Equality, Illinois

Geobox|Settlement
name = Equality
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category = Village
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country = United States
state = Illinois
region = Gallatin
region_type = County
district =
district_type = Township
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lat_d = 37
lat_m = 44
lat_s = 11
lat_NS = N
long_d = 88
long_m = 20
long_s = 40
long_EW = W
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area_imperial = 0.9
area_land_imperial = 0.9
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population = 721
population_date = 2000
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leader_type = Village president
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = 62934
area_code = 618
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map_caption = Location of Equality within Illinois
map_background = Illinois - background map.png map_locator = Illinois2
commons = Equality, Illinois
statistics =
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Equality is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census.

History

French settlers were extracting salt near Equality as early as 1735. Native Americans made salt here long before then. In 1803 the American Indians ceded their "Great Salt Springs" to the US government by treaty. The government then leased the springs, requiring the holder to produce a certain quantity of salt each year or pay a penalty. The salt works is referred to as the "United States Saline" in old documents.

Isaac White was in charge of the salt works in 1811. White volunteered for the Indiana militia that year, and was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Special territorial laws permitted exceptions to anti-slavery treaties at these salines, and slaves were used extensively in manufacturing salt. The census of 1820 for Gallatin County listed 239 slaves or servants.

During the 1820's Gallatin County included what is now Saline County as its western half. In 1826, the County seat was moved from Old Shawneetown, on the eastern edge of the County, to the new village of Equality, near the center of what was then Gallatin County. Equality remained the county seat until the formation of Saline County in 1847.

In 1838, a local salt maker and kidnapper John Hart Crenshaw began building his manor house at Hickory Hill that was designed as a station on the Reverse Underground Railroad. Still standing it's best known today as the Old Slave House or Crenshaw House.

The Great Salt Springs are located southeast of Equality on federal land along the south bank of the Saline River, seven-tenths of a mile west of Illinois Route 1 on Salt Well Road. Half Moon Lick where the saltworks first developed as a large industry is on private property southwest of Equality.

Geography

Equality is located at coor dms|37|44|11|N|88|20|40|W|city (37.736472, -88.344473).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 721 people, 315 households, and 206 families residing in the village. The population density was 800.3 people per square mile (309.3/km²). There were 333 housing units at an average density of 369.6/sq mi (142.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.17% White, 0.14% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.66% of the population.

There were 315 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the village the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $22,171, and the median income for a family was $27,625. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $18,214 for females. The per capita income for the village was $12,961. About 14.0% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.

References

* Stu Fliege. 2002. "Trails & Tales of Illinois". Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
* Jon Musgrave. 2005. "Slaves, Salt, Sex & Mr. Crenshaw". Marion, Ill.: IllinoisHistory.com.
* Gillum Ferguson. 2007. "The Perilous Infancy of Saline County", Journal of Illinois History, Vol. 10, p. 49.

External links

* Equality http://www.lth6.k12.il.us/schools/gallatin/equality.htm
* Illinois History http://www.illinoishistory.com/oshpage.html
* Prairie Ghosts http://www.prairieghosts.com/slave.html
* [http://www.staceengland.com/ Stace England & The Salt Kings concept Music CD on "The Old Slave House"]
* Glen O. Jones Lake http://www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/Parks/R5/SALINE.HTM
* Equality Masonic Lodge http://www.equalitylodge2.org/