LaSalle, Illinois

LaSalle (La Salle)
City
Downtown LaSalle, Illinois.
Official name: La Salle
Country United States
State Illinois
County LaSalle
Townships LaSalle, Utica, Peru, Waltham, Dimmick
Elevation 517 ft (158 m)
Coordinates 41°20′28″N 89°5′27″W / 41.34111°N 89.09083°W / 41.34111; -89.09083Coordinates: 41°20′28″N 89°5′27″W / 41.34111°N 89.09083°W / 41.34111; -89.09083
Highest point 655 feet (200 m)
 - location ABC Wire, Inc.
Lowest point 438 feet (134 m)
 - location Illinois and Michigan Canal
Area 12.21 sq mi (32 km2)
 - land 12.11 sq mi (31 km2)
 - water 0.1 sq mi (0 km2)
Population 9,328 (2014)
Density 778/sq mi (300/km2)
Founded 1852
Date May 25
Mayor Jeff Grove
Timezone CST (UTC−6)
 - summer (DST) CDT (UTC−5)
Postal code 61301
Area code 815, 779
Location of LaSalle within Illinois
Wikimedia Commons: LaSalle, Illinois
Website: lasalle-il.gov

LaSalle is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States, located at the intersection of Interstates 39 and 80. It is part of the Ottawa-Peru, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Originally platted in 1837 over one square mile (2.6 square kilometers), the city's boundaries have grown to 12 sq mi (31 km2). City boundaries extend from the Illinois River and Illinois and Michigan Canal to a mile north of Interstate 80 and from the city of Peru on the west to the village of North Utica on the east. Starved Rock State Park is located approximately 5 mi (8 km) to the east. The population was 9,609 at the 2010 census, and was estimated to be 9,328 by July 2014.[1] LaSalle and its twin city, Peru, make up the core of the Illinois Valley.[2] Due to their combined dominance of the zinc processing industry in the early 1900s, they were collectively nicknamed "Zinc City."

History

LaSalle was named in honor of the early French explorer, Robert de LaSalle.

Canal port (1836–1933)

The Illinois and Michigan Canal was first thought up by French explorer, Louis Joliet. Much later, when Illinois became a state, the idea of a canal connecting Lake Michigan to the Illinois River was supported by many, including Abraham Lincoln. The 96 miles long canal was finally constructed between 1836 and 1848. Upon its completion, Chicago became the eastern terminus and LaSalle became the western terminus. LaSalle boomed as a transshipment point from canal boats coming from Chicago to steamboats going to St. Louis and New Orleans. It became a place where Northern and Southern culture met.

It is difficult to imagine the level of frenzied activity that once took place at locks 14 and 15, where the canal boat basin and the steamboat basins were located. Steamboats from New Orleans unloaded molasses, sugar, coffee, and fresh oranges and lemons. Canal boats from Chicago brought lumber, stoves, wagons, and the latest clothing styles from the east. Local farmers hauled corn and wheat to be shipped to Chicago and points east. Passengers hustled to make connections to canal boats bound for Chicago or steamboats headed to St. Louis and beyond. Hotels and other services were available to travelers. Many stores grew catering to canal trade.[3]

Today the story can be told at the La Salle Canal Boat, the Volunteer.

Zinc City (1858–1978)

By the mid 1850s, LaSalle had begun to exploit the coal that lay underneath much of the city. The LaSalle Coal Mining Company completed the first shaft in 1856 and many other companies soon followed suit. By 1884 there were six shafts in the area, the deepest 452 feet. The history of LaSalle would have played out very differently were it not for the arrival of two immigrants in 1858. Frederick William Matthiessen met German born Edward C. Hegeler at a prestigious mining school, and after graduating in 1856, the two traveled together to the United States. In 1858, attracted by the abundance of coal, coupled with the excellent transportation links provided by the canal and the Illinois Central Railroad, they chose LaSalle as the site for an innovative zinc smelting plant –the first in the United States. Before the plant opened, nearly all of the zinc used in the United States was imported. Zinc is needed to make brass and was a common fire-proofing material. Most significantly, zinc was used to prevent corrosion of iron and steel. With the opening of the first steel production plant in Joliet in the early 1870s, zinc became an important part of the local industrial economy. In a decade the Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Works became the largest producer of zinc in the country, and one of the largest in the world.

