Nelson, Illinois
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Nelson
| official_name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline =
| imagesize =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| etymology =
| nickname =
| motto =
| anthem =
| image_map = File:Lee County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Nelson Highlighted.svg
| mapsize =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of Nelson in Lee County, Illinois.
| image_map1 = Illinois in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1 =
| map_alt1 =
| map_caption1 = Location of Illinois in the United States
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|41|47|47|N|89|36|17|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| grid_name =
| grid_position =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Lee
| subdivision_type3 = Township
| subdivision_name3 =
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| established_title = Founded
| established_date =
| established_title1 =
| established_date1 =
| established_title2 =
| established_date2 =
| established_title3 =
| established_date3 =
| established_title4 =
| established_date4 =
| established_title5 =
| established_date5 =
| established_title6 =
| established_date6 =
| established_title7 =
| established_date7 =
| extinct_title =
| extinct_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| seat_type =
| seat =
| seat1_type =
| seat1 =
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 = Village president
| leader_name1 =
| total_type =
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_total_km2 = 0.94
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.36
| area_land_km2 = 0.92
| area_land_sq_mi = 0.36
| area_water_km2 = 0.01
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| area_water_percent =
| area_metro_footnotes =
| area_metro_km2 =
| area_metro_sq_mi =
| area_rank =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation_point =
| elevation_max_footnotes =
| elevation_max_m =
| elevation_max_ft =
| elevation_max_point =
| elevation_max_rank =
| elevation_min_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m =
| elevation_min_ft =
| elevation_min_point =
| elevation_min_rank =
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 127
| pop_est_as_of =
| pop_est_footnotes =
| population_est =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 137.47
| population_density_sq_mi = 355.74
| population_metro_footnotes =
| population_metro =
| population_density_metro_km2 =
| population_density_metro_sq_mi =
| population_density =
| population_density_rank =
| population_blank1_title =
| population_blank1 =
| population_density_blank1_km2 =
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
| population_blank2_title =
| population_blank2 =
| population_density_blank2_km2 =
| population_density_blank2_sq_mi =
| population_demonym =
| population_note =
| demographics_type1 =
| demographics1_footnotes =
| demographics1_title1 =
| demographics1_info1 =
| demographics_type2 =
| demographics2_footnotes =
| demographics2_title1 =
| demographics2_info1 =
| timezone1 = CST
| utc_offset1 = −6
| timezone1_DST = CDT
| utc_offset1_DST = −5
| timezone2 =
| utc_offset2 =
| timezone2_DST =
| utc_offset2_DST =
| postal_code_type = ZIP Code(s)
| postal_code = 61055
| postal2_code_type =
| postal2_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_codes = 815 & 779
| geocode =
| iso_code =
| blank_name = FIPS code
| blank_info = 17-51947
| blank1_name =
| blank1_info =
| blank2_name =
| blank2_info =
| blank_name_sec2 =
| blank_info_sec2 =
| blank1_name_sec2 =
| blank1_info_sec2 =
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Nelson, Illinois
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Nelson is a village in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 170 at the 2010 census, up from 163 in 2000.
History
A post office called Nelson was first established in 1858.{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IL&county=Lee&searchtext=&pagenum=2 | title=Lee County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=March 23, 2015}} The village was named for Samuel Nelson, a pioneer settler.{{cite book|author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company|title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA106|year=1908|page=106}}
Geography
Nelson is located at {{coord|41|47|47|N|89|36|17|W|type:city}} (41.796494, -89.604646).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}
According to the 2010 census, Nelson has a total area of {{convert|0.244|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.24|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 98.36%) is land and {{convert|0.004|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 1.64%) is water.{{cite web
|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1751947
|title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
|accessdate=December 19, 2015
|publisher=United States Census Bureau
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213050523/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1751947
|archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
}}
Demographics
{{US Census population
|1880= 82
|1890= 48
|1930= 290
|1940= 265
|1950= 289
|1960= 283
|1970= 263
|1980= 215
|1990= 200
|2000= 163
|2010= 170
|2020= 127
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}
}}
As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 163 people, 64 households, and 49 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|719.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 70 housing units at an average density of {{convert|308.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 96.32% White, 0.61% African American, 0.61% Native American, and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.13% of the population.
There were 64 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 17.2% 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 2.55 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village, the age distribution of the population shows 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $35,833, and the median income for a family was $37,500. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,043. About 15.9% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 60.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.1% of those 65 or over.
Education
Besides the local public schools, Christ Lutheran School, located in nearby Sterling, serves students of various religious backgrounds from Milledgeville to Walnut and from Morrison to Dixon. As part of the largest network of Protestant schools in the US, CLS provides an education for students from age 3 through 8th grade that is focused on all of the core academic subjects while remaining true to the Bible.{{cite web
| url = http://www.christlutheranschool.com/
| title = Welcome to Christ Lutheran School
| publisher = Christ Lutheran School
| access-date = February 17, 2024
}}
Notable person
- Lou Bevil, pitcher for the Washington Senators