Editing Greenville, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{distinguish|Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville, South Carolina}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Greenville, Illinois
| official_name      = The City of Greenville, Illinois
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| other_name         = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline      = Second Street in downtown Greenville, Bond County.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = Second Street in Downtown Greenville
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
| etymology          = 
| image_blank_emblem = GreenvilleILlogo.jpg
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| blank_emblem_size  = 120px
| nickname           = 
| motto              = "Arms Wide Open"
| anthem             = 
| image_map          = File:Bond County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Greenville Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location of Greenville in 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|38|53|12|N|89|23|22|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name          = 
| grid_position      = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Illinois}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Illinois|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Bond County, Illinois|Bond]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Illinois|Townships]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Central Township, Bond County, Illinois|Central]], [[Pleasant Mound Township, Bond County, Illinois|Pleasant Mound]]
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1815
| established_title1 = Incorporated (town)
| established_date1  = 1855
| established_title2 = Incorporated (city)
| established_date2  = 1872
| extinct_title      = 
| extinct_date       = 
| founder            = George Davidson
| named_for          = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| seat1_type         = 
| seat1              = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = Mayor-council
| governing_body     = 
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = George Barber
| leader_title1      = Mayor
| leader_name1       = 
| total_type         = 
| 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_sq_mi   = 6.31
| area_land_sq_mi    = 6.31
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
| area_water_percent = 0
| area_metro_footnotes = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| area_rank          = 
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 577
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 7083
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 1122.68
| population_demonym = Greenvillian
| population_note    = 
| 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      = 
| utc_offset2_DST    = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code|ZIP Code(s)]]
| postal_code        = 62246
| area_code_type     = 
| area_codes         = [[Area code 618#United States|618]]
| geocode            = 
| iso_code           = 
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 17-31589
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2394995<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394995}}</ref>
| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2   = Greenville, Illinois
| website            = {{URL|www.greenvilleillinois.com}}
| footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2     = 16.34
| area_land_km2      = 16.34
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| population_density_km2 = 433.49
}}
:

'''Greenville''' is a city in [[Bond County, Illinois]], United States, {{convert|51|mi}} east of [[St. Louis]]. The population as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] was 7,083, up from 7,000 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1731589| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212174311/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1731589| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Greenville city, Illinois| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=November 8, 2013}}</ref> It is the [[county seat]] of Bond County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

Greenville is part of the [[Greater St. Louis|St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2009/index.html |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Totals: Vintage 2009 - U.S Census Bureau |access-date=March 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615051005/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2009/index.html |archive-date=June 15, 2013 }}</ref>  It is also considered part of the [[Metro East]] region of Illinois.

Greenville celebrated its Bicentennial in 2015 as one of the oldest communities in Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.greenville200.com/|title= Greenville, Illinois Bicentennial|publisher= Greenville Bicentennial|access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref> It is home to [[Greenville University]], the [[Richard Bock]] Museum, the American Farm Heritage Museum, the Armed Forces Museum and the Demoulin Museum and a federal prison, [[Federal Correctional Institution, Greenville]] (FCI Greenville).<ref>{{cite news|url= http://archive.ksdk.com/rss/article/268217/3/Armed-Forces-Museum-moving-to-Greenville-Illinois|title= WW II Alligator tank featured in films is first to be hauled off|last1= Berger|first1= Kathleen|date= July 2, 2011|publisher= KSDK|access-date= February 16, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://archive.today/20140216204718/http://archive.ksdk.com/rss/article/268217/3/Armed-Forces-Museum-moving-to-Greenville-Illinois|archive-date= February 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/gre/|title= FCI Greenville|publisher= Federal Bureau of Prisons|access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref> It is also home to internationally known companies, including Nevco Scoreboard, the largest privately owned scoreboard company in the world, and DeMoulin Brothers, the world's oldest and largest manufacturer of band uniforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nevco.com/info/about.php|title=History|publisher=Nevco|access-date=February 16, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222160020/http://www.nevco.com/info/about.php|archive-date=February 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.demoulin.com/|title= DeMoulin|publisher= DeMoulin Brothers|access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