The Matthiessens, Hegelers and their families were very involved in developing the community. They helped found industries such as the LaSalle Machine and Tool Company and the Western Clock Co. that would later become Westclox. Mary Hegeler married Dr. Paul Carus, who founded the Open Court Publishing Company in 1887, whose mission was "establishing ethics and religion upon a scientific basis" and was a key figure in introducing Eastern thought to the United States, making LaSalle "Buddhism's Gateway to the West." Matthiessen was a philanthropist, who served as Mayor of LaSalle from 1886–1895. He gave thousands of dollars to help build the sewer system, the electric light plant, and various roads and bridges. As the first president of the LaSalle-Peru High School Board, he was a generous donor to the school. In 1914, Matthiessen established the Hygienic Institute to combat epidemics. A public benefactor in the best sense of the word, Matthiessen opened much of his estate, called Deer Park, to the public with the nominal entrance fee going to charity. In 1943, this property was named Matthiessen State Park in his honor. On the day of his funeral in February 1918, the entire community suspended all business between 11 and 12 o’clock.

Today, this story is told at the Hegeler-Carus Mansion.

Little Reno (1933–1953)

With the end of Prohibition in 1933, saloons no longer operated under the euphemism of "soft drink" vendors, and these and related gambling concerns flourished. Although illegal, gambling proliferated in LaSalle, supporting the abundant and related tobacco, liquor, food, and lodging businesses.

Travelers arrived by car or via the Rock Island Rocket from Chicago for a Saturday night's revelry in such numbers that the streets of LaSalle are said to have been standing-room only. There was wall to wall entertainment along First Street, at the heart of which was the Kelly and Cawley liquor and gambling house. LaSalle became known as "Little Reno" and boasted dozens of clubs. With between 60 and 80 saloons in LaSalle from 1940 to 1950 this continued to be the town's primary commercial enterprise. In 1953 a federal raid on Kelly and Cawley's ended the era.

Largest employers

The following businesses have more than 100 people staffed, making them the six largest in LaSalle:[4]

Geography

La Salle is located at 41°20′28″N 89°5′27″W / 41.34111°N 89.09083°W / 41.34111; -89.09083 (41.341056, −89.090834).[5]

Centrally located along the Illinois and Michigan Canal at the crossroads of I-39 and I-80, LaSalle is just six miles (10 km) from Starved Rock State Park.

According to the 2010 census, LaSalle has a total area of 11.853 square miles (30.70 km2), of which 11.76 square miles (30.46 km2) (or 99.22%) is land and 0.093 square miles (0.24 km2) (or 0.78%) is water.[6] This has grown to 12.11 sq mi (31.4 km2), 12.11 sq mi (31.4 km2), and 0.1 sq mi (0.26 km2) since.

Climate

Climate data for LaSalle, Illinois
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 66
(19)		 72
(22)		 84
(29)		 91
(33)		 96
(36)		 101
(38)		 104
(40)		 103
(39)		 98
(37)		 91
(33)		 79
(26)		 70
(21)		 104
(40)
Average high °F (°C) 30
(−1)		 36
(2)		 48
(9)		 62
(17)		 73
(23)		 82
(28)		 85
(29)		 83
(28)		 77
(25)		 64
(18)		 49
(9)		 34
(1)		 60.3
(15.7)
Average low °F (°C) 14
(−10)		 18
(−8)		 28
(−2)		 39
(4)		 49
(9)		 59
(15)		 63
(17)		 61
(16)		 52
(11)		 41
(5)		 31
(−1)		 18
(−8)		 39.4
(4)
Record low °F (°C) −26
(−32)		 −21
(−29)		 −8
(−22)		 13
(−11)		 25
(−4)		 37
(3)		 42
(6)		 40
(4)		 27
(−3)		 16
(−9)		 5
(−15)		 −21
(−29)		 −26
(−32)
Source: <La Salle, Illinois Weather= >weather.com (2014). "LaSalle, Illinois Weather". LaSalle, Illinois Weather Data. Open Publishing. Retrieved May 24, 2014. 

Culture

Entertainment and the Arts

LaSalle has performances by the Illinois Valley Symphony. Stage 212 and a ballet studio cultivate the performing arts. Matthiessen Auditorium hosts many examples of performing arts, including the LaSalle-Peru Township High School band, jazz band, choir, musical, and local junior high bands. Maestro and Mi educates musicians.

