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{{Use American English|date = January 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date = January 2020}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Vandalia | official_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name = | settlement_type = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]] | image_skyline = Downtown Vandalia IL 1.jpg | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_seal = | etymology = | nickname = | motto = "Oldest Existing Illinois Capital City" | anthem = | image_map = File:Fayette County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Vandalia Highlighted.svg | mapsize = | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Vandalia in Fayette County, 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|58|31|N|89|06|42|W|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = <ref name="gnis" /> | grid_name = | grid_position = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Illinois}} | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = [[Fayette County, Illinois|Fayette]] | subdivision_type3 = Townships | subdivision_name3 = [[Vandalia Township, Fayette County, Illinois|Vandalia]], [[Bear Grove Township, Fayette County, Illinois|Bear Grove]], [[Sharon Township, Fayette County, Illinois|Sharon]] | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1819 | founder = | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = | seat1_type = | seat1 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | governing_body = | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Ricky J. Gottman | 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_km2 = 21.14 | area_total_sq_mi = 8.16 | area_land_km2 = 21.10 | area_land_sq_mi = 8.15 | area_water_km2 = 0.04 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.02 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="gnis" /> | elevation_ft = 518 | population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]] | population_footnotes = | population_total = 7458 | population_density_km2 = 353.46 | population_density_sq_mi = 915.43 | population_demonym = | timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]] | utc_offset1 = β6 | timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]] | utc_offset1_DST = β5 | postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code]] | postal_code = 62471 | area_code = [[Area code 618|618]] | geocode = | iso_code = | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 17-77317 | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 2397119<ref name="gnis">{{GNIS|2397119}}</ref> | website = {{URL|vandaliaillinois.com/}} | footnotes = }} '''Vandalia''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Fayette 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|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=2011-05-31|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]], the population was 7,458. The city is on the [[Kaskaskia River]] and in the early 19th century, Vandalia became the western terminus of the [[National Road]] (the first federal road) from the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]]. The city is {{convert|60|mi|km}} northeast of the [[Greater St. Louis]] area. Vandalia served as the [[List of capitals in the United States|state capital]] of Illinois from 1819 until 1839, when the seat of state government moved closer to the center of the state in [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]]. Since 1933, the [[Vandalia State House State Historic Site]] preserves and interprets the State House capital building and grounds, originally constructed in 1836. ==History== [[Image:VandaliaStateHouse VandaliaIL.jpg|thumb|left|upright|''[[Madonna of the Trail]]'' statue in front of the Vandalia State House]] Vandalia was founded in 1819 as a new capital city for Illinois.<ref name=vandaliaillinois.com>{{cite web|title=Vandalia, Illinois History|url=http://vandaliaillinois.com/history.html|website=Vandalia, Illinois|publisher=City of Vandalia|access-date=10 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508094603/http://www.vandaliaillinois.com/history.html|archive-date=8 May 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The previous capital, [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]], was unsuitable because it was under the constant threat of flooding. The townsite, located in Bond County at the time,<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/documentaryhisto00burt/|title=Documentary History of Vandalia, Illinois|date=October 1954|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>{{Rp|5}} was hastily prepared for the 1820 meeting of the Illinois General Assembly.<ref name=vandaliaillinois.com /> In 1821, Fayette County was created, including Vandalia.