Editing Gillespie, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Gillespie, Illinois
| official_name = 
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
| other_name = 
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline = Gillespie, IL.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = Downtown Gillespie
| image_flag = 
| image_seal = 
| etymology = 
| nickname = 
| motto = 
| anthem = 
| image_map = File:Macoupin County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gillespie Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = Location in Macoupin County, Illinois
| image_map1 = 
| mapsize1 =
| map_alt1 = 
| map_caption1 = 
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_label = Gillespie
| pushpin_map_alt = 
| pushpin_mapsize = 
| pushpin_relief = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| coordinates = {{coord|39|07|33|N|89|48|54|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = 
| 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 = [[Macoupin County, Illinois|Macoupin]]
| subdivision_type3 = Townships
| subdivision_name3 = [[Gillespie Township, Macoupin County, Illinois|Gillespie]], [[Cahokia Township, Macoupin County, Illinois|Cahokia]]
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| established_title = Incorporated
| established_date = 1853
| founder = 
| named_for = 
| seat_type = 
| seat = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type = 
| governing_body = 
| leader_party = 
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = 
| leader_title1 = 
| 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=February 8, 2023}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 
| area_total_sq_mi = 1.48
| area_land_km2 = 
| area_land_sq_mi = 1.48
| area_water_km2 = 
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 659
| 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=1600000US1729236&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Gillespie city, Illinois: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=February 8, 2023}}</ref>
| population_total = 3168
| population_density_sq_mi = 2140.5
| population_demonym = 
| 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 = 62033
| area_code_type = 
| area_code = [[Area code 217|217]]
| geocode = 
| iso_code = 
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-29236
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 2394896<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394896}}</ref>
| blank2_name = 
| blank2_info = 
| website = 
| footnotes = 
}}
[[File:Gillespie-Dock-Wide.jpg|thumb|New Lake, west of Gillespie]]
'''Gillespie''' is a city in [[Macoupin County, Illinois|Macoupin County]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]], and part of the [[Metro East]] region of the [[St. Louis metropolitan area]]. The population was 3,168 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020"/>

==History==
The first group of settlers arrived to the area of Gillespie in the late 1820s from Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} The township thrived in the 1830s, increasing in population and businesses. In 1835 the first schoolhouse was built. Gillespie was incorporated as a town in the spring of 1853.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} By 1904, the population rose to 3,100 and there were a number of businesses, churches, and schools. On January 29, 1905, a fire swept through the business district and destroyed most businesses and some homes.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

For years, Gillespie's main source of employment were the multiple coal mines scattered throughout the township operated by the [[Chicago & Northwestern Railway]]. It is said that Gillespie boasted three of the largest coal mines in the world.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Gillespie is named for Judge [[Joseph Gillespie]], who was active in Illinois state politics.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA137 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=137}}</ref><ref>{{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=PA77|year=1908|page=77}}</ref>

==Geography==
<gallery mode=nolines widths="275px" heights="180px" >
File:Gillespie City Hall Pavilion.jpg|Gillespie's city hall pavilion
</gallery>
Gillespie is located mainly in eastern Gillespie Township but extends east into the west part of Cahokia Township. It is bordered to the north by the village of [[East Gillespie, Illinois|East Gillespie]].

Illinois Routes [[Illinois Route 4|4]] and [[Illinois Route 16|16]] pass through Gillespie, joining in the center of town as East Elm Street. Route 4 leads north {{convert|13|mi}} to [[Carlinville, Illinois|Carlinville]], the [[county seat]], and south {{convert|8|mi|0}} to [[Staunton, Illinois|Staunton]]. [[St. Louis]] is {{convert|47|mi}} to the southwest. Route 16 leads northeast {{Convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Litchfield, Illinois|Litchfield]] and west {{convert|28|mi}} to [[Jerseyville, Illinois|Jerseyville]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Gillespie has a total area of {{convert|1.48|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/> The city is drained to the southeast by Bear Creek, a tributary of Cahokia Creek, which runs to the [[Mississippi River]] northeast of St. Louis. To the northwest are Old and New Gillespie Lakes, reservoirs on the Dry Fork of [[Macoupin Creek]], a west-flowing tributary of the [[Illinois River]]. The two lakes are {{convert|3|to|5|mi}} northwest of the city, and many people from surrounding towns enjoy fishing, boating, water-skiing and sunbathing there.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|1880= 432
|1890= 948
|1900= 873
|1910= 2241
|1920= 4063
|1930= 5111
|1940= 4440
|1950= 4105
|1960= 3569
|1970= 3457
|1980= 3740
|1990= 3645
|2000= 3412
|2010= 3319
|2020= 3168
|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>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,412 people, 1,452 households, and 936 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,349.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,547 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,065.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.56% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.12% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.59% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 1,452 households, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% 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 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,168, and the median income for a family was $40,500. Males had a median income of $35,032 versus $23,136 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $19,042. About 8.6% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Gillespie is home to Gillespie C.U.S.D. #7, which operates Gillespie High School, Gillespie Middle School, and Ben-Gil Elementary School.

==Services==
The city of Gillespie provides police protection for the neighboring communities of [[Benld, Illinois|Benld]], [[Mount Clare, Illinois|Mount Clare]], and [[Eagarville, Illinois|Eagarville]]. In addition Gillespie supplies water to Benld, [[Sawyerville, Illinois|Sawyerville]], [[Wilsonville, Illinois|Wilsonville]], Mount Clare, [[Dorchester, Illinois|Dorchester]], [[East Gillespie, Illinois|East Gillespie]], and Eagarville, as well as sewer services to East Gillespie and Eagarville.

== Notable people ==
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*[[Ferras|Ferras Alqais]], singer-songwriter
*[[W. Russell Arrington]], Illinois state legislator and lawyer; born in Gillespie
*[[Vince Demuzio]], Illinois state legislator; born in Gillespie
*[[Clarence J. Goodnight]], zoologist; born in Gillespie
*[[Howard Keel]], film and television actor and singer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0444476/bio|title=Howard Keel|website=IMDb|access-date=2018-06-05}}</ref>
*[[William D. Lyons]], coal miner and Illinois state legislator; lived in Gillespie<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1971-1972,' Biographical Sketch of William "Bill" Lyons, pg. 170-171</ref>
*[[Harry Patton]], pitcher for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]; born in Gillespie
*[[Raphael Tracey]], U.S. soccer player and member of the [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]]; born in Gillespie
*[[Stuart J. Traynor]], lawyer and Illinois state legislator; born in Gillespie<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1965-1966,' Biographical Sketch of Stuart J. Traynor, pg. 180-181</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Macoupin County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Macoupin County, Illinois]]