LaSalle County

History

LaSalle County was formed on January 15, 1831, out of Tazewell and Putnam Counties. It is named for the early French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. La Salle was the first European recorded as entering the area. He traveled the Mississippi River upriver from the Gulf of Mexico, claimed the land for France, or rather as a possession of King Louis XIV, and named it Louisiana. In 1680, he and Henry de Tonty built Fort Crevecoeur on the Illinois River in present-day Tazewell County, and in 1683, they constructed Fort St. Louis on Starved Rock in present-day LaSalle County. By 1857, the county was served by the daily arrivals of two trains of the Illinois Central Railroad.

As William D. Boyce reportedly founded the Boy Scouts of America in Ottawa, the council is named for him. He and two other founders established the BSA, but Boyce is given the sole credit since his faction of the BSA adopted the other two competing factions' elements within the organization. LaSalle County is within what is called the Lowaneu District of the W.D. Boyce Council.

In 1838, William Reddick, a local farmer and landowner, was elected sheriff of LaSalle County. He was hired to restore public order resulting from an influx of workmen creating the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Reddick served as sheriff for four consecutive two-year terms. After being elected to the Illinois State Senate, Reddick commissioned the construction of a luxurious Italianate home, now known as the Reddick Mansion. This structure is one of the largest surviving pre-Civil War homes in Illinois. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, as part of the Washington Park Historic District.

The tri-county area of DeKalb, LaSalle, and Kendall has been influential in terms of its politics, sports, multimedia, industry, and technology. DeKalb County was the birthplace of plant hybridization (DeKalb, DeKalb Agricultural), the hot-air hand dryer (Sandwich, Sahara-Pak), and is the home of supermodel Cindy Crawford, at least 7 MLB players, two NFL coaches, and three NFL players. LaSalle County was home to the Westclox Company for many years, it was the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas Debates, and was the home to the discoverer of Pluto, as well as a Wild West figure, multiple published authors, a legendary NCAA athletic director and coach, and multiple political figures. Kendall County is the home to a seminal piece of 20th Century architecture, the birthplace of the Harvester Reaper, (as well as the precursor to the International Harvester Company), the plastic tackle box and plastic-injection molding, and is the home of multiple athletes, politicians, and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. DeKalb, LaSalle, and Kendall Counties have all been featured in major films, with scripts either having been written by residents or former residents.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,148 square miles (2,970 km2), of which 1,135 square miles (2,940 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (1.1%) is water. It is the second-largest county in Illinois by land area and the fourth-largest by total area.

Adjacent counties

LaSalle County, Illinois, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as nine counties. Illinois has two such counties, with Pike County being the other.

Many of the residents of LaSalle County live in cities and towns along the Illinois River. It is the main population core, with some exceptions, including Streator to the south of the county. Large cities along the river include Ottawa, LaSalle, Peru, and Marseilles. The regions north and south of the Illinois River are mostly agricultural, including the Fox River portion of the county, and have few large towns.

Climate

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ottawa have ranged from a low of 12 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 112 °F (44 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.32 inches (34 mm) in February to 4.13 inches (105 mm) in June.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 109,658 in 45,203 households, and 29,344 families resided in the county.

The median age was 42.5 years, with 21.1% of residents under the age of 18 and 19.7% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 85.6% White, 2.4% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.6% from some other race, and 7.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.4% of the population.

68.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 31.6% lived in rural areas.

Of the 45,203 households in the county, 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 46.5% were married-couple households, 20.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 49,812 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.8% were owner-occupied and 27.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, the population density was 95.5 inhabitants per square mile (36.9/km2). There were 49,812 housing units at an average density of 43.4 per square mile (16.8/km2).

According to the 2006–2010 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the median income for a household in the county was $60,069 and the median income for a family was $72,583. Males had a median income of $50,214 versus $26,424 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,020. About 9.7% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

The 2000 census age pyramid for LaSalle County is shown below.

Education

Secondary schools

Earlville High School (CUSD 9), also has district area in DeKalb and Lee counties

LaSalle-Peru High School, LaSalle

Leland High School, Leland, also has district area in DeKalb County

Mendota Township High School, Mendota, also has district area in Bureau and Lee Counties

Newark Community High School, located within Kendall County, but serves Mission Township

Ottawa Township High School, Ottawa

Sandwich Community High School (CUSD 430), located within DeKalb County, but serves Northville Township

Seneca High School, also has district area in Grundy County

Serena High School (CUSD 2)

Somonauk High School, located within DeKalb County, but serves Northville and Adams Townships

Streator Township High School, Streator

Woodland High School, Streator

Marquette Academy, Ottawa

Ottawa Christian Academy, Ottawa

St. Bede Academy, Peru

Colleges and universities

Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby

Infrastructure

Transit

Amtrak (Illinois Zephyr, Carl Sandburg, and Southwest Chief)

Burlington Trailways

Mendota station

Earlville Airport, closed in 2010

Illinois Valley Regional Airport, Peru

Utilities

LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station, Marseilles

Communities

Townships

LaSalle County is divided into thirty-seven townships:

Ghost towns

East Wenona

Little Rock

Science

Politics

LaSalle has generally been a Republican-leaning swing county, more competitive than most in urbanized Northern Illinois.

In its early years, LaSalle County supported the Democratic Party, being southwest of the Free Soil strongholds in the far northeast of the state. Following the formation of the Republican party, LaSalle County voted for that party in every election until 1884, when it supported Democrat Grover Cleveland three consecutive times. Although the county gave a plurality to Woodrow Wilson in 1912 and supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first three elections, it otherwise voted Republican until 1960.

A Democratic trend, typical of Yankee Northern Illinois, saw Michael Dukakis carry LaSalle despite failing to win the election in 1988, and no Republican would carry the county again until George W. Bush in 2004.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement in LaSalle County is primarily provided by the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the county jail, patrols unincorporated areas, provides courthouse security, and manages civil process.

Visitor attractions

Hegeler Carus Mansion

Hopalong Cassidy River Trail

Illini State Park

Kaskaskia Alliance Trail

LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

Matthiessen State Park

Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial

Mitchell's Grove Nature Preserve

Ottawa Avenue Cemetery

Plum Island Eagle Sanctuary

Starved Rock State Park

Washington Park Historic District (Ottawa, Illinois)

Wild Bill Hickok Memorial

Notable people

James T. Aubrey (LaSalle) longtime president of CBS Television network

Bill Brown, (Mendota) former running back for the Minnesota Vikings

Herbert "Fritz" Crisler, (Earlville, Mendota) head football coach at the University of Michigan (1938–1947), namesake of the school's basketball stadium, and is credited for created the helmet design for the Michigan football team

Doug Dieken, (rural Streator) former tackle with the Cleveland Browns (1971–1984); color commentary for Browns radio broadcasts

Walter T. Gunn, Illinois Supreme Court justice, born in LaSalle County

J. A. Happ, (Peru) pitcher for New York Yankees; pitched for 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies

Michael Hermosillo, (Ottawa) outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels and minor league affiliates

Wild Bill Hickok, (Troy Grove) noted historical Western Figure

Helen Hokinson, (Mendota) cartoonist for The New Yorker

Silas Johnson, (Sheridan) credited as the last pitcher to strike out Herman "Babe" Ruth; played for the Cincinnati Reds

Harry Kelly, (Ottawa) 39th governor of Michigan

Terrence Malick, (Ottawa) film director, known for Badlands and The Thin Red Line; born in Ottawa

Bob McGrath, (Ottawa), Sesame Street performer