Benton (Illinois)

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Benton
Benton (Illinois)
Benton
Benton
Location in Illinois
Basic data
Foundation : 1841
State : United States
State : Illinois
County : Franklin County
Coordinates : 38 ° 0 ′  N , 88 ° 55 ′  W Coordinates: 38 ° 0 ′  N , 88 ° 55 ′  W
Time zone : Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 )
Residents : 6,880 (as of: 2000)
Population density : 502.2 inhabitants per km 2
Area : 13.7 km 2  (approx. 5 mi 2 ) of
which 13.7 km 2  (approx. 5 mi 2 ) is land
Height : 144 m
Postcodes : 62812
Area code : +1 618
FIPS : 17-05300
GNIS ID : 404187

Benton is a small town and the administrative seat of Franklin County in the south of the US -amerikanischen state of Illinois . In 2000 Benton had 6,880 inhabitants, a 2008 estimate showed a population of 6,957, which means an increase of 1.1% compared to 2000.

geography

Benton is located at 38 ° 00'15 "north latitude and 88 ° 54'58" west longitude. The city extends over an area of ​​13.7 km², which consists exclusively of land.

7.4 km northwest of Benton is Rend Lake , a 76 km² (18,900 acres) reservoir created by the damming of the Big Muddy River .

Illinois State Routes 14 , 34, and 37 meet in downtown Benton . Interstate 57 runs through the west of the city in a north-south direction and is part of the shortest route from Chicago (480 km to the north) to Memphis (378 km to the south).

After St. Louis in Missouri there are 158 km to the northwest, Illinois' capital city is located 249 km to the north-northwest, Indiana's capital Indianapolis is located 372 km to the northeast, Kentucky 's largest city Louisville is located 301 km to the east and Tennessee's capital Nashville 337 km in Southeast.

Benton is also the hub of several railway lines on the BNSF Railway .

history

Benton is named after the politician Thomas Hart Benton , who was a Senator from Missouri . The place Benton was created in 1841 and was given city status in 1902 .

Franklin County was established in 1818 and was then about twice the size of today. In 1839 Williamson County was split off and the administrative seat was set on a hill at the southern end of Rowling's Prairie . This was the place where the later Benton was created.

Today's courthouse - already the third - is located in the center of the city. This was built in 1874-1875 at a cost of $ 27,500.00.

Much of the city's growth can be attributed to rich coal resources, location on multiple railroad lines, fertile land in the area, and local industries.

On April 19, 1928, Benton was the site of the last public execution in Illinois when gangster Charles Birger was executed on the gallows . The - no longer in use - execution device can be seen today in the County Jail Museum of the city.

In this museum there are also exhibits without criminal reference, such as B. issued by George Harrison . Harrison had visited his sister who lived in Benton in September 1963 - before the Beatles had their big break. The building in which he lived at the time is now called Had Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast . Harrison also performed in neighboring Eldorado in Saline County .

Demographic data

In the 2000 census, the population was 6,880. These were distributed over 2,938 households in 1,825 families. The population density was 502.3 / km². There were 3277 residential buildings, which corresponded to a building density of 239.3 / km².

The population in 2000 was 98.7% White , 0.3% African American , 0.1% Native American , 0.3% Asian, and 0.1% other. 0.5% said they came from at least two of these groups. 0.5% of the population were Hispanics belonging to any of the above groups.

24.4% were under 19 years of age, 5.4% between 20 and 24, 24.8% between 25 and 44, 23.0% between 45 and 64 and 22.4% 65 and older. The average age was 42 years. The population consisted of 46.5% male and 53.5% female residents.

The median income per household was $ 27,177 and the median family income was $ 35,339. The per capita income was $ 15,787. Around 15.6% of families and 17.5% of the total population had their income below the poverty line .

Known residents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ US Postal Service - ZIP Codes
  2. ↑ Google Maps: Benton, IL - Rend Lake
  3. ↑ Illinois Department of Natural Resources ( Memento of the original dated February 8, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / dnr.state.il.us
  4. ↑ Google Maps: Chicago, IL - Benton, IL - Memphis, TN
  5. ^ Google Maps: Benton, IL - St. Louis, MO
  6. ^ Google Maps: Benton, IL - Springfield, IL
  7. ↑ Google Maps: Benton, IL - Indianapolis, IN
  8. ^ Google Maps: Benton, IL - Louisville, KY
  9. ↑ Google Maps: Benton, IL - Nashville, TN
  10. ^ Benton, Illinois: Charlie Birger Gallows and George Harrison Artifacts on /www.roadsideamerica.com (English)
  11. ↑ The / LouiseHarrisonInterview.html interview with Louise Harrison
  12. ^ US Census Bureau - Benton, Illinois

Web links