Carbondale, Illinois

Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, in the state of Illinois, within the Southern Illinois region. It is located at the junction of Illinois Route 13 and U.S. Route 51, 96 miles (154 km) southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, on the northern edge of the Shawnee National Forest. Carbondale is the home of the main campus of Southern Illinois University.

As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 25,902, and is the 20th-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.^[1] In addition, the city is the most populous in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East area, and the most populous city in the Carbondale-Marion-Herrin, Illinois Combined Statistical Area and the Metro Lakeland area. The CSA has 126,575 residents, the sixth most populous Combined statistical area in Illinois.

History

In August 1852, Daniel Harmon Brush, John Asgill Conner, and Dr. William Richart bought a 360-acre (1.5 km²) parcel of land between two proposed railroad sites (Makanda and De Soto) and two county seats (Murphysboro and Marion). Brush named Carbondale for the large deposit of coal in the area. The first train through Carbondale was on the main line north from Cairo on Independence Day 1854.

On April 29, 1866, one of the first formal Memorial Day observations was held at the city's Woodlawn Cemetery.^[2] Local resident General John A. Logan gave the principal address.

By the time of the Civil War, Carbondale had become both a regional center for business and transportation, and an educational center with the founding of Carbondale College (which became Southern Illinois College in 1869). Carbondale won the bid for the new teacher training school for the region, and Southern Illinois Normal University opened in 1874. This gave the town new industry, new citizens, and a supplement to public schools. In 1947, the name was changed to Southern Illinois University which now has 21,000 students enrolled.

In the early 20th Century Carbondale was known as the "Athens of Egypt" thanks to Southern Illinois Normal University, as SIU was then known, and the region's moniker of Egypt, or Little Egypt.^[3] The phrase dates to at least 1903, when the local paper copied a social item from the Mt. Vernon News. "Mrs. Dr. McAnally, nee Pace, of Carbondale has returned to the Athens of Egypt after a week's visit with her sisters..."^[4] By 1922, the Carbondale Free Press was using the phrase on its flag.^[5]

Geography

Carbondale is located at (37.726418, -89.220270)^[6]. It is in the watershed of the Big Muddy River, at 415 feet (126 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.1 square miles (42 km²), of which, 15.9 square miles (41 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) of it is water. The total area is 2.06% water.

Climate

Carbondale lies in the transitional zone between the humid continental climate type and the humid subtropical climate type (Köppen Dfa and Cfa, respectively). Neither large mountains nor large bodies of water are available to moderate its temperature. Thus, the city experiences extremes in both heat and cold. There are four distinct seasons:

Spring is the wettest of the seasons and also the most unstable, producing severe weather from thunderstorms to winter storms. When cold arctic air from Canada mixes with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico powerful super cell storms can originate. These storms are often severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes.

Summers are often hot and humid. The humidity makes the heat index rise to temperatures well above 100 °F (38 °C) for many days. Temperatures reach 100 °F (38 °C) on average about 1 or 2 days per year and reach 90 °F (32 °C) on average of 38 to 40 days per year.

Fall brings milder temperatures with lower humidity. Large bouts of rainfall can be common. The first snow flurries usually start to fall around mid to late November.

Winters are usually cold and often times snowy, with temperatures well below freezing. Highs will be below 32 °F (0 °C) for an average of 20 days per year. Lows will dip below 32 °F (0 °C) for an average of 110 days per year. Temperatures drop below 0 °F (−18 °C) for about 4 to 5 nights per year. Although deep freezes are common, thaws are usually frequent.

The average annual temperature is 54.6 °F (12.6 °C), and average precipitation is 45.9 inches (1,170 mm). The official record low is −25 °F (−32 °C) in January 1977, and the records high is 113 °F (45 °C) in August 1930.

Carbondale receives thunderstorms on an average of 50 days per year. Particularly in the spring, these storms can often be severe, with high winds , damaging hail, and tornadoes.

Demographics

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there are 25,597 people, 10,018 households, and 3,493 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,152.0 people per square mile (830.9/km²). There are 11,005 housing units at an average density of 925.2 per square mile (357.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 66.08% White, 23.14% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 6.67% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. 3.05% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Race, household, age, and income data does not include corrections introduced through Count Question Review updates that added 4,916 people and 37 households to the official 2000 population count for the city of Carbondale.