==History==
Greenville was founded by George Davidson in 1815 in what was then the [[Illinois Territory]], when he purchased {{convert|160|acre}} along the bluff overlooking Little Shoal Creek, in what was then still part of [[Madison County, Illinois|Madison County]]. Davidson built a tavern near the present-day intersection of Main and Sixth streets, and by 1816 he was selling individual lots.<ref name="Carson 1905">{{cite book| last=Carson| first=Will| title=Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois| year=1905| publisher=LeCrone Press| location=Effingham, IL| url=https://archive.org/stream/historicalsouven00cars/historicalsouven00cars_djvu.txt}}</ref> The federal government established its first federal post office in Greenville in 1819. It was incorporated as a town in 1855 and as a city in 1872. At one time, it had neighborhoods called New Jerusalem, Piety Hill, Cobtown, and Buzzard Roost.<ref name="historicgville"/> A few possible reasons have been put forth for the naming of the town. Some think the town was named after [[Greenville, North Carolina]], which had been named after [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] general [[Nathanael Greene]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n143 144]}}</ref> Others say that Greenville was named by early settler Thomas White because it was "so green and nice". A third possibility is that Greenville was named after Green P. Rice, the town's first merchant.<ref name="historicgville"/>

Greenville became the county seat of Bond County in 1821. The earlier seat of Perryville was annexed into [[Fayette County, Illinois|Fayette County]] when it was formed from part of Bond County, requiring the naming of a new seat. Davidson offered to give the county government land around the present-day town square. His offer was accepted, and a courthouse was built in 1821 on the site of the current courthouse.<ref name="Carson 1905"/>

During the 1840s, some Bond County residents conducted slaves to freedom on the [[Underground Railroad]].<ref name="underground rr">{{cite news |title= Several Stops On 'Underground Railroad' In Bond County |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=November 11, 2008}}</ref> Slaves were often spirited from Missouri, sometimes through [[Carlyle, Illinois|Carlyle]] to Bond County.<ref name="underground rr"/> Rev. John Leeper was able to disguise his Underground Railroad activities due to his milling business.<ref name="underground rr"/> Dr. [[Henry Perrine]] practiced medicine near Greenville and helped with the secret railroad activities.<ref name="underground rr"/> Rev. George Denny's house was found in the 1930s to conceal a secret chamber that had been used in the Railroad.<ref name="underground rr"/>

Greenville University was founded as Almira College, a women's college, in 1855. Former GU history professor Donald Jordahl has written that Almira College was "one of the earliest extensions westward of an eastern idea favorable toward female education, an early step in the [[women's suffrage]] and [[women's liberation|liberation]] movement."<ref name="historicgville"/> In 1941, college president H.J. Long "declared the founding of Almira and Greenville ran parallel, for both were founded on [[prayer]]."<ref name="historicgville"/> Women in Bond County could vote for the first time in 1914.<ref name="historicgville"/>

When [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[Stephen Douglas]] gave speeches in Greenville in 1858 during a campaign for the [[United States Senate]], Douglas said: "Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great and supreme gratification and pleasure to see this vast concourse of people assembled to hear me upon this my first visit to Old Bond."<ref name="historicgville"/>  The ''[[The State Journal-Register|Illinois State Register]]'' reported of the occasion: "I've seen many gatherings in Old Bond county but I never saw anything equal to this and I never expect to."<ref name="historicgville"/>

On November 21, 1915, the [[Liberty Bell]] passed through Greenville on its nationwide tour returning to [[Pennsylvania]] from the [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] in [[San Francisco]]. After that trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania and will not be moved again.<ref name="historicgville"/><ref name="libertybell">{{cite news |title= Liberty Bell Attracts Crowd in Greenville During 1915 Stop |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=July 3, 2007}}</ref>

The [[Greenville Public Library]] was established as a [[Carnegie library]] and is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Hogue Hall at Greenville College also appeared on the National Register (it was demolished in 2008).<ref name="historicgville"/>

On April 18, 1934, during the [[Great Depression]], a group of 500 protesters marched to the Illinois Emergency Relief Commission to lodge complaints about the delivery of emergency supplies from the state and federal governments.<ref name="historicgville"/>

Illinois native [[Ronald Reagan]] visited Greenville [[1980 United States presidential election|on the campaign trail]] in 1980 and gave a speech on the street in front of the courthouse; his visit is commemorated by a plaque.<ref name="anti-saloon">{{cite news |title= Our Readers Speak |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=November 18, 2008}}</ref> [[Barack Obama]] visited Greenville while campaigning for his Senate seat in 2004, in a visit hosted by the Bond County Democrats.<ref name="obama visit">{{cite news |title= Obama Visited Cafe in 2004 |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=November 11, 2008}}</ref>

=== Historic businesses ===
While Greenville once hosted three newspapers, ''The Item'', ''The Sun'', and ''The Advocate'', it now has only the twice-weekly ''Greenville Advocate''. ''The Advocate'' is the oldest business in Bond County and one of the oldest newspapers in Illinois.<ref name="advocate">{{cite web |url= http://www.thegreenvilleadvocate.com/|title=  The Greenville Advocate|publisher= The Greenville Advocate|access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref> Original ''Advocate'' owner Jediah Alexander was friends with Abraham Lincoln and instrumental in bringing Lincoln to Greenville for a visit.<ref name="advocate"/>

Historic Greenville businesses also include the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company, which later became the [[Pet, Inc.|Pet Milk Company]].  The condensing plant, built in 1899, was the oldest in the world for many years until it was torn down in the early 1990s.  Pet also maintained its research and testing center in Greenville.  Many products. including Instant Pet, Pet-Ritz pies, Sego diet foods, and Old El Paso products were developed there, along with the first use of food irradiation to increase the [[Vitamin D]] content of milk.  The remaining research buildings and warehouses were sold to [[Mallinckrodt]] Pharmaceuticals in the 1990s, which continues to operate there today.

Other historic businesses in Greenville included shoe manufacturer Mayer and Bannister, [[cigar]] manufacturers Thomas D. Scheske and H.H. Wirz, and a glove factory, the Greenville Glove Manufacturing Co.<ref name="historicgville"/>  In the early 1900s, Greenville had its own power company, Greenville Electric Gas and Power Company, which later was bought by [[Ameren|Illinois Power and Light Service]].<ref name="historicgville"/>

The Watson family operated a pharmacy in Greenville for over 125 years, since 1881; it was sold in 2006, but still maintains the name Watson's Drug Store. Greenville once had a silent movie theatre, the Lyric, and now has a first-run movie theatre, the Globe.<ref name="historicgville"/>

Bradford National Bank was founded in 1867 by James Bradford and his son Samuel and was originally known as the Banking House of Bradford and Sons.  In 1910, the bank received its national charter to become Bradford National Bank. In 2017, the bank celebrated its 150th anniversary and is the 10th oldest bank in Illinois.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Today, the bank has locations in Greenville, Highland, and Marine, Illinois.<ref>[http://www.bradfordbank.com Bradford National Bank]</ref>

==Geography==
Greenville is located near the center of Bond County. [[U.S. Route 40 in Illinois|U.S. Route 40]] and [[Interstate 70 (Illinois)|Interstate 70]] pass to the south of downtown, both highways leading west {{convert|49|mi}} to [[St. Louis]] and east {{convert|19|mi}} to [[Vandalia, Illinois|Vandalia]].

Greenville is also located on [[Illinois Route 127]], which is a major north–south route connecting Southern Illinois to Springfield.

The [[National Road]] passes through Greenville.  East of Greenville it follows [[Illinois Route 140]], and west it follows U.S. Route 40.  Its route west of town was the source of a historic controversy.  Original plans were to connect Greenville to St. Louis.  However, the [[Illinois General Assembly]] preferred a route to [[Alton, Illinois|Alton]] to favor an Illinois city directly on the [[Mississippi River]].  When federal money for the road ran out in 1840 at Vandalia, 19 miles east of Greenville, the State Legislature refused to fund it further.  Residents of Greenville, [[Highland, Illinois|Highland]], [[Troy, Illinois|Troy]], and [[Collinsville, Illinois|Collinsville]] paid to complete the road to [[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis]].  The "State Policy" of favoring Alton over St. Louis remained a major political issue in Illinois until the Civil War.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4xE0AQAAMAAJ&q=greenville+vandalia+illinois+mississippi+turnpike&pg=PA140|title=Laws of the State of Illinois: Passed by the ... General Assembly at Their ... Session|last=Illinois|date=April 19, 2018|publisher=Robert Blackwell|access-date=April 19, 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref>

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Greenville has a total area of {{convert|6.31|sqmi|km2|2}}, all land.<ref name="gaz2021">{{Cite web  |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Census.gov}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1886
|1890= 1868
|1900= 2504
|1910= 3178
|1920= 3091
|1930= 3233
|1940= 3391
|1950= 4069
|1960= 4569
|1970= 4631
|1980= 5271
|1990= 4806
|2000= 6955
|2010= 7000
|2020= 7083
|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 [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1731589 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 7,083 people, 2,351 households, and 1,222 families residing in the city. The population density was {{Convert|1,122.68|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 2,403 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|380.88|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 75.35% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 13.84% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.47% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.23% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.16% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.62% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.35% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.54% of the population.

There were 2,351 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.17% were married couples living together, 11.87% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.02% were non-families. 36.62% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.27% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 2.10.

The city's age distribution consisted of 14.8% under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 137.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,625, and the median income for a family was $59,271. Males had a median income of $29,233 versus $25,985 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,551. About 10.0% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
The first mayor of Greenville, James Bradford, was elected in 1873. He was the owner of Bradford and Son bank,<ref name="historicgville"/> which is still in existence today as Bradford National Bank. Bradford later went on to serve in the Illinois Legislature.<ref name="Bradford Bank">{{cite web| url=http://www.bradfordbank.com/bnb_community_bnbhistory.php| title=Bradford National Bank History| publisher=Bradford National Bank| access-date=July 27, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801160631/http://bradfordbank.com/bnb_community_bnbhistory.php| archive-date=August 1, 2014| url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the first half of the 20th century, the Anti-Saloon Party was a player in local politics, with aldermen and mayors being elected from the ticket in 1911, 1913, 1917, and 1953.<ref name="anti-saloon"/> After the 1953 election, a "city manager" style of government was voted in, which provided for non-partisan city council members.<ref name="anti-saloon"/>

Greenville has had a mayor and city council form of government since 1957. Fire services are provided by the Greenville Fire Protection District.<ref name="Johnston retires">{{cite news| url=http://www.wgel.com/category/news/2015/05/johnston-retires-after-20-years-as-greenville-fire-chief/| title=Johnston Retires After 20 Years As Greenville Fire Chief| publisher=WGEL| access-date=May 4, 2015| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505062037/http://www.wgel.com/category/news/2015/05/johnston-retires-after-20-years-as-greenville-fire-chief/| archive-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref>

==Education==
In 1992, private [[Free Methodist Church|Free Methodist]] college [[Greenville University]] celebrated its 100th [[anniversary]] and was featured on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Today (NBC program)|Today Show]]''. In 2006, the college was again featured prominently in a ''[[Today (NBC program)|Today Show]]'' story about the rapid growth of Christian colleges and universities.  In 2007, GC had a record enrollment of an estimated 1,100 traditional students.<ref name="gcenrollment">{{cite news |title= G.C. Enrollment Once Again at Record Level |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=August 30, 2007}}</ref> The college was the first campus in America to go completely wireless with its [[Internet]].<ref name="chronicle">{{cite news |title= Greenville College Is Already Wireless |url= http://chronicle.com/weekly/v46/i47/47b01305.htm|newspaper=Chronicle of Higher Education |access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

Enrollment topped 1,000 students for the first time in the college's history in 2006.<ref name="gcenrollment"/> The current student body at Greenville College contains over 1,500 students; most are from various [[Christianity|Christian]] denominations.<ref name="agape move">{{cite web |url= http://www.greenville.edu/news/greenville-college-announces-new-agapefest-location-and-date|title= Greenville College Announces New AgapeFest Location and Date|publisher= Greenville College|date=October 13, 2013|access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref>  The college currently offers undergraduate degrees in over 50 different programs of study and graduate degrees in education.

