Galesburg, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Galesburg is a city in Knox County
, Illinois
, in the United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat
of Knox County.
Galesburg is home to Knox College, a private four-year liberal arts college, and Carl Sandburg College
, a two-year community college.
Galesburg City Township is an active township that is coterminous with the city.
Galesburg is the principal city of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area
, which includes all of Knox and Warren
counties.
, the city has a total area of 17.1 square miles (44.3 km²), of which, 16.9 square miles (43.8 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.05%) is water.
, a Presbyterian minister from New York
state, who dreamed of establishing a manual labor college
which became Knox College. A committee from New York purchased 17 acre (0.06879662 km²; 0.0265625234858704 sq mi) in Knox County in 1835, and the first 25 settlers arrived in 1836. They built temporary cabins in Log City near current Lake Storey, just north of Galesburg, having decided that no log cabins were to be built inside the town limits.
Galesburg was home to the first anti-slavery society in Illinois, founded in 1837, and was a stop on the Underground Railroad
. The city was the site of the fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate
, on a temporary speaker's platform attached to Knox College's Old Main building on October 7, 1858. Knox College continues to maintain and use Old Main to this day. An Underground Railroad Museum and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum are planned for Knox College's Alumni Hall after it is renovated.
Galesburg was the home of Mary Ann Bickerdyke
, who provided hospital care for Union soldiers during the American Civil War
. After the Civil War, Galesburg was the birthplace of poet, author, and historian Carl Sandburg
, poet and artist Dorothea Tanning
, and former Major League Baseball
star Jim Sundberg
. Carl Sandburg's boyhood home is now operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
as the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site
. The site contains the cottage Sandburg was born in, a modern museum, the rock under which he and his wife Lilian are buried, and a performance venue.
Throughout much of its history, Galesburg has been inextricably tied to the railroad industry. Local businessmen were major backers of the first railroad to connect Illinois' (then) two biggest cities—Chicago
and Quincy
—as well as a third leg initially terminating across the river from Burlington, Iowa
, eventually connecting to it via bridge and thence onward to the Western frontier. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
sited major rail sorting yards here, including the first to use hump sorting. The yard is still used by the BNSF Railway
.
In the late 19th century, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
connected its service through to Chicago, it also laid track through Galesburg, making this city one of relatively few of its size to be served by multiple railroads and even fewer to have multiple railroad depots. (Indeed, it was not until 1996 that Amtrak
finally closed the old Santa Fe depot and consolidated all passenger operations at the site of the former Burlington Northern depot.) A series of mergers eventually united both lines under the ownership of BNSF Railway
, carrying an average of seven trains per hour between them. As of the closing of the Maytag plant in fall of 2004, BNSF is once again the largest private employer in Galesburg.
In addition, Galesburg was home to the pioneering brass era automobile
company Western
, which produced the Gale, named for the town.
The Carr Mansion in Galesburg was the site of the only presidential cabinet meeting held outside of Washington, DC.
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Galesburg, operating the California Zephyr
, Carl Sandburg
, Illinois Zephyr
, and Southwest Chief
daily in both directions between Chicago and points west from Galesburg (Amtrak station)
. Galesburg Transit provides bus service to the City of Galesburg. There are 4 routes: Gold Express Loop, Green Central Loop, Red West Loop, & Blue East Loop. BNSF provides rail freight to Galesburg and operates a large hump yard 1.9 miles south of town.
Galesburg is served by Interstate 74
, whose route
runs north to Moline, Illinois
in the Quad Cities
region, and to the southeast to Peoria, Illinois
and beyond. The Chicago – Kansas City Expressway
, also known as Illinois Route 110 (IL 110), runs through Galesburg, to the southwest it passes through Macomb, Illinois
, the home of Western Illinois University
, and towards Quincy, Illinois
, before crossing into Missouri
. U.S. Route 34
connects Galesburg with Burlington, Iowa
.
The Galesburg Municipal Airport
provides general aviation access, while Quad City International Airport
and General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport both provide commercial flights.
of 2000, there were 33,706 people, 13,237 households, and 7,902 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1994.9 PD/sqmi. There were 14,133 housing units at an average density of 836.5 per square mile (322.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 10.20% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.46% from other races
, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.01% of the population. 17.4% were of German
, 12.6% American
, 11.5% Irish
, 11.3% Swedish and 9.1% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,237 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,987, and the median income for a family was $41,796. Males had a median income of $31,698 versus $21,388 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,214. About 10.7% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Galesburg will soon be home to the National Railroad Hall of Fame
. Efforts are underway to raise funds for the $30 million project which got a major boost in 2006, when the United States Congress passed a bill to charter the establishment. It is hoped that the Museum will bring tourism and a financial boost to the community.
