Carthage, Illinois
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Carthage | |
| City | |
 The Carthage Jail.
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Illinois |
| County | Hancock |
| Township | Carthage |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 1.6 sq mi (4 km²) |
| - land | 1.6 sq mi (4 km²) |
| - water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km²) |
| Population | 2,725 (2000) |
| Density | 1,698.0 /sq mi (656 /km²) |
| Founded | 1838 |
| Mayor | Jim Nightingale |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Postal code | 62321 |
| Area code | 217 |
  Location of Carthage within Illinois
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| Wikimedia Commons: Carthage, Illinois | |
| Website: http://www.carthage-il.com/ | |
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County.[1] Carthage is most famous for being the site of the 1844 assassination of Joseph Smith.
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[edit] History
Hancock County, and Carthage, saw its first settlers arrive sometime in the first few decades of the 19th century. By 1833, simple buildings had been erected in Carthage, and the town was platted in 1838. By this time Carthage had become the county seat of Hancock county.
The only person legally hanged in Hancock County, Efram Frain, was defended in his trial by roaming country attorney Abraham Lincoln. Fraim was found guilty of murder. Lincoln filed an appeal with the judge in the trial, which was as far as appeals in those days mostly went. Because at the time Carthage had no jail, Frain was kept at the Courthouse, which was next to the school. Frain would converse with the children from his second floor window. As a result of these conversations, most of the school children were present when their new friend, Efram, was hung. The hanging is believed to have taken place in the vicinity of the current city sewer plant east of town, where a natural amphitheater allowed for a crowd to view the spectacle.
On October 22, 1858, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech in Carthage while campaigning for the Senate. The speech spot is commemorated by a large stone on the south side of the Courthouse square.
While incarcerated in the Carthage Jail in June of 1844, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was assassinated by a mob. For more details of this event see: Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Over the years the jail had been modified and utilized for different purposes. For a period the jail was home to Carthage College. The jail has been restored to a close approximation of its appearance in 1844 and is now owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The site, a full city block, is operated as a historical visitor's center.
Regionally-noted botanist, philanthropist, and traveler Dr. Alice L. Kibbe called Carthage home. Along with Dr. Kibbe's personal collections, Carthage's Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum houses a variety of exhibits celebrating local and regional history.
Carthage is the only county in Illinois to have all of the jails that were ever used still in existence, the old jail, called the Mormon Jail, the jail next built which was also the Sheriff's residence and is on the south side of the Courthouse square, and the new jail, located on Highway 136 on the west side of the City.
[edit] Schools
Beginning in August of 2007, the Carthage High School (also known as Hancock County Central High School) building has become the home of the newly formed Illini West High School, consolidating the high school districts of Carthage, La Harpe, and Dallas City. The three cities will maintain separate facilities for elementary and middle school.
Carl Sandburg College, based in Galesburg, Illinois, has a satellite campus located on the north side of Carthage.
From 1870 to 1964 Carthage, Illinois was home to Carthage College, which has relocated to Kenosha, Wisconsin.
[edit] Geography
Carthage is located at (40.414327, -91.133472).[2]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 2,725 people, 1,184 households, and 709 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,698.0 people per square mile (657.6/km²). There were 1,314 housing units at an average density of 818.8/sq mi (317.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.13% White, 0.48% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.04% from other races, and 0.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.
There were 1,184 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,677, and the median income for a family was $50,142. Males had a median income of $36,058 versus $19,972 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,269. About 3.6% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Community Resources
[edit] Events and Attractions
- Strawberry Strut Walk/Run Race
- Old Mormon Jail Museum
[edit] Businesses
- Carson Ford
- Kameron Miller Law Office
- Computing Made Easy
- Leroy Ufkes Attorney at Law
- w00t! PC
- Plum Tree Supper Club
- Dairy Queen
- Star Hardees
- Law Service and Repair
- Don Hoing Service and Towing
- J&R Tire
- The Flower Shop & North Side Java
- DISTek Integration
- Ben Franklin
- First State Bank of Western Illinois
- Sherrick Drug & Medical Supply
- Jeff Clark Insurance
- Angelini's Pizza
- D&E Archery
- Schulz Tax & Accounting
- CARS (auto body repair)
- Simply Irresistable Beauty Salon
- Twaddle Furniture
- Menn's Firestone
- Weber Meats
- Royalty Clothing
- Robert Webb Accounting
- Homestead Lumber
- Printy Funeral Home
- West Central FS
- Knorr & Walker Implement
- Koehler Implement
- Machinery & Consulting Services
- Double Duece Saloon & Long Branch Restaurant
- Peacock Inn
- Duffy Ducts (Heating & Cooling)
- Country Insurance
- Carthage Mutual Insurance
- Subway Restaurant
- Casey's General Store
- Sharpe Real Estate
- Methode Precision Electronics
- Country Pastimes
- Wood Inn
- Alexander Lumber
- Dr. Terry Hennert DDS
- Cooks Glass & Mirror
- Dollar General
- Disposal Pro
- Bob's Auto Body
- Carquest Auto Parts
- Abby Ray Realty
- Taste of China
- Midwest Family Medical Center
- Bentzinger Home Supply
- Ab-solute Fitness Etc
- Huston's Home Improvement
- County Market Foods
- Schultz Tax & Accounting
[edit] Institutions
- Carthage Clipper Fire Department
- Carthage Police Department
- Hancock County Highway Department
- Carthage Park District (Jaycee Park - Carthage Lake)
- Hancock County Health Department
- Hancock County Mental Health
- Carthage Memorial Hospital
- Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum
- Carthage Public Library
- Carthage Chamber of Commerce
- WOW Park
- Carthage Golf Club
- University of Illinois Extension Center
- Hancock County Nursing Home
[edit] Churches
- First United Methodist Church
- Trinity Lutheran Church
- First Baptist Church
- Community of Christ
- Calvary Assembly of God
- First Christian Church
- Immanuel Lutheran Church
- Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church
- First Presbyterian Church
[edit] Clubs and Organizations
- Hancock County Gun Club
- Carthage Boy Scout Troop 72
- Carthage Girl Scout Troop 5032
- Carthage Girl scout Troop 5054
[edit] Notes
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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