Broadwell, Illinois

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Broadwell is a village in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 169 at the 2000 census.

[edit] Geography

Broadwell is located at 40°4′3″N, 89°26′34″W (40.067366, -89.442710)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²), all land.

The Village of Broadwell was laid out (platted) in 1856 by William Broadwell and Jacob Eisiminger. This occurred in conjunction with the construction of the railroad linking Chicago and Springfield.

Prior to the plat of the Village, there was an inn three-quarters east of the present site, called "Tantivy". The name apparently derives from an old English hunting cry. Tantivy was in existence from about 1840 through the early 1950s; tradition states that Abraham Lincoln stopped there while traveling from Springfield to the Logan County courthouse at Postville (part of the present City of Lincoln, Illinois)while Lincoln rode the judicial circuit as a lawyer. It is recorded (with more certainty) that the Central Illinois cattle and land baron, John Dean Gillette, proposed marriage to his future wife, Lemira Parke, at the Tantivy cabin. It is likely that Tantivy was relocated by about one-eighth of a mile (from east to west) at least once during its existence.

While Jacob Eisiminger was offered the honor of having the Village named after him, he declined, stating that the new village would be handicapped with such an unusual name. Accordingly, it was named Broadwell. Ironically, William Broadwell (of the City of Springfield) had very little further connection with the village, and he later moved to Kansas. On the other hand, the Eisiminger family were long-time merchants, postmasters and schoolteachers in the village (the last member of the family bearing this name died in early 2006).

Broadwell became a shipping point for hogs, corn and later soybeans. The village and township has never known any great period of economic boom or bust. The township features some of the finest productive soils in North America and the world.

The Village was located directly on historic Route U.S. 66 and featured the well-known "Pig Hip" Restaurant, operated by Ernest L. ("Ernie") Edwards from 1937 through 1991. The Pig Hip is still open today as a museum of Route 66 memorobilia, with Ernie Edwards as your host. Ernie has recently received the citation for "The BEST U.S. Route 66 attraction where the ORIGINAL GUY is still there".

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 169 people, 70 households, and 46 families residing in the village. The population density was 343.4/km² (884.2/mi²). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 166.6/km² (429.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 100.00% White.

There were 70 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the village the population was spread out with 20.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $40,469 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,911. About 8.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.8% of those sixty five or over.