Fly in. Also held in September are the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta and the Annual Rubber Duck Race held at Lake Storey. The third weekend of every August a Civil war and Pre 1840's Rendezvous is held at Lake Storey Park.
The Black Earth Film Festival has been a part of the Galesburg art community since 2004. Affiliated with the Galesburg Civic Art Center, the festival receives entries from all over the world. The Black Earth Film Festival takes place in September and presents the best in feature length, short subjects, documentaries, animation and foreign films. Awards are given for the aforementioned categories, as well as a peoples choice award for best overall film. Festival highlights include special guests from within the film industry. Past participants have included Director John D. Hancock (Bang The Drum Slowly, Prancer, Let's Scare Jessica to Death,) Filmmakers Mark Borchardt and Mike Schank (subjects of the award Winning Documentary American Movie) and Filmmakers Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos (Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation.)
There is also a kite festival every May at Lake Storey Park.
The Galesburg Register-Mail is the result of the merger of the Galesburg Republican-Register and the Galesburg Daily Mail in 1928. Those two papers can trace their roots back to the mid-19th century. A daily, it is the main newspaper of the city, and was owned by Copley Press out of San Diego until it was sold to Gate House Media in April 2007. The Zephyr was started in 1989, was published on Thursdays and was the only locally-owned newspaper until its final edition December 9, 2010. There is also The Paper, which is delivered without subscription to all households every Wednesday and is also owned by Gate House Media.
Print
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 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,...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Knox County.
Galesburg is home to Knox College, a private four-year liberal arts college, and Carl Sandburg College
Carl Sandburg College
Carl Sandburg College is a two-year community college based in Galesburg, Illinois, and serving the west-central Illinois region. The Main Campus is located in Galesburg, a Branch Campus is located in Carthage, and an Extension Center is located in Bushnell...
, a two-year community college.
Galesburg City Township is an active township that is coterminous with the city.
Galesburg is the principal city of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area
Galesburg micropolitan area
The Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in west central Illinois, anchored by the city of Galesburg....
, which includes all of Knox and Warren
Warren County, Illinois
-External links:**...
counties.
Geography
Galesburg is located at 40°57′8"N 90°22′7"W (40.952292, -90.368545). According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 17.1 square miles (44.3 km²), of which, 16.9 square miles (43.8 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.05%) is water.
History
Galesburg was founded by George Washington GaleGeorge Washington Gale
George Washington Gale was born in Stanford, New York and became a Presbyterian minister in western New York state. A graduate of Union College in 1814, and Princeton Theological Seminary in 1819...
, a Presbyterian minister from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state, who dreamed of establishing a manual labor college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
which became Knox College. A committee from New York purchased 17 acre (0.06879662 km²; 0.0265625234858704 sq mi) in Knox County in 1835, and the first 25 settlers arrived in 1836. They built temporary cabins in Log City near current Lake Storey, just north of Galesburg, having decided that no log cabins were to be built inside the town limits.
Galesburg was home to the first anti-slavery society in Illinois, founded in 1837, and was a stop on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. The city was the site of the fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and the incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and...
, on a temporary speaker's platform attached to Knox College's Old Main building on October 7, 1858. Knox College continues to maintain and use Old Main to this day. An Underground Railroad Museum and Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum are planned for Knox College's Alumni Hall after it is renovated.
Galesburg was the home of Mary Ann Bickerdyke
Mary Ann Bickerdyke
Mary Ann Bickerdyke , also known as Mother Bickerdyke, was a hospital administrator for Union soldiers during the American Civil War.She was born in Knox County, Ohio, to Hiram Ball and Annie Rodgers Ball...
, who provided hospital care for Union soldiers during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the Civil War, Galesburg was the birthplace of poet, author, and historian Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...
, poet and artist Dorothea Tanning
Dorothea Tanning
Dorothea Tanning is an American painter, printmaker, sculptor and writer. She has also designed sets and costumes for ballet and theatre.-Biography:...
, and former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
star Jim Sundberg
Jim Sundberg
James Howard Sundberg is a former professional baseball catcher known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. He played for a number of Major League teams, most significantly the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, with whom we won a World Championship...
