Paris, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Paris is a city in Paris Township
, Edgar County
, Illinois
, USA, 165 miles (265.5 km) south of Chicago
, and 90 miles (144.8 km) west of Indianapolis
. In 1900, 6,105 people lived in Paris, Illinois; in 1910, 7,664; and in 1940, 9,281. The population was 8,837 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
of Edgar County
.
U.S. Route 150
and Illinois State Route 1 pass through Paris. One railroad passes through town, a CSX Transportation
line that goes north toward Danville
and southeast toward Terre Haute, Indiana
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which, 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (7.68%) is water.
of 2000, there were 9,077 people, 3,874 households, and 2,382 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,885.3 people per square mile (728.6/km²). There were 4,211 housing units at an average density of 874.6 per square mile (338.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.31% White, 0.51% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 3,874 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,902, and the median income for a family was $37,872. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,673 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,750. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
. Newton Booth later moved west to California where he served as Governor and eventually as a United States Senator. Paris was founded in 1853.
The commission
form of government was later adopted in 1915. Paris was the home of a minor league baseball team in the 1950s named the Paris Lakers
. A contest was held among the community to decide on a name for the team. The winning submission, Paris Lakers, was sent in by James C. Dickey. The Paris Lakers were the 1956 Midwest League
Champions and were an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs
.
is the only secondary education facility in Paris and prior to July 1, 2009 was under District 95. On July 1, 2009, the renamed Paris Cooperative High School became the first cooperative high school in the state of Illinois.
The high school celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2009.
Paris Cooperative High School's mascot is the tiger and its colors are orange and black.
Paris is also the home of Saint Mary's School. It is a Catholic school serving grades preschool through 8th grade and is open to children of all religions. St. Mary's is the only tuition-based private school in Paris.
This district contains 5 stations. 1 being Paris which is a full-time paid department and the others being Vermilion, Oliver, Grandview, and Redmon which are all volunteer departments.
Paris Township, Edgar County, Illinois
Paris Township is one of fifteen townships in Edgar County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 10,692.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Paris Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.88 percent is water....
, Edgar County
Edgar County, Illinois
Edgar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 18,576, which is a decrease of 5.7% from 19,704 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,...
, USA, 165 miles (265.5 km) south 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 90 miles (144.8 km) west of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. In 1900, 6,105 people lived in Paris, Illinois; in 1910, 7,664; and in 1940, 9,281. The population was 8,837 at the 2010 census. 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 Edgar County
Edgar County, Illinois
Edgar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 18,576, which is a decrease of 5.7% from 19,704 in 2000...
.
Geography
Paris is located at 39°36′47"N 87°41′38"W (39.613014, -87.693829).U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
and Illinois State Route 1 pass through Paris. One railroad passes through town, a CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
line that goes north toward Danville
Danville, Illinois
Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is the principal city of the'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Danville and Vermilion County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 32,467. It is the county seat of...
and southeast toward Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
.
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 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which, 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (7.68%) 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 9,077 people, 3,874 households, and 2,382 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 1,885.3 people per square mile (728.6/km²). There were 4,211 housing units at an average density of 874.6 per square mile (338.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.31% White, 0.51% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.25% 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 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 3,874 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,902, and the median income for a family was $37,872. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,673 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 $17,750. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
- NOVAPAK
- Morgan Manufacturing
- Illinois Cereal Mills, a wholly owned subsidiary of CargillCargillCargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Founded in 1865, it is now the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. If it were a public company, it would rank, as of 2011, number 13 on the Fortune 500,...
- North American Lighting, Inc.
- Cadillac Products
- Meco, Inc.
- Paris Metal Products
- Paris Transport
- Simonton Windows
- Neal Machinery Erectors Inc.
- K & A Products, Inc (k9cuisine.com)
- Zimmerly Ready Mix Co. Inc.
History
The history of Paris includes the service of two Booth brothers as Mayors of the town in the mid-1850s, Walter Booth and Newton BoothNewton Booth
Newton Booth was an American politician.Born in Salem, Indiana, he attended the common schools. In 1841, his parents Beebe and Hannah Booth moved from Salem to Terre Haute, Indiana. Newton graduated from Asbury University, later renamed DePauw University, in nearby Greencastle, Indiana. He studied...
. Newton Booth later moved west to California where he served as Governor and eventually as a United States Senator. Paris was founded in 1853.
The commission
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
form of government was later adopted in 1915. Paris was the home of a minor league baseball team in the 1950s named the Paris Lakers
Paris Lakers
The Paris Lakers were a minor league baseball team which played in Paris, Illinois. The team played in the Midwest League from 1950-1959. The Lakers' home field was Twin Lakes Park....