The Jazz in the Street festival has been held annually since 2006 on the Saturday before Columbus Day. Most years, there have been appearances by locally popular bands, including the Illinois Valley Community College and even Northern Illinois University jazz bands. The day after this festival, the Burgoo festival is held in neighboring town North Utica.

Tourism

LaSalle has several National Historical Structures: Hotel Kaskaskia, the Hegeler-Carus Mansion, the Julius W. Hegeler House, and the LaSalle City Building.

There is a Museum and Visitor's Center dedicated to the I&M Canal on First and Joliet Streets.

In the Lock 14 basin, just one block south of downtown La Salle on Route 351 is the Volunteer, an 1880s replica Canal Boat. Tourists can enjoy a mule pulled ride on the waterway that changed the face of the nation – the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal. The one-hour, round trip journey on a full-size replica canal boat will take you on the same hand-dug waterway that 19th century pioneers traveled. The guides, dressed as Canal Era crew and passengers, will take you back in time to life on the American frontier and the Illinois prairie.

A few steps from the boat dock and the mule corral, meet ten passengers who rode a canal boat between 1848 and 1853 and three men who worked on the packet boats. These full size steel silhouettes and their labels introduce you to famous and not-so-famous people who walked here before you. Among the famous, see mule driver Wild Bill Hickok, Abraham Lincoln and his family, and Chief Shabonna. Ticket information is available by clicking here.

LaSalle also has a National Historic Landmark, in the Hegeler Carus Mansion. The Mansion, built in 1874 for the Hegeler Family by W. W. Boyington is a lavish Victorian-era home with 57 rooms, 10 fireplaces, the oldest private gymnasium in America, and a dining room table that seats 22 people. A showcase of premier 19th century architecture and design, the mansion features intricate, hand-painted walls and ceilings, elaborate woodwork, century-old chandeliers, parquet floors, floor-to-ceiling windows; etched glass windows and other fine details.

Sports

There is a strong Little League of nearly 30 baseball teams. The Illinois Valley Youth Football League folded in the mid 2000s, giving way to the LaSalle-Peru Youth Football League.

Nearly 900 people crowd into Howard Fellows Stadium on fall Friday nights to watch the LaSalle-Peru High School Cavaliers football team, which last made the IHSA state playoffs in 2009.

The city housed the LaSalle Blue Sox of the Illinois–Missouri League in 1914.[7] They posted a 26-60 record.

Media

Many radio stations are in the area, including WLPO, WAJK, and WLWF.

For newspaper, the NewsTribune serves the area, as well as many Chicago newspapers.

Education

LaSalle-Peru Township High School serves 9th–12th graders. LaSalle Elementary School District 122 (made up of three schools: Lincoln Junior High, Northwest Elementary, Jackson Preschool) offers education for grades PreK-8th, as well as Trinity Catholic Academy. There is also CCD at St. Hyacinth's Felician Learning Center on Wednesdays.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18603,993—
18705,20030.2%
18807,84750.9%
18909,85525.6%
190010,4466.0%
191011,53710.4%
192013,05013.1%
193013,1490.8%
194012,812−2.6%
195012,083−5.7%
196011,897−1.5%
197010,736−9.8%
198010,341−3.7%
19909,090−12.1%
20009,4704.2%
20109,6091.5%
Est. 20159,263[8]−3.6%
Decennial US Census

As of the 2010 Census[9] there were 9,609 people, 3,970 households, and 2,389 families residing in the city. The population density was 778 people per square mile (300/km²). There were 4,437 housing units at an average density of 367 per square mile (142/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.2% White, 1.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 5.7% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.2% of the population.

There were 3,970 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.1% 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 3.00.

The city's age distribution consisted of 23.5% under the age of 18, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years, and females made up 49.7% of the population.

The median income for households during 2009–2013 was $47,560, and 15.2% of the population was below poverty level.[10]

Transportation

The city is at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and Interstate 39. Illinois Route 351 separates the east and west of US Route 6. US Route 51 also runs through the city. The CSX New Rock Subdivision runs through town, with Iowa Interstate Railroad running via trackage rights. The Illinois Railway LaSalle Line also runs through town, crossing the CSX Line and continuing on to a sand pit that they service.

Points of interest

Notable people

References

Further reading

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