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|5}} The history of the name Vandalia is uncertain. Different theories can be found in almost all of the books written about Vandalia over the years. In her book ''Vandalia: Wilderness Capital of Lincoln's Land'', Mary Burtschi tells of a conversation between one of the original surveyors of the town and a Vandalia resident. The surveyor, [[Greenup, Illinois|Colonel Greenup]], explained that ''Van'' was suggested by one of the men. He recommended this as an abbreviation to the word ''vanguard'' meaning the forefront of an advancing movement. Another suggestion was made for the term ''dalia'', derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ''dale'' which means a valley between hills. Greenup takes credit in the conversation for connecting the two terms to form the name ''Vandalia''. Another possible source of the name is the [[Vandalia colony]], a failed attempt to establish a fourteenth colony in part of what is now West Virginia and Kentucky. The Vandalia colony was named in honor of [[Queen Charlotte]], who claimed descent from the [[Wends|Wendish]] tribe of [[Obodrites]], also called the [[Vandals]]. Another theory put forth is that Vandalia was named by those who located the state capital in the town; according to the story, they mistakenly thought the [[Vandals]] were a brave [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] tribe, rather than of Germanic origins.<ref name="historicgville">Allan H. Keith, [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_1gJ_RVeb5JYC/page/n2 <!-- pg=2 --> ''Historical Stories: About Greenville and Bond County, IL''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120150619/https://books.google.com/books?id=1gJ_RVeb5JYC&pg=PA2 |date=2016-01-20 }}. Consulted on August 15, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2MwfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mNgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1176%2C754300 | title=Place Names Have Colorful History | work=The Southeast Missourian | date=January 11, 1963 | access-date=27 April 2015 | author=Allen, John W. | pages=6 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904110828/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2MwfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mNgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1176%2C754300 | archive-date=4 September 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> The law under which Vandalia was founded included a provision that the capital would not be moved for twenty years.<ref name=longnine>{{cite news|title=Springfield's Long Nine|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1900/12/01/102436998.html?pageNumber=3|access-date=10 July 2015|work=the New York Times|date=1 December 1900|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117214900/http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1900/12/01/102436998.html?pageNumber=3|archive-date=17 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Even before the end of this period, the population center of the state had shifted far north of Vandalia.<ref name=power>{{cite book|last1=Power|first1=John Carroll|title=History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois : centennial record|date=1876|publisher=Edwin A. Wilson & Co.|location=Springfield, Illinois|page=46|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofearlyse00powe#page/46/mode/2up|access-date=10 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118004643/https://archive.org/stream/historyofearlyse00powe#page/46/mode/2up|archive-date=18 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1837, the General Assembly voted to move the capital to [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]].<ref name=power /> On November 21, 1915, the [[Liberty Bell]] passed through Vandalia on its nationwide tour, while being returned to [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] from the [[Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)|Panama-Pacific International Exposition]] in [[San Francisco]].<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> In the early 1960s the sociologist Joseph Lyford examined the social structure of Vandalia in a book-length study that revealed the essentially corporatist nature of decision-making in the city; this work was recently revisited by the Economist newspaper.<ref name="economist">{{cite news |title= The view from Vandalia: A half century on, a much-studied small city has lessons to teach |url= https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21568724-half-century-much-studied-small-city-has-lessons-teach-view-vandalia |newspaper= The Economist |date= December 22, 2012 |access-date= September 17, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171019232213/https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21568724-half-century-much-studied-small-city-has-lessons-teach-view-vandalia |archive-date= October 19, 2017 |url-status= live }}</ref> ==Education== The city has a Board of Education.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31188032/scaleddown_school_addition_considered/|title=Scaled-down school addition considered|last=Petrina|first=David|date=December 19, 1980|work=Herald & Review|publisher=Lee Enterprises|issue=298|location=Decatur, Illinois|volume=101|page=A5|via=Newspapers.