Editing Princeton, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Princeton, Illinois
| native_name = 
| native_name_lang = 
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| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline = Matson Public Library.JPG
| imagesize = 
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| image_caption = Matson Library
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| image_map = File:Bureau County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Princeton Highlighted.svg
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| map_caption = Location of Princeton in Bureau County, Illinois.
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| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Bureau County, Illinois|Bureau]]
| subdivision_type3 = Townships
| subdivision_name3 = [[Princeton Township, Bureau County, Illinois|Princeton]], [[Dover Township, Bureau County, Illinois|Dover]]
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| established_title = Settled
| established_date = 1830s
| established_title1 = Incorporated, City
| established_date1 = 1884
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| government_type = [[Council-manager government|Council-Manager]]
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| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Ray Mabry
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| 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 = 8.24
| area_land_sq_mi = 8.24
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| area_water_percent = 0
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| population_total = 7832
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| population_density_sq_mi = 950.49
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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_type = Zip codes
| postal_code = 61356
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| area_code = [[Area code 815|815]]
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| website = {{URL|www.princeton-il.com}}
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|area_total_km2 = 21.34
|area_land_km2 = 21.34
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|population_density_km2 = 367.00
}}

'''Princeton''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Bureau County, Illinois]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The population was 7,832 at the 2020 census.

Princeton is part of the [[Ottawa, Illinois|Ottawa]] [[Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].  Due to its location where [[Interstate 80 in Illinois|Interstate 80]] meets the Amtrak system, as well as its well-preserved main street and historic housing stock, Princeton has become a popular [[Satellite city|satellite town]] for Chicago and the Quad Cities.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

==History==
Bureau County was a [[New England]] settlement. The original founders of Princeton consisted entirely of settlers from [[New England]]. These people were "[[Yankee]]s," descended from the [[English American|English]] [[Puritans]] who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the [[Northwest Territory]] during the early 1800s. Most of them arrived as a result of the completion of the [[Erie Canal]].<ref>New England in the Life of the World: A Record of Adventure and Achievement By Howard Allen Bridgman pg. 93</ref><ref name="Bradsby">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6k80AQAAMAAJ|title=History of Bureau County, Illinois|last=Bradsby|first=Henry C.|date=1885-01-01|publisher=Unigraphic|language=en}}</ref> When they arrived in what is now Bureau County there was nothing but a virgin forest and wild prairie; the [[English American|New Englanders]] laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings and established post routes. They brought with them many of their Yankee New England values, such as a passion for education, fueling the establishment of many schools, as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the [[Congregationalist Church]], though some were [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopalian]].

Culturally Bureau County, like much of northern [[Illinois]], would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture for most of its history.<ref name="Bradsby"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/reminiscencesbu00matsgoog|title=Reminiscences of Bureau County [Illinois] in Two Parts|last=Matson|first=Nehemiah|date=1872-01-01|publisher=Republican book and job office|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U2VBAQAAMAAJ|title=Past and Present of Bureau County, Illinois: Together with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead|last=Harrington|first=George B.|date=1906-01-01|publisher=Pioneer Publishing Company|isbn=9780608368887|language=en}}</ref> During the time of slavery, it was a stop on the [[Underground Railroad]] at the home of [[Owen Lovejoy]].<ref name=hist>[http://www.visitprinceton-il.com/home/index.php?com1 History of Princeton] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717220452/http://www.visitprinceton-il.com/home/index.php?com1 |date=2011-07-17 }}</ref><ref>Past and Present of Bureau County, Illinois: Together with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead, Volume 1 by George B. Harrington page 103</ref>

[[File:109 West Park Ave., Princeton, IL - c. 1915.jpg|thumb|The house of Samuel P. Clark at 109 West Park Ave., Princeton, IL was shown on a postcard c. 1915 and today is the county historical museum.]]