Greenville also hosts a satellite center for [[Kaskaskia College]], a community college headquartered in [[Centralia, Illinois]].<ref name="KC Greenville">{{cite web|url= http://www.kaskaskia.edu/Greenville/|title= Greenville Center|publisher= Kaskaskia College|access-date= July 27, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140728025158/http://www.kaskaskia.edu/Greenville/|archive-date= July 28, 2014|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref>

In addition to its colleges, Greenville is home to Bond County Community Unit #2 High School (usually known as [[Greenville High School (Greenville, Illinois)|Greenville High School]]), home of the Comets.  Since 2007, the Comets football team has appeared in the Final Four in the [[Illinois High School Association|IHSA]] Class 3A state football playoffs five out of seven years: in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.  In 2007 they lost to [[Columbia High School (Columbia, Illinois)|Columbia]], in 2011 they lost to [[Mount Carmel High School (Mount Carmel, Illinois)|Mount Carmel]], and in both 2009 and 2012 they lost to [[Unity High School (Tolono, Illinois)|Tolono Unity]]. The Comets' 2010 playoff run set many state records.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.bnd.com/2013/11/18/2912129/greenvilles-record-breaking-comeback.html|title= Greenville's record comeback defies belief|last1= Stewart|first1= Norm|date= November 18, 2013|newspaper= The Belleville News-Democrat|access-date= July 27, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140808135018/http://www.bnd.com/2013/11/18/2912129/greenvilles-record-breaking-comeback.html|archive-date= August 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.ksdk.com/story/sports/high-school/2013/11/19/greenville-looks-to-make-school-history-after-crazy-victory/3645995/|title= Greenville looks to make school history after crazy victory|last1= Cusumano|first1= Frank|date= November 19, 2013|publisher= KSDK|access-date= July 27, 2014|archive-date= October 25, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141025035208/http://www.ksdk.com/story/sports/high-school/2013/11/19/greenville-looks-to-make-school-history-after-crazy-victory/3645995/|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Students from the neighboring towns of [[Pocahontas, Illinois|Pocahontas]] and [[Sorento, Illinois|Sorento]] are part of Bond County School District #2 with Greenville students and attend high school in Greenville. One of these notable students was country singer [[Gretchen Wilson]], who attended GHS but did not graduate.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2008/05/04/redneck-woman-gretchen-wilson-finishes-school/|title=  'Redneck Woman' Gretchen Wilson finishes school|last1= Zettler|first1= Linda|date= May 4, 2008|publisher= The Tennessean|access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

Greenville Junior High, home of the Bluejays, and Greenville Elementary School, home of the Rockets, round out Greenville's local schools.  Although it is referred to as a junior high, Greenville Junior High is now a middle school, with sixth through eighth grades. During the 2006 school year, Greenville Elementary was one of only 25 schools selected nationwide as a [[NASA]] Explorer school, a three-year partnership with NASA to promote math, science, and space exploration.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/news/pressrel/2006/06-054_Greenville.html|title= NASA Kicks Off Partnership with Greenville Students|publisher= NASA|access-date= February 16, 2014|archive-date= August 10, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140810075509/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/news/pressrel/2006/06-054_Greenville.html|url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Media ==
In addition to the long-running Greenville newspaper ''The Advocate''. Greenville's radio station [[WGEL]] covers local and county news. The station is a country music station with the tagline "The Best Country in the Country". WGRN 89.5 is a radio station also in Greenville, run by Greenville University, and also WPMB 102.7 Greenville, and 104.7 Vandalia.