There are 9,981 households out of which 17.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.1% are married couples living together, 10.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% are non-families. 43.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.33 and the average family size is 2.78.

In the city the population is spread out with 15.8% under the age of 18, 35.4% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 12.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 25 years. For every 100 females there are 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 105.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $27,882, and the median income for a family is $34,601. Males have a median income of $30,217 versus $24,114 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,346. 21.4% of the population and 13.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 32.1% of those under the age of 18 and 13.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government

The city of Carbondale has a council-manager government.^[8] There are a total of seven elected city officials: a mayor and six city council members elected at-large for four-year staggered terms. The City Manager, a professional hired by the city council, appoints the department heads. The city provides services such as police, fire, development services, public works, and public library. Several boards and commissions allow for citizen participation, helping to bridge the gap between the residents and the government. Carbondale is a zoned, home rule municipality. In 2010, the city approved a new comprehensive plan that lays out goals for the future and ways to accomplish these goals.^[9] On April 5, 2011, Joel Fritzler was elected mayor for a four-year term.^[10]

Culture

In addition to Southern Illinois University, the city has a variety of unique cultural institutions. PBS and NPR broadcasting stations (WSIU) are affiliated with the university. Carbondale also is home to WDBX Community Radio for Southern Illinois, and the Big Muddy Independent Media Center.

There are two daily newspapers, The Southern Illinoisan and the university's Daily Egyptian; two weeklies, the Carbondale Times and the Nightlife; and a bi-weekly Heartland Women.

SIU has a teaching museum on campus, the University Museum, which has 60,000 artifacts in its collection and hosts traveling shows from known artists. In addition to the University Museum, there is the African American Museum and The Science Center. Theater-goers can see both professional and student-produced plays and performances at the university's McLeod and Kleinau Theaters. SIUC is also home to the largest auditorium in Southern Illinois, Shryock Auditorium. Shryock Auditorium has brought in many performing artists, such as B.B. King, the Supremes, Ray Charles, and Judy Collins, along with orchestras and other musical productions.^[11] Theater-goers can also attend off-campus productions by The Jackson County Stage Company (Stage Company). In 2007, the Stage Company and Carbondale Community Arts (CCA) partnered to purchase and renovate the Varsity Theater, which had been vacant since 2003, into the Varsity Center for the Arts (VCA). The VCA is now the performing home of the Stage Company and also supports a variety of other fine arts and performances through the CCA.

Civic action is encouraged by groups such as Carbondale Conversations for Community Action (the local implementation of Study Circles). There are several lodges and clubs, such as the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Elks, Rotary, and the A.F.A.M (Freemasons).

The Women's Center, in continuous service since its founding in 1972, was one of the first domestic violence shelters in the United States.

Spirituality finds expression in Carbondale in churches of a variety of Christian denominations, a Unitarian Universalist fellowship, two mosques, a Jewish congregation, a Sufi community, and two Buddhist organizations — the Shawnee Dharma Group and the Sunyata Center. In April 2011 ground was broken to build a Hindu temple. The Interfaith Center provides space for intercultural exchange and personal growth. It is also an education center to help the community become more ecologically conscious, understand how to incorporate better practices into daily life, and set goals for the future.

Carbondale is also sometimes referred to as a "Town of Poets" for their flourishing poetry community. Notable poets include Rodney Jones, Judy Jordan, Allison Joseph, and the Transpoetic Playground collective.

Retail

The city's business districts include several large shopping malls, featuring a mixture of national chain stores and locally owned businesses. In addition, Carbondale is home to many small shops and restaurants, many of them located in the downtown area. The downtown district is supported by Carbondale Main Street, which has listings and information about individual businesses. Because of the large student population in the city, there is a great variety of restaurants, featuring many nationalities of cuisine. Several bars and coffeehouses offer live music, poetry readings, and other entertainment. The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce offers information on local businesses in over 60 categories.

