Watseka, Illinois

Geobox|Settlement
name = Watseka
native_name =
other_name =
category = City
etymology =
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motto =
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country = United States
state = Illinois
region = Iroquois
region_type = County
district = Middleport
district_type = Township
municipality =
location =
elevation_imperial =
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lat_d = 40
lat_m = 46
lat_s = 36
lat_NS = N
long_d = 87
long_m = 44
long_s = 8
long_EW = W
coordinates_no_title = 1
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area_imperial = 2.6
area_land_imperial = 2.6
area_water_imperial =
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population = 5670
population_date = 2000
population_urban =
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population_density =
population_density_imperial = 2165.4
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leader_type = Mayor
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code = 60970
area_code = 815
code =
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map_caption = Location of Watseka within Illinois
map_background = Illinois - background map.png map_locator = Illinois2
commons = Watseka, Illinois
statistics =
website =
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Watseka is an Illinois city and the county seat of Iroquois CountyGR|6. It is located approximately 15 miles west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S. Highway 24. The city population was 5,670 at the time of the 2000 census.

Incorporated in 1865, Watseka is named for a Potawatomi Native American woman Watseka (Watchekee).

Geography

Watseka is located at coor dms|40|46|36|N|87|44|8|W|city (40.776665, -87.735515)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), all of it land.

History

The name "Watseka" derives from the Potawatomi name "Watch-e-kee", "Daughter of the Evening Star", the wife of early eastern Illinois settler Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard. ["The People of the Prairie", Charles Warwick, The Illinois Steward, vo. 16, no. 2, 2007]

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 5,670 people, 2,314 households, and 1,483 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,165.4 people per square mile (835.6/km²). There were 2,463 housing units at an average density of 940.6/sq mi (363.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.75% White, 0.62% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.61% of the population.

There were 2,314 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,440, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $30,516 versus $19,680 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,638. About 12.7% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Notable Residents

Henry Bacon, architect of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and other notable public buildings, was born in Watseka in 1866.

Baroness Fern Andre (birth name Vernal Andrews), movie actress and director from 1913 to 1930, was born in Watseka in 1893.

Rex Everhart, Broadway actor who voiced the role of Maurice in Disney's "Beauty and The Beast (1991 film)," was born in Watseka in 1920.

External links

*http://www.sugarcreekfestival.org/
*http://www.iroquoismemorial.com/

Notes