==Culture==
For 37 years, Greenville had been the site of the annual multi-day [[Agape Music Festival]], or AgapeFest, a Christian music festival put on by Greenville College students - the only Christian music festival in the country run by students.<ref name="agape">{{cite news |title= At AgapeFest, students learn about the music business while sharing their faith|url= http://www.sj-r.com/article/20080508/News/305089886|newspaper=State Journal-Register |date=May 18, 2008|access-date = July 27, 2014}}</ref> The festival has hosted many of the most famous Christian bands, along with more mainstream acts like [[Owl City]] in 2013. The college announced its intention to move the festival to the Family Arena in [[St. Charles, Missouri]] for a one-day event in 2014 for the stated reason of appealing to new audiences, but the relocated event was instead canceled due to low ticket sales the week before it was held.<ref name="agape move"/><ref name="agape cancellation">{{cite web|url= http://www.joyfmonline.org/extras/agapefest.asp|title= AgapeFest Cancels April 26 Date|publisher= Joy FM|access-date= July 27, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140728025930/http://www.joyfmonline.org/extras/agapefest.asp|archive-date= July 28, 2014|url-status= dead|df= dmy-all}}</ref> The Agape organizers announced that their intention for future years is to return the festival to its traditional home at the Bond County Fairgrounds.

In the past, Greenville has served as the annual host to the World [[Powered parachute|Powered Parachute]] Championships as the "Chute-Out on the [[Prairie]]" at Greenville Airport.<ref name="Chute-Out">{{cite web|url= http://www.tbayer.com/world-powered-parachute-championship.html|title= World Powered Parachute Championship Video|publisher= Tim Bayer Productions|access-date= July 27, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140728023352/http://www.tbayer.com/world-powered-parachute-championship.html|archive-date= July 28, 2014}}</ref> The first championship ever held was held in Greenville, which is home to some notable participants of the sport.<ref name="wsiu">{{cite news|url= http://www2.wsiu.org/backroads/index.html|title= Flight Under Fabric|publisher= WSIU|access-date= July 27, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131123220124/http://www2.wsiu.org/backroads/index.html|archive-date= November 23, 2013}}</ref>

Greenville conducts the Bond County Fair every August. In 2008, the [[Vietnam Veterans Memorial#The Moving Wall.2C also known as The Traveling Wall|Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Traveling Wall]] visited Greenville to coincide with the fair activities.<ref name="wall">{{cite news |title= Local AMVETS to Salute Wall |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=July 17, 2007}}</ref>

The Greenville Graffiti Car Show has been held downtown for the past three years and features a large car show with appearances by nostalgic celebrities downtown. In 2013, [[Donna Douglas]], who played Elly Mae Clampett on ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'', was the celebrity, and in 2014 Greenville hosted actor [[James Best]], who played Sheriff [[Roscoe P. Coltrane]] on ''[[The Dukes of Hazzard]]''.<ref name="Donna Douglas">{{cite web |url= http://www.riverbender.com/events/index.cfm?eventID=34611&view=event|title= Greenville Graffiti Car Show |publisher= Riverbender|access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref>

==Recreation==
Because of its central location in the country, and its position directly on Interstate 70, Greenville sees many visitors undertaking cross-country walks and bike rides. It serves as a time station for the Race Across America cross-country bike ride.<ref name="raam">{{cite web|url= http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/rctsfcast.php?s_N_TimeStation_IDx=1746&s_N_Year_ID=33|title= Race Across America|publisher= Race Across America|access-date= July 27, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140728023648/http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/rctsfcast.php?s_N_TimeStation_IDx=1746&s_N_Year_ID=33|archive-date= July 28, 2014|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all}}</ref>

[[Greenville Airport (Illinois)|Greenville Municipal Airport]] is located 3&nbsp;mi south of downtown at 38° 50′ 10″ N, 89° 22′ 42″ W. It has one of the closest skydiving centers to St. Louis, the Gateway Skydiving Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gatewayskydivingcenter.com/ |title=Gateway Skydiving Center |publisher=Gateway Skydiving Center |access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref>

