| Elmwood | |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Image Map1: | Illinois in United States (US48).svg |
| Map Caption1: | Location of Illinois in the United States |
| Coordinates: | 40.7783°N -89.9683°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Illinois |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Peoria |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.62 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.40 |
| Area Land Km2: | 3.62 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.40 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 2058 |
| Population Density Km2: | 569.23 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1474.21 |
| Timezone1: | CST |
| Utc Offset1: | −6 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | −5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 61529 |
| Area Code: | 309 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 17-23698 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | GNIS ID |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Wikimedia Commons |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | Elmwood, Illinois |
| Website: | City of Elmwood Illinois |
Elmwood is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,097 at the 2010 census. Elmwood is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The settlement was named after a beautiful community of elm trees near the mansion of William J. Phelps, and decided to call their settlement Elmwood.[2] [3] [4] Phelps was the first postmaster and owned a barn that was part of the Underground Railroad. The town was platted in 1852.[5]
On the night of June 5, 2010, an elephant trunk tornado touched down in Elmwood, destroying city hall and other area buildings, bringing down limbs and power lines, and damaging the roof of a theater.[6] [7] Although Elmwood suffered a great deal from the tornado, many town businesses re-opened.[8]
Elmwood is located at .[9]
According to the 2010 census, Elmwood has a total area of 1.43sqmi, all land.[10]
As of the 2000 United States Census,[11] there were 1,945 people, 772 households, and 565 families residing in the city. The population density was 1577.1sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 806 housing units at an average density of 653.5sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 98.71% White, 0.15% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 772 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,500, and the median income for a family was $51,505. Males had a median income of $37,981 versus $22,557 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,797. About 2.4% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
Elmwood is mentioned in Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881); Frederick Douglass gave a lyceum lecture in early February 1871 "on one of the frostiest and coldest nights I have ever experienced." Needing a place to stay in Peoria the following night, Elmwood citizen E.R. Brown suggested to Douglass that orator Robert G. Ingersoll "would gladly open his doors to you."[12] [13] [14]
Elmwood hosts an annual strawberry festival in June.[15] [16]
Central Park features a statue by Elmwood native, Lorado Taft, called The Pioneers.