Oregon, Illinois

The land Oregon, Illinois was founded on was previously held by the Potawatomi and Winnebago Indian tribes. In fact, later, settlers discovered that the area contained a large number of Indian mounds, most in diameter. The first European to visit the land was pioneer John Phelps. Phelps first visited the area in 1829 and returned in 1833 hoping to find a suitable site to settle. By December 4, 1838, due in large part to the efforts of Phelps and his brothers B.T. Phelps and G.W. Phelps, the land was claimed, subdivided and certified by the Ogle County clerk as Oregon City. The name Oregon means "River of the West". In 1839, Oregon City was renamed Florence after a visitor compared the scenic beauty of the Rock River to the Italian city of the same name. Florence was used for only about three years when the city opted to revert to its original name, without the word "city," in 1843. By 1847 the town had a general store, sawmill, ferry, 44 households and a population of 225. The Ogle County Courthouse was built in 1891 on the corner of Washington Street and Fourth Street (Illinois Route 64 and Illinois Route 2). Between 1908 and 1911, on a site just north of the city, sculptor Lorado Taft erected a 50-foot tall statue he had designed and originally named The Eternal Indian. Located on a bluff overlooking the Rock River valley, the sculpture is now known as the Black Hawk Statue, named after Black Hawk, a chief of the Sauk Indian tribe that once inhabited the area. The city of Oregon annexed nearby Daysville, Illinois, in 1993. ==Geography==

According to the 2010 census, Oregon has a total area of , of which (or 96.65%) is land and (or 3.35%) is water. ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 3,604. The median age was 43.3 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas. There were 1,647 households, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.4% were married-couple households, 23.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 1,789 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, .9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population. 11.9% of all residents lived below the poverty level, including 11.6% of families with related children under the age of 18. Of families with a female householder with related children under 18 years and no husband present, 34.4% lived below the poverty line. ==Culture==

Oregon has a rich history in the arts. As of Feb. 2021, renovations are planned for the historic building known as the Oregon Coliseum, which will create a new museum and cultural center. The community hosts several major events a year, including the annual Autumn On Parade Candlelight Walk ShamROCK The Town and more The Arts In 1898, sculptor Lorado Taft founded the Eagle's Nest Art Colony on a bluff overlooking the Rock River, north of Oregon. Taft and his art colony began to exert an influence on the city of Oregon and its culture. The artists who gathered during the summer at Eagle's Nest would leave a mark on the city below them. One result of the colony's location near Oregon was the inclusion of a second story art gallery in the Oregon Public Library when it was built in 1908. Art colony members were required to contribute to the local culture by giving art shows, lectures and plays. In 1904, Taft created The Blind and then began focusing on more monumental works including The Eternal Indian located just north of Oregon in Illinois' Lowden State Park. Several other Taft works are located in and around Oregon, including The Soldiers' Monument on the courthouse lawn. ==Education==

It is in the Oregon Community Unit School District 220. ==Notable people==

• Norene Arnold, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player • Neva Burright, Illinois harness racing driver and first woman to win a Grand Circuit race • James H. Cartwright, Illinois Supreme Court justice • Sherman Landers, 5th place triple jumper for the 1920 Summer Olympics Team • Frank Loomis, gold medal and world record-setting 400m hurdler for the 1920 Summer Olympics Team • Frank Orren Lowden, the 25th Governor of Illinois, kept an estate on the river just outside Oregon • Mabel Newcomer, Vassar economic professor and government advisor, born in Oregon • Fred Roat, third baseman for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys and Chicago Colts • Lorado Taft, sculptor and friend of Frank Lloyd Wright ==See also==