Bellflower, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Bellflower is a village in McLean County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 357 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington
–Normal
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
The Town was named for the Bellflower Apple. Students from Bellflower attend the Blue Ridge School District.
Bellflower was laid out on 26 August 1871 by George Nelson Black (15 March 1833 – 22 April 1908) and his wife Louisa J. Black (22 December 1840 – 23 December 1909). George was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and had come to Springfield, Illinois
in 1850 where he became wealthy through manufacturing, mining, and railroads. Bellflower Township had subscribed $30,000 in twenty year bonds toward the construction of what was then called the Gilman, Clinton and Springfield Railroad. A condition of the funding was that the township would have a station on the railroad. Black purchased 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land, laid 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) out into town lots and then transferred the title to the Railroad. When the railroad became property of the Illinois Central Railroad
, town lots in Bellflower were not transferred to that railroad. The name of the town came from the name of the township and was selected by Jesse Richards, who was particularly fond of the Bellflower apple. It is perhaps the only town in Illinois named for an apple. In the 1870s it was often spelled Belle Flower or Belle-Flower.
Original plan and growth of Bellflower
The original plan of the town consisted of two square blocks of land. Most of the western square was divided into sixteen blocks, each usually containing twelve lots, and this part of the town was split diagonally by the 100 feet (30.5 m) path of the railroad. Unlike many towns found in the 1870s, there was no Depot Ground. The eastern square of land and a strip along the north edge of the western square was divided into out lots, each of which were several times the size the lots in the western square. The combination of in lots and out lots was fairly common in central Illinois and may be found, for example, at Hudson
and Chenoa
. The small triangle of landcut off by the railroad from the remainder of block ten became thelocation of the town jail. The station was located on the south side of the tracks and the two early elevatorswere on railroad land. By 1895 both in lots and out lots held residences. R. E. Moreland established the first business. Bellflower quickly became a major grain shipping center serving the fertile surrounding land. By 1879 it was shipping over 350,000 bushels of grain a year. In 1900 the population was 356 and it is only slightly larger today.
of 2000, there were 408 people, 162 households, and 117 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,118.1 people per square mile (437.6/km²). There were 171 housing units at an average density of 468.6 per square mile (183.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 162 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $41,442, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $28,250 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $16,200. None of the families and 0.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.8% of those over 64.
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 357 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
–Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Bellflower is located at 40°20′26"N 88°31′36"W (40.340504, -88.526741).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
The Town was named for the Bellflower Apple. Students from Bellflower attend the Blue Ridge School District.
History
Founding of BellflowerBellflower was laid out on 26 August 1871 by George Nelson Black (15 March 1833 – 22 April 1908) and his wife Louisa J. Black (22 December 1840 – 23 December 1909). George was born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and had come to Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
in 1850 where he became wealthy through manufacturing, mining, and railroads. Bellflower Township had subscribed $30,000 in twenty year bonds toward the construction of what was then called the Gilman, Clinton and Springfield Railroad. A condition of the funding was that the township would have a station on the railroad. Black purchased 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land, laid 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) out into town lots and then transferred the title to the Railroad. When the railroad became property of the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
, town lots in Bellflower were not transferred to that railroad. The name of the town came from the name of the township and was selected by Jesse Richards, who was particularly fond of the Bellflower apple. It is perhaps the only town in Illinois named for an apple. In the 1870s it was often spelled Belle Flower or Belle-Flower.
Original plan and growth of Bellflower
The original plan of the town consisted of two square blocks of land. Most of the western square was divided into sixteen blocks, each usually containing twelve lots, and this part of the town was split diagonally by the 100 feet (30.5 m) path of the railroad. Unlike many towns found in the 1870s, there was no Depot Ground. The eastern square of land and a strip along the north edge of the western square was divided into out lots, each of which were several times the size the lots in the western square. The combination of in lots and out lots was fairly common in central Illinois and may be found, for example, at Hudson
Hudson
- United States :* Hudson, Colorado, town in Weld County* Hudson, Florida, census-designated place in Pasco County* Hudson, Illinois, town in McLean County* Hudson, Indiana, town in Steuben County* Hudson, Iowa, town in Black Hawk County...
and Chenoa
Chenoa
María Laura Corradini Falomir, popularly known as Chenoa is a famous Argentine-Spanish female music artist who became successful after appearing on the TV contest Operación Triunfo. Her music style could be described in the United States as pop...
. The small triangle of landcut off by the railroad from the remainder of block ten became thelocation of the town jail. The station was located on the south side of the tracks and the two early elevatorswere on railroad land. By 1895 both in lots and out lots held residences. R. E. Moreland established the first business. Bellflower quickly became a major grain shipping center serving the fertile surrounding land. By 1879 it was shipping over 350,000 bushels of grain a year. In 1900 the population was 356 and it is only slightly larger today.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 408 people, 162 households, and 117 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,118.1 people per square mile (437.6/km²). There were 171 housing units at an average density of 468.6 per square mile (183.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 162 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $41,442, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $28,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $16,200. None of the families and 0.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.8% of those over 64.