De Pue, Illinois

Coordinates: 41°19′34″N 89°18′4″W / 41.32611°N 89.30111°W / 41.32611; -89.30111

De Pue
Village
Official name: DePue
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Bureau
Townships	Selby, Hall
Coordinates	41°19′34″N 89°18′4″W / 41.32611°N 89.30111°W / 41.32611; -89.30111
Area	3.0 sq mi (8 km2)
- land	3.0 sq mi (8 km2)
Population	1,842 (2000)
Density	679.4 / sq mi (262 / km2)
Mayor	Eric Bryant
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code	61322
Area code	XXX
Location of De Pue within Illinois
Wikimedia Commons: De Pue, Illinois

De Pue is a village in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,842 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

De Pue is located at 41°19′34″N 89°18′4″W / 41.32611°N 89.30111°W / 41.32611; -89.30111 (41.326112, -89.301184)^[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²), of which, 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) of it (8.75%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 1,842 people, 658 households, and 452 families residing in the village. The population density was 679.4 people per square mile (262.4/km²). There were 721 housing units at an average density of 265.9 per square mile (102.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 42.36% White, 0.11% African American, 0.49% Native American, 2.06% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 11.51% from other races, and 3.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 45.77% of the population.

There were 658 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.42.

In the village the population was spread out with 29.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $36,985. Males had a median income of $26,094 versus $19,643 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,273. About 12.3% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Lake De Pue

The lake and adjacent park feature wildlife and recreation. The American Power Boat Association (APBA) along with the De Pue Men's Club (a social and volunteer organization) host a weekend of boat racing on Lake De Pue. The event draws spectators from across the country and brings entertainment and food vendors to the lakeside park. In fact, President Obama visited when he was an Illinois legislator. In a January 16, 2011 news story featured in the online edition of the Peoria Journal Star, Associated Press reporter Tammy Webber reported that the oxbow lake, surrounded by a Superfund site, is polluted by high levels of metals such as zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium because of activity there by the smelting for the automotive and appliance industries, chiefly by ExxonMobil and CBS Corp.. The village is urging Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to investigate whether the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which has oversight over the case, is pushing the companies hard enough. This is important because the town alleges the companies and the IEPA have not done enough to combat the pollution, that has made the lake markedly shallower. This phenomenon could, unless rapidly remedied (perhaps by the temporary fix of dredging, which the IEPA cannot legally order in this case), soon interfere with the small municipality's efforts to keep its remaining revenue source for most supplemental projects, the competition. The manufacturing jobs have mostly disappeared.

Business

DePue is a small town that has a lot of businesses. DePue has four bars, including the Silver Dome and Casa Blanca, three small grocery stores, including two family owned businesses such as Larios Grocerie and Azteca Grocerie, two hair cutteries, such as Stacy's Hair Depot, one auto body, a family run restaurant named The Giants Den, after the villages high school's mascot, the Little Giant, and an ice cream shop/video rental store called Lake View Video and Ice Cream, another family run business. There are also many apartment complexes in DePue.

DePue Schools

DePue has only one school building that hosts all three schools, the Elementary, Junior High, and High School. There are wings where the different schools have classes. The name of the school district is DePue Unit Schools District #103. Extra Curricular activities offered the 6-12 students include sports and clubs. De Pue Junior High School offers boys and girls basketball, girls volleyball, cheerleading, and track. For De Pue High School, the school offers boys and girls basketball, soccer, girls volleyball, cheerleading, and track. Extra curricular activities for the Junior High School include Art Club, Student Council, Spelling Bee, Video Game Club, and Chess Club. High School Activities include Student Council, National Honor Society,and the Activity Club. Annual activities the many clubs sponsor include JH Movie Nights, HS Homecoming and dances, as well as many class trips throughout the year.^[3]

References

1. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
2. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ www.depueschools.org

Illinois EPA website: http://www.epa.state.il.us/community-relations/fact-sheets/new-jersey-zinc/

External links