Casey, Illinois

Casey, Illinois
City
Casey city hall
Casey city hall
Nickname: 
a Small Town with a Big Heart[1]
Location of Casey in Clark County, Illinois.
Location of Casey in Clark County, Illinois.
Coordinates: 39°18′08″N 87°59′48″W / 39.30222°N 87.99667°W / 39.30222; -87.99667[2]
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountiesClark, Cumberland
TownshipsCasey, Union
Government
 • MayorMike Nichols [3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
2.64 sq mi (6.83 km2)
 • Land2.62 sq mi (6.79 km2)
 • Water0.015 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
[2]
653 ft (199 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
2,404
 • Density916.8/sq mi (353.96/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
62420
Area code(s)217, 447
FIPS code17–11618
GNIS feature ID2393765[2]
Websitehttp://www.cityofcaseyil.org/

Casey (/ˈkeɪzi/[5]) is a city in Clark and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,404 at the 2020 census.

The Cumberland County portion of Casey is part of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Casey is noted for its outdoor sculptures listed as Guinness World Records for their size, including the Wind Chime, Rocking Chair, and more.

It also hosts the USA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum.[6]

Geography

Most of the city lies in Clark County, although a small portion extends into Cumberland County. In the 2000 census, 2,940 of Casey's 3067 residents (99.9%) lived in Clark County and 2 (0.1%) lived in Cumberland County.[7]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Casey has a total area of 2.26 square miles (5.85 km2), all land.[8]

Climate

Climate data for Casey, Illinois, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 72
(22)		 76
(24)		 87
(31)		 89
(32)		 97
(36)		 100
(38)		 102
(39)		 102
(39)		 99
(37)		 95
(35)		 83
(28)		 72
(22)		 102
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 37.5
(3.1)		 42.5
(5.8)		 53.2
(11.8)		 65.2
(18.4)		 75.9
(24.4)		 84.0
(28.9)		 87.7
(30.9)		 86.3
(30.2)		 80.8
(27.1)		 68.7
(20.4)		 54.1
(12.3)		 42.1
(5.6)		 64.8
(18.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 28.4
(−2.0)		 32.4
(0.2)		 42.6
(5.9)		 54.0
(12.2)		 64.9
(18.3)		 73.4
(23.0)		 76.7
(24.8)		 75.2
(24.0)		 68.1
(20.1)		 56.4
(13.6)		 43.8
(6.6)		 33.2
(0.7)		 54.1
(12.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 19.3
(−7.1)		 22.2
(−5.4)		 32.0
(0.0)		 42.8
(6.0)		 53.9
(12.2)		 62.7
(17.1)		 65.7
(18.7)		 64.0
(17.8)		 55.4
(13.0)		 44.1
(6.7)		 33.4
(0.8)		 24.3
(−4.3)		 43.3
(6.3)
Record low °F (°C) −22
(−30)		 −22
(−30)		 −4
(−20)		 18
(−8)		 28
(−2)		 35
(2)		 46
(8)		 44
(7)		 25
(−4)		 17
(−8)		 3
(−16)		 −21
(−29)		 −22
(−30)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.25
(83)		 2.60
(66)		 3.34
(85)		 5.07
(129)		 4.48
(114)		 5.16
(131)		 4.64
(118)		 3.03
(77)		 3.07
(78)		 3.81
(97)		 4.03
(102)		 3.06
(78)		 45.54
(1,158)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.0
(13)		 1.9
(4.8)		 1.4
(3.6)		 0.1
(0.25)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.3
(0.76)		 3.2
(8.1)		 11.9
(30.51)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 8.8 8.1 9.5 11.0 12.2 11.0 8.2 6.6 6.5 8.6 8.4 9.3 108.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 2.9 2.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 2.1 7.9
Source 1: NOAA[9]
Source 2: National Weather Service[10]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880778—
18908448.5%
19001,50077.7%
19102,15743.8%
19202,1891.5%
19302,2000.5%
19402,54315.6%
19502,7347.5%
19602,8905.7%
19702,9943.6%
19803,0261.1%
19902,914−3.7%
20002,9421.0%
20102,769−5.9%
20202,404−13.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Casey had a population of 2,404, with 1,054 households and 745 families residing in the city.[12][13] The population density was 1,062.31 inhabitants per square mile (410.16/km2). There were 1,233 housing units at an average density of 544.85 units per square mile (210.37 units/km2).[14]

The median age was 43.5 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 80.7 males age 18 and over.[12][13]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[15]

Of the city's households, 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. 41.7% were married-couple households, 19.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]

Of the 1,233 housing units, 14.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.[12]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[13]
RaceNumberPercent
White2,31596.3%
Black or African American120.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native20.1%
Asian40.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race80.3%
Two or more races632.6%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)431.8%

