Mattoon, Illinois
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Mattoon is a city located in Coles County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,291. Mattoon may be best known today for the Mad Gasser attacks of the 1940s.
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History
The history of Mattoon is tied to that of local railroads. In 1853, railroad surveyors from the Illinois Central Railroad and Terre Haute and Alton Railroad found their railroads would cross in the Mattoon area, and a burst of investment and land speculation began. The two railroads raced to the meeting point, on the understanding that the first to arrive would not have to pay to maintain the crossing. Local settlers marked out the plots for sale with pegs, and the village was originally known as "Pegtown."
In 1861, the town was officially named after William B. Mattoon, the chief construction engineer working for the Terre Haute and Alton Railroad. The reason for this honor is unclear; some say he won the naming rights because his rail crew arrived first. Others say he beat other claimants in a card game, or that Pegtown residents hoped the wealthy Mattoon would invest in the town if they named it after him. With its combination of excellent transportation and remarkably fertile prairie soils, Mattoon expanded rapidly. By the dawn of the 20th century, Mattoon's growing population and rail access brought manufacturing and industry.
On the night before the Lincoln-Douglas debate of September 18, 1858, at the Coles County Fairgrounds, both Lincoln and Douglas had slept in nearby Mattoon, [1] (http://www.colescounty.net/history_lincoln.html),[2] (http://www.vanguardnewsnetwork.com/lettersOct-Nov03/10804bradleyusher2.htm) beginning the town's rise to importance in history. On June 17, 1861, General Ulysses S. Grant took his first post of the American Civil War when he assumed command of the 21st Illinois Infantry in Mattoon.
In 1865, Amish settlers began a community to the north near Arthur, IL. Amish farmstands and horse-drawn buggies are not uncommon sights in the northern part of Mattoon today.
In the 1890s, Mattoon lead the successful campaign to have a proposed college in eastern Illinois located in Coles County. The citizens were chagrined when neighboring Charleston was chosen as the home of the future Eastern Illinois University instead.
Mattoon has a strong tradition of baseball. The town was home to several minor-league teams in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and still has a thriving junior league. The last stadium, with a capacity of approximately 2,000 seats, was torn down in the late 1950s.
Arland Williams, Jr.
Mattoon was the hometown of Arland D. Williams Jr., a 46-year old bank examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta, Georgia. On January 13, 1982, he was one of only six survivors when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the ice-covered Potomac River in Washington, DC.
As a rescue helicopter hovered overhead, Mr. Williams repeatedly grabbed hold of the swaying lifeline and selflessly passed it to other survivors clinging to the wreckage. It is doubtful whether any of the victims could have been rescued without Mr. Williams's help. By the time the helicopter returned to rescue Mr. Williams, he had already drowned.
President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Williams the United States Coast Guard's Gold Lifesaving Medal. An important bridge was renamed for him, and The Citadel established several memorials. The new Arland D. Williams Jr. Elementary School in Mattoon was dedicated to his memory in August, 2003.
Recent history and current issues
In 1940, the discovery of petroleum reserves in the countryside immediayely surrounding Mattoon led to a small "oil boom" in the 1940s and 1950s, bringing with it economic benefits and increased civic pride. Oil extraction continues to be an important economic activity.
In 1966, Lake Land College was built just south of the city. The community college offers degrees for immediate employment and pre-university education.
After the arrival of the Lender's Bagel factory in 1986, Mattoon became the self-declared "Bagel Capital of the World." The town is also home to the world's largest bagel and an annual summer event called "Bagelfest." Traditionally a bastion of manufacturing, Mattoon has been challenged by the loss of several major plants in the last two decades.
Federal funds have been obtained to restore the battered Illinois Central Station in the heart of downtown Mattoon. The station and the Illinois Central Line tracks are still used by Amtrak, and the famous train City of New Orleans passes through Mattoon daily on its route from Chicago to "The Big Easy." Today the station is unmanned; passengers boarding at the Mattoon station must order their tickets by telephone or online.
Transportation is still a vital part of local economic life. Much of the major commercial development in recent years has occurred along Interstate 57, which crosses the eastern edge of Mattoon.
Geography
Mattoon is located at 39°28'44" North, 88°22'23" West (39.478850, -88.373086)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.1 km² (9.3 mi²). 24.1 km² (9.3 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 18,291 people, 8,105 households, and 4,676 families residing in the city. The population density is 758.6/km² (1,964.8/mi²). There are 8,830 housing units at an average density of 366.2/km² (948.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 96.64% White, 1.42% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.27% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,105 households out of which 26.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% are married couples living together, 10.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% are non-families. 35.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.87.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,800, and the median income for a family is $43,780. Males have a median income of $32,339 versus $21,949 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,186. 13.4% of the population and 7.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.5% of those under the age of 18 and 10.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Official website of the city of Mattoon (http://www.mattoonillinois.org/)
- Railroads and Mattoon history (http://www.colescounty.net/history_mattoonrr.html)
- General history of Mattoon (http://www.eiu.edu/~localite/coles/mattoon/)
- A brief history of Mattoon baseball (http://www.coleshistory.org/baseball/ProfessionalBallSummary.htm)
- Arland D. Williams Jr. Elementary School official website (http://www.mattoon.k12.il.us/Williams/index.htm)
- Contemporary accounts of the Mad Gasser (http://www.eiu.edu/~localite/coles/mattoon/gasser/)
- A local newspaper article about Farley Llewellyn (http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2003/06/30/news/news04.txt)