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607012037/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31188032/scaleddown_school_addition_considered/|archive-date=June 7, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Among the public schools in the city are Jefferson Elementary School and former Central School, which was condemned in 1980.<ref name=":0" /> The city's first high school was established in 1858.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/jstor-40194509|title=Development of the Free Public High School in Illinois to 1860|last=Belting|first=Paul E.|publisher=Illinois State Journal Press|year=1919|location=Springfield, Illinois|pages=[https://archive.org/details/jstor-40194509/page/n60 523]|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> Vandalia is home to the Okaw Valley Area Vocational Center,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/directoryofillin2000illi|title=2000-2001 Directory: Illinois Public Schools, Public School Districts, Other Education Units|year=1989|publisher=Illinois State Board of Education|pages=[https://archive.org/details/directoryofillin2000illi/page/153 153]|quote=Okaw Area Vocational Center|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> which trains high school students in vocational trades. It also serves vocational students from nearby high schools such as those in [[Greenville High School (Greenville, Illinois)|Greenville]] and [[Mulberry Grove, Illinois|Mulberry Grove]]. The building trades class at the center each year purchases property in Vandalia, builds a house, and sells the improved property. They have sold 33 homes constructed by students.<ref name="okawvalley">{{cite news |title=BUILDING TRADES CLASS BUILDS 33RD HOME |url=http://www.wgel.com/daily/2007/5-21-07.htm |publisher=WGEL |date=May 21, 2007 |access-date=2007-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823002906/http://www.wgel.com/daily/2007/5-21-07.htm |archive-date=August 23, 2007 }}</ref> ==Geography== According to the 2010 census, Vandalia has a total area of {{convert|8.116|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|8.1|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 99.8%) is land and {{convert|0.016|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 0.2%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1777317 |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1 |access-date=2015-12-27 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213064904/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1777317 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Vandalia is situated on [[Interstate 70 in Illinois|Interstate 70]], [[U.S. Route 40 in Illinois|U.S. Route 40]] (the National Road) and [[U.S. Route 51 in Illinois|U.S. Route 51]]. ===Climate=== {{Weather box |location = Vandalia, Illinois (1991β2020 normals, extremes 1899βpresent) |single line = Y | Jan record high F = 72 | Feb record high F = 77 | Mar record high F = 84 | Apr record high F = 89 | May record high F = 94 | Jun record high F = 104 | Jul record high F = 111 | Aug record high F = 106 | Sep record high F = 98 | Oct record high F = 97 | Nov record high F = 81 | Dec record high F = 72 | year record high F = 111 | Jan high F = 36.9 | Feb high F = 41.9 | Mar high F = 52.7 | Apr high F = 65.1 | May high F = 74.9 | Jun high F = 83.7 | Jul high F = 86.8 | Aug high F = 85.9 | Sep high F = 79.6 | Oct high F = 67.7 | Nov high F = 53.7 | Dec high F = 41.5 | year high F = 64.2 | Jan mean F = 28.8 | Feb mean F = 33.0 | Mar mean F = 42.9 | Apr mean F = 54.2 | May mean F = 64.6 | Jun mean F = 73.5 | Jul mean F = 76.7 | Aug mean F = 75.2 | Sep mean F = 67.7 | Oct mean F = 55.8 | Nov mean F = 43.9 | Dec mean F = 33.6 | year mean F = 54.2 | Jan low F = 20.7 | Feb low F = 24.2 | Mar low F = 33.2 | Apr low F = 43.3 | May low F = 54.2 | Jun low F = 63.2 | Jul low F = 66.6 | Aug low F = 64.4 | Sep low F = 55.8 | Oct low F = 44.0 | Nov low F = 34.1 | Dec low F = 25.6 | year low F = 44.1 | Jan record low F = β22 | Feb record low F = β19 | Mar record low F = β9 | Apr record low F = 20 | May record low F = 28 | Jun record low F = 39 | Jul record low F = 48 | Aug record low F = 41 | Sep record low F = 20 | Oct record low F = 22 | Nov record low F = 5 | Dec record low F = β17 | year record low F = -22 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation inch = 2.97 | Feb precipitation inch = 2.49 | Mar precipitation inch = 3.32 | Apr precipitation inch = 4.86 | May precipitation inch = 5.30 | Jun precipitation inch = 4.87 | Jul precipitation inch = 3.90 | Aug precipitation inch = 3.24 | Sep precipitation inch = 3.07 | Oct precipitation inch = 3.26 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.76 | Dec precipitation inch = 2.69 | year precipitation inch = 43.73 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in | Jan precipitation days = 8.9 | Feb precipitation days = 7.2 | Mar precipitation days = 9.5 | Apr precipitation days = 11.0 | May precipitation days = 12.4 | Jun precipitation days = 9.9 | Jul precipitation days = 8.0 | Aug precipitation days = 7.4 | Sep precipitation days = 6.8 | Oct precipitation days = 8.2 | Nov precipitation days = 9.2 | Dec precipitation days = 8.3 | year precipitation days = 106.8 |source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name = NOAA > {{cite web | url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lsx | title = NowData β NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = July 24, 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=USC00118781&format=pdf | title = Station: Vandalia, IL | work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991β2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = July 24, 2021}}</ref> }} ==Demographics== {{US Census population |1850= 419 |1860= 1145 |1870= 1771 |1880= 2056 |1890= 2144 |1900= 2665 |1910= 2974 |1920= 3316 |1930= 4342 |1940= 5288 |1950= 5471 |1960= 5537 |1970= 5160 |1980= 5338 |1990= 6114 |2000= 6975 |2010= 7042 |2020= 7458 |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=1600000US1777317 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 7,458 people, 2,253 households, and 1,247 families residing in the city. The population density was {{Convert|913.63|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 2,629 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|322.06|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 83.70% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 10.24% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.86% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.48% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.00% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.98% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.74% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.91% of the population. There were 2,253 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.21% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.65% were non-families. 39.28% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 2.25. The city's age distribution consisted of 16.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 144.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 148.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,862, and the median income for a family was $48,454. Males had a median income of $28,600 versus $23,833 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,994. About 16.8% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Vandaliaparade.jpg|thumb|400px|Gallatin Street 1909]] --> ==Government== [[File:Vandalia city hall.jpg|thumb|Vandalia City Hall]] Vandalia is governed using the mayor council system. The council consists of eight members elected from one of four wards with each ward electing two members. The mayor along with the city clerk and treasurer are elected in a citywide vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vandaliaillinois.com/city-information/elected-officials/|title=Elected Officials|website=City of Vandalia, IL|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-10}}</ref> ==Notable people== * [[Alfred Elisha Ames]], politician and physician * [[Josie Barnes]], professional bowler and winner of the 2021 [[U.S. Women's Open (bowling)|U.S. Women's Open]] * [[Henry P. H. Bromwell]], U.S. Representative from Illinois * [[John J. Bullington]], Illinois politician * [[Levi Davis (politician)|Levi Davis]], Illinois Auditor and lawyer * [[H. Joel Deckard]], U.S. Representative from Indiana * [[William Lee D. Ewing]], U.S. Senator and fifth [[Governor of Illinois]] * [[William M. Farmer]], Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court * [[Ferris Foreman]], politician and Army colonel * [[John W. Heavey]], U.S. Army brigadier general, chief of the National Guard Bureau * [[Miles E. Mills]], Illinois politician and educator * [[Frederick Remann]], Illinois politician * [[June Squibb]], [[Academy Award]]-nominated actress ==In fiction and popular culture== *The case of ''Frier v. City of Vandalia'' was a case decided by the [[Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals]] on the issue of [[res judicata]]. The case originally involved a parking dispute in Vandalia but became a pivotal case in [[civil procedure]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=11476101964234248941&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr |title=Google Scholar |access-date=2015-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120203640/https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=11476101964234248941&hl=en&as_sdt=6&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr |archive-date=2016-01-20 |url-status=live }}</ref> *Four US Navy ships have been named for [[USS Vandalia|Vandalia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=DANFS |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs.html |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=US Navy Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |language=en-US}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.vandaliaillinois.com/ City of Vandalia] {{Fayette County, Illinois}} {{Illinois county seats}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Cities in Illinois]] [[Category:Cities in Fayette County, Illinois]] [[Category:Former state capitals in the United States|Illinois]] [[Category:County seats in Illinois]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1819]] [[Category:1819 establishments in Illinois]]
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