Knoxville, Illinois

Geobox|Settlement
name = Knoxville
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category = City
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country = United States
state = Illinois
region = Knox
region_type = County
district = Knox
district_type = Township
municipality =
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lat_d = 40
lat_m = 54
lat_s = 27
lat_NS = N
long_d = 90
long_m = 16
long_s = 58
long_EW = W
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area_imperial = 2.2
area_land_imperial = 2.2
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population = 3183
population_date = 2000
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population_density_imperial = 1448.0
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leader_type = Mayor
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = XXXXX
area_code = XXX
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map_caption = Location of Knoxville within Illinois
map_background = Illinois - background map.png map_locator = Illinois2
commons = Knoxville, Illinois
statistics =
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Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,183 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

Knoxville is located at coor dms|40|54|27|N|90|16|58|W|city (40.907526, -90.282691).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,183 people, 1,210 households, and 878 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,448.0 people per square mile (558.6/km²). There were 1,260 housing units at an average density of 573.2/sq mi (221.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.59% White, 0.35% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.

There were 1,210 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% 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 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,438, and the median income for a family was $49,688. Males had a median income of $31,442 versus $23,939 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,643. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.

History

Knoxville was established on January 15, 1831, and called Henderson until its name was changed to Knoxville on December 22, 1832 when it became the county seat. It was one of the first 10 municipalities incorporated in the state and is the oldest town in Knox County.

Knoxville was the county seat until 1873, when the county seat was moved to Galesburg. The first Knox County Courthouse, completed in 1839, and second Knox County jail, completed in 1845, still stand in Knoxville and are registered on the National Register of Historic Places. The two buildings and Knoxville's first general store, the Sanburn Log Cabin, build in 1832, have been restored and are open to the public. The county's Hall of Records, built in 1854, is used as Knoxville's City Hall.

The [log cabin of John G. Sanburn] was not discovered until decades after his death, when it was nearly destroyed. In 1832, Sanburn settled in Knoxville to open the first shop, which also served as the first post office. He was the first county clerk, circuit clerk, recorder, and probate judge, as well as shopkeeper and postmaster. Years later, as the house built around Sanburn's cabin was being demolished, a nosy neighbor spied the underlying log structure and alerted the authorities. At that time the owner of the property, Bernice LaFollette, donated the cabin to the city as a museum.

Typical log cabins like Sanburn's measured about 14' x 14' wide and 7'-8' high with 9" walnut or butternut logs, wooden door hinges, and clapboard shingles. The entire area of Sanburn's cabin and general store served as a kitchen while encased in LaFollette's home. A restoration in 1964 insured proper security and insulation that Sanburn did not enjoy in the 1830s, including glass windows and cement sealant to replace clay and hay between logs.

The cabin contains general store memorabilia for display and a picture of an 1852 penny discovered in the foundation when the house was moved from the south to the north side of the square for restoration. The John G. Sanburn Log Cabin is maintained by the Knox County Historic Sites. It is open for public view during the first two weekends in October for the Knox County Scenic Drive and from 2-4 p.m. Sundays, June-September. For more information contact Knoxville City Hall at [phone].

The Old Knox County Jail was the location of the only legal hanging in Knox County when John Osborne was hung March 14, 1873, for the murder of Adelia M. Mathews, Yates City.

Famous people from Knoxville

*Armando Ghitalla was a famous trumpet player who graduated from Knoxville High School in 1942. He traveled around the world during his 28 years with the Boston Symphony and 15 years with the Boston Pops. He later taught trumpet at various universities. In 1958, then Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler called Ghitalla "absolutely the greatest (trumpeter) in the world." Ghitalla died December 14, 2001 in Houston, Texas.

*Actor Justin Hartley, who appeared on the soap opera Passions for three years, will be on the television show "Smallville" for seven episodes during its sixth season, and has three movies due out in theaters, was born in Knoxville January 29, 1977, and lived on Westview Drive for several years.
*James Knox (Illinois) - Congressman
*Ernest de Koven Leffingwell - explorer
*James Knox Taylor - architect

References

External links

** [http://www.kville.org/ City of Knoxville]
** [http://www.kville.org/kchistory Knox County Historical Sites Inc.]

Emily West: A television reporter/anchor at WEEK in Peoria, Illinois.

Christopher Edward Anderson: Radio Personality in Wisconsin and Country Music Star in Nashville.