Griggsville, Illinois
| Griggsville | |
| City | |
 Downtown Griggsville | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| County | Pike |
| Coordinates | 39°42′30″N 90°43′33″W / 39.70833°N 90.72583°WCoordinates: 39°42′30″N 90°43′33″W / 39.70833°N 90.72583°W |
| Area | 1.08 sq mi (3 km2) |
| - land | 1.08 sq mi (3 km2) |
| - water | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population | 1,258 (2000) |
| Density | 1,215.0 / sq mi (469 / km2) |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Postal code | 62340 |
   Location of Griggsville within Illinois
| |
| Wikimedia Commons: Griggsville, Illinois | |
Griggsville is a city in Pike County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Griggsville is located at 39°42′30″N 90°43′33″W / 39.70833°N 90.72583°W (39.708403, -90.725797).[1]
According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 1.08 square miles (2.8 km2), all land.[2]
Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,258 people, 500 households, and 360 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,215.0 people per square mile (467.0/km²). There were 548 housing units at an average density of 529.3 per square mile (203.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.21% White, 0.16% African American, 0.08% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population.
There were 500 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $36,071. Males had a median income of $27,454 versus $18,182 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,578. About 10.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
History
Griggsville was named for its founder, Richard Griggs.[4]
- Images of Early Griggsville
-
Griggsville Square ca. 1900
-
Ayres & Lombard Bank & Store
-
Weagley Hotel
-
Griggsville Academy
Purple martins
Griggsville is located between the Mississippi River and the Illinois River and the hot muggy summers are the perfect habitat for mosquitoes. Amid growing concern over the use of pesticides to control mosquitoes, the town came up with an alternate abatement method. J.L. Wade, a Griggsville resident and owner of a local antenna manufacturing factory realized that Griggsville was right in the migration path of the Purple Martin, the largest bird in the swallow family, supposedly able to eat 2,000 mosquitoes in a single day.[5] J.L. Wade quickly realized that to get the purple martins to stay, he simply needed to give them a reason to stay, so he converted his antenna factory into a bird house building factory. The mosquito population dwindled, which lead the town to adopt the nickname "The Purple Martin Capital of the Nation", as well as labeling the Purple Martin "America's Most Wanted Bird." Additionally, Wade's Purple Martin business, formerly Trio Manufacturing, published a newsletter called The Nature Society News. The purple martin factory has been recently been sold to a Chicago businessman. Griggsville has installed over 5,000 birdhouses along the city streets, including a 562-apartment high rise, reaching a height of 70 ft.
Events
Griggsville hosts an Apple Festival on the third weekend of each September, along with the Western Illinois Fair, traditionally held during the third week of June. The Western Illinois Fair, in its 120th year, is one of the oldest fairs in the state of Illinois.
Notable people
- Lew Hitch, basketball player for the Minneapolis Lakers (1951–1957), now known as the LA Lakers.
Points of interest
- The 'Purple Martin High-Rise' is located in central Griggsville on Illinois Route 107.
- Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area
- Many visitors arrive in Griggsville annually for hunting the abundant wild life such as deer and turkey with hunting season beginning in late summer/early fall.
- Summer visitors can find entertainment during the Western Illinois Fair 3rd week of June that hosts harness racing with cash prizes, farm related activities, music, carnival rides, beer tent, and camping facilities.
- For those doing research on ancestors The Skinner House hosts a collections of books, photos, and cemetery records as well as genealogical records maintained by families since the town's founding. Local history is documented at The Skinner House as well as the legendary painting of Bethel Church by artist John Skelton who was raised in Griggsville.
- Autumn activities include Fall Color Drive hosted during 3rd weekend in October for scenic driving tour, crafts, food, and yard sales throughout the county.
See also
Sources
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files for Places – Illinois". United States Census. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 145.
- ↑ The Nature Society
Stead, George A. "Prologue to the Genealogy of the Steads" [transcribed by JN Mahon - 1999] "Griggsville--Boom, Town on the Frontier" retrieved from archives at the Skinner House in Griggsville, IL. November 29, 2007
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