The name of Princeton was supposedly determined by drawing from a hat:
{{blockquote|text="The naming of the township of Princeton was the privilege of the three trustees, Roland Moseley, John Musgrove and John P. Blake...each one had a favorite name to present.. but could come to no agreement; finally it was decided that it should be settled by lottery. Each man was to write the name of his choice upon a piece of paper and place it in a hat, and a stranger, being blind-folded, should make the drawing. Mr. Musgrove, coming from New Jersey, and being loyal to his classic institution, wrote upon his slip Princeton, and as it had been agreed that the first name drawn should settle the question..(on) the slip of paper drawn by the blind-folded man, Princeton was plainly written, and so we today have the classic name of Princeton for the legal center of Bureau county. Princeton, for many years has enjoyed the distinction of being one of the literary centers of the state. She has the proud record of organizing and putting in successful operation the first township high school in Illinois. It is surely a city of quiet and pleasant homes." |sign=George B. Harrington |source=''<cite>Past and Present of Bureau County</cite>'', 1906}}

Princeton's former nickname was "The City of Elms" because of the large number of elm trees the city had during the middle of the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Princeton|last1=Belden|first1=David A.|date=2010|publisher=Arcadia|author2=Bureau County Historical Society.|isbn=9780738578187|location=Charleston, S.C.|pages=7|oclc=648936368}}</ref> After [[Dutch elm disease]] struck in the mid-1960's and killed off almost every elm, Princeton's slogan was changed to "Where Tradition Meets Progress".

Now, the slogan is "A Short Drive that Takes you Far."

==Geography==
Princeton is located at {{Coord|41|22|43|N|89|28|1|W|type:city}} (41.378481, −89.466924).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Princeton has a total area of {{convert|8.24|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>

===Climate===
{{Weather box 
| location = Princeton, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1987–present)
| single line = Y
| width = auto
| Jan record high F = 68
| Feb record high F = 70
| Mar record high F = 84
| Apr record high F = 93
| May record high F = 97
| Jun record high F = 102
| Jul record high F = 103
| Aug record high F = 102
| Sep record high F = 98
| Oct record high F = 89
| Nov record high F = 79
| Dec record high F = 70
| year record high F = 103
| Jan high F = 30.3
| Feb high F = 35.0
| Mar high F = 47.9
| Apr high F = 61.5
| May high F = 72.6
| Jun high F = 81.7
| Jul high F = 84.5
| Aug high F = 82.3
| Sep high F = 76.1
| Oct high F = 63.0
| Nov high F = 47.9
| Dec high F = 35.4
| year high F = 59.8
| Jan mean F = 22.1
| Feb mean F = 26.3
| Mar mean F = 37.8
| Apr mean F = 49.8
| May mean F = 61.2
| Jun mean F = 70.6
| Jul mean F = 73.9
| Aug mean F = 71.7
| Sep mean F = 64.5
| Oct mean F = 52.2
| Nov mean F = 38.8
| Dec mean F = 27.5
| year mean F = 49.7
| Jan low F = 13.8
| Feb low F = 17.6
| Mar low F = 27.6
| Apr low F = 38.1
| May low F = 49.8
| Jun low F = 59.5
| Jul low F = 63.2
| Aug low F = 61.1
| Sep low F = 53.0
| Oct low F = 41.5
| Nov low F = 29.7
| Dec low F = 19.6
| year low F = 39.5
| Jan record low F = −26
| Feb record low F = −30
| Mar record low F = -9
| Apr record low F = 16
| May record low F = 28
| Jun record low F = 40
| Jul record low F = 48
| Aug record low F = 46
| Sep record low F = 30
| Oct record low F = 19
| Nov record low F = 3
| Dec record low F = −18
| year record low F = -30
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.96
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.00
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.52
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.03
| May precipitation inch = 5.07
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.64
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.66
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.02
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.90
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.14
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.61
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.24
| year precipitation inch = 39.79
| Jan snow inch = 8.6
| Feb snow inch = 6.9
| Mar snow inch = 3.7
| Apr snow inch = 0.9
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.3
| Nov snow inch = 1.3
| Dec snow inch = 6.8
| year snow inch = 28.5
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 7.9
| Feb precipitation days = 7.5
| Mar precipitation days = 8.2
| Apr precipitation days = 10.4
| May precipitation days = 11.3
| Jun precipitation days = 9.7
| Jul precipitation days = 7.7
| Aug precipitation days = 8.1
| Sep precipitation days = 7.5
| Oct precipitation days = 8.8
| Nov precipitation days = 8.2
| Dec precipitation days = 8.0
| year precipitation days = 103.3
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 5.1
| Feb snow days = 4.2
| Mar snow days = 1.9
| Apr snow days = 0.5
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.2
| Nov snow days = 1.0
| Dec snow days = 4.0
| year snow days = 16.9
| source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= nws>
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=dvn
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 11, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00116998&format=pdf
| title = Station: Princeton, IL
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 11, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 2473
|1870= 3264
|1880= 3439
|1890= 3396
|1900= 4023
|1910= 4131
|1920= 4126
|1930= 4762
|1940= 5224
|1950= 5765
|1960= 6250
|1970= 6959
|1980= 7342
|1990= 7197
|2000= 7501
|2010= 7660
|2020= 7832
|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=1600000US1761899 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 7,832 people, 3,453 households, and 2,047 families residing in the city. The population density was {{Convert|950.49|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 3,832 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|465.05|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 91.60% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.12% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.37% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.29% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.14% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.11% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.37% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.75% of the population.

There were 3,453 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.96% were married couples living together, 12.08% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.72% were non-families. 36.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.59% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 2.13.

The city's age distribution consisted of 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $51,844, and the median income for a family was $66,473. Males had a median income of $41,096 versus $23,266 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $31,187. About 8.5% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.[[File:Princeton-IL-mainstreet1.jpg|upright=1.3|thumb|South historic Main Street district in Princeton, Illinois.]]

==Economy==
[[File:princeton-IL-mainstreet4.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|View of north historic Main Street district in Princeton, Illinois]]
Princeton's major employers include L.W. Schneider, Inc. Firearms Components Manufacturer, [[Ace Hardware]] Retail Support Center, LCN Closers, (a division of [[Allegion]]), MTM Recognition, formerly Josten's, makers of several world championship rings including the 2005 Chicago White Sox, all of the Chicago Bulls Championships, and the 1985 Chicago Bears. Champion Pneumatic manufactures air compressors, [[Pioneer Hi-Bred]] International ([[DuPont Co]]) and [[Perry Memorial Hospital]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.princeton-il.com/home/index.php?m3s4 | title=City of Princeton – Major Industries | access-date=2007-04-13 | work=princeton-il.com |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927081744/http://www.princeton-il.com/home/index.php?m3s4 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-09-27}}</ref>
[[File:Apollo Movie Theatre, Princeton, Illinois (7885380032).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The Apollo Theatre]]
Princeton's Main Street is lined with independent shops and restaurants.  The south end, or downtown, is the historic retail center of town and still contains the city's only movie theater (The Apollo), the courthouse, the Bureau County Historical Society, historic Matson library building, main bank offices, as well as more service-oriented businesses.  The north end, also referred to as The Art District, is located about a mile uptown, north, and contains its own business district, park, and the city's historic Amtrak depot.  In the past several years this area has undergone a transformation with the addition of upscale clothing stores and the restoration of a historic hotel building.

===Major event===

Each year the city of Princeton holds its annual Homestead Festival the second weekend in September. There are usually over one hundred entries in the parade. The homestead festival hosts a variety of events including the famous pork chop barbeque, a beer garden with local bands, children's events, craft show, and tasting booths.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.homesteadfestival.com/history.html |title=40th Annual Homestead Festival - September 8th-11th 2011 - Princeton Illinois |access-date=2010-03-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712215239/http://www.homesteadfestival.com/history.html |archive-date=2011-07-12 }}
</ref>
The festival, which began in 1971 as a celebration of the restoration of the [[Owen Lovejoy]] Homestead, now comprises a weekend of food, celebration, and the famous Homestead Parade.

