Catlin, Illinois

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Catlin
Catlin (Illinois)
Catlin
Catlin
Coordinates: 40°3′59″N 87°42′24″W / 40.06639, -87.70667
Country United States
State Illinois
County Vermilion County
Township Catlin Township
Founded 1866
Area
 - Total 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km²)
 - Land 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km²)
Elevation [1] 659 ft (201 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 2,087
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 61817
Area code(s) 217

Catlin is a village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the 'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 2,087 at the 2000 census.

Grain elevator in Catlin
Grain elevator in Catlin

Contents

[edit] History

This settlement was originally called Butler's Point when James Butler settled here in 1820. He started a cemetery in 1822, known as "God's Acre" as well as Butler Cemetery; this is reputed to be the earliest cemetery in the county. The first school here was built in 1827 and was also used as a church. The only place to eat in town is PTI. There are two bars in town (The Alley Cat, and the Corner Bar) and new to the village is "The Breakroom," a pool hall/gaming area. The cool place to hang out where most highschool students are found is the Local IGA parking lot, or the town park, weather permitting.

Trail of Death marker in Catlin
Trail of Death marker in Catlin

Josiah Hunt and Guy Merrill was platted the town in 1866, and named the town Catlin in honor of J. N. Catlin, president of the Great Western Railroad which built a rail line through the area.[2]

The Potawatomi Trail of Death passed through here in 1838.

[edit] Geography

Catlin is located at 40°3′59″N, 87°42′24″W (40.066423, -87.706592)[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a land area totaling 2.0 km²(0.8 sq mi).

[edit] Education

Catlin Community Unit School District #5 consists of Catlin Grade School with about 800 students and Catlin High School with about 180 students.

[edit] Government and Politics

Catlin's government consists of a mayor and a village board. The village utilizes a commissioner form of government. The mayor is elected separately from the other members of the board and serves a four-year term. Each candidate for the board runs in an at-large election for a four-year term. After a candidate is elected generally to the board, the mayor appoints each board member a specific commissioner position (e.g. Finance, Streets and Sanitation). There are no term limits on any of the elected officials.

Partisan politics do not typically play a role in village elections.

[edit] Religion

There are two churches in the village: the Catlin Church of Christ and the Catlin United Methodist Church. Each of the churches is Christian and Protestant. Despite the large number of Protestants in the village, many of Catlin's residents are Roman Catholic and attend services in nearby Danville, Illinois and Westville, Illinois. In addition, a Presbyterian church once existed on what is currently the property of the United Methodist Church. In 1942 this church disbanded, and exchanged properties with the Church of Christ, which later sold its building to the Methodist Church when the Church of Christ built its current structure in 1956.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 2,087 people, 824 households, and 618 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,657.1 people per square mile (1,020.0/km²). There were 854 housing units at an average density of 1,087.3/sq mi (417.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.09% White, 0.05% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.

There were 824 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the village the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $46,210, and the median income for a family was $51,136. Males had a median income of $40,755 versus $25,823 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,164. About 2.4% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.



[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS detail on Catlin. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  2. ^ Stapp, Katherine; W. I. Bowman (1968). History Under Our Feet: The Story of Vermilion County, Illinois. Danville, Illinois: Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc., p. 28. 
  3. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links