Braidwood, Illinois
Encyclopedia
e
Braidwood is a city in Will County
, Illinois
, United States
, approximately 53 miles (85.3 km) southwest of Chicago
and 18 miles (29 km) south of Joliet
. The population was 5,203 at the 2000 census.
The Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station
, a nuclear power plant currently owned by Exelon Corporation, is also located in the area (although the plant's address is actually in the nearby town of Braceville). The station is one of the major employers in the area and provides a significant portion of the electricity
used in the Chicago
area.
Braidwood was featured in the film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy. The scene in the movie at the Braidwood Inn (now the Sun Motel) was not filmed in Wichita, but was filmed in Braidwood, Illinois. Other neighboring towns such as Coal City also briefly appeared in the movie.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.73%) is water.
of 2000, there were 5,203 people, 1,843 households, and 1,422 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,124.0 people per square mile (433.9/km²). There were 2,305 housing units at an average density of 497.9 per square mile (192.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.48% White, 0.27% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.79% from other races
, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population.
There were 1,843 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
was high, so companies rushed to acquire land and set up operations. A mining boomtown
sprang up, a post office was established in 1867 (which was later burnt down in 1969 by Vietnam protesters.), and the community was called Keeversville, The Grove. James Braidwood was an early member of the community, and in 1872 he was hired by one company to superintend the sinking of the first deep mine shaft. The addition of more deep-shaft mines followed, and on March 4, 1873 the city was incorporated
and named in Braidwood's honor. There was an initial population of about 2,000 that would grow to 8,000, making Braidwood the second largest city in Will County at that time.
Businesses and the lives of residents were centered around the coal mines, with economic prosperity and depression occurring in their turn. Mines cut back operations during summer months, when warm weather reduced the demand for coal, leaving many miners unemployed. The disputes between coal companies and miners over wages and working conditions were always rancorous and often violent, typical for the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
There was a combination of ethnicities, providing religious and cultural diversity. At first most miners were Americans or immigrants from northern Europe
. African American
s arrived from West Virginia
, and many later residents would arrive as immigrants from eastern and southern Europe.
A former Kansas City Royal and Detroit Tiger graduated from the city's high school(Reed-Custer High School).
in the local groundwater. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0604070302apr07,1,3100608.story?coll=chi-newslocal-hed, http://www.nukeworker.com/news/facility_template.php?facility_news=Braidwood+Nuclear+Power+Plant+location:IL#
Christina Jones, a ComED parking meter attendant, recently won a court case wherein she was arrested after a 911 call reported a "person of color" acting suspiciously in the neighbourhood. At the time of Christina Jones's arrest Braidwood's population stood at 97% white.
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
, 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...
, approximately 53 miles (85.3 km) southwest of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and 18 miles (29 km) south of Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
. The population was 5,203 at the 2000 census.
The Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station
Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station
Braidwood Generating Station is located in Will County in northeastern Illinois, USA. The nuclear power plant serves Chicago and northern Illinois with electricity. The plant was originally built by Commonwealth Edison company, and subsequently transferred to Com Ed's parent company, Exelon...
, a nuclear power plant currently owned by Exelon Corporation, is also located in the area (although the plant's address is actually in the nearby town of Braceville). The station is one of the major employers in the area and provides a significant portion of the electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
used in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area.
Braidwood was featured in the film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy. The scene in the movie at the Braidwood Inn (now the Sun Motel) was not filmed in Wichita, but was filmed in Braidwood, Illinois. Other neighboring towns such as Coal City also briefly appeared in the movie.
Geography
Braidwood is located at 41°16′19"N 88°13′6"W (41.271982, -88.218221).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 city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which, 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (2.73%) is water.
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 5,203 people, 1,843 households, and 1,422 families residing in the city. 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 1,124.0 people per square mile (433.9/km²). There were 2,305 housing units at an average density of 497.9 per square mile (192.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.48% White, 0.27% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.79% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population.
