Annawan, Illinois

Template:Geobox Annawan is an incorporated town in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 868 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Annawan is located at 41°23′50″N 89°54′32″W (41.397094, -89.908893).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 1, there were 2 people, 5 households, and no families residing in the sexual commuinty The population density was 1,273.6 people per square mile (492.8/km²). There were 373 housing units at an average density of 547.3/sq mi (211.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.88% White, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.

There were 354 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,571, and the median income for a family was $46,563. Males had a median income of $37,237 versus $20,673 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,839. About 9.0% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

History

Daniel Morton came to the area in 1846 and built the first log cabin. Gilbert Morton was the first child born here that year to Daniel and his wife Sarah. The following year a schoolhouse was built on the Morton property. The land the Mortons found was a swampy marsh to the north with higher ground to the south. Mud Creek meandered through the area and Green River paralleled the current Interstate 80 to the north.

In 1850, a survey of the right-of-way for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was made through Henry County. The selected route passed through the area inhabited by the Mortons and a few fellow pioneer families. In 1853, when the railroad was almost complete, Charles Atkinson and James Grant, owners of the land adjoining the railroad, plotted the town of Annawan. The town of Annawan, which some say was named after a Winnebago Indian Chief, was born.

At the turn of the twentieth century, a new channel of Green River was developed, drainage ditches were completed and tile installed. This allowed the marsh north of Annawan to become productive farmland.

About 100 years ago, strip mining took place just west of Annawan. Now a lake replaces the stop where strip mining occurred. The lake was named Henry Lake.

Within the last 40 years, Annawan has grown slightly and Interstate 80 Exit 33 serves as a gateway to Henry County. Also recently, Annawan supports 3 restaurants, 2 taverns, a Full Service Grocery Store, and a weekly newspaper. About one mile (1.6 km) to the east of town, A new road is under construction and space has been annexed to the Bureau County Line.

Subdivisions are coming up on the outskirts of town and causing the population to sprawl at one of the fastest paces in Illinois. The Annawan School District now serves about 550 students in which 80% are from Annawan, 15% from Mineral and about 5% from Hooppole. It is a Grade School, Middle School, and High School. The town newspaper, The Annawan Times, was developed in 2007 by a local student and now is a weekly local newspaper. Because the publisher was 12 years old at the time, it made international news when the Illinois Press Association in Springfield granted it honorary member status.

Within the last forty years, 375 acres (1.52 km²) of property were annexed into Annawan, nearly doubling the size of the town. Annawan now has land in Bureau County and up to the Mineral township line. This land will be filled with a Peaker Plant, that generates electricity when demand is high.

Present day

Today, Annawan is a productive community with a 100-million-US-gallon (380,000 m³) Ethanol located about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Annawan. It supports three Gas Stations, Shell, Cenex, and Fast Stop, an interstate side hotel, Best Western Annawan Inn, three restaurants, Blackburn's Roadhouse, Subway, and the Purple Onion, and two taverns, Front Street Tap, and Blackburn's Roadhouse. It also has a high school, Annawan High School, and a Junior High and elementary school, Annawan Grade School, a library, a hardware store to open soon, DeDecker Hardware, a Building Company Headquarters, American Eagle Buildings, a farm equipment dealership, Birkey's, a Grocery Store, Annawan Hometown Market, and an Asphalt Plant to serve the growing population and surrounding communities.

Past Mayors

(In order of past to present) FH Slater, James Bice, SC Carpenter, WS Knowlton, Elmer Fitzkee, John Lamont, JP Paine, Dr. W H Webster, Dr Robert White, Seth Moo, CH Mason, OW Nowell, George Dow, Hugh White, Dr. J.M. Young, Edward Doubler, Charles Verdick, Robert Pont, Arthur Quaife, Raymond Bollengier, Henry Nowers, Wilbur Hodgett, Dennis DeSplinter, and Kennard Franks, 2001-present.

Parks and recreation

Nearby Annawan is Johnson Sauk Trail Park, which includes a 60 acre lake with a maximum depth of 21 feet, and a small pond. The park is just 5 minutes south on Illinois 78. It also has a camper store and a campground. Annawan is also home to Howes Park, which hosts the Annawan-Wethersfield Titans baseball team. The park also offers Youth soccer, Grades K through 5. About a mile west of Annawan is Mud Creek, which serves as the mid point for the Carol M. Guthrie 5 Kilometer (3.5 mi) run.

Municipality type dispute

Annawan claims to be a village; however, per the Illinois Secretary of State, which has the duty of keeping track of incorporated municipalities in Illinois, Annawan is an incorporated town, not a village.

External links

• Village of Annawan, Illinois
• Annawan - Henry County Tourism Bureau
• Annawan Public Schools - Regional Office of Education serving Bureau, Henry and Stark Counties
• Annawan Profile - Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity