Editing Brussels, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Brussels, Illinois
| official_name      = 
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| settlement_type    = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline      = St Mary's Church, Brussels.jpg
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| image_caption      = St. Mary's Catholic Church, May 2014
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| image_map          = File:Calhoun County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Brussels Highlighted.svg
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| map_caption        = Location of Brussels in Calhoun County, Illinois.
| image_map1         = Illinois in United States (US48).svg
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| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Illinois}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Illinois|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Calhoun County, Illinois|Calhoun]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of precincts in Illinois|Precinct]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Point Precinct, Calhoun County, Illinois|Point]]
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| leader_title       = Mayor
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| leader_title1      = Village president
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| unit_pref          = Imperial
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| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.558
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| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.558
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| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
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| elevation_ft       = 515
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| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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| population_total   = 116
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| timezone1          = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1        = -6
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| utc_offset1_DST    = -5
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| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 62013
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| area_code          = [[Area codes 618 and 730|618/730]]
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| blank_info         = 17-09148
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| blank1_info        = 2397479<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397479}}</ref>
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| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2   = Brussels, Illinois
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}}

'''Brussels''' is a [[village]] in [[Point Precinct, Calhoun County, Illinois|Point Precinct]], [[Calhoun County, Illinois|Calhoun County]], [[Illinois]], United States. The population was 116 at the 2020 census.

==General information==
Brussels is the headquarters location of the [[Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge]], which is noted for its population of [[bald eagle]]s.  The refuge is named after the two great rivers that flow together close to Brussels, the [[Illinois River]] and the [[Mississippi River]].

Brussels has one school district, No. 42, which consists of one grade school (Brussels Grade School) and one high school ([[Brussels High School]]). The school district serves the surrounding communities of Meppen, Golden Eagle, and parts of Batchtown. In addition to the public school system, Brussels has a parochial grade school, St. Marys.  Brussels High School is small and its enrollment usually hovers at around 70 students.

==History==
Brussels was first settled in 1822, when John Mettz came to the area; later in the same year, Joshua Twitchell established the community's first business, a blacksmith shop. In 1843, Brussels' population grew significantly due to an influx of German immigrants. German immigration continued through the 1860s, and Irish immigrants also began settling in Brussels in the 1850s. The Wittmond Trading Post, one of the first brick stores in the region, opened in Brussels in 1847, marking the beginning of the village's commercial development. St. Mary's Church formed in 1848 to serve the community's [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] residents; its current church building was constructed in 1863. In the early 1860s, St. Matthew's Church formed for Brussels' German [[Lutheran]] population. Brussels opened its own post office in 1875 and built its own jail in 1876. In 1888, Brussels was legally incorporated as a village.<ref name="NRHP nom">{{cite web|last1=Linn|first1=Cindy|title=National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Brussels Historic District|url=http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/203383.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811143340/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/203383.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2014|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=August 9, 2014|date=May 1, 1998}}</ref>

The main street of the village is [[Brussels Historic District|a historic district]] listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

==Geography==
Brussels is located at {{coord|38|56|50|N|90|35|19|W|type:city}} (38.947275, -90.588630).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Brussels has a total area of {{convert|0.56|sqmi|km2|2}}, all land.<ref name="gaz2021">{{Cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=June 29, 2022 |website=Census.gov}}</ref>

{{US Census population
|align=left
|1890= 228
|1900= 270
|1910= 283
|1920= 280
|1930= 279
|1940= 275
|1950= 205
|1960= 201
|1970= 191
|1980= 168
|1990= 125
|2000= 141
|2010= 141
|2020= 116
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1709148 |access-date=June 28, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 116 people, 36 households, and 17 families residing in the village. The population density was {{Convert|207.89|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 55 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|98.57|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the village was 93.97% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.86% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.72% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.45% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.72% of the population.

There were 36 households, out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.44% were married couples living together, 2.78% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.78% were non-families. 52.78% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.44% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.47 and the average family size was 2.64.

The village's age distribution consisted of 9.7% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 34.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 63.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 56.9 males.

Males had a median income of $39,583 versus $19,844 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $25,463. No families and 27.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including none of those under age 18 and 36.4% of those age 65 or over.{{clear left}}

==Education==
The school district is [[Brussels Community Unit School District 42]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17013_calhoun/DC20SD_C17013.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Calhoun County, IL|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-29}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17013_calhoun/DC20SD_C17013_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==See also==
{{stack|{{portal|Illinois}}}}
* [[List of municipalities in Illinois]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Brussels, Illinois}}

{{Calhoun County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Calhoun County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1888]]
[[Category:1888 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]