Celebrations

Carbondale is known for a number of yearly festivals, including the Lights Fantastic parade in December,^[12] the Big Muddy Film Festival (February/March), the Southern Illinois Irish Festival (April), the Indian celebration of Diwali (December), the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta (April), the Sunset Concerts (a summer series of free outdoor concerts on the Southern Illinois University campus and in city parks), and Brown Bag Concerts (a spring and fall series of free outdoor concerts in the Town Square Pavilion).

Recreation

Carbondale has 18 public tennis courts, as well as the Superblock, which is a sports multi-complex with baseball, softball, soccer, football, and track fields. The Carbondale Park District maintains seven parks and an indoor pool for public use. In 2010, the park district opened a new "spray park" in Attucks Park.^[13] Southern Illinois University's Recreation Center is open to the public; it provides swimming, bowling, rock climbing walls, tennis, basketball, an indoor track, racquetball, weight training, and a variety of exercise equipment.

Carbondale is adjacent to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Shawnee National Forest, and Giant City State Park. There are 14 parks in the area. Located on the northern edge of the Shawnee National Forest, Carbondale is adjacent to a number of venues for outdoor activities. Giant City State Park, Little Grand Canyon, Piney Creek Ravine, Pomona Natural Bridge, Garden of the Gods, and Trail of Tears State Park are nearby areas that offer hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

Five minutes south of Carbondale is the city reservoir, Cedar Lake, which is open to kayaking and canoeing. The north access features several dramatic rock bluffs and secluded bays. Other lakes nearby include Little Grassy Lake, Devils Kitchen Lake, Crab Orchard Lake, and Kinkaid Lake. Another more remote location is Cache River Swamp, the northernmost cypress swamp in North America. The surrounding areas also offer hiking and mountain biking.

The Shawnee National Forest is also home to many wineries. The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail visits twelve vineyards in scenic settings, offering local wines and dining facilities. Several of the vineyards are bed-and-breakfasts or offer cabins for close accommodations.

Activism

Probably due to the presence of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale residents have a tradition of political activism. During the Vietnam War, and especially after the Kent State shootings, massive anti-war demonstrations took place on the SIU campus and on the streets of Carbondale. They resulted in the closure of SIU, more than $100,000 of property damage, more than 400 arrests,^[14] and the deployment of the National Guard to restore order.^[15]

Several local organizations are concerned with peace, justice, and the environment, including the Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois/Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Shawnee Green Party, the Student Environmental Center, the Southern Illinois Center for a Sustainable Future, and local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Sierra Club, and the National Audubon Society.

In 2001 the city was the location for the national Green Party Congress.

Transportation

Highways

The city of Carbondale sits on the intersection of U.S. Route 51 and Illinois Route 13. Interstate 57 is accessible to the east on Route 13 at Marion, and to the south on Rt. 51 near Dongola. Interstate 64 is accessible to the north on Rt. 51. Interstate 24 is accessible six miles south of Marion on I-57. The city is 331 highway miles from Chicago, Illinois, 96 highway miles from St. Louis, Missouri, and 213 highway miles from Memphis, Tennessee.^[16] (A historical note, when Illinois originally developed the state highway system in the 1920s, what's now Rt. 51, was then Illinois Route 2 which ran the length of the state).

Air Service

The city is twelve miles (19 km) away from the Williamson County Regional Airport, where one commercial airline service provides passenger service to St. Louis on four flights each day.^[16] The Southern Illinois Airport is located northwest of the city and offers private aviation services and is home to SIU's aviation program. On 2 April 2010, state and university officials broke ground on a long-awaited Transportation Education Center on the airport grounds.^[17]

Rail Service

Amtrak, the US passenger rail system, provides service to Carbondale with three trains daily to and from Chicago, and one train daily to and from Memphis and New Orleans.

Amtrak Train 59, the southbound City of New Orleans, departs Carbondale daily with service to Memphis, Jackson, and New Orleans (with many stations along the way). Amtrak Train 58, the northbound City of New Orleans, departs Carbondale daily with service to Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon, Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Homewood, and Chicago. Carbondale is also served by Amtrak Train 390/391, the Saluki, daily in the morning, and Amtrak Train 392/393, the Illini, daily in the afternoon/evening. Both the Saluki and the Illini operate to Chicago, originating and terminating in Carbondale.^[18]

Amtrak shares tracks with the Canadian National Railway which provides freight service to the city's industrial park. The railroad runs along the original line of the Illinois Central Railroad that began service in 1854 in Carbondale.

