Wilmington, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilmington, Illinois
|
|
|---|---|
Baltimore Street (IL-53)
|
|
| Nickname(s):
The Island City
|
|
Location of Wilmington in Will County, Illinois.
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Counties | Will |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Incorporated | 1854 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.52 sq mi (37.61 km2) |
| • Land | 13.80 sq mi (35.75 km2) |
| • Water | 0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2) |
| Elevation | 528 ft (161 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 5,664 |
| • Density | 410.35/sq mi (158.44/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
60481
|
| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-82101 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2397328 |
Wilmington is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the east bank of the Kankakee River. You can find it along Illinois Route 53 and Historic U.S. Route 66. The city is about 60 miles (97 km) southwest of downtown Chicago. In 2020, 5,664 people lived there. Wilmington is just south of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. This prairie is home to the largest group of bison in Illinois!
Contents
A Look at Wilmington's History
In 1834, a man named Thomas Cox bought land near Alden's Island. He built a sawmill and other machines there. These machines, like a gristmill for grinding grain, used water power from the Kankakee River.
Wilmington is home to the old Eagle Hotel. This hotel became famous as a stop on U.S. Route 66. This historic road followed what is now Illinois Route 53. A fun sight for travelers on Route 66 is the Gemini Giant. This is a large statue, part of a group called "muffler men." Many people from all over the world take pictures with the Gemini Giant every year.
Wilmington also has a golf course called Cinder Ridge. It is located near I-55. In October 2023, a mural showing historic Downtown Wilmington was painted. It faces the Eagle Hotel. This was done to get ready for the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026.
Wilmington's Geography
Wilmington is located at 41°18′27″N 88°08′46″W / 41.307515°N 88.146143°W. It sits on the banks of the Kankakee River. The city is about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Chicago. It is also about 15 miles (24 km) south of Joliet.
One special part of Wilmington's geography is a large island in the Kankakee River. A big part of this island is a city park. The island splits the river into two parts. One part is a large channel, and the other is smaller. The smaller channel was used for water-powered mills long ago. This island is why Wilmington is called "The Island City."
The city covers about 4.5 square miles (11.6 km2) in total. Most of this area, about 4.2 square miles (10.9 km2), is land. The rest, about 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2), is water.
Wilmington's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,828 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,872 | 2.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,576 | −15.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,420 | −9.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,450 | 2.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,384 | −4.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,741 | 25.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,921 | 10.3% | |
| 1950 | 3,354 | 74.6% | |
| 1960 | 4,210 | 25.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,335 | 3.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,424 | 2.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,743 | 7.2% | |
| 2000 | 5,134 | 8.2% | |
| 2010 | 5,724 | 11.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,664 | −1.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 5,664 people living in Wilmington. There were 2,330 households. Most of the people, about 90.18%, were White. About 1.4% were African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. Some people were from other races or from two or more races.
The average household income in the city was $66,538. This means that half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less.
Famous People from Wilmington
Many interesting people have come from Wilmington, Illinois. Here are a few:
- Damien Anderson (born 1979), a player in the National Football League.
- Harry Butcher (1892–1942), a race car driver who competed in the Indianapolis 500.
- George Cutshaw (1887–1973), a Major League Baseball player.
- John J. Feely (1875–1905), who served as a congressman.
- Leroy Ioas (1896–1965), an important figure in the Bahá'í Faith.
- Burt Keeley (1879–1952), a Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Kiiara (born 1995), a singer.
- Francis Joseph Magner (1887–1947), a Roman Catholic bishop.
- Kelly Murphy (born 1989), an Olympic Volleyball player.
- Tanner Roark (born 1986), a Major League Baseball player.
- Josephine Trott (1874–1950), a composer.