===Transportation===
[[File:Princeton Depot PA150801.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|Amtrak station]]
Princeton is located on the south side of [[Interstate 80 in Illinois|Interstate 80]] some {{convert|100|mi|km}} southwest of Chicago. [[U.S. Route 6]], [[U.S. Route 34]], and [[Illinois Route 26]] all run through Princeton.

[[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail system, provides service to [[Princeton station (Illinois)|Princeton]], operating the ''[[California Zephyr]]'', the ''[[Illinois Zephyr]]'', the ''[[Carl Sandburg (Amtrak)|Carl Sandburg]]'' and the ''[[Southwest Chief]]'' each daily in both directions between [[Chicago Union Station|Chicago]] and points west from Princeton.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=PCT | title=Amtrak – Stations – Princeton, IL (PCT) | access-date=2007-04-03 | work=Amtrak.com}}</ref>

==Education==
Princeton is home [[Princeton High School (Illinois)|Princeton High School]], the oldest township high school in the state, founded in 1867.<ref name="phs-il.org">{{cite web | url=http://www.phs-il.org/pages/studenthandbook2006-07.htm | title=Princeton High School Student Handbook | access-date=2007-04-13 | work=phs-il.org |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070630162553/http://www.phs-il.org/pages/studenthandbook2006-07.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-06-30}}</ref> Its mascot is the Tiger.  The high school enrollment fluctuates between 550 and 650 students. The school recently finished adding on an addition to meet the students' needs. The new addition houses a larger library as well as several new classrooms.<ref name="phs-il.org"/> The school is home to the Frank and Marion Rathje track which hosts high school football and track and field teams from around the region.

==Library==
{{Main|Princeton Public Library, Illinois}}

Princeton's library history dates back to March 1886 when a location for the library was decided upon and secured. The first library was located at the building at what now is 529 South Main Street. In 1890 the Matson Public Library, located on South Main, was first opened for use by the public. It remained in use for 22 years. In 1912 the construction of larger Matson Public Library building was begun. It was located at 15 Park Avenue East. On March 21, 2006, a [[referendum]] was passed for the [[renovation]] of 698 East Peru Street, formerly known as Bogo's, to become Princeton Public Library. Princeton Public Library opened on August 1, 2007, replacing an older facility, the Matson Public Library, and has a book [[wikt:collection|collection]] of 45,000 items, with about {{convert|27000|sqft|m2}} of usable space. The library is located on East Peru Street (U.S. Route 6). In March 2009, the Princeton Public Library was one of only three libraries in the state of [[Illinois]] to host ''Between Fences,'' an exhibit sponsored by the [[Smithsonian Institution]] Traveling Exhibits Service (SITES) and the [[Illinois Humanities Council]]. Additional exhibits include ''Bookstock: Celebrating 40 Years of [[Woodstock]],'' and ''[[Cherry Mine Disaster]] Revisited,'' a showcase commemorating the lives lost during the Cherry Mine Disaster of 1909.

