Editing McLean, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = McLean, Illinois
| official_name = 
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| settlement_type = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline = McLean, Illinois (2015).jpg
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| image_caption = Old building in McLean
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| image_map = File:McLean County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas McLean Highlighted.svg
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| map_caption = Location in McLean County, Illinois
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| pushpin_label = McLean
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| coordinates = {{coord|40|18|49|N|89|10|07|W|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[McLean County, Illinois|McLean]]
| subdivision_type3 = Township
| subdivision_name3 = [[Mount Hope Township, McLean County, Illinois|Mount Hope]]
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| established_title = Founded
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| leader_title = Mayor
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| leader_title1 = Village president
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| 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=March 10, 2023}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 3.05
| area_total_sq_mi = 1.18
| area_land_km2 = 3.05
| area_land_sq_mi = 1.18
| area_water_km2 = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
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| elevation_ft = 709
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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=1600000US1745811&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – McLean village, Illinois: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=March 10, 2023}}</ref>
| population_total = 743
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| population_density_km2 = 243.67
| population_density_sq_mi = 631.27
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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
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| postal_code = 61754
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| area_code = [[Area code 309|309]]
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| blank_info = 17-45811
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| blank2_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] ID
| blank2_info = 2399296<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2399296}}</ref>
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| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = McLean, Illinois
| website = {{URL|www.mclean-il.com}}
| footnotes = 
}}

'''McLean''' is a village in [[McLean County, Illinois|McLean County]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]]. The population was 743 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2020"/> down from 830 in [[2010 United States census|2010]]. It is part of the [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]]–[[Normal, Illinois|Normal]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. McLean is the home of the [[Dixie Travel Plaza]].

==Geography==
McLean is in southwestern McLean County. [[Interstate 55]] passes through the east side of the village, with access from Exit 145 ([[U.S. Route 136]]). I-55 leads northeast {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]], the [[county seat]], and southwest {{convert|16|mi}} to [[Lincoln, Illinois|Lincoln]]. US 136 (Dixie Road) runs along the south edge of the village center and leads east {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Heyworth, Illinois|Heyworth]] and west {{convert|23|mi}} to [[San Jose, Illinois|San Jose]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], McLean has a total area of {{convert|1.18|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/>

==History==
===Founding===
The village of McLean was laid out on June 22, 1855, by Franklin Price (1821 - 1908).<ref>''Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McLean County'' (Edited by Ezra M. Prince and John H. Burnham; 2 Vols. Chicago: Munsell, 1908) p. 902.</ref> Price was born in [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester Valley, Pennsylvania]], and was the brother-in-law of Bloomington real estate developer Kersey Fell. Price came to Bloomington in 1849; he worked as a clerk and newspaper writer and was elected mayor of Bloomington in 1855 and again in 1856, serving until 1858. Price never lived in the new town he founded.

McLean was laid out when the Alton and Springfield Railroad, soon to become the [[Alton Railroad]], was first built through McLean County. The nearby towns of [[Atlanta, Illinois|Atlanta]], [[Normal, Illinois|Normal]], and [[Towanda, Illinois|Towanda]] were laid out at the same time as McLean. There had been an earlier attempt to found a town nearby.

Mt. Hope, two miles east of McLean, was established in 1836 by the Providence Farmers and Mechanics Emigrating Society of [[Rhode Island]]. The colony and its town were not a success; only three settlers actually arrived in McLean County. When the town of McLean was founded, the church building from Mt. Hope was moved into McLean. The first residents of McLean were the brothers G.L. and F.A. Wheelock, railroad employees, who moved into the new station house to conduct business. A blacksmith shop was the first business, and H.H. Dillon built the first warehouse.<ref>''History of McLean County, Illinois'' (Chicago: LeBaron 1879) pp. 578 – 579, 589.</ref>

McLean was incorporated as a village on May 29, 1866. By 1900, it had grown to a population of 532.<ref>'Historical Encyclopedia, 1908, P. 902.</ref>

===Original town design===
The design of the original town of McLean remains almost unaltered to this day from the original plans. The design was similar to other places along the Alton and Springfield Railroad, including Normal, Towanda, [[Odell, Illinois|Odell]], and [[Dwight, Illinois|Dwight]]. The original town was basically a square with streets aligned north–south and east–west, split diagonally by the railroad with a line of lots paralleling either side of the tracks.

As in other towns along the same railroad, there was a widened rectangular area paralleling the tracks labeled "Depot Grounds." In the case of McLean, the depot grounds were laid out only on the southeast side of the railroad. The triangle of land on the northwest side, between the lots paralleling the railroad and remainder of the town, was designated as a public property and is still used as a park. The comparable triangle on the opposite side of the tracks was unlabeled, and its intended use is unclear. This same arrangement of public land was followed at the village of [[Towanda, Illinois|Towanda]].

McLean was distinctive in that there were no streets between the diagonal line of lots along the tracks. Perhaps because of this, much of the business district developed along Morgan Street, which ran east–west just north of the park, or along Hamilton Street, which ran north–south, just west of the park. The line of lots paralleling the tracks and southeast of the railroad became the location of the hotel and the town jail. Later additions on the east side of the town featured additional lots which parallel the railroad, as well as more conventional blocks.<ref>''Combined Indexed Atlas 1856 -1914, McLean County Illinois'' (Bloomington, Illinois: McLean County Historical Society and McLean County Genealogical society, 2006) pp. 113, 149.</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 600
|1880= 490
|1890= 500
|1900= 532
|1910= 707
|1920= 697
|1930= 676
|1940= 652
|1950= 667
|1960= 758
|1970= 820
|1980= 836
|1990= 797
|2000= 808
|2010= 830
|2020= 743
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html Decennial US Census]
}}
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 }}</ref> of 2000, there were 808 people, 314 households, and 248 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,874.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 330 housing units at an average density of {{convert|765.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.74% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.62% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.62% from two or more races.

There were 314 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $47,337, and the median income for a family was $52,614. Males had a median income of $37,059 versus $27,589 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $19,200. About 1.2% of families and 0.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 0.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

==Local attractions==
*[[Dixie Travel Plaza]]
*[https://will.illinois.edu/prairiefire/story/arcadia-americas-playable-arcade-museum Arcadia: America's Playable Arcade Museum]

==Education==
The school district is [[Olympia Community Unit School District 16]].<!--UNI 29890--><ref>{{cite web |title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: McLean County, IL |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17113_mclean/DC20SD_C17113.pdf |accessdate=2024-12-01 |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17113_mclean/DC20SD_C17113_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.mclean-il.com}}

{{McLean County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in McLean County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1855]]
[[Category:1855 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]