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Atlanta, Illinois

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atlanta
City
Vine Street in Atlanta
Vine Street in Atlanta
Motto: 
"Welcoming the world with a smile"[1]
Location of Atlanta in Logan County, Illinois.
Location of Atlanta in Logan County, Illinois.
Coordinates: 40°15′50″N 89°13′51″W / 40.26389°N 89.23083°W / 40.26389; -89.23083[2]
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyLogan
Area
[3]
 • Total
1.26 sq mi (3.26 km2)
 • Land1.25 sq mi (3.24 km2)
 • Water0.0077 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation
[2]
719 ft (219 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,669
 • Density1,336.0/sq mi (515.85/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
61723
Area code217
FIPS code17-02752
GNIS feature ID2394014[2]
WebsiteAtlanta, Illinois Website

Atlanta (formerly Xenia) is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It is located along Route 66, and had a population of 1,669 at the 2020 census.

History

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Early settlement

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In December of 1836, surveyors platted the community of New Castle, located on the site of present-day Atlanta.[4] The New Castle post office opened on November 26, 1847.[5]

In May of 1853, surveyors platted the town of Xenia,[4] named after the town of Xenia, Ohio, the former home of an early settler's wife.[6] The recently constructed main line of the Chicago & Alton Railroad intersected the town.[7] As a result of being bypassed by the rail line, residents of New Castle voted to incorporate into Xenia. However, the town was unsuccessful in applying for a post office under that name, as there was already a Xenia in Clay County. In return, settlers moved to name the town Hamilton, after Colonel L. D. Hamilton, a Hamilton existed in Hancock County by this point. Finally, the name Atlanta was agreed upon, named after the city of Atlanta in Georgia. With no other Illinois towns by that name, the change was approved.[6] By October 20 of that same year, the post office was renamed to the misspelled Atalanta. This error would be fixed on March 4, 1861, with the correctly spelled "Atlanta".[8] The community of Atlanta was incorporated by the Illinois General Assembly on February 14, 1855.[9]

In 1869, the Peoria, Atlanta and Decatur Railroad was first surveyed. Work commenced the following year, and the line was completed by November of 1874.[10]

Geography

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According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Atlanta has a total area of 1.26 square miles (3.26 km2), of which 1.25 square miles (3.24 km2) (or 99.36%) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.64%) is water.[11]

Demographics

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2020 census

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As of the 2020 census[12] there were 1,669 people, 846 households, and 607 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,327.76 inhabitants per square mile (512.65/km2). There were 769 housing units at an average density of 611.77 per square mile (236.21/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.43% White, 0.30% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 4.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.10% of the population.

There were 846 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.77% were married couples living together, 18.68% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.25% were non-families. 22.58% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.93% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 2.54.

The city's age distribution consisted of 27.8% under the age of 18, 12.7% from 18 to 24, 23% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $55,694, and the median income for a family was $67,125. Males had a median income of $47,128 versus $25,521 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,863. About 11.2% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

There were 769 housing units, of which 8.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%.[13]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[14]
RaceNumberPercent
White1,57694.4%
Black or African American50.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native30.2%
Asian40.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race70.4%
Two or more races744.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)352.1%

Culture

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Atlanta's motto is "Welcoming the world with a smile". The city's water tower has had a smiley face on it since 2003, when it was painted at the request of alderwoman Billie Cheek.[1]

Media

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In May 1869, the Atlanta Argus was established by Albion Smith, to this point the second newspaper printed in Logan County.[15] The newspaper ran alone until 1964,[16] when it merged with The Armington Helper of nearby Armington in Tazewell County. The new Atlanta Argus and The Armington Helper ran until the paper was disbanded in 1983.[17]

The town is home to the WLCN radio station, which broadcasts in a country music format.[18]

Education

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Atlanta Public Schools are part of the Olympia Community Unit School District 16.[19] Students attend Olympia High School.[20]

The town, along with the majority of Logan County, is located within the boundaries of the community college district of Heartland Community College in Normal.[21]

Notable people

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References

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  1. 1 2 "Atlanta, Illinois". Atlanta, Illinois. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Atlanta, Illinois
  3. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Atlanta, Illinois". Papers of Abraham Lincoln Digital Library. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ Adams, Keller & Volkel 1989, p. 450
  6. 1 2 Inter-State Publishing Co. 1886, p. 550
  7. ↑ Inter-State Publishing Co. 1886, p. 381
  8. ↑ Adams, Keller & Volkel 1989, p. 282–283
  9. ↑ White, Jesse (July 2012). "Illinois Counties and Incorporated Municipalities" (PDF). Illinois Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Inter-State Publishing Co. 1886, p. 396
  11. ↑ US Census Bureau. "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  13. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  14. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  15. ↑ Inter-State Publishing Co. 1886, p. 291–292
  16. ↑ "Atlanta Argus". Atlanta Museum Community History Archive. Advantage Archives. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Atlanta Argus And The Armington Helper". Atlanta Museum Community History Archive. Advantage Archives. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  18. ↑ WLCN in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
  19. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Logan County, IL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 1, 2024. - Text list
  20. ↑ "Olympia Community Unit School District 16". Olympia Community Unit School District 16. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Illinois Community College Districts" (pdf). Illinois Community College Board. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  22. ↑ United States Congress. "Botkin, Jeremiah Dunham (id: B000654)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  23. ↑ Barnes, Bart (March 25, 1995). "Paul S. Callaway Dies at 85". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  24. ↑ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. New York: James T. White & Co. 1898. p. 286. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Lee Dunham". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  26. ↑ United States Congress. "Ewing, Thomas W. (id: E000282)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  27. ↑ "Nineteen Will Graduate". The Weekly Pantagraph. Bloomington, IL. May 17, 1912. p. 10.
  28. ↑ Welt, Bill (June 25, 2014). "On the sports beat: Kindred's style still inspires". The Lincoln Courier. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  29. ↑ Leonard, John W. (1914). Woman's Who's who of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporary Women of the United States and Canada, 1914–1915. American Commonwealth Company. p. 756. Retrieved March 12, 2025.

Sources

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