. A contest was held among the community to decide on a name for the team. The winning submission, Paris Lakers, was sent in by James C. Dickey. The Paris Lakers were the 1956 Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
Champions and were an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
Notable people
- Richard P. MillsRichard P. MillsRichard Paul Mills is an American educator most notable for having served as the Commissioner of Education for both Vermont and New York States.-Early life and career:...
, educator - Bernie ShivelyBernie ShivelyBernie A. Shively was the athletic director at the University of Kentucky from 1938 until his death....
, college football Hall-of-Fame Member and University of Kentucky Athletic Director. - Lee SholemLee SholemLee Tabor Sholem was an American television and film director....
, film and television director, born in Paris. - Barbara StuartBarbara StuartBarbara Ann Stuart was an American actress.-Major roles:Stuart portrayed "Miss Bunny", the girlfriend of Sergeant Vincent Carter, played by Frank Sutton, on three seasons of CBS's Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C....
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
born in Paris. - Carl SwitzerCarl SwitzerCarl Dean "Alfalfa" Switzer was an American child actor, professional dog breeder and hunting guide, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series as Alfalfa, one of the series' most popular and best-remembered characters.-Early life and family:Switzer was born in Paris,...
, actor ("Alfalfa" in Our GangOur GangOur Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
). - Brett EldredgeBrett EldredgeBrett Eldredge is an American country music singer signed to Atlantic Records Nashville. He is the cousin of Terry Eldredge of The Grascals.-Early life:He was born in 1986 in Paris, Illinois...
, country music singer, born in Paris.
School districts
Paris is composed of two public school districts: District 95 (for those living inside city limits) and Unit 4 (for those outside the city limits). Those who are in District 95 send their children to Mayo Middle School, while Unit 4 children attend Crestwood School. However, both schools feed into one high school. Paris High SchoolParis High School (Paris, Illinois)
Paris Cooperative High School is located in Paris, Illinois. The school mascot is the tiger and its colors are orange and black.On July 1, 2009, the renamed Paris Cooperative High School became the first cooperative high school in the state of Illinois.The high school celebrated its 100 year...
is the only secondary education facility in Paris and prior to July 1, 2009 was under District 95. On July 1, 2009, the renamed Paris Cooperative High School became the first cooperative high school in the state of Illinois.
The high school celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2009.
Paris Cooperative High School's mascot is the tiger and its colors are orange and black.
Paris is also the home of Saint Mary's School. It is a Catholic school serving grades preschool through 8th grade and is open to children of all religions. St. Mary's is the only tuition-based private school in Paris.
Fire districts
Paris Community Fire Protection District - PCFPDThis district contains 5 stations. 1 being Paris which is a full-time paid department and the others being Vermilion, Oliver, Grandview, and Redmon which are all volunteer departments.
See also
- Asher Morton FarmsteadAsher Morton FarmsteadThe Asher Morton Farmstead, in the Edgar County, Illinois city of Paris, the county seat, is a Registered Historic Place. The Farmstead joined the National Register in 1996. All six of Edgar County's Registered Historic Places are in Paris. They include the France Hotel, the Paris Carnegie Public...
- Edgar County CourthouseEdgar County CourthouseThe Edgar County Courthouse is a courthouse in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Edgar County, Illinois county seat city of Paris. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to that list in June 1981. All six of Edgar County's Historic Places...
- France HotelFrance HotelThe France Hotel is located in the Edgar County, Illinois city of Paris. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of six sites in Paris on that list. The France Hotel was listed on the Register in 1987 along with the Paris Elks Lodge No. 812 Building....
- Paris Carnegie Public LibraryParis Carnegie Public LibraryThe Paris Carnegie Public Library was opened to the public on June 24, 1904. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is still home to the Paris Public Library in Paris, Illinois, located in Edgar County.-Establishment and Construction:...
- Paris Elks Lodge No. 812 BuildingParis Elks Lodge No. 812 BuildingThe Paris Elks Lodge No. 812 Building is located in the Edgar County, Illinois city of Paris. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, one of six sites in Paris on that list. The France Hotel was listed on the Register in August 1987, three days after another Paris site, the France...
- Pine Grove Community ClubPine Grove Community ClubThe Pine Grove Community Club is in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located northwest of the Edgar County, Illinois county seat city of Paris. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to that list in March 1984. All six of Edgar County's Historic Places...
- Paris LakersParis LakersThe Paris Lakers were a minor league baseball team which played in Paris, Illinois. The team played in the Midwest League from 1950-1959. The Lakers' home field was Twin Lakes Park....
- Allis Chalmers Museum