Editing Forrest, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Forrest, Illinois
| official_name = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| other_name = 
| settlement_type = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline = File:Forrest, Illinois.jpg
| imagesize = 
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| image_flag = 
| image_seal = 
| etymology = 
| nickname = 
| motto = 
| anthem = 
| image_map = File:Livingston County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Forrest Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location in Livingston County, Illinois
| image_map1 = Illinois in United States (US48).svg
| mapsize1 = 
| map_alt1 = 
| map_caption1 = Location of Illinois in the United States
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| coordinates = {{coord|40|44|52|N|88|24|32|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name = 
| grid_position = 
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Livingston County, Illinois|Livingston]]
| subdivision_type3 = Townships
| subdivision_name3 = [[Forrest Township, Livingston County, Illinois|Forrest]], [[Pleasant Ridge Township, Livingston County, Illinois|Pleasant Ridge]]
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 
| founder = 
| named_for = 
| seat_type = 
| seat = 
| government_footnotes = 
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| governing_body = 
| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = 
| leader_title1 = Village president
| leader_name1 = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 1.68
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.65
| area_land_km2 = 1.68
| area_land_sq_mi = 0.65
| area_water_km2 = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 686
| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total = 1041
| population_density_km2 = 619.93
| population_density_sq_mi = 1606.48
| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1 = -6
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = -5
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code = 61741
| area_code = 815
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-27026
| blank1_name  = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info  = 2398899<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2398899}}</ref>
| blank2_name = 
| blank2_info = 
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Forrest, Illinois
| website = {{URL|www.forrestil.org}}
| footnotes = 
}}
'''Forrest''' is a [[village (Illinois)|village]] in [[Livingston County, Illinois|Livingston County]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]]. The population was 1,220 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/1600000US1727026| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (DP-1), Forrest village, Illinois| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=American FactFinder| access-date=January 15, 2020| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213133707/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/1600000US1727026| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Forrest, Illinois aerial 01A.jpg|thumb|left|Aerial view of Forrest, 2012]]
Forrest is located in southeastern Livingston County in the northern part of [[Forrest Township, Livingston County, Illinois|Forrest Township]], with a small area extending north into [[Pleasant Ridge Township, Livingston County, Illinois|Pleasant Ridge Township]].

[[U.S. Route 24]] (Wabash Avenue) passes through the village, leading east {{convert|21|mi}} to [[Interstate 57]] at [[Gilman, Illinois|Gilman]] and west {{convert|17|mi}} to [[Interstate 55]] at [[Chenoa, Illinois|Chenoa]]. [[Illinois Route 47]] (Center Street) crosses US 24 near the village center; it leads north {{convert|24|mi}} to [[Dwight, Illinois|Dwight]] and south {{convert|20|mi}} to [[Gibson City, Illinois|Gibson City]].

According to the 2010 census, Forrest has a total area of {{convert|0.68|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1727026
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=August 3, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213054201/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1727026
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==History==

=== Founding and naming ===

Forrest was laid out on December 11, 1866, by [[Israel J. Krack]] (1816 – 1900). Krack was born in [[Baltimore]], Maryland. Both of his parents had come from Germany. He was briefly a teacher, lived in [[Indiana]], and came to Livingston County in 1854. Krack was a farmer, [[notary public]], grain dealer, and in later life an insurance agent. Krack was elected to the [[Illinois General Assembly]] in 1872 and became treasurer of Livingston County in 1878.<ref>''History of Livingston County, Illinois'' (Chicago: LeBaron, 1878) p.637.</ref> Krack Street, which parallels the railroad, was named for the town's founder.

When Forrest was established, the [[Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad]] had already been in operation for almost ten years, and therefore the origin of the town is unlike [[Fairbury, Illinois|Fairbury]], [[Chatsworth, Illinois|Chatsworth]], [[Chenoa, Illinois|Chenoa]], [[Gridley, Illinois|Gridley]] and  [[El Paso, Illinois|El Paso]], all of which were founded when the railroad was first built. Within a few years of its founding, the people of Forrest did not know the full name of the person for whom the town was named. The author of the 1878 ''History of Livingston County'' says only two things about Mr. Forrest: he was a business partner of C. L. Frost, an official of the Toledo, Peoria and Western, and that he had promised to do something for the young village and that promise was "unfulfilled". The first version of the name was said to be "Forestville", spelled with one "r", but the "Forrest" spelling quickly came into use.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, pp. 524-525.</ref> Forrest Township was created soon after the village was founded and took its name from the village.<ref>''History of Livingston,'' 1878, pp.  287, 390</ref>

