Aledo, Illinois | |
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| Motto(s): City of Pride and Progress[1] | |
 Location in Mercer County, Illinois | |
  Aledo Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:41°12′1″N90°45′0″W / 41.20028°N 90.75000°W /41.20028; -90.75000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Mercer |
| Township | Mercer |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Chris Hagloch[2] |
| • City Administrator | Michael Chausse |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.38 sq mi (6.16 km2) |
| • Land | 2.37 sq mi (6.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 736 ft (224 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 3,633 |
| • Density | 1,534.21/sq mi (592.30/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 61231 |
| Area code | 309 861 |
| FIPS code | 17-00646 |
| Website | www |
Aledo/əˈliːdoʊ/ is acity and thecounty seat ofMercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,633 at the2020 census.[4][6]
Aledo was established in the 1850s when the railroad was extended to that point. It was briefly named "DeSoto", afterHernando de Soto, until the discovery ofan identically named village inJackson County.[7] Development began in the 1850s, and the oldest surviving buildings date from the following decade.[8] A post office has been in operation at Aledo since September 24, 1856.[9] In 1857, the county seat was moved to Aledo fromMillersburg after a countywide referendum. Aledo was incorporated on August 15, 1863. In the 1950s, the firstTastee-Freez in the United States was built in the downtown.[10] TheDowntown Aledo Historic District was established in 2016, with 75 contributing historic buildings in the downtown area.
Aledo is located in central Mercer County at41°12′1″N90°45′0″W / 41.20028°N 90.75000°W /41.20028; -90.75000 (41.200172, -90.749956).[11]Illinois Route 17 passes through the city center on Third Street, leading east 8 miles (13 km) toViola and west 14 miles (23 km) toNew Boston on theMississippi River.Illinois Route 94 follows IL 17 along Southeast Third Street turns south at the city center onto South College Avenue. IL 94 leads south-southwest 29 miles (47 km) toBiggsville and northeast 22 miles (35 km) toU.S. Route 67 on the southern outskirts of theQuad Cities.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Aledo has a total area of 2.36 square miles (6.11 km2), of which 0.012 square miles (0.03 km2), or 0.51%, are water.[3] The city sits on high ground that drains north to theEdwards River, a westward-flowing direct tributary of the Mississippi, and south to Pike Run, a tributary of Pope Creek, which flows to the Mississippi atKeithsburg.
| Climate data for Aledo, Illinois, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 69 (21) | 72 (22) | 94 (34) | 93 (34) | 103 (39) | 104 (40) | 113 (45) | 106 (41) | 102 (39) | 93 (34) | 81 (27) | 73 (23) | 113 (45) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 52.2 (11.2) | 56.3 (13.5) | 71.4 (21.9) | 80.5 (26.9) | 87.0 (30.6) | 91.3 (32.9) | 92.9 (33.8) | 91.6 (33.1) | 89.5 (31.9) | 82.9 (28.3) | 68.7 (20.4) | 55.8 (13.2) | 94.6 (34.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 31.0 (−0.6) | 35.6 (2.0) | 49.1 (9.5) | 62.1 (16.7) | 72.7 (22.6) | 81.7 (27.6) | 84.7 (29.3) | 83.1 (28.4) | 76.9 (24.9) | 64.1 (17.8) | 49.3 (9.6) | 36.4 (2.4) | 60.6 (15.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 22.2 (−5.4) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 38.2 (3.4) | 50.0 (10.0) | 61.2 (16.2) | 70.7 (21.5) | 74.1 (23.4) | 72.3 (22.4) | 65.1 (18.4) | 52.7 (11.5) | 39.4 (4.1) | 28.0 (−2.2) | 50.0 (10.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.3 (−10.4) | 17.0 (−8.3) | 27.4 (−2.6) | 37.9 (3.3) | 49.7 (9.8) | 59.8 (15.4) | 63.4 (17.4) | 61.5 (16.4) | 53.2 (11.8) | 41.3 (5.2) | 29.5 (−1.4) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 39.5 (4.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −8.3 (−22.4) | −2.6 (−19.2) | 8.9 (−12.8) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 36.6 (2.6) | 48.7 (9.3) | 54.8 (12.7) | 53.1 (11.7) | 39.9 (4.4) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 13.6 (−10.2) | 0.0 (−17.8) | −11.9 (−24.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −33 (−36) | −30 (−34) | −15 (−26) | 10 (−12) | 26 (−3) | 36 (2) | 44 (7) | 38 (3) | 24 (−4) | 9 (−13) | −6 (−21) | −22 (−30) | −33 (−36) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.67 (42) | 1.85 (47) | 2.52 (64) | 4.00 (102) | 5.06 (129) | 5.37 (136) | 3.86 (98) | 3.89 (99) | 3.73 (95) | 2.82 (72) | 2.32 (59) | 2.01 (51) | 39.10 (993) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.2 (16) | 6.2 (16) | 3.0 (7.6) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 1.4 (3.6) | 4.1 (10) | 21.8 (55.46) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 6.0 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 9.9 | 11.5 | 9.8 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 7.7 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 94.0 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 9.4 |
| Source:NOAA[12][13] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 563 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,076 | 91.1% | |
| 1880 | 1,492 | 38.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,601 | 7.3% | |
| 1900 | 2,081 | 30.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,144 | 3.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,231 | 4.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,203 | −1.3% | |
| 1940 | 2,593 | 17.7% | |
| 1950 | 2,919 | 12.6% | |
| 1960 | 3,080 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 3,325 | 8.0% | |
| 1980 | 3,881 | 16.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,681 | −5.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,613 | −1.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,640 | 0.7% | |
| 2020 | 3,633 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] | |||
At the 2010census,[15] there were 3,640 people, 1,568 households and 947 families residing in the city. The racial make-up of the city was 98.5% (3,586)white, 0.6% (22)African American, 0.0% (1)Native American, 0.3% (12)Asian, 0.1% (4) fromother races and 0.4% (15) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.2% (45) of the population.