Governor Bond Lake, a 775-acre man-made lake named after the first governor of Illinois, [[Shadrach Bond]], is near Greenville. It was built in the late 1960s to supply water to the city and is now also used for fishing, boating, camping, and other recreational purposes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greenvilleillinois.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={3BD510F8-CD79-4E79-B36B-20DA5DA3837A} |title=Governor Bond Lake |publisher=City of Greenville |access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref> Greenville is 17 miles from the largest man-made lake in Illinois, [[Carlyle Lake]], which is one of the most popular recreational areas in southern Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.traillink.com/trail/carlyle-lake-bike-trail.aspx |title=Carlyle Lake Bike Trail |publisher=Rails to Trails Conservancy |access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref>

==Places of interest==
Greenville has an old-fashioned downtown, with murals and antique shops. The city has been conducting a restoration project on the downtown murals.<ref name="WGEL mural">{{cite news|title=Coca Cola Mural on Wall Real Estate Building Restored|url=http://www.wgel.com/2014/07/coca-cola-mural-on-wall-real-estate-building-restored/|publisher=WGEL Radio|date=July 22, 2014|access-date=July 27, 2014}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

'''Lincoln - Douglas Campaign and the American Civil War'''

A large stone and plaque placed by the [[Daughters of the American Revolution]] mark the location where [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[Stephen Douglas]] gave speeches while running for the [[United States Senate]] in 1858.<ref name="historicgville">Allan H. Keith, [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_1gJ_RVeb5JYC/page/n2 <!-- pg=2 quote=richard bock sculptor. --> ''Historical Stories: About Greenville and Bond County, IL'']. Consulted on August 15, 2007.</ref> The city unsuccessfully applied for a grant from the Illinois [[Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission]] to buy the property on South Fifth Street where Lincoln spoke and to create a small Lincoln Park.<ref name="lincolngrant">{{cite news |title= City Seeks Lincoln Grant to Draw Visitors to Site |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=June 14, 2007}}</ref> A statue dedicated to county veterans of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] was dedicated on the courthouse lawn in 1903;<ref name="historicgville"/> the courthouse lawn has a Veterans' Memorial in honor of all county veterans.

'''Sears Catalog Homes'''

Many [[Sears Catalog Home]]s – houses made from kits bought from the [[Sears and Roebuck]] catalog – are dotted around the town.

'''Greenville University'''

Greenville University is home to the only museum dedicated to the sculptures of [[Richard Bock]],<ref>[http://www.greenvilleusa.org/bock.htm ~Historic~ Greenville Illinois - Bock Museum - Greenville Chamber of Commerce<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016230911/http://www.greenvilleusa.org/bock.htm |date=October 16, 2006 }}</ref> who was an associate of [[Frank Lloyd Wright]] and designed many of the sculptures for Wright-designed homes.

'''American Farm Heritage Museum and Hills Fort'''

Greenville hosts the American Farm Heritage Museum and Hills Fort, a museum that aims to preserve agricultural history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanfarmheritagemuseum.org/|title=Home|website=American Farm Heritage Museum|access-date=April 19, 2018}}</ref> The museum features exhibits of tractors and other farm-related memorabilia and holds multiple festivals a year. It held its third annual Heritage Days and was the largest [[Oliver Corp.]] equipment show in America in 2007, as the national Oliver show was held outside the US.<ref name="2007heritage">{{cite news |title= Museum Readies for Third Show |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=July 26, 2007}}</ref> In 2006, 500 [[tractor]]s were on display for the event, and 5,000 people were in attendance.<ref name="2006heritage">{{cite news |title= Pleased with Heritage Days Results |publisher=Greenville Advocate |date=August 22, 2006}}</ref>  In 2008, the show was the site of the [[Henry Cockshutt|Cockshutt]] international equipment show.<ref name="2007heritage"/> The AFHM also has a 15-inch-gage train going around it with approximately one mile of track.

