Petersburg, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Petersburg is a city in Menard County, Illinois
, on the bluffs and part of the floodplain overlooking the Sangamon River
. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 2,299 at the 2000 census, and 2,185 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat
of Menard County. Petersburg is located approximately two miles north of New Salem, the original settlement where Abraham Lincoln
first settled when he came to Illinois
. It is also home to the Illinois Duel Team State Champions in the sport of wrestling.
Many of the lush Victorian-era homes built by early wealthy inhabitants still stand on the bluffs of Petersburg. The town itself takes great pride in these structures, which has even preserved some of the original cobblestone streets to complement the classical architecture.
Local legend has it that town's name came about when Peter Lukins and George Warburton, two notorious sots, argued over what to call it. The matter was allegedly settled over a game of cards, which Lukins is credited as winning. Most versions of the tale claim that Warburton had it in mind to name the village "Georgetown." This story, though often told in the area, has not been historically verified.
The economy of the area is still derived primarily from agriculture, particularly in corn production. Tourism is a steady (if small) industry, and the town caters to Lincoln enthusiasts as a gateway to New Salem and in housing some relics of Lincoln's early life in Illinois. There are also a growing number of bed and breakfast inns, many of which are located in restored Victorian homes. Recent developments have also turned the town into a bedroom community for the state capital of Springfield, Illinois
, which is some twenty miles to the southeast.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
The bulk of Petersburg lies on the bluffs overlooking the Sangamon River, though a portion of it, including the downtown/courthouse square area is technically on the floodplain of the river.
The town itself is moderately forested, a stark contrast to the flat plains around it. The trees are mostly deciduous maples and oaks, and New Salem State Park is home to sizable stand of old growth forest.
The portions of Petersburg located below the bluffs suffered major flood damage during the intense flood season of 1993. The city and Menard County have since undertaken a campaign to buy and eliminate the low income housing located in the most flood-prone areas, creating a small series of parks near the Sangamon River.
Shortly after 12:30pm on December 31, 2010, an estimated 40 homes were damaged by a tornado which 22 of them were listed as uninhabitable by local officials. The tornado was caused by springlike weather which the temperature was in the 60s across central Illinois.
of 2000, there were 2,299 people, 997 households, and 612 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,705.7 people per square mile (657.5/km²). There were 1,076 housing units at an average density of 798.3 per square mile (307.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.78% White, 1.09% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.35% from other races
, and 0.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.
There were 997 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $32,292 versus $22,396 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,718. About 13.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
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,...
, on the bluffs and part of the floodplain overlooking the Sangamon River
Sangamon River
The Sangamon River is a principal tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in central Illinois in the United States. It drains a mostly rural agricultural area between Peoria and Springfield...
. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois
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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Springfield, Illinois metropolitan area
The Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Central Illinois, anchored by the city of Springfield...
. The population was 2,299 at the 2000 census, and 2,185 at a 2009 estimate. 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 Menard County. Petersburg is located approximately two miles north of New Salem, the original settlement where Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
first settled when he came to 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,...
. It is also home to the Illinois Duel Team State Champions in the sport of wrestling.
History
The town began as a planned community organized by real estate speculators Peter Lukins (for whom the town is named) and George Warburton. Abraham Lincoln worked as the surveyor who first mapped, measured and help to divide lots on the land. Petersburg quickly grew, due to an advantageous placement on the river, becoming the county seat in the 1830s and eventually drawing off the population of New Salem, which was abandoned in 1840.Many of the lush Victorian-era homes built by early wealthy inhabitants still stand on the bluffs of Petersburg. The town itself takes great pride in these structures, which has even preserved some of the original cobblestone streets to complement the classical architecture.
Local legend has it that town's name came about when Peter Lukins and George Warburton, two notorious sots, argued over what to call it. The matter was allegedly settled over a game of cards, which Lukins is credited as winning. Most versions of the tale claim that Warburton had it in mind to name the village "Georgetown." This story, though often told in the area, has not been historically verified.
Economy
Petersburg began as a trade center for agriculture in the region and a shipping point, where a railhead met a point in the Sangamon River that was both navigable and crossable. In recent decades, the depth of the Sangamon River at Petersburg has become too shallow for navigation, due to silting from local farming and from the diverting of natural runoff into artificial reservoirs such as Lake Petersburg and Lake Springfield.The economy of the area is still derived primarily from agriculture, particularly in corn production. Tourism is a steady (if small) industry, and the town caters to Lincoln enthusiasts as a gateway to New Salem and in housing some relics of Lincoln's early life in Illinois. There are also a growing number of bed and breakfast inns, many of which are located in restored Victorian homes. Recent developments have also turned the town into a bedroom community for the state capital of Springfield, Illinois
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...