. Carl Sandburg's boyhood home is now operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is tasked with the duty of maintaining most State-owned historic sites within Illinois, and maximizing their educational and recreational value to visitors....
as the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site
Carl Sandburg State Historic Site
Carl Sandburg State Historic Site was the birthplace and boyhood home of author Carl Sandburg in Galesburg, Illinois.It is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency...
. The site contains the cottage Sandburg was born in, a modern museum, the rock under which he and his wife Lilian are buried, and a performance venue.
Throughout much of its history, Galesburg has been inextricably tied to the railroad industry. Local businessmen were major backers of the first railroad to connect Illinois' (then) two biggest cities—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 Quincy
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
—as well as a third leg initially terminating across the river from Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, eventually connecting to it via bridge and thence onward to the Western frontier. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
sited major rail sorting yards here, including the first to use hump sorting. The yard is still used by the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
connected its service through to Chicago, it also laid track through Galesburg, making this city one of relatively few of its size to be served by multiple railroads and even fewer to have multiple railroad depots. (Indeed, it was not until 1996 that Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
finally closed the old Santa Fe depot and consolidated all passenger operations at the site of the former Burlington Northern depot.) A series of mergers eventually united both lines under the ownership of BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, carrying an average of seven trains per hour between them. As of the closing of the Maytag plant in fall of 2004, BNSF is once again the largest private employer in Galesburg.
In addition, Galesburg was home to the pioneering brass era automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
company Western
Western Tool Works (automobile company)
Western Tool Works was a pioneering brass era automobile manufacturer in Galesburg, Illinois.Western in 1905 produced the Gale Model A, an open roadster, for sale at US$500, which was less than high-volume Oldsmobile Runabout, at US$650, the Ford "Doctor's Car" at US$850, or the Holsman high...
, which produced the Gale, named for the town.
The Carr Mansion in Galesburg was the site of the only presidential cabinet meeting held outside of Washington, DC.
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Galesburg, operating the California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
, Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg (Amtrak)
The Carl Sandburg is a 258-mile passenger train operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago and Quincy, Illinois. This train began operation on October 30, 2006 and is an addition to the existing Illinois Service rail network created in 1971 and partially funded by the Illinois Department of...
, Illinois Zephyr
Illinois Zephyr
The Illinois Zephyr is a 258-mile passenger train operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago and Quincy, Illinois. The train is a part of the Illinois Service rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation...
, and Southwest Chief
Southwest Chief
The Southwest Chief is a passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2256-mile BNSF route through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, passing through Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California...
daily in both directions between Chicago and points west from Galesburg (Amtrak station)
Galesburg (Amtrak station)
The Galesburg Amtrak station is a train station in Galesburg, Illinois, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. The station was originally built in 1984, after the razing of the large depot just south of the current site. It is located north of the large BNSF...
. Galesburg Transit provides bus service to the City of Galesburg. There are 4 routes: Gold Express Loop, Green Central Loop, Red West Loop, & Blue East Loop. BNSF provides rail freight to Galesburg and operates a large hump yard 1.9 miles south of town.
Galesburg is served by Interstate 74
Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
, whose route
Interstate 74 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 74 is a major northwest-southeast Interstate Highway that runs across the northern portion of the state. It runs from the Iowa state line at the Mississippi River southeast to the Indiana state line east of Danville, Illinois. This is a distance of 220.34...
runs north to Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
in the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
region, and to the southeast to Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
and beyond. The Chicago – Kansas City Expressway
Chicago – Kansas City Expressway
The Chicago – Kansas City Expressway is a highway that runs between Chicago, Illinois and Kansas City, Missouri. Illinois Route 110 was created through legislation on May 27, 2010 as the designated route for the Illinois portion of the Chicago - Kansas City Expressway.-Missouri:The Expressway...
, also known as Illinois Route 110 (IL 110), runs through Galesburg, to the southwest it passes through Macomb, Illinois
Macomb, Illinois
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
, the home of Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
, and towards Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
, before crossing into Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. U.S. Route 34
U.S. Route 34
U.S. Route 34 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 1,122 miles from north-central Colorado to the western suburbs of Chicago. Through Rocky Mountain National Park it is known as the Trail Ridge Road where it reaches 12,183 ft , making it the highest paved through highway in...
connects Galesburg with Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
.
The Galesburg Municipal Airport
Galesburg Municipal Airport
Galesburg Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles west of the central business district of Galesburg, a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States..- Facilities and aircraft :...
provides general aviation access, while Quad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport
Quad City International Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Moline, a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is owned by the Metropolitan Airport Authority...
and General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport both provide commercial flights.