Income and poverty

The median income for a household in the city was $45,784, and the median income for a family was $52,310. Males had a median income of $37,592 versus $25,369 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,020. About 7.8% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

African-Americans in Casey

Casey has a history as a sundown town. In 1906, an African-American hotel cook allegedly insulted a white girl. Authorities sent him out of town before a trial could be completed so as to prevent whites in Casey from lynching him. This precipitated the formation of a mob, reported the Alton Evening Telegraph, which "became furious and immediately started to free the city of the negro population." The paper wrote that this population was "given minutes to leave," continuing, "Casey is without a negro. In the future none will be permitted to stay more than a few hours."[16][17]

Historian James Loewen attests that the only exception to this exclusion was nurse and midwife Elizabeth Davis (1887-1963) and her son. Davis was remembered for caring for patients during polio outbreaks and for being "the best midwife in Clark County". The townspeople of Casey called her "Nigger Liz". Drawing from oral histories, Loewen also writes that Casey erected a sign at the edge of town saying something along the lines of "Nigger, Don't Let the Sun Shine on Your Back in Casey".[18][19]

Education

The school district is Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District 4C.[20][21]

Big Things Small Town

World's largest wind chime.
World's largest wind chime.

Casey is most known for its collection of "World's Largest" items.[22]

Jim Bolin, a local craftsman and businessman, built fourteen things that have set Guinness World Records for their size:

  1. World's Largest Wind Chime
  2. World's Largest Golf Tee
  3. World's Largest Pitchfork
  4. World's Largest Rocking Chair
  5. World's Largest Wooden Shoes
  6. World's Largest Mailbox
  7. World's Largest Gavel (currently in Marshall, IL)
  8. World's Largest Truck Key
  9. World's Largest Barbershop Pole
  10. World's Largest Teeter Totter
  11. World's Largest Golf Driver
  12. World's Largest Swizzle Spoon

The other two have since been beaten: World's Largest Knitting Needles and World's Largest Crochet Hook.

Around the town, there are other big things that haven't gotten records like The Big Ear of Corn, The Big Mousetrap, and The Big Pizza Slicer (made by The Greathouse of Pizza), among others.[23] Bolin has also created big things inspired by pop culture like the big PokeBall and big Minion.[24]

While Bolin initially constructed these items to bring in more tourism and revitalize Casey during a time of economic distress, he also built them as monuments to his religion.[25] He wrote of the wind chimes, "There’s a cross at the top. I’m a man of faith, and I wanted the wind chime to point people to God. The welder who worked on it used religious symbols—the ichthus and the Star of David—for the braces that stabilize it."[26] Each item hosts a plaque with a verse from Christian scripture.[27]

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "City of Casey". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Casey, Illinois
  3. ↑ "Incorporated Cities, Towns & Villages of Illinois" (PDF). Illinois Blue Book (2021-2022 ed.). Springfield. ISSN 0191-104X. OCLC 1645571.
  4. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Cities – Illinois Pronunciation Guide". Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  6. ↑ "USA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum". USA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Subcounty population estimates 2000-2006: Illinois". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. June 28, 2007. Archived from the original (CSV) on October 8, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Casey, IL". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  10. ↑ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Central Illinois". National Weather Service. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Race War At Casey, Ill". The Telegraph (Alton, Illinois). October 22, 1906. p. 3. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ Campney, Brent M.S. (June 30, 2019). Hostile Heartland: Racism, Repression, and Resistance in the Midwest. University of Illinois Press. p. 147. ISBN 9780252051333.
  18. ↑ Loewen, James (2018). Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism. The New Press. pp. 291–292. ISBN 9781620974346.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  19. ↑ "Elizabeth Davis, Greenup Area Nurse, Dies". Effingham Daily News. April 22, 1963. p. 3. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ Geography Division (December 22, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clark County, IL (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2025. - Text list
  21. ↑ Geography Division (December 22, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cumberland County, IL (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2025. - Text list
  22. ↑ "'We have built 14 Guinness World Records' | Big things happening in this small Illinois town". ksdk.com. November 6, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  23. ↑ "LIST". mysite. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  24. ↑ "New big attraction inspired by Pokémon". WTHI News. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  25. ↑ Crawford, Sean (September 17, 2019). "Big Ideas In The Small Town Of Casey". NPR Illinois. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  26. ↑ Bolin, Jim (March 11, 2026). "Greetings from Small-Town America: Casey, Illinois". Guideposts Articles. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  27. ↑ "WORLD'S LARGEST". BigThingsSmallTown. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
  28. ↑ Bennett, Mark (October 10, 2007). "Wabash Valley native, Pulitzer Prize winner writes song on Fontanet powder mill explosion". TribStar. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
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