German Valley, Illinois
Encyclopedia
German Valley is a village in Stephenson County
, Illinois
, United States
. German Valley is located 4 miles south of U.S. Highway 20 between Freeport
and Rockford
. German Valley had a population of 463 at the 2010 census, down from 481 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 481 people, 179 households, and 138 families residing in the village. The population density
was 987.8 people per square mile (379.0/km²). There were 187 housing units at an average density of 384.0 per square mile (147.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.58% White, 0.21% Asian and 0.21% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 179 households out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples
living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $31,111 versus $22,308 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $18,564. About 6.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
One of the bank tellers working there that day thought their request was extremely strange since she and her family lived on the only farm that was "one mile north of Adeline", and the farm was not up for sale.
The teller, Mrs. Karen Myers, quickly and quietly telephoned a friend and relayed the information about these strange customers. At first her friend thought Karen was only joking until one of the bank robbers came up behind Karen, put a gun to her back and told her to immediately hang up the phone.
All the bank employees were instructed to get inside the bank vault. The gunmen then told Karen to find a large money bag and empty all the tellers cash drawers into it. Karen did as she was told and turned the bag over to the robbers.
The men quickly left after receiving the bag of cash, fortunately without harming any of the bank employees, and probably thinking that they had just made a clean getaway after robbing this small town bank.
Unbeknownst to the robbers, the friend that Mrs. Myers had called immediately contacted the police when their phone call had ended so abruptly. She told the police that she believed the bank was being robbed and explained about the strange phone call she had received from her friend who was one of the bank employees.
As soon as the robbers left the bank, Mrs. Myers contacted police to let them know of the robbery and she was able to give them a good description of the criminals. The description was then radioed to all available Ogle County Police Officers.
Upon hearing the description of the robbers, an officer was quickly able to apprehended them. The apprehension occurred in the somewhat larger small town of Mount Morris, just 15 miles from German Valley. The apprehension accurred within 30 minutes of the robbers leaving the crime scene.
After going 34 years without another robbery, the German-American State Bank was robbed twice in two weeks in July 2006.
The German Valley Days parade runs down Church Street on Saturday June 12 in the afternoon.
The 2008 theme was "Wild West Whirl".
Stephenson County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,979 people, 19,785 households, and 13,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 people per square mile . There were 21,713 housing units at an average density of 38 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...
. German Valley is located 4 miles south of U.S. Highway 20 between Freeport
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
and Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. German Valley had a population of 463 at the 2010 census, down from 481 at the 2000 census.
Geography
German Valley is located at 42°12′54"N 89°28′39"W (42.214993, -89.477454).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 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land.
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 481 people, 179 households, and 138 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 987.8 people per square mile (379.0/km²). There were 187 housing units at an average density of 384.0 per square mile (147.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.58% White, 0.21% Asian and 0.21% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.87% of the population.
There were 179 households out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% 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, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $31,111 versus $22,308 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 $18,564. About 6.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 20.4% of those age 65 or over.
German-American State Bank Robbery
Probably the most notorious crime to take place in the quiet little town of German Valley was the first ever robbery of the German-American State Bank. The robbery occurred in the Spring of 1972, when four men entered the bank and requested help with obtaining a loan in order to purchase "a farm one mile north of Adeline". Adeline is a very small town about six miles from German Valley.One of the bank tellers working there that day thought their request was extremely strange since she and her family lived on the only farm that was "one mile north of Adeline", and the farm was not up for sale.
The teller, Mrs. Karen Myers, quickly and quietly telephoned a friend and relayed the information about these strange customers. At first her friend thought Karen was only joking until one of the bank robbers came up behind Karen, put a gun to her back and told her to immediately hang up the phone.
All the bank employees were instructed to get inside the bank vault. The gunmen then told Karen to find a large money bag and empty all the tellers cash drawers into it. Karen did as she was told and turned the bag over to the robbers.
The men quickly left after receiving the bag of cash, fortunately without harming any of the bank employees, and probably thinking that they had just made a clean getaway after robbing this small town bank.
Unbeknownst to the robbers, the friend that Mrs. Myers had called immediately contacted the police when their phone call had ended so abruptly. She told the police that she believed the bank was being robbed and explained about the strange phone call she had received from her friend who was one of the bank employees.
As soon as the robbers left the bank, Mrs. Myers contacted police to let them know of the robbery and she was able to give them a good description of the criminals. The description was then radioed to all available Ogle County Police Officers.
Upon hearing the description of the robbers, an officer was quickly able to apprehended them. The apprehension occurred in the somewhat larger small town of Mount Morris, just 15 miles from German Valley. The apprehension accurred within 30 minutes of the robbers leaving the crime scene.
After going 34 years without another robbery, the German-American State Bank was robbed twice in two weeks in July 2006.
German Valley Days
German Valley hosts its own town festival, "German Valley Days." 2010 German Valley Days runs June 11-June 13.The German Valley Days parade runs down Church Street on Saturday June 12 in the afternoon.
The 2008 theme was "Wild West Whirl".