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 33,706 people, 13,237 households, and 7,902 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 1994.9 PD/sqmi. There were 14,133 housing units at an average density of 836.5 per square mile (322.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.23% White, 10.20% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.46% 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 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.01% of the population. 17.4% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 12.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 11.5% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 11.3% Swedish and 9.1% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,237 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,987, and the median income for a family was $41,796. Males had a median income of $31,698 versus $21,388 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 city was $17,214. About 10.7% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Galesburg will soon be home to the National Railroad Hall of Fame
National Railroad Hall of Fame
The US National Railroad Hall of Fame was established in 2003 and recognized by Congressional resolutions in 2003 and 2004. The main offices of the hall of fame are in Galesburg, Illinois.-External links:* *...
. Efforts are underway to raise funds for the $30 million project which got a major boost in 2006, when the United States Congress passed a bill to charter the establishment. It is hoped that the Museum will bring tourism and a financial boost to the community.
Festivals
Galesburg is the home of the Railroad Days festival held on the fourth weekend of June. The festival began in 1978. During the festival, Carl Sandburg College hosts one of the largest model railroad train shows and layouts in the U.S. Midwest. Labor Day weekend in September hosts the StearmanStearman Aircraft
Stearman Aircraft Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer in Wichita, Kansas. Although the company designed a range of other aircraft, it is most known for producing the Model 75, which is commonly known simply as the "Stearman" or "Boeing Stearman"....
Fly in. Also held in September are the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta and the Annual Rubber Duck Race held at Lake Storey. The third weekend of every August a Civil war and Pre 1840's Rendezvous is held at Lake Storey Park.
The Black Earth Film Festival has been a part of the Galesburg art community since 2004. Affiliated with the Galesburg Civic Art Center, the festival receives entries from all over the world. The Black Earth Film Festival takes place in September and presents the best in feature length, short subjects, documentaries, animation and foreign films. Awards are given for the aforementioned categories, as well as a peoples choice award for best overall film. Festival highlights include special guests from within the film industry. Past participants have included Director John D. Hancock (Bang The Drum Slowly, Prancer, Let's Scare Jessica to Death,) Filmmakers Mark Borchardt and Mike Schank (subjects of the award Winning Documentary American Movie) and Filmmakers Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos (Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation.)
There is also a kite festival every May at Lake Storey Park.
Popular culture
- According to legend, it was in Galesburg, at the Gaity Theatre in 1914 where the four Marx BrothersMarx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
(Groucho, ChicoChico MarxLeonard "Chico" Marx was an American comedian and film star as part of the Marx Brothers. His persona in the act was that of a dim-witted albeit crafty con artist, seemingly of rural Italian origin, who wore shabby clothes, and sported a curly-haired wig and Tyrolean hat.As the first-born of the...
, HarpoHarpo MarxAdolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
, and GummoGummo MarxMilton "Gummo" Marx was an American vaudeville performer and theatrical agent. He was the fourth-born of the Marx Brothers. Born in New York City, he worked with his brothers on the vaudeville circuit, but left acting when he was drafted into the U.S...
) first received their nicknames. Nicknames ending in -o were popular in the early part of the 20th century, and a fellow Vaudevillian, Art Fisher, supposedly bestowed them upon the brothers during a poker game there. Zeppo MarxZeppo MarxHerbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx was an American film star, musician, engineer, theatrical agent and businessman. He was the youngest of the five Marx Brothers. He appeared in the first five Marx Brothers feature films, from 1929 to 1933, but then left the act to start his second career as an...
received his nickname later. - Galesburg features prominently in The Mountain GoatsThe Mountain GoatsThe Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
' song Weekend in Western Illinois from the album Full Force GalesburgFull Force Galesburg-Personnel:*John Darnielle - vocals, guitar*Alastair Galbraith - violin*Peter Hughes - vocals, electric guitar*Bob Durkee - organ- External links :*...
. - Galesburg is mentioned in the book The PrestigeThe PrestigeThe Prestige is a 1995 novel by British writer Christopher Priest. The novel is epistolary in structure: that is, it purports to be a collection of real diaries that were kept by the protagonists and later collated...
. - Writer Jack FinneyJack FinneyJack Finney was an American author. His best-known works are science fiction and thrillers, including The Body Snatchers and Time and Again. The former was the basis for the 1956 movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers and its remakes.-Biography:Finney was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and given the...
