Virden, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Virden, Illinois
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Location in Macoupin and Sangamon counties, Illinois
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 Virden, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Counties | Macoupin, Sangamon |
| Townships | Virden, Auburn |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.89 sq mi (4.89 km2) |
| • Land | 1.89 sq mi (4.89 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 676 ft (206 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,231 |
| • Density | 1,710.43/sq mi (660.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62690
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| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-78149 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2397150 |
Virden is a city located in Illinois, a state in the United States. It is found in both Macoupin and Sangamon counties. In 2020, about 3,231 people lived there.
The part of Virden in Macoupin County is near St. Louis, Missouri. The part in Sangamon County is close to Springfield. Virden is also famous for a big coal miners' strike that happened in 1898. A brave woman named Mary Harris "Mother" Jones played a very important part in this event.
Contents
History of Virden: A Coal Mining Town
Virden is built on top of a large amount of coal. After the 1850s, the Chicago and Alton Railroad was finished. This made it easy to dig up Virden's coal and send it far away to sell. Because of this, Virden grew and became a busy coal-mining town for many years.
The Coal Strike of 1898
In 1898, a difficult coal strike began. The Chicago-Virden Coal Company did not want its mines in Virden to be part of a trade union. They also refused to pay their non-union miners the same wages that union workers received.
Instead, the company built a wooden fence, called a stockade, around its mine. It was right next to the railroad tracks. The company then hired workers from Southern states to be miners. These new workers were promised only 30 cents for each ton of coal they dug.
The striking miners were very upset when the new workers arrived. Some of the striking miners were also African-American and were accepted by their union friends. However, they did not accept people who were hired to break the strike.
The Battle of Virden
On October 12, 1898, a train arrived in Virden. It was carrying new miners who were meant to replace the striking workers. The train stopped just outside the mine's stockade.
The mine manager and train operator knew there might be trouble. So, they had armed security guards on the train. These guards had Winchester rifles and were allowed to use deadly force. As the striking miners tried to surround the train, the guards started shooting.
A gunfight began around the train. People on both sides were killed or hurt. Six of the thirteen people who died were security guards. After about twenty minutes of shooting, the train's driver gave up. The train then left the mine and continued north to Springfield.
Today, a monument in Virden's town square remembers the coal strike of 1898 and the battle that ended it. The monument has a large bronze picture that shows the names of those who died. It also shows a copy of a flyer the company used to trick new miners into coming to Virden. The monument shows the railroad tracks and the attack on the striking workers. The guards are shown pointing their rifles at the miners and their families. At the top of the monument is a bronze picture of Mary Harris Jones ("Mother Jones"). She is buried in a nearby town called Mount Olive.
Geography and Location
Most of Virden is in the northeast part of Macoupin County. A small part of the city reaches north into Sangamon County. In 2000, most of Virden's residents (96.8%) lived in Macoupin County.
Illinois Route 4 goes through Virden. It is known as Springfield Street in the city. This road goes southwest about 18 miles to Carlinville, which is the main town of Macoupin County. It also goes northeast about 22 miles to Springfield, the capital city of Illinois.
Virden covers about 1.89 square miles of land. The city's water drains west into Sugar Creek and east into Brush Creek. Both of these creeks flow northeast. Sugar Creek eventually joins the Sangamon River, which then flows into the Illinois River east of Springfield.
Population Changes in Virden
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,608 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,610 | 0.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,280 | 41.6% | |
| 1910 | 4,000 | 75.4% | |
| 1920 | 4,682 | 17.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,011 | −35.7% | |
| 1940 | 3,041 | 1.0% | |
| 1950 | 3,206 | 5.4% | |
| 1960 | 3,309 | 3.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,504 | 5.9% | |
| 1980 | 3,899 | 11.3% | |
| 1990 | 3,635 | −6.8% | |
| 2000 | 3,488 | −4.0% | |
| 2010 | 3,425 | −1.8% | |
| 2020 | 3,231 | −5.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, Virden had 3,488 people living there. There were 1,455 households and 934 families. About 29.8% of households had children under 18. Most households (49.8%) were married couples living together.
The population was spread out by age. About 23.9% of the people were under 18 years old. About 19.9% were 65 years or older. The average age in Virden was 39 years.
The average income for a household in Virden was $31,905. For families, it was $41,511. About 10.7% of all people in Virden lived below the poverty line. This included 12.0% of those under 18.
Famous People from Virden
Many interesting people have connections to Virden:
- Warren Ambrose was a math professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Julian N. Frisbie was a decorated general in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
- Edward Alsworth Ross was a famous sociologist and a key figure in early criminology.
- Henry Calvert Simons was an economist at the University of Chicago.
- Luella Wilcox St. Clair Moss was a suffragist. She was also one of the first female college presidents in the U.S. She was born in Virden.
- Melvin Vaniman was an aviator and photographer. He was known for his wide, panoramic pictures.
