Stillman Valley, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Stillman Valley is a village in Marion Township
, Ogle County
, Illinois
, United States
. It lies east of Byron
, south of Rockford
, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad
, on the old Chicago Great Western Railway
before it merged and was pulled up. Also, Illinois Route 72
runs through the village, and is near the location for the beginning of the Black Hawk War
. The war memorial for the Battle of Stillman's Run
is located in this village.
, the village has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
in 1876. A creek running through the community was named after Major Stillman of the Illinois Militia who led troops in the first named battle of the Black Hawk War
on May 14, 1832. The battle and the creek became humorously known as "Stillman's Run
" after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield believing they were being chased by thousands of Chief Black Hawk's warriors. The day after the battle, Abraham Lincoln
helped burying the dead soldiers from the battle. The village was named after Stillman Creek; the valley serves as the watershed for the creek, hence the name Stillman Valley.
The battlefield and the site where the soldiers from the Black Hawk War are buried is in present-day Stillman Valley at the Stillman's Run Battle Site
. A large memorial to this battle is located in there. It reads, in part: "Here, on May 14, 1832, the first engagement of the Black Hawk War took place. When 275 Illinois militiamen under Maj. Isaiah Stillman were put to flight by Black Hawk
and his warriors."
of 2000, there were 1,048 people, 395 households, and 295 families residing in the village. The population density
was 735.7 /sq mi (284.1 /km²). There were 417 housing units at an average density of 292.7 per square mile (113.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.23% White, 0.29% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.48% from other races
, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.
There were 395 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $46,845, and the median income for a family was $54,792. Males had a median income of $36,635 versus $28,250 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $21,036. About 4.6% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over. They are state champions in high school football 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2009.
by Representative
Bob Pritchard and state Senator
Brad Burzynski. Stillman Valley is in Illinois' 16th Congressional District
. As of 2006, the district Representative is Donald Manzullo (R).
Stillman Valley, like the rest of Ogle County, tends to vote for Republicans
in overwhelming numbers. Stillman Valley voted for George W. Bush
for President of the United States
in both the 2000 and 2004 elections.
Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois
Marion Township is located in Ogle County, Illinois. The population was 3,671 at the 2000 census.- External links :****...
, Ogle County
Ogle County, Illinois
Ogle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,497, which is an increase of 4.8% from 51,032 in 2000. Its county seat is Oregon, and its largest city is Rochelle...
, 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...
. It lies east of Byron
Byron, Illinois
Byron is a city in Ogle County, Illinois, United States, probably best known as the location of the Byron Nuclear Generating Station, one of the last nuclear power plants commissioned in the United States. Byron is located in Byron Township, along the Rock River. The population was 3,753 at the...
, south of 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...
, and west of Davis Junction. The population was 1,120 at the 2010 census, up from 1,048 at the 2000 census. The village is located on the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad
Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad
The Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad was a Class II railroad operating in the north central United States. It has been controlled by the Canadian Pacific Railway and operated as a part of its system since October 30, 2008...
, on the old Chicago Great Western Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
before it merged and was pulled up. Also, Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 in Chicago...
runs through the village, and is near the location for the beginning of the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
. The war memorial for the Battle of Stillman's Run
Battle of Stillman's Run
The Battle of Stillman's Run, also known as the Battle of Sycamore Creek or the Battle of Old Man's Creek, occurred on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for Major Isaiah Stillman and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors. According to...
is located in this village.
Geography
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 village has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
History
Stillman Valley was founded in north central IllinoisIllinois
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 1876. A creek running through the community was named after Major Stillman of the Illinois Militia who led troops in the first named battle of the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
on May 14, 1832. The battle and the creek became humorously known as "Stillman's Run
Battle of Stillman's Run
The Battle of Stillman's Run, also known as the Battle of Sycamore Creek or the Battle of Old Man's Creek, occurred on May 14, 1832. The battle was named for Major Isaiah Stillman and his detachment of 275 Illinois militia which fled in a panic from a large number of Sauk warriors. According to...
