Waltonville, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Waltonville, Illinois
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Location of Waltonville in Jefferson County, Illinois
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Jefferson |
| Townships | Bald Hill, Elk Prairie, McClellan, Blissville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.26 sq mi (3.27 km2) |
| • Land | 1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 459 ft (140 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 408 |
| • Density | 329.03/sq mi (127.00/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62894
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-78708 |
| GNIS ID | 2400091 |
| Public Transit | South Central Transit |
| Wikimedia Commons | Waltonville, Illinois |
Waltonville is a small village located in Jefferson County, Illinois, United States. In 2010, about 434 people lived there. It is part of the larger Mount Vernon area.
Contents
History of Waltonville
Before Waltonville became a village, there were other small settlements nearby. These early communities helped shape the area.
Early Settlements: Mill Town and Williamsburg
In 1840, a man named Eli Gilbert built a mill and a store near Rayse Creek. This place was called "Mill Town." A post office opened there in 1860.
Later, in 1867, another settlement called Williamsburg began. It was about half a mile west of Mill Town. Williamsburg was named after J. D. Williams, who surveyed the area. The post office there was called "Laur Post Office" after Captain Joseph Laur. He was a local leader during the Civil War.
How Waltonville Got Its Name
Waltonville started as a small store owned by Rob Mannen. The village was named after his mother, Eliza A. Walton Mannen. The village grew quickly in 1893. This was because a new train line was built. It connected Mt. Vernon to Chester. Williamsburg then moved closer to this new train station. Today, this train line is part of the Union Pacific system.
A Unique Church and Polish Heritage
The Universalist Church was in Williamsburg before 1870. It moved to Waltonville before 1906. This church was special because Waltonville was the smallest town in the U.S. to have one for many years.
Many underground coal mines opened near Waltonville. Immigrants, mostly from Poland, came to work in these mines. By the 1950s, many people living west of Waltonville were Polish. Polish was even the main language spoken there. Over time, as television became popular, the Polish language faded. Today, only a few people speak Polish. However, many still feel a strong connection to their Polish heritage. They often attend St. Barbara's Catholic Church in nearby Scheller.
Geography of Waltonville
Waltonville is located in the southwestern part of Jefferson County. Illinois Route 148 runs through the village. This road goes northeast about 13 miles to Mount Vernon, which is the county seat. It also goes south about 8 miles to Sesser.
Land and Water Area
According to the 2010 census, Waltonville covers about 1.2 square miles (3.1 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.18 square miles (3.06 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.021 square miles (0.054 square kilometers), is water.
Location Within Townships
Waltonville is located where four different townships meet. These are Bald Hill, Blissville, McClellan, and Elk Prairie townships. Most of the village is in Bald Hill and Elk Prairie townships.
Blissville Township was named after Augustus Bliss. He started a settlement in 1841. Blissville was about 8 miles northwest of Waltonville.
Population of Waltonville
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 421 | — | |
| 1930 | 423 | 0.5% | |
| 1940 | 434 | 2.6% | |
| 1950 | 459 | 5.8% | |
| 1960 | 394 | −14.2% | |
| 1970 | 381 | −3.3% | |
| 1980 | 414 | 8.7% | |
| 1990 | 396 | −4.3% | |
| 2000 | 422 | 6.6% | |
| 2010 | 434 | 2.8% | |
| 2020 | 408 | −6.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 422 people living in Waltonville. These people lived in 177 households, and 121 of these were families. The village had about 440 people per square mile.
Who Lives in Waltonville?
Most people in Waltonville are White (98.82%). A small number are Native American (0.47%) or from two or more races (0.71%). About 1.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
About 32.2% of households had children under 18 living with them. More than half (54.8%) were married couples. About 30.5% of households had only one person living there. Many of these were people aged 65 or older.
Age and Income
The population of Waltonville includes people of all ages. About 27.7% were under 18 years old. The median age was 35 years. This means half the people were younger than 35 and half were older.
In 2000, the average income for a household in Waltonville was $24,318. For families, the average income was $32,750. About 16.6% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 13.4% of those under 18 and 22.9% of those aged 65 or older.
See also
In Spanish: Waltonville (Illinois) para niños
