Kaskaskia, Illinois

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Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2000 census the population was 9. It was Illinois' first state capital, before the capital was moved to Vandalia in 1820.

Most of the town was destroyed in April of 1881 by flooding. In that month, the Mississippi River, which then served as the state's western border, cut across an oxbow and carved a new channel through much of the former town. The people of Kaskaskia, startled to find themselves on the Missouri side of the river, demanded that the state boundary conform to the old channel. Kaskaskia is therefore one of the few portions of Illinois west of the Mississippi. The state boundary line follows the old riverbed, now a creek or bayou.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Kaskaskia is located at 37°55′17″N, 89°54′59″W (37.921395, -89.916467)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total land area of 0.2809 km² (0.1085 mi², or 69.41 acres). None of the area is covered with water. However, the village comprises only a small part of Randolph County's land west of the Mississippi, known by the United States Census Bureau as Kaskaskia precinct, which includes the village. Kaskaskia precinct has a land area of 62.255 km² (24.037 sq mi) and a 2000 census population of 36 persons.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 9 people, 4 households, and 3 families residing in the village. The population density was 31.6/km² (83.0/mi²). There were 5 housing units at an average density of 17.6/km² (46.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 77.78% White, 11.11% Pacific Islander, 11.11% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.22% of the population.

There were four households out of which none had children under the age of 18 living with them, two were married couples living together, one had a female householder with no husband present, and one was a non-family. One household was made up of individuals and one had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the village the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 11.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 33.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 28.6 males. For every five females age 18 and over, there were two males.