Public Transit

The Saluki Express provides bus service around the city. SIUC students, faculty, and staff, as well as the greater Carbondale community, are encouraged to use the service. This system offers eleven routes operating seven days a week while the university is in session, and a "break route" operating during semester breaks.^[19]

Private Transit

Carbondale also has two licensed taxi companies, Yellow Cab and Ace Taxi. Greyhound offers intercity bus service from the BP Gas Station at 905 E. Main St.^[20]

Awards^[21]

• Winner, "All America City", 1971
• Selected as "Tree City USA", since 1981
• Selected as one of "The Best Towns in America," 1983
• Winner, "GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award", since 1986
• Selected as "Best Small City in Illinois", 1990, 1997
• Winner, "Governor's Hometown Award", 1991, 1992, 2005, 2009
• Selected as one of the "101 Best Outdoor Towns in America," 2007
• Honorable Mention, "City Livability Award," 2009
• Finalist, "All America City Award," 2009
• Finalist, "Award for Municipal Excellence", 2009^[22]

Notable people

• Ron Acks, All-American football player at the U of I and former NFL Player with the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers.
• Agnes Ayres, actor, born in Carbondale as Agnes Eyre Henkel, notable for roles in The Sheik opposite Rudolph Valentino.
• Stephen Bardo, former U of I basketball star, current ESPN college basketball analyst, was born and raised in Carbondale.^[23]
• Jim Caldwell the current head coach of the Indianapolis Colts was the wide receivers coach at S.I.U. in the late 70's and early 80's.
• Shawn Colvin, Grammy Award-winning singer and musician, went to high school and college in Carbondale.
• Darva Conger, winner of the reality television show Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?, in 2000, was born in Carbondale.
• John Fleming, Professionally known as "The Free Throw Guru", Professional Basketball Shooting Coach, grew up in Carbondale.
• Dennis Franz star of the award winning, long running TV series, 'NYPD Blue'
• Walt Frazier former SIU and NBA basketball star (NY Knicks primarily)
• R. Buckminster Fuller, noted for his geodesic domes, many of which can be found in Carbondale today, including the one he lived in at the corner of Forest and Cherry.
• John Gardner, novelist and teacher perhaps best known for Grendel, a retelling of the Beowulf story, was a professor in SIU's Department of English from 1965–1974.
• Paul Gilbert, the guitarist of the bands Racer X, and Mr. Big.
• Dick Gregory, comedian and civil rights leader.
• Troy Hudson, NBA point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors.
• Rodney Jones, American poet and nominee for the pulitzer prize.
• John Alexander Logan, Jr, United States Army officer posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Philippine–American War.
• Laurie Metcalf, actress on Roseanne, was born in Carbondale and grew up in Edwardsville, Illinois.
• Sheila Simon, the current lieutenant governor of Illinois
• Dave Soldier, composer and founder of the Thai Elephant Orchestra.
• Frankie Trumbauer,famous saxophonist of the 1920s. known for his association with early jazz coronetist Bix Beiderbecke.
• Shawn Watson, Quarterbacks Coach, Louisville Cardinals football team.
• Ben Falcone, Actor, husband of Melissa McCarthy

Sister cities

• Tainai, Niigata, Japan (former town of Nakajo and the city of Carbondale became sister cities in the past)
• Tainan City, Taiwan
• Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Source^[24]

References

External links

• Official city website
• The Southern Illinoisan newspaper
• Recent weather observations for KMDH at NOAA/NWS

Further reading

• Brush, Daniel. 1992. Growing Up With Southern Illinois. Herrin, Ill.: Crossfire Press. 380 pages. ISBN 978-0962399077
• Erwin, Milo, and Jon Musgrave. 2006. The Bloody Vendetta of Southern Illinois. Marion, Ill.: IllinoisHistory.com. 240 pages.
• Wright, John W. D. 1977. A History of Early Carbondale, Illinois, 1852-1905. Carbondale, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press. 384 pages. ISBN 978-0809307890.