McLean, Illinois
Encyclopedia
McLean is a village in McLean County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 830 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 of McLean was laid out on 22 June 1855 by Franklin Price. Price (21 February 1821 - 25 July 1908) Price was born in Chester Valley, Pennsylvania. He was the brother-in-law of Bloomington real estate developer Kersey Fell. Price came to Bloomington in 1849, worked as a clerk and newspaper writer and was elected mayor of Bloomington in 1855 and again in 1856, serving to 1858. Price never lived in the new town that he founded.
McLean was laid out when the Alton and Springfield Railroad, soon to become the Chicago and Alton, was first built. through McLean County
; The nearby towns of Atlanta
, Normal
, and Towanda
were laid out at the same time as McLean. There had been an earlier attempt at town founding nearby. Mt. Hope, two miles east of McLean, was established in 1836 by the Providence Farmers and Mechanics Emigrating Society of Rhode Island. The colony and its town were not a success, only three settlers actually arrived in McLean County. When the town of McLean was founded the church building from Mt. Hope was moved into McLean. The first residents of McLean were the brothers G. L. and F.A. Wheelock, railroad employees, who moved into the new station house to conduct business. A blacksmith shop was the first business and H.H. Dillon built the first warehouse. McLean was incorporated as a village on 29 May 1866.and by 1900 it had grown to a population of a population of 532.
Original Town Design of McLean
The design of the Original town of McLean remains today almost unaltered from the first plats. It’s design was similar to other places along the Alton and Springfield Railroad including Normal, Towanda, Odell and Dwight. The Original Town was a basically square with streets aligned north-south and east-west and split diagonally by the railroad with a line of lots paralleling either side of the tracks. As in other towns along the same railroad, there was a widened rectangular area paralleling the tracks labeled “Depot Grounds;” In the case of McLean, the Depot Grounds were laid out only on the southeast side of the railroad and the depot was located here. The triangle of land on the northwest side, between the lots paralleling the railroad and remainder of the town, was designated as a public property and is still used as a park. The comparable triangle on the opposite side of the tracks was unlabeled and its intended use is unclear. This same arrangement of public land was followed at the town of Towanda
. Mclean was distinctive in that there were no streets between the diagonal line of lots along the tracks and, perhaps because of this, much of the business district developed along Morgan Street, which ran east-west just north or the park or along Hamilton Street, which ran north-south, just west of the park. The line of lots paralleling the tracks and southeast of the railroad became the location of the hotel and the town jail. Later additions on the east side of the town featured additional lots which paralled the railroad as well as more conventional blocks.
of 2000, there were 808 people, 314 households, and 248 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,874.1 people per square mile (725.5/km²). There were 330 housing units at an average density of 765.4 per square mile (296.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% White, 0.74% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.62% Asian, and 0.62% from two or more races.
There were 314 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples
living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $47,337, and the median income for a family was $52,614. Males had a median income of $37,059 versus $27,589 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,200. About 1.2% of families and 0.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
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 830 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. 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
McLean is located at 40°18′54"N 89°10′14"W (40.315032, -89.170645).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.
History
Mt. Hope and the Founding of the town of McLeanThe town of McLean was laid out on 22 June 1855 by Franklin Price. Price (21 February 1821 - 25 July 1908) Price was born in Chester Valley, Pennsylvania. He was the brother-in-law of Bloomington real estate developer Kersey Fell. Price came to Bloomington in 1849, worked as a clerk and newspaper writer and was elected mayor of Bloomington in 1855 and again in 1856, serving to 1858. Price never lived in the new town that he founded.
McLean was laid out when the Alton and Springfield Railroad, soon to become the Chicago and Alton, was first built. through McLean County
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...
; The nearby towns of Atlanta
Atlanta, Illinois
Atlanta is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,649 at the 2000 census, and 1,635 at a 2009 estimate.-Geography:Atlanta is located at ....
, 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...
, and Towanda
Towanda, Illinois
Towanda is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
were laid out at the same time as McLean. There had been an earlier attempt at town founding nearby. Mt. Hope, two miles east of McLean, was established in 1836 by the Providence Farmers and Mechanics Emigrating Society of Rhode Island. The colony and its town were not a success, only three settlers actually arrived in McLean County. When the town of McLean was founded the church building from Mt. Hope was moved into McLean. The first residents of McLean were the brothers G. L. and F.A. Wheelock, railroad employees, who moved into the new station house to conduct business. A blacksmith shop was the first business and H.H. Dillon built the first warehouse. McLean was incorporated as a village on 29 May 1866.and by 1900 it had grown to a population of a population of 532.
Original Town Design of McLean
The design of the Original town of McLean remains today almost unaltered from the first plats. It’s design was similar to other places along the Alton and Springfield Railroad including Normal, Towanda, Odell and Dwight. The Original Town was a basically square with streets aligned north-south and east-west and split diagonally by the railroad with a line of lots paralleling either side of the tracks. As in other towns along the same railroad, there was a widened rectangular area paralleling the tracks labeled “Depot Grounds;” In the case of McLean, the Depot Grounds were laid out only on the southeast side of the railroad and the depot was located here. The triangle of land on the northwest side, between the lots paralleling the railroad and remainder of the town, was designated as a public property and is still used as a park. The comparable triangle on the opposite side of the tracks was unlabeled and its intended use is unclear. This same arrangement of public land was followed at the town of Towanda
Towanda
Towanda is the name of several places in the United States:*Towanda, Illinois*Towanda, Kansas*Pennsylvania:**Communities:***Towanda, Pennsylvania, a borough in Bradford County***Towanda Township, Pennsylvania, a township in Bradford County...
. Mclean was distinctive in that there were no streets between the diagonal line of lots along the tracks and, perhaps because of this, much of the business district developed along Morgan Street, which ran east-west just north or the park or along Hamilton Street, which ran north-south, just west of the park. The line of lots paralleling the tracks and southeast of the railroad became the location of the hotel and the town jail. Later additions on the east side of the town featured additional lots which paralled the railroad as well as more conventional blocks.
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 808 people, 314 households, and 248 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 1,874.1 people per square mile (725.5/km²). There were 330 housing units at an average density of 765.4 per square mile (296.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% White, 0.74% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.62% Asian, and 0.62% from two or more races.
There were 314 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% 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, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $47,337, and the median income for a family was $52,614. Males had a median income of $37,059 versus $27,589 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 $19,200. About 1.2% of families and 0.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.