Broadwell, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Broadwell is a village in Logan County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 169 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all land.
ted in 1856 by William Broadwell and Jacob Eisiminger, which occurred in conjunction with the construction of the railroad linking Chicago
and Springfield
.
Prior to the plat of the village, there was an inn three-quarters of a mile east of the present site, called "Tantivy" or "TAN-TI-VY". The name apparently derives from an old English hunting cry. Tantivy Lodge was in existence from about 1840 through the early 1950s; tradition states that Abraham Lincoln stopped there while traveling from Springfield to the Logan County courthouse at Postville (today a part of the newer City of Lincoln, Illinois) while Lincoln rode the judicial circuit as a lawyer. It is recorded (with greater certainty) that the (later) Central Illinois cattle and land baron, John Dean Gillette, proposed marriage to his future wife, Lemira Parke, at the Tantivy cabin c. 1840. It is likely that Tantivy was relocated by about one-eighth of a mile (from east to west) at least once during its existence.
When Jacob Eisiminger was offered the honor of having the village named after him, he declined, stating that the new village would be handicapped with such an unusual name; accordingly, it was named Broadwell. William Broadwell (of the city of Springfield) had very little further connection with the village, and he later moved to Kansas
; the Eisiminger family, however, were long-time merchants, postmasters and schoolteachers in the village (the last member of the family bearing this name died in early 2006).
Broadwell became a shipping point for hogs, corn, wheat and later soybeans. The village and township has never known any great period of economic boom or bust. The surrounding Broadwell Township features some of the very finest productive agricultural soils in North America and the world.
The Village was located directly on historic Route U.S. 66, from 1926 to 1978; today the limited-access Interstate 55 is located on the western edge of the Village. Happily, there is a full interstate exit for the Village and Township. The former northbound lane of U.S. Route 66 remains intact and it also still serves the Village as a major local road and tourist magnet.
The Village of Broadwell featured the well-known "Pig Hip" Restaurant, operated by Ernest L. ("Ernie") Edwards and family from 1937 through 1991. Ernie has recently received the citation for "The BEST U.S. Route 66 attraction where the ORIGINAL GUY is still there". Until recently, the Pig Hip building was still open as a museum of Route 66 memorabilia, with Ernie Edwards (born 5 August 1917) as your host. Sadly, the restaurant/museum and most of its contents were destroyed by fire on 5 March 2007. However, Ernie still operates a small museum from his adjacent residence which survived the fire. He remains a fount of Route 66 stories, and he still greets visitors as his health permits.
A bronze and stone memorial, dedicated to the Pig Hip Restaurant and to U.S. Route 66, was unveiled by Ernie Edwards on 5 August 2007. The large boulder and bronze marker were presented to Ernie by his family, friends, and neighbors on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
The Village and Township of Broadwell sent two of its native sons to the Illinois General Assembly during the late Twentieth Century. John R. ("Jack") Lauer served as state representative from 1973 to 1978, and Robert F. ("Bob") Olson served as state representative from 1986 to 1994. Both men farmed locally for many years. This is an unusual record of a very small Illinois town contributing to the greater affairs of this populous state.
of 2000, there were 169 people, 70 households, and 46 families residing in the village. The population density
was 884.2 people per square mile (343.4/km²). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 429.0 per square mile (166.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 70 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the village the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $40,469 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,911. About 8.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.8% of those sixty five or over.
Logan County, Illinois
Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 30,305, which is a decrease of 2.8% from 31,183 in 2000...
, 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 169 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Broadwell is located at 40°4′3"N 89°26′34"W (40.067366, -89.442710).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 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all land.
History
The Village of Broadwell was platPlat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted in 1856 by William Broadwell and Jacob Eisiminger, which occurred in conjunction with the construction of the railroad linking 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 Springfield
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...
.
Prior to the plat of the village, there was an inn three-quarters of a mile east of the present site, called "Tantivy" or "TAN-TI-VY". The name apparently derives from an old English hunting cry. Tantivy Lodge was in existence from about 1840 through the early 1950s; tradition states that Abraham Lincoln stopped there while traveling from Springfield to the Logan County courthouse at Postville (today a part of the newer City of Lincoln, Illinois) while Lincoln rode the judicial circuit as a lawyer. It is recorded (with greater certainty) that the (later) Central Illinois cattle and land baron, John Dean Gillette, proposed marriage to his future wife, Lemira Parke, at the Tantivy cabin c. 1840. It is likely that Tantivy was relocated by about one-eighth of a mile (from east to west) at least once during its existence.
When Jacob Eisiminger was offered the honor of having the village named after him, he declined, stating that the new village would be handicapped with such an unusual name; accordingly, it was named Broadwell. William Broadwell (of the city of Springfield) had very little further connection with the village, and he later moved to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
; the Eisiminger family, however, were long-time merchants, postmasters and schoolteachers in the village (the last member of the family bearing this name died in early 2006).
Broadwell became a shipping point for hogs, corn, wheat and later soybeans. The village and township has never known any great period of economic boom or bust. The surrounding Broadwell Township features some of the very finest productive agricultural soils in North America and the world.
The Village was located directly on historic Route U.S. 66, from 1926 to 1978; today the limited-access Interstate 55 is located on the western edge of the Village. Happily, there is a full interstate exit for the Village and Township. The former northbound lane of U.S. Route 66 remains intact and it also still serves the Village as a major local road and tourist magnet.
The Village of Broadwell featured the well-known "Pig Hip" Restaurant, operated by Ernest L. ("Ernie") Edwards and family from 1937 through 1991. Ernie has recently received the citation for "The BEST U.S. Route 66 attraction where the ORIGINAL GUY is still there". Until recently, the Pig Hip building was still open as a museum of Route 66 memorabilia, with Ernie Edwards (born 5 August 1917) as your host. Sadly, the restaurant/museum and most of its contents were destroyed by fire on 5 March 2007. However, Ernie still operates a small museum from his adjacent residence which survived the fire. He remains a fount of Route 66 stories, and he still greets visitors as his health permits.
A bronze and stone memorial, dedicated to the Pig Hip Restaurant and to U.S. Route 66, was unveiled by Ernie Edwards on 5 August 2007. The large boulder and bronze marker were presented to Ernie by his family, friends, and neighbors on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
The Village and Township of Broadwell sent two of its native sons to the Illinois General Assembly during the late Twentieth Century. John R. ("Jack") Lauer served as state representative from 1973 to 1978, and Robert F. ("Bob") Olson served as state representative from 1986 to 1994. Both men farmed locally for many years. This is an unusual record of a very small Illinois town contributing to the greater affairs of this populous state.
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 169 people, 70 households, and 46 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 884.2 people per square mile (343.4/km²). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 429.0 per square mile (166.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.
There were 70 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the village the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $40,469 versus $23,750 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 $19,911. About 8.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.8% of those sixty five or over.