=== Design and commerce ===

In 1861 or 1862, before the town was platted, Israel J. Krack was operating a [[grain elevator]] at the location.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p.529.</ref> Like most towns of the period, the plan of the original town of Forrest was centered on a long narrow depot grounds, which were on the north side of the tracks. The plat was for a simple grid of twenty blocks.<ref>''Standard Atlas of Livingston County, Illinois'' (Chicago: George A. Ogle, 1911) p. 55.</ref> The first house in Forrest was built by Mr. Krack, who was also the first [[postmaster]] and the first [[station master|station agent]]. He also laid out many additions to the town. The first hotel was built by William Umberfield and was known as the Forrest House. The first mill was built by R. B. Wilson. The first church was built by the [[Methodists]] in 1868. The town grew rapidly and by 1890 had over 1,000 people.<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p. 662.</ref> Forrest, like almost every other early town of central Illinois during this period, was built from inexpensive pine lumber brought in by the railroad from [[Michigan]] or [[Wisconsin]]. In the winter of 1868-1869 much of the business district, including one grain warehouse, was burned. It was quickly rebuilt. This was the first of many fires that plagued the new town.<ref>''History of Livingston County'', 1878, pp. 529-531.</ref> In 1890 a particularly devastating blaze destroyed much of downtown Forrest. Rebuilding was rapid, and by 1893 there were five hotels.<ref>''Standard Atlas'', 1893, p. 55.</ref>

=== Introduction of the Wabash Railroad ===

The people of Forrest worked to attract a second railroad. At first there were hopes that the Chicago and Paducah Railroad could be induced to construct its tracks through the town, but this road was diverted to nearby [[Fairbury, Illinois|Fairbury]].<ref>''History of Livingston'', 1878, p.224.</ref> Success came when the [[Wabash Railroad]] was constructed through Forrest in 1880. On May 1 of that year, the first train on the Wabash passed through Forrest. The village became an important stopping place on the Wabash line linking [[Chicago]] and [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]. Soon repair shops were built, and by the early 1890s over sixty men were employed here.<ref>''Livingston County Illinois, Biographical Record'' (Chicago: S.J. Clark, 1900) p.209.</ref> The town became a freight shipment point for the Chicago Division of the railroad. In 1894 local workers supported a strike against the Wabash, and many of those who had supported the strike lost their jobs to [[strikebreaker]]s. The Freight Division was removed to [[Decatur, Illinois|Decatur]]. Between 1914 and 1921 it was briefly returned to Forrest.<ref>[http://www.forrestil.org/More_History4.html "The Village of Forrest: Tracks from the Past, Vision for the Future"]. Accessed May 30, 2010.</ref> By the 1920s the days of Forrest as a railroad center began to fade. In 1924 the state of Illinois began construction on a paved road that eventually became Route 24.

==Historical landmarks==
[[File:Forrest Station - April 2016.jpg|thumb|Forrest's Wabash Railroad depot in April&nbsp;2016]]
In the Railroad Park at Forrest are several important railroad-related remains. A surviving [[railroad turntable]] is located here. The turntable was re-painted in 2017. The park also contains the former Wabash Railroad station and a restored [[Norfolk & Western Railroad]] caboose. The Wabash Railroad station is now a museum, and contains a scale model of the town as it was in its railroad heyday. The model includes a fully functional turntable and electric railroad track. The museum also contains many artifacts from the early 1900s.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 357
|1890= 1021
|1900= 952
|1910= 967
|1920= 965
|1930= 915
|1940= 947
|1950= 1040
|1960= 1220
|1970= 1219
|1980= 1246
|1990= 1124
|2000= 1225
|2010= 1220
|2020= 1041
|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>
}}
Per the [[2010 United States Census]], Forrest had 1,220 people.  Among non-Hispanics this includes 1,135 [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (93.0%), 5 [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] (0.4%), 2 [[Asian American|Asian]] (0.2%), & 2 from two or more races.  The [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] population included 75 people (6.1%).

There were 469 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.4% had a female householder with children & no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 28.6% had someone who was 65 years of age or older.

The population had 74.0% over the age of 18 and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.9 years. The gender ratio was 49.8% male & 50.2% female.  Among 469 occupied households, 73.1% were owner-occupied & 26.9% were renter-occupied.[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20151023151502/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml]

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,225 people, 470 households, and 344 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,956.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 504 housing units at an average density of {{convert|804.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 96.33% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.57% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.57% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.31% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.06% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.69% of the population.

There were 470 households, out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the village, the population was spread, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,677, and the median income for a family was $45,938. Males had a median income of $37,868 versus $20,694 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $17,707. About 5.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.forrestil.org/ Official website]

{{Livingston County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Livingston County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1866]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]