Springfield