Editing Gays, Illinois

{{Short description|Village in Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Gays, Illinois
| official_name = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| other_name = 
| settlement_type = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline = GaysWaterTower.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = Gays water tower
| image_flag = 
| image_seal = 
| etymology = 
| nickname = 
| motto = 
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| image_map = File:Moultrie County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gays Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location in Moultrie County, Illinois
| image_map1 = 
| mapsize1 = 
| map_alt1 = 
| map_caption1 = 
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_label = Gays
| pushpin_map_alt = 
| pushpin_mapsize = 
| pushpin_relief = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| coordinates = {{coord|39|27|30|N|88|29|47|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = 
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name = 
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Illinois}}
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Moultrie County, Illinois|Moultrie]]
| subdivision_type3 = Township
| subdivision_name3 = [[Whitley Township, Moultrie County, Illinois|Whitley]]
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = 
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| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = 
| leader_title1 = Village president
| leader_name1 = 
| total_type = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022">{{cite web |title=2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Illinois |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_place_17.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922042738/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_place_17.txt |url-status=live }}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 1.00
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.39
| area_land_km2 = 1.00
| area_land_sq_mi = 0.39
| area_water_km2 = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| area_water_percent = 
| area_metro_footnotes = 
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| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 755
| elevation_point = 
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| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US1728807&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Gays village, Illinois: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref>
| population_total = 218
| pop_est_as_of = 
| pop_est_footnotes = 
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| population_rank = 
| population_density_km2 = 218.07
| population_density_sq_mi = 564.77
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| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1 = -6
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = -5
| timezone2 = 
| utc_offset2 = 
| timezone2_DST = 
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| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code = 61928
| postal2_code_type = 
| postal2_code = 
| area_code_type = 
| area_code = [[Area code 217#United States|217]]
| geocode = 
| iso_code = 
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-28807
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] ID
| blank1_info = 2398948<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2398948}}</ref>
| blank2_name = 
| blank2_info = 
| blank_name_sec2 = 
| blank_info_sec2 = 
| blank1_name_sec2 = 
| blank1_info_sec2 = 
| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Gays, Illinois
| website = 
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Gays''' is a village in [[Moultrie County, Illinois|Moultrie County]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]]. The population was 218 at the 2020 census,<ref name="Census 2020"/> down from 281 in 2010.

==Geography==
Gays is in the southeast corner of Moultrie County, along [[Illinois Route 16]], which leads east {{convert|6|mi|0}} to [[Mattoon, Illinois|Mattoon]] and west-southwest {{convert|17|mi}} to [[Shelbyville, Illinois|Shelbyville]]. [[Sullivan, Illinois|Sullivan]], the Moultrie [[county seat]], is {{convert|14|mi}} to the northwest.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Gays has a total area of {{convert|0.39|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/>

===Climate===
{{climate chart
|clear=left
|Gays, Illinois
|20|35|2.36
|24|40|2.01
|33|52|3.03
|43|65|3.84
|54|74|4.38
|62|83|4.09
|66|86|3.97
|64|85|3.02
|56|79|3.10
|45|68|3.66
|35|52|4.10
|24|38|2.99
|float=left
|units=imperial
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/61928
  |title=Monthly Averages for Gays, Illinois
  |accessdate=September 30, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
Gays is located in Central Illinois, with a humid climate. Winters are cold and dry, spring brings severe weather, including the threat of tornadoes.
{{Clear|left}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1890= 99
|1910= 322
|1920= 274
|1930= 306
|1940= 261
|1950= 261
|1960= 263
|1970= 269
|1980= 290
|1990= 237
|2000= 259
|2010= 281
|2020= 218
|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|accessdate=June 4, 2015|archive-date=October 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003185009/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/ |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> of 2000, there were 259 people, 99 households, and 76 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|633.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 104 housing units at an average density of {{convert|254.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 98.46% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] and 1.54% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]].

There were 99 households, out of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $42,813. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $21,944 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $19,131. About 2.5% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.6% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.
{{Clear|left}}

[[File:Two story outhouse.jpg|thumb|upright|The Gays historical two-story outhouse]]

==Arts and culture==
A two-story [[outhouse]] is located in the town. It was built in 1869 for [[apartment]]s that were attached to a general store. The top floor was used by the apartment dwellers while the bottom floor was used by patrons of the store. Although the store and apartments were demolished, the outhouse remained. Each level has two seats, so the outhouse could be used by four at a time. Waste from the top level dropped behind a false wall into a pit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2527|title=Two-Story Outhouse, Gays, Illinois|website=RoadsideAmerica.com|language=en|access-date=August 18, 2019}}</ref> It is located at the corner of N Pine Street and Front Street. {{Coord|39.45889|-88.49553|format=dms|name=Two-story outhouse|type:landmark}}

West of the outhouse is the former site of what was claimed to be [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]]'s bicycle. A rusty bicycle once hung on a pole with a sign that read "Hitler's Bike (1932)".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/issue486/trvl486.htm|title=The Memphis Flyer: Travel - June 11, 1998|website=www.memphisflyer.com|access-date=August 18, 2019|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043632/http://www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/issue486/trvl486.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
<references />
*{{cite book|last=Pohlen |first=J. |year=2000 |title=Oddball Illinois |url=https://archive.org/details/oddballillinoisg0000pohl |url-access=registration |location=Chicago |publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=9781556523717 }}

{{Moultrie County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Moultrie County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]