Tolono, Illinois

Geobox|Settlement
name = Tolono
native_name =
other_name =
category = Village
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =


image_caption =


symbol =
country = United States
state = Illinois
region = Champaign
region_type = County
district =
district_type = Township
municipality =
location =
elevation_imperial =
prominence_imperial =
lat_d = 39
lat_m = 59
lat_s = 10
lat_NS = N
long_d = 88
long_m = 15
long_s = 35
long_EW = W
coordinates_no_title = 1
highest =
highest_location =
highest_region =
highest_state =
highest_elevation_imperial =
highest_lat_d =
highest_lat_m =
highest_lat_s =
highest_lat_NS =
highest_long_d =
highest_long_m =
highest_long_s =
highest_long_EW =
lowest =
lowest_location =
lowest_region =
lowest_state =
lowest_elevation_imperial =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_lat_m =
lowest_lat_s =
lowest_lat_NS =
lowest_long_d =
lowest_long_m =
lowest_long_s =
lowest_long_EW =
length_imperial =
length_orientation =
area_imperial = 1.9
area_land_imperial = 1.9
area_water_imperial =
area_urban_imperial =
area_metro_imperial =
population = 2700
population_date = 2000
population_urban =
population_metro =
population_density =
population_density_imperial = 1444.4
population_density_urban_imperial =
population_density_metro_imperial =
established =
date =
government =
government_location =
government_region =
government_state =
government_elevation_imperial =
government_lat_d =
government_lat_m =
government_lat_s =
government_lat_NS =
government_long_d =
government_long_m =
government_long_s =
government_long_EW =
mayor =
leader =
leader_type = Village president
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = 61880
area_code = 217
code =
whs_name =
whs_year =
whs_number =
whs_region =
whs_criteria =
iucn_category =


map_caption = Location of Tolono within Illinois
map_background =
map_locator = Illinois
commons = Tolono, Illinois
statistics =
website =
footnotes =

Tolono is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,700 at the 2000 census. Its name was fabricated by J.B. Calhoun, land commission of the Illinois Central Railroad, who wrote about it simply: " [I] placed the vowel "o" three times, thus o-o-o, and filling in with the consonants t-l-n." (Stewart, pg. 362) =Geography= Tolono is located at coor dms|39|59|10|N|88|15|35|W|city (39.986046, -88.259727)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,700 people, 1,083 households, and 753 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,444.4 people per square mile (557.5/km²). There were 1,137 housing units at an average density of 608.3/sq mi (234.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.78% White, 0.30% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 1,083 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% 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 2.99.

In the village the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $44,200, and the median income for a family was $51,763. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $24,694 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,894. About 3.3% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

Founded in the early 1800s as a result of the land-grant Illinois Central Railroad's expansion southward, Tolono was initially home to many railroad employees. Many streets bear the names of the ICR's administrative staff. The original homes in the community were small and narrow filling half lots adjacent to the railroad tracks. With the intersection of an east-west railway, Tolono became a featured stop for early rail passengers. The peak of the railroad's passenger influence in Tolono occurred when Tolono became the last stop in Illinois for Abraham Lincoln as he bid farewell to his home state in a speech given from the back of his Pullman.

The Midwest food industry has felt Tolono's influence. In 1959, Tolono became home to the first Monical's Pizza restaurant. Although the original location does not bear the Monical's name any longer, the buildings still stand and another Monical's Pizza is operated less than a block away. Members of the entrepreneurial Monical family still reside in the village today.

Even Hollywood has a Tolono representative. After shooting in several locations in Tolono in 2006, Mark Roberts, a Tolono native, wrapped production on his feature-length movie "Welcome To Tolono". The film was highlighted on the 2007 film festival circuit. Welcome To Tolono shows the struggles of real people with real problems, trying to help themselves in a small town where anonymity is impossible, and the hypocrisy of organized religion is unforgivable. As their lives intersect, friendships and alliances are formed, and tragedy is the glue that ultimately bonds them.

Notable people

* Brian Cardinal - professional basketball player in the NBA
* Mark Roberts - Hollywood producer, director, writer, and actor ("Two and a Half Men", "Friends")

chools

Community Unit School District # 7 or Unit Seven Schools is a district that services preschool through twelfth grade in the greater Tolono area. The school district covers 173 square miles covering the communities of Tolono, Philo, Sidney, Sadorus, Illinois, Sadorus, and Pesotum. In August of 2002, there were three new schools, Unity East Elementary (approximately 300 students from Sidney and Philo), Unity West Elementary (approximately 400 students from Pesotum, Sadorus, and Tolono), and Unity Junior High (approximately 200 students district-wide) featuring the Rocket Center gymnasium. Along with the existing High School, there are now four schools instead of seven. The district is located in a rural agricultural setting 10 miles south of Champaign-Urbana, minutes from both Parkland College and the University of Illinois.

Unit Seven Schools
408 North Central Street
Tolono, Illinois 61880
Phone: [phone]
Website:http://www.unitsevenschools.com/

Unity High School
1127 County Road 800N
Tolono, Illinois 61880
Phone: [phone]
Website: http://www.unityrockets.com

References

*

External links

* [http://history.rays-place.com/il/cham-tolono.htm history of Tolono, Illinois]
* [http://www.welcometotolono.com/]