There were 1,568 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 49.0% weremarried couples living together, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 39.6% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.84.
The male population made up 47.5% (1,728), the female population made up 52.5% (1,912). 6.3% (229) of the population were under 5 years, 17.1% (622) from 5 to 19 years, 10.3% (374) from 20 to 29 years, 10.2% (368) from 30 to 39, 12.5% (453) from 40 to 49, 12.9% (472) from 50 to 59;, 12.1% (441) from 60 to 69, 8.2% (296) from 70 to 79 and 10.6% (385) were 80 years and over. The median age was 45.8 years.
The 2009-2013 American Community Survey[16] estimated themedian household income in 2013 to be $39,424 and the median family income to be $56,546. Full-time, year-round male workers were estimated to have a median income of $44,435 and females $30,357. Theper capita income was $21,373. About 15.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were estimated to be below thepoverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.
The American Community Survey estimated that in 2013 there were 1,740 civilians 16 years and over employed. Of those, 33.7% were estimated to be employed in educational services, health care or social assistance, 14.3% in manufacturing, 10.0% in construction, 8.4% in retail trade, 6.8% in professional, scientific, management, administrative or waste management services, 6.1% in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing, 4.8% in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation or food services and the remaining 15.9% in other trades, including agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, mining, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, utilities, information, public administration and other services.
Aledo was the home toWilliam & Vashti College (1908–1917) — the campus/buildings were purchased and used by the Roosevelt Military Academy from 1924 to 1973. The Administration Building was torn down, and the spot was used to construct an assisted living facility. The remaining two buildings (Niles Hall and North Hall) are unused. William & Vashti College was a member of theIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1910 to 1917.
The High School Mascot used to be the Aledo Green Dragons. School colors wereForest Green andWhite. The Class of 2006 had 71 students, which is about an average class size.
Mercer County High School offers a variety of course curriculum in the sciences, math, literature, social sciences, and the arts. The school has aconcert band,jazz band,marching band,concert choir, andswing choir.
The school also offers a variety of athletics includingvolleyball,football, both men and women'sgolf, men and women'sbasketball,wrestling,track and field,softball,baseball, andcross country. Some extracurricular activities that students can become involved in arescholastic bowl, football, basketball,pom poms,cheerleading,flags,majorettes, andmusicals.[18]
From 1915 to 2009,Aledo High School competed in boys football. They qualified for the state tournament on 17 occasions since the tournament began in 1974.[19][20] From 1998 to 2006, Aledo High School has reached the finals of fiveIHSA boys' football championship tournaments. Of those five, the school won three times.[21]
Aledo School District #201 and Westmer School District #203 have consolidated since the 2009–2010 school year.[22]The consolidation was voted upon by both school boards and was on the ballot for the 2008 election. The measure passed by a 76% margin.
The new consolidated district is Mercer County District #404 and the new mascot adopted by popular vote in early 2009 is the Mercer CountyGolden Eagles. School colors changed tonavy blue andvegas gold. The Class of 2010 had over 120 students, well above the usual average.[citation needed]
Aledo hosts two annual festivals, the Rhubarb Fest and Antique Days. The Rhubarb Festival, which is held every June in the city downtown, offers a variety ofrhubarb-related activities, ranging fromrhubarb pie sales to free rhubarb seed distributions. The festival additionally offers other crafts and forms of entertainment and music; it has been undertaken every year since 1991.[23] The city of Aledo's Antique Days festivals likewise occur annually in the month of September, and includes a citywide food festival, music from local residents and the high school music departments, and sports competitions among communities in the area.[24]
Aledo has its own radio station,WRMJ-FM. WRMJ features country music along with live sports, local news and local programming. It broadcasts on a frequency of 102.3 MHz from a tower west of Aledo. The radio station serves most ofMercer County, and was founded in 1979.[25] Mercer County's weekly newspaper, TheTimes Record, is based in Aledo and is owned byGannett.[26]National Communications Magazine, a publication for radio hobbyists, moved its operations from Ohio to Aledo in 2014 after being acquired by a local resident.
Municipalities and communities ofMercer County, Illinois,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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