== Notable people ==
<!-- Note:
· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· 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.
· Alphabetical by last name please
· All others will be deleted without further explanation
-->
{{div col}}
* [[Nehemiah Matson]], author, 19th century
* [[William Bascom]], folklorist, anthropologist  
* [[John Howard Bryant]], poet, older brother of [[William Cullen Bryant]], and friend of [[Abraham Lincoln]], lived in Princeton <ref>{{cite book |last=Drury |first=John |title=Old Illinois Houses |chapter=Home of a Poet's Brother |pages=153–154|date=October 1948 |publisher=Illinois State Historical Society |location=Springfield, Illinois
|isbn=978-0-2261-6552-3|oclc=1155344 |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Illinois/_Texts/DRUOIH/Northern_Illinois/12*.html |via=Bill Thayer's Web Site}}</ref>
* [[E. Leslie Conkling]], educator and Illinois state legislator
* [[James E. Dabler]], Illinois state representative and businessman
* [[Henry C. Doolittle]], state assemblyman from [[Wisconsin]]
* [[William Dyke]], Wisconsin judge and politician
*[[Aleta Fenceroy]], LGBT activist, musician, divorced mother of 2 children
* [[Virgil Fox]], one of the greatest organists of the 20th Century
* [[Billy Garrett]], auto racer
* [[Gary Green (musician)|Gary Green]], guitarist for the band [[Gentle Giant]]
* [[Thomas P. Gunning]], dentist and Illinois state senator
* [[Madison G. Gonterman|Madison Gonterman]], head football coach at [[Indiana Hoosiers football|Indiana University]] 1896–97
* [[Kathryn Hays]], television actress (birth name Kay Piper), was on ''[[As the World Turns]]'' from 1972 to 2010. 
* [[Frank Fernando Jones]], Iowa state legislator
* [[Keith Knudsen]], drummer with the [[Doobie Brothers]] graduated from Princeton High School
* [[Owen Lovejoy]], Congressman, key supporter of [[Abraham Lincoln]], and a leader in the Underground Railroad to free slaves
* [[Rufus Lumry]], circuit preacher, outspoken abolitionist, early Illinois organizer of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, preached there
* [[Asa Mercer]], founder of the [[University of Washington]]
* [[Bruce Nickells]], harness racing driver and trainer; grew up in Princeton
* [[Ben Parr]], author of ''Captivology'', former co-editor of [[Mashable]] and columnist for [[CNET]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bcrnews.com/2009/12/28/parr-builds-a-mission-with-words-and-technology/aydy3he/ |title=Parr Builds a Mission With Words and Technology |publisher=Bureau County Republican |date=2009-12-28 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221223831/http://www.bcrnews.com/2009/12/28/parr-builds-a-mission-with-words-and-technology/aydy3he/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Joseph R. Peterson]] lawyer and Illinois state legislator<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 167-1968,' Biographical Sketch of Joseph R. Peterson, pg. 174–175</ref>
* [[Robert Petkoff]], noted Broadway and television actor, graduated from Princeton High School
* [[Joseph "Joe" Ruklick]], led PHS to the IL State BB Tourney finals in '54 and '55 and played NBA basketball with [[Philadelphia]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=RUKLIJO01|title=Joseph Ruklick|publisher=databaseBasketball.com|access-date=December 3, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013040128/http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=RUKLIJO01|archive-date=October 13, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Eliza Suggs]], temperance activist
* [[Josh Taylor (actor)|Josh Taylor]], actor in ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'' and television features, including ''[[The Hogan Family]]'' TV series for 6 years
* [[Justin Tranchita]], actor and artist
* [[William V. Thompson]], bowler
* [[Richard Widmark]], Oscar-nominated actor of 61 movies, graduated from Princeton HS as Senior Class President 
* [[Milo Winter]], children's book artist 
* [[Bill Wirges]], motorcycle racer whose fastest speed was 241.927 MPH in 1973 at Utah Salt Flat<ref>{{cite magazine 
 |title=Flat Out on the Flats |last=Phinizy |first=Coles |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=November 10, 1975 |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1975/11/10/flat-out-on-the-flats}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=William 'Bill' Wirges |date=July 25, 2019 |newspaper=Bureau County Republican |url=https://www.shawlocal.com/2019/07/25/william-bill-wirges/a2kwn3r/}}</ref>
* [[Nick Young (broadcast journalist)|Nick Young]], radio newscaster with CBS and WBBM
{{div col end}}

==Media==

===Radio stations===
* [[WZIV]] 90.7 FM
* [[WZOE-FM|WZOE]] 98.1 FM
* [[WZOE (AM)|WZOE]] 1490 AM

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{NIE Poster|Princeton (Illinois)|Princeton, Illinois}}
*[http://www.princeton-il.com City of Princeton, Illinois] – official website
*[http://www.visitprinceton-il.com Princeton Tourism Bureau] – official website
*[http://www.princetonchamber-il.com Princeton Chamber of Commerce] – official website

{{Bureau County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Princeton, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Bureau County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:County seats in Illinois]]
[[Category:Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 1830s]]
[[Category:1830s establishments in Illinois]]