, which is some twenty miles to the southeast.
Notable people
- Bill KriegBill KriegWilliam Frederick Krieg was a Major League Baseball player from 1884 to 1887. He won three batting titles in the minor leagues.-Career:...
, baseball player - Edgar Lee MastersEdgar Lee MastersEdgar Lee Masters was an American poet, biographer, and dramatist...
, law partner of Clarence DarrowClarence DarrowClarence Seward Darrow was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks and defending John T...
and known for the book Spoon River AnthologySpoon River AnthologySpoon River Anthology , by Edgar Lee Masters, is a collection of short free-form poems that collectively describe the life of the fictional small town of Spoon River, named after the real Spoon River that ran near Masters' home town. The collection includes two hundred and twelve separate...
. Masters' boyhood home is still preserved and open for visits. - Ann RutledgeAnn RutledgeAnn Rutledge was allegedly Abraham Lincoln's first love.-Relationship:Born near Henderson, Kentucky Ann Mayes Rutledge was the third of ten children born to Mary and James Rutledge. In 1829, her father, along with John M. Cameron, founded New Salem, Illinois...
, allegedly Abraham Lincoln's first love. She is buried in Petersburg's Oakland Cemetery. - Major Benjamin F. Stephenson, M.D, the founder of the Grand Army of the RepublicGrand Army of the RepublicThe Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
, lies buried in Petersburg's Rose Hill Cemetery.
Geography
Petersburg is located at 40°0′41"N 89°51′5"W (40.011503, -89.851505).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 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
The bulk of Petersburg lies on the bluffs overlooking the Sangamon River, though a portion of it, including the downtown/courthouse square area is technically on the floodplain of the river.
The town itself is moderately forested, a stark contrast to the flat plains around it. The trees are mostly deciduous maples and oaks, and New Salem State Park is home to sizable stand of old growth forest.
Natural Disasters
Petersburg was damaged by an earthquake originating in the New Madrid Fault, on July 18, 1909. The earthquake was felt over most of central Illinois, but Petersburg suffered the most widespread damage.The portions of Petersburg located below the bluffs suffered major flood damage during the intense flood season of 1993. The city and Menard County have since undertaken a campaign to buy and eliminate the low income housing located in the most flood-prone areas, creating a small series of parks near the Sangamon River.
Shortly after 12:30pm on December 31, 2010, an estimated 40 homes were damaged by a tornado which 22 of them were listed as uninhabitable by local officials. The tornado was caused by springlike weather which the temperature was in the 60s across central Illinois.
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 2,299 people, 997 households, and 612 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 1,705.7 people per square mile (657.5/km²). There were 1,076 housing units at an average density of 798.3 per square mile (307.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.78% White, 1.09% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.35% 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 0.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.
There were 997 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% 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, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $32,292 versus $22,396 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 $18,718. About 13.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
- Lincoln's New Salem State ParkNew Salem (Menard County), IllinoisNew Salem is the historically recreated townsite of Abraham Lincoln's, 19th century, frontier village in Menard County , Illinois, United States. During his 20s, in the 1830's, this was the homestead of the future U.S. President...
: This park, with its log cabin village, is situated two miles south of Petersburg. This is where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. Along with the rebuilt cabins, the park also boasts a historical center and an outdoor theater. It now has more than one-half million visitors each year. - Starhill Forest ArboretumStarhill Forest ArboretumStarhill Forest Arboretum is a private arboretum located at 12000 Boy Scout Trail, Petersburg, Illinois.The arboretum has been owned and operated by the Sternberg family since 1976...
- Edgar Lee Masters Home: Located on the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets in Petersburg. Open from 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- The New Salem Country Opry: The longest continuously running country music show in Illinois. It is located about a mile south of New Salem with shows every Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
External links
- Website for Petersburg
- Lincoln's New Salem State Park http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/home.cfm
- The New Salem Country Opry http://www.springfield-illinois.com/opry/
- RiverBank Lodge, Northwoods themed Lodge on the banks of the Sangamon River
- Maple Crest Bed & Breakfast, Italianate Victorian House built in 1865
- The Oaks Bed & Breakfast, Grand Victorian mansion overlooking Petersburg
- Branson House Bed & Breakfast, Circa 1876 Eastlake Victorian centered atop Brahm's Hill in Petersburg