, author of The Body SnatchersThe Body SnatchersThe Body Snatchers is a 1955 science fiction novel by Jack Finney, originally serialized in Colliers Magazine in 1954, which describes the fictional town of Santa Mira, California being invaded by seeds that have drifted to Earth from space...
, uses Galesburg as a setting for several of his time-travel tales. - Galesburg and Knox College are both mentioned by the character Walowick in Walter Dean MyersWalter Dean MyersWalter Dean Myers is an African American author of young adult literature. Myers has written over fifty books, including novels and nonfiction works. He has won the Coretta Scott King Award for African American authors five times...
' novel Fallen AngelsFallen Angels (Myers novel)Fallen Angels is a 1988 young adult novel written by Walter Dean Myers, about the Vietnam war. It won the 1989 Coretta Scott King Award. Fallen Angels is listed as number 24 in the American Library Association's list of 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990–2000 due to its use of profanity...
, about the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. - President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
mentioned Galesburg during his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and near the beginning of his 2010 State of the Union Address2010 State of the Union AddressThe 2010 State of the Union Address was given by United States President Barack Obama on January 27, 2010, to a joint session of Congress. It was aired on all the major networks starting at 9 p.m. ET...
. - Baseball legend Jimmy Foxx lived out some of his last years as a greeter at a locally-owned pizza shop in Galesburg. Foxx left just prior to his death in 1967.
- Former president Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
attended second grade at Silas Elementary School between the years of 1917 and 1918.
Media
Galesburg has multiple radio stations and newspapers delivering a mix of local, regional and national news. WGIL-AM, WAAG, WLSR-FM and WKAY-FM are all owned by Galesburg Broadcasting while Prairie Radio Communications owns WAIK-AM.The Galesburg Register-Mail is the result of the merger of the Galesburg Republican-Register and the Galesburg Daily Mail in 1928. Those two papers can trace their roots back to the mid-19th century. A daily, it is the main newspaper of the city, and was owned by Copley Press out of San Diego until it was sold to Gate House Media in April 2007. The Zephyr was started in 1989, was published on Thursdays and was the only locally-owned newspaper until its final edition December 9, 2010. There is also The Paper, which is delivered without subscription to all households every Wednesday and is also owned by Gate House Media.
FM Radio
- 90.7 WVKCWVKCWVKC is a 1,000-watt radio station in Galesburg, Illinois, in west-central Illinois. Knox College is the station licensee, authorized by the Federal Communications Commission....
"The Voice of Knox College", College Radio - 92.7 WLSRWLSRWLSR is a radio station licensed to serve Galesburg, Illinois, USA. The station, established in 1980 as a sister station to WAIK , is currently owned by the Galesburg Broadcasting Company....
"92.7 FM The Laser", Active RockHard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
(RDSRadio Data SystemRadio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.Radio Broadcast Data...
- Artist/Title) - 94.9 WAAGWAAGWAAG is a radio station licensed to Galesburg, Illinois, USA. The station is currently owned by Galesburg Broadcasting Company.The station has a country music format, plus presents news and market information throughout the day...
"FM 95", CountryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
(RDS - Artist/Title) - 95.7 WVCL, Religious
- 100.5 W263AO (Translates 91.5 WCICWCIC-Sister stations:The Illinois Bible Institute owns 3 other station clusters in addition to WCIC's:* WBGL in Eastern Illinois* WIBI in the St. Louis area* WTSG southeast of Springfield-External links:* - official website* - sister station info...
), Christian ACContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
(RDS) - 105.3 WKAYWKAYWKAY 105.3 FM is a radio station broadcasting an Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Knoxville, Illinois, the station serves the Galesburg area including Knoxville, Monmouth, Abingdon and surrounding communities. WKAY is owned by Galesburg Broadcasting Company...
"105.3 KFM", Adult Contemporary (RDS - Artist/Title)
- The Paper, local weekly (free) newspaper (in the Register Mail every Wednesday)
- Register-Mail, local daily newspaper
- The Zephyr, local weekly newspaper
External links
- Economic Development
- Mr. Lincoln and Freedom: Lincoln-Douglas Debate in Galesburg
- City of Galesburg
- CarlSandburg.net: A Research Website for Sandburg Studies
- Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association
- The Galesburg Project lists famous Galesburgers and visitors. Links to Galesburg history articles
- Galesburg Railroad Days
- Local papers:
- The Register-Mail (daily)
- The Zephyr (weekly)
- The Paper (weekly, free)