In 2011, the St. Louis Armed Forces Museum, which had long been located in [[Alton, Illinois]], relocated to the American Farm Heritage Museum, due to the Greenville museum's tourist traffic and visible location on Interstate 70.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://thetelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?avis=PE&date=20110722&category=news&lopenr=307229879&Ref=AR|title= Museum readies for Alton exit|last1= Berger|first1= Kathleen|date= July 2, 2011|publisher= Alton Telegraph|access-date= February 16, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140222225432/http://thetelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?avis=PE&date=20110722&category=news&lopenr=307229879&Ref=AR|archive-date= February 22, 2014}}</ref>

'''The DeMoulin Museum'''

One of the most unique museums in the country, the DeMoulin Museum calls Greenville home.<ref>{{cite web |title=DeMoulin Museum |url=https://www.demoulinmuseum.org/ |website=DeMoulin Museum |access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref> Founded in 1892 as a manufacturer of lodge paraphernalia and regalia, DeMoulin Bros. & Co., which was headquartered in Greenville, became one of the nation's leading makers of marching band uniforms. The company's diverse production history has included graduation caps and gowns, choir robes, church and lodge furniture, and lodge initiation devices. The DeMoulin Museum, founded in 2010, pays tribute to the founders, employees, and amazing products created by this unique factory. Though the museum contains examples of many of DeMoulin's creations, the lodge initiation devices–including the Bucking Goat; Invisible Paddle Machine; and Lifting and Spraying Machine–are what have attracted visitors from over 30 states. The museum has been featured in numerous publications, including Atlas Obscura<ref>{{cite web |title=The DeMoulin Museum |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/demoulin-museum |website=Atlas Obscura}}</ref> and Roadside America.<ref>{{cite web |title=The DeMoulin Museum |url=https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/47082 |website=Roadside America}}</ref>

== Transportation ==
Greenville Municipal Airport is located 3 miles from the central business district of Greenville.

Greenville rail freight shippers are served by the main lines of BNSF and CSX and the local shortline Illinois Western Railroad that has connections to both BNSF and CSX.

Highways include Interstate 70, U.S. Route 40, Illinois Route 127, and Illinois Route 140.

Bond County Transit has several bus stops in Greenville.

==Notable people==
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· The article must mention how they are associated with <city name>, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
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* [[Ernest L. Boyer]], former U.S. Commissioner of Education
* [[Robert Briner]], [[Emmy Award]]-winning television producer
* [[Job Adams Cooper]], sixth [[List of Governors of Colorado|governor of Colorado]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_colorado/col2-content/main-content-list/title_cooper_job.html|title= Colorado Governor Job Adams Cooper|publisher= National Governors Association |access-date= September 25, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Gerald Greider]], Wisconsin legislator<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1971,' Biographical Sketch of Gerald Greider, pg. 46</ref>
* [[Phyllis Holmes]], former basketball coach for Greenville College and U.S. Olympic Team; member of [[Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]]
* [[Enoch A. Holtwick]], temperance activist and [[Prohibition Party]] candidate for president in 1956
* [[Alfred Harrison Joy]], astronomer
* [[Edwin G. Krebs]], a [[Nobel Prize]]-winning biochemist
* [[Herbert Lyle Mayfield]], hybrid folk instrument designer and builder, inventor of [[guitalin]]; writer, columnist, and [[History of printing|journeyman printer]]
* [[Tom Merritt]], former executive editor on TWIT network and host of the Daily Tech News Show.
* [[Henry Perrine]], noted [[horticulture|horticulturalist]]
* [[Robert Smith (baseball)|Robert E. "Ish" Smith]], president of [[International Baseball Federation|IBAF]] and the United States Baseball Federation, former president of [[Greenville College]]
* [[Ron Stephens (Illinois politician)|Ron Stephens]], formerly of the Illinois House of Representatives
* [[Manuel Velazquez]], anti-boxing activist
* [[Frank Watson (American politician)|Frank Watson]], longtime Republican Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate
* [[Howard Zahniser]], environmental activist, wrote [[Wilderness Act]] of 1964

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.greenvilleillinois.com City of Greenville official website]
*[http://www.wgel.com/ WGEL], Greenville's radio station
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061024032821/http://bccu2.k12.il.us/ Bond County Community Unit #2 School District]

{{Metro-East}}
{{Bond County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Greenville, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1819]]
[[Category:Cities in Bond County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:County seats in Illinois]]
[[Category:Underground Railroad in Illinois]]
[[Category:1815 establishments in Illinois Territory]]