |
2.97 (75) |
3.07 (78) |
3.25 (83) |
3.37 (86) |
2.53 (64) |
40.55 (1,030) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.0 (13) |
4.9 (12) |
2.2 (5.6) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
3.7 (9.4) |
16.9 (43) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.3 | 7.9 | 9.3 | 11.0 | 11.8 | 10.4 | 8.8 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 108.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.1 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 10.9 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Tuscola (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,457 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,897 | 30.2% | |
| 1900 | 2,569 | 35.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,453 | −4.5% | |
| 1920 | 2,564 | 4.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,569 | 0.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,838 | 10.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,960 | 4.3% | |
| 1960 | 3,875 | 30.9% | |
| 1970 | 3,917 | 1.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,839 | −2.0% | |
| 1990 | 4,155 | 8.2% | |
| 2000 | 4,448 | 7.1% | |
| 2010 | 4,480 | 0.7% | |
| 2020 | 4,636 | 3.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, Tuscola had 4,636 people living in 2,007 households. About 1,157 of these were families. The city had about 1,567 people per square mile (607 per km²). There were 2,218 homes available.
Most people in Tuscola are White (about 92%). There are also smaller groups of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 3% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
In 2007 households, about 30% had children under 18. Nearly half (46%) were married couples living together. About 37% of all households were people living alone. About 15% of households had someone 65 or older living by themselves.
The average age in Tuscola was 38.6 years. About 22% of the people were under 18. About 13% were 65 or older.
The average income for a household in Tuscola was $65,827. For families, it was $88,309. The average income per person in the city was $33,316. About 11.5% of all people and 10.3% of families lived below the poverty line. This included 18.5% of those under 18.
Education in Tuscola
Tuscola has its own school system called Tuscola Community Unit School District 301. Students attend schools within this district, including Tuscola Community High School.
Transportation Options
Tuscola offers a service called Dial-A-Ride Public Transportation. This is a bus service that people can call to get a ride. For longer trips by train, the closest stations are in Mattoon or Champaign. From these stations, you can take Amtrak trains to cities like Chicago, Carbondale, and New Orleans.
Notable People from Tuscola
Many interesting people have come from Tuscola, Illinois. Here are a few:
- Marianne Boruch – An author who writes books.
- Smiley Burnette – An actor, known for his roles in Western movies.
- James E. Callaway – A person involved in politics.
- John H. Campbell – A judge.
- Joseph Gurney Cannon – A very important politician who was a longtime Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
- Philip F. Deaver – An author.
- Gary Forrester – An author.
- Jennie Garth – An actress, famous for her roles on TV shows.
- Linda Metheny – An Olympic gymnast who competed in the games.
- Fred Wakefield – A professional football player in the NFL.
- Jean Waters – She was crowned Miss Illinois in 1975.
See also
In Spanish: Tuscola (Illinois) para niños
