Petersburg is a city in and the county seat of Menard County, Illinois, United States, on the bluffs and part of the floodplain overlooking the Sangamon River. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois metropolitan area. The population was 2,258 at the 2020 census,

Many of the lush Victorian-era homes built by early wealthy inhabitants still stand on the bluffs of Petersburg. The town itself takes great pride in these structures, which has even preserved some of the original cobblestone streets to complement the classical architecture.

Geography

Petersburg is located in central Menard County and Illinois Route 97 passes through the city on Sixth Street, leading northwest to Havana and southeast to Springfield, the state capital. Illinois Route 123 enters Petersburg from the south with IL 97 but leaves to the east on East Sangamon Street. IL 123 leads east and south to Athens, and southwest to Illinois Route 125 near Pleasant Plains.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Petersburg has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Petersburg had a population of 2,258. The median age was 38.6 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 82.6 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 992 households in Petersburg, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.2% were married-couple households, 17.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, there were 2,299 people, 997 households, and 612 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,076 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.78% White, 1.09% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.

There were 997 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $32,292 versus $22,396 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,718. About 13.8% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Petersburg began as a trade center for agriculture in the region and a shipping point, where a railhead met a point in the Sangamon River that was both navigable and crossable. In recent decades, the depth of the Sangamon River at Petersburg has become too shallow for navigation, due to silting from local farming and from the diverting of natural runoff into artificial reservoirs such as Lake Petersburg and Lake Springfield.

The economy of the area is still derived primarily from agriculture, particularly in corn production. Tourism is a steady (if small) industry, and the town caters to Lincoln enthusiasts as a gateway to New Salem and in housing some relics of Lincoln's early life in Illinois. There are also a growing number of bed and breakfast inns, many of which are located in restored Victorian homes. Recent developments have also turned the town into a bedroom community for the state capital of Springfield, Illinois, which is to the southeast.

Media

Petersburg is served by WCIA, WICS, WAND, WSEC, WRSP television stations. Petersburg is also served by The State Journal-Register newspaper in Springfield and The Petersburg Observer.

Notable people

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  • Theodore Edward Coneys, convicted of murder in Denver Colorado
  • William Taylor Davidson, newspaper editor; born in Petersburg
  • Bill Krieg, utility player for various teams; born in Petersburg
  • Harris Laning, admiral, United States Navy; born in Petersburg
  • Edgar Lee Masters, lawyer and author (Spoon River Anthology)
  • William B. McKinley, United States senator from Illinois
  • Ann Rutledge, allegedly Abraham Lincoln's first love

References

  • Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site