" after Stillman and his men fled the battlefield believing they were being chased by thousands of Chief Black Hawk's warriors. The day after the battle, 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...
helped burying the dead soldiers from the battle. The village was named after Stillman Creek; the valley serves as the watershed for the creek, hence the name Stillman Valley.
The battlefield and the site where the soldiers from the Black Hawk War are buried is in present-day Stillman Valley at the Stillman's Run Battle Site
Stillman's Run Battle Site
Stillman's Run Battle Site is a site in Stillman Valley, Illinois. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been since December 1983. The Battle of Stillman's Run was an 1832 clash between the Illinois militia and Black Hawk and his Sauk Indian Band. The battle took place in...
. A large memorial to this battle is located in there. It reads, in part: "Here, on May 14, 1832, the first engagement of the Black Hawk War took place. When 275 Illinois militiamen under Maj. Isaiah Stillman were put to flight by Black Hawk
Black Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
and his warriors."
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 1,048 people, 395 households, and 295 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 735.7 /sq mi (284.1 /km²). There were 417 housing units at an average density of 292.7 per square mile (113.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.23% White, 0.29% African American, 0.67% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.48% 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 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.
There were 395 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $46,845, and the median income for a family was $54,792. Males had a median income of $36,635 versus $28,250 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 $21,036. About 4.6% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over. They are state champions in high school football 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2009.
Political Representation
Stillman Valley has a Board of Trustees who serve alternating four year terms. The Village President (by statute this is synonymous with the term "Mayor") serves a four year term as well. The current mayor is the Honorable Jim Mays; his second term expires in 2012. The village is currently represented in the state General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
by Representative
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
Bob Pritchard and state Senator
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
Brad Burzynski. Stillman Valley is in Illinois' 16th Congressional District
Illinois' 16th congressional district
The 16th Congressional District of Illinois covers a part of northern Illinois, including the cities of Rockford, Crystal Lake, Machesney Park, Belvidere, Freeport and Galena, and all or parts of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, and Whiteside counties.For...
. As of 2006, the district Representative is Donald Manzullo (R).
Stillman Valley, like the rest of Ogle County, tends to vote for Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in overwhelming numbers. Stillman Valley voted for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in both the 2000 and 2004 elections.
Past mayors of note
- The Honorable James Leather served as the Mayor from 1984 - 2004 for a total of 20 years service.
- Stillman Valley elected an 18-year old high school senior, Mike Blomgren, as its mayor in 1976.
Schools
Stillman Valley is in the Meridian Unified School District (District #223) The school district has four schools and covers approximately 125 square miles (323.7 km²). The schools are Highland Grade School, Monroe Center School, Meridian Junior High School and Stillman Valley High School. The high school is well known in Illinois for excellent academic and sports programs. A November 28, 2009 headline from the Rockford Register Star proclaims it, "Valley of The Champions" in reference to the boys football program with state championships in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2009 which the recent championship was earned by the junior class with their undefeated high school record.Notable people
- Dan GodfreadDan GodfreadDaniel Joseph "Dan" Godfread is a retired American professional basketball player at the center position with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1990–91 NBA season and the Houston Rockets in the 1991–92 NBA season...
played in the NBA with the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
and Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. - Frank WhiteFrank White (Governor)Frank White was the eighth Governor of North Dakota. A Republican, White also served as Treasurer of the United States from 1921 to 1928.-Early life:...
was the eighth GovernorGovernor of North DakotaThe Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of North Dakota. The current Governor is Jack Dalrymple. The Governor has the right to sign and laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly, into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The...
of North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. - George BirdGeorge BirdGeorge Raymond Bird was a Major League Baseball center fielder in the 19th century. He played for the Rockford Forest Citys of the National Association in 1871...
was a Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor 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...
center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
in the 19th century.