There were 1,843 households out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.8% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
Early history
In 1864, a farmer digging for water at the site of the present city found coal instead. Deposits were substantial and the demand for coal in nearby ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was high, so companies rushed to acquire land and set up operations. A mining boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
sprang up, a post office was established in 1867 (which was later burnt down in 1969 by Vietnam protesters.), and the community was called Keeversville, The Grove. James Braidwood was an early member of the community, and in 1872 he was hired by one company to superintend the sinking of the first deep mine shaft. The addition of more deep-shaft mines followed, and on March 4, 1873 the city was incorporated
and named in Braidwood's honor. There was an initial population of about 2,000 that would grow to 8,000, making Braidwood the second largest city in Will County at that time.
Businesses and the lives of residents were centered around the coal mines, with economic prosperity and depression occurring in their turn. Mines cut back operations during summer months, when warm weather reduced the demand for coal, leaving many miners unemployed. The disputes between coal companies and miners over wages and working conditions were always rancorous and often violent, typical for the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
There was a combination of ethnicities, providing religious and cultural diversity. At first most miners were Americans or immigrants from northern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s arrived from West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and many later residents would arrive as immigrants from eastern and southern Europe.
Notable people
- Anton CermakAnton CermakAnton Joseph Cermak was the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1931 until his assassination by Giuseppe Zangara in 1933.-Early life and career:...
, a BohemiaBohemiaBohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n immigrant who would become mayor of ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, was a miner in Braidwood in his early years. - Artie MatthewsArtie MatthewsArtie Matthews was a songwriter, pianist, and ragtime composer.Artie Matthews was born in Braidwood, Illinois; his family moved to Springfield, Illinois in his youth. He learned to play piano, mostly popular songs and light classics, until he heard ragtime played by a pianist named Banty Morgan...
, a songwriter, pianist, and ragtime composer, was born in Braidwood in 1888. - John MitchellJohn Mitchell (United Mine Workers)John Mitchell was a United States labor leader and president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1898 to 1908....
, early UMWUnited Mine WorkersThe United Mine Workers of America is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the United States and Canada...
president, was born in Braidwood in 1870 (before incorporation) and worked in the local mines in his childhood. - Doug PinnickDoug PinnickDoug Pinnick sometimes stylised as dUg Pinnick or simply dUg is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the hard rock/progressive metal band King's X. He has fourteen albums with King's X, four solo albums, and numerous side projects and guest...
, songwriter, bassist, and co-lead singer for rock band King's XKing's XKing's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
, was born and raised in Braidwood.
A former Kansas City Royal and Detroit Tiger graduated from the city's high school(Reed-Custer High School).
Cultural References
- "Braidwood" is a song by indy rockers The SamplesThe SamplesThe Samples were a band formed in Boulder, Colorado in early 1987. The band's name came from the members' early sustenance of food samples from the local King Soopers grocery store. The music has been described as "reggae influenced rock/pop" and a cross between The Police and the Grateful Dead...
written by Andy Sheldon. It appears on their third album Underwater PeopleUnderwater PeopleUnderwater People is the third album by The Samples. It contained live material, demos, unreleased songs, and alternate versions.-Track listing:# Underwater People # My Town # Braidwood# Giants # After the Rain...
released in 1991.
Recent controversy
The Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station has been the subject of recent controversy surrounding the discovery of tritium contaminationTritiated water
Tritiated water is a form of water where the usual hydrogen atoms are replaced with tritium. In its pure form it may be called tritium oxide or super-heavy water. Pure T2O is corrosive due to self-radiolysis. Diluted, tritiated water is mainly H2O plus some HTO . It is also used as a tracer for...
in the local groundwater. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0604070302apr07,1,3100608.story?coll=chi-newslocal-hed, http://www.nukeworker.com/news/facility_template.php?facility_news=Braidwood+Nuclear+Power+Plant+location:IL#
Christina Jones, a ComED parking meter attendant, recently won a court case wherein she was arrested after a 911 call reported a "person of color" acting suspiciously in the neighbourhood. At the time of Christina Jones's arrest Braidwood's population stood at 97% white.