Palmer, Illinois

Geobox|Settlement
name = Palmer
native_name =
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category = Village
etymology =
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country = United States
state = Illinois
region = Christian
region_type = County
district =
district_type = Township
municipality =
location =
elevation_imperial =
prominence_imperial =
lat_d = 39
lat_m = 27
lat_s = 27
lat_NS = N
long_d = 89
long_m = 24
long_s = 22
long_EW = W
coordinates_no_title = 1
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area_imperial = 1.0
area_land_imperial = 1.0
area_water_imperial =
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population = 248
population_date = 2000
population_urban =
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population_density =
population_density_imperial = 248.5
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leader_type = Village president
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = 62556
area_code = 217
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map_caption = Location of Palmer within Illinois
map_background = Illinois - background map.png map_locator = Illinois2
commons = Palmer, Illinois
statistics =
website =
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Palmer is a village in Christian County, Illinois, United States. The population was 248 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Palmer is located at coor dms|39|27|27|N|89|24|22|W|city (39.457636, -89.406232).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 248 people, 89 households, and 71 families residing in the village. The population density was 248.5 people per square mile (95.8/km²). There were 100 housing units at an average density of 100.2/sq mi (38.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.37% White, 0.81% Native American, 0.81% from other races, and 2.02% from two or more races.

There were 89 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the village the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $35,750, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $34,167 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,615. About 4.4% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 2.9% of those sixty five or over.

Palmer History From Today To Yesterday

Sometimes a railroad or highway built through a small town causes that place to grow. It was not so with Palmer. Palmer has had about the same population for many years. The school building was abandoned, and then torn down, for the children are now bused to Morrisonville. The Palmer State Bank, in business since 1912, is the oldest state bank in the county, and the only one that did not close during the depression. The Palmer State Bank closed in 2006.

Churches

*Palmer Advent Christian Church

Cemeteries

*Anderson Cemetery
*Harpers Ferry Cemetery

The First 100 Years

The coming of the railroad in 1870, sounded the doom of Harpers Ferry, which was located on the Old Edwardsville Road, and had served as post office for Star Route pony express, a mill for grinding grain, a wayside station for the Stagecoach and a few stores. Boyd and Simpson erected the first store and the firm of Stark and Hailey put in a stock of goods. J.H. Boyd erected a hotel and his residence was included within the town limits. James McCauley opened the second store and when the first post office was established in 1870, it was housed in his building with G.E. Starke the first postmaster.

The village was incorporated February 5, 1873, at a meeting called for that purpose. Forty-one votes were cast in favor of incorporation, and one against, giving as his reason for voting "no"-"to keep saloons out of the neighborhood." The village was given the name Palmer, named for Governor John M. Palmer, who was governor from Jan. 11, 1869, and re-elected Jan. 13, 1873.

During the 100 years of Palmer's existence, many people have walked the streets and traveled the roads. The village of Palmer was laid out early in 1869 by J.H. Boyd and J.M. Simpson, was surveyed and platted by Richard V. Powell. Palmer was incorporated in 1873. The name of Palmer was selected because of the admiration of Gov. John Palmer who was in office from 1869 to 1873 and who had also been a Major-General in the Union Army.

The first store was erected by J.H. Boyd and J.M. Simpson in 1869. Starke and Hailey put in a stock of general merchandise. James McCauley built and opened the second store with a general stock of goods. During the history of Palmer, there have been hardware stores, millinery stores, restaurants, lumber yards, harness shops, grocery stores, drug stores, shoe shops, butcher shops, elevators, blacksmith shops, saloons, hotels, pool halls, livery stables, bakeries, garages, post offices, and barber shops. The first hotel was owned by a family named the Stockings. The Stockings were Ashley Basil's family, a 5-year-old killed in 1895 in the coal shaftwho is now buried in harpers ferry

The Old Coal Shaft

A familiar landmark in Palmer, is the old coal shaft. I don't suppose that there has ever lived a child in Palmer, that has not been warned by their parents, to not go near the old mine shaft, "It is dangerous", and so it was.

At one time it was the dream of a group of citizens in the area, to sink a coal mine, bringing industry, employment, and fuel to the community. The sight selected, to sink the mine, was in the southwest edge of town, on the north side of the railroad. According to ledgers, still in existence, kept on sinking of the shaft, MacDonald and Bro., did the drilling. On March 30, 1872, the first share of stock was sold to Suplines Judd, for $100. Many other shares were also sold for $100, some for $70 and some for $50. A total of seventy-two shares were sold in the amount of $5,460. Corporation papers were recorded on June 14, 1872. The cost of sinking the shaft was $2.50 per foot, and it is believed that the depth was approximately convert|500|ft|m. The last entry made in the ledger was Nov. 3, 1873, the sinking of the shaft was abandoned with no reason given.

About 1932, Illinois State Route 48 was constructed through Palmer, part of it over the top of the old mine. On Sept. 10, 1969, the old mine shaft, so long abandoned become more dangerous than ever before. At 9:00 a.m., a little hole was visible, as though someone had hauled dirt away. By 3:45 p.m., the same day the hole was larger, convert|20|ft|m by convert|20|ft|m and deeper; that evening it was a large hole filled with water with rotted timbers floating on top, and was 375 to convert|400|ft|m deep, threatening to flood the highway. The old mine shaft had caved in. Traffic was re-routed from the highway and the trains on the Norfolk and Western traveled at a very slow rate of speed, as the Highway Department was afraid of a further cave in. Approximately 190 truckloads of slag, rock, dirt and timbers were hauled to the site and the shaft was filled at an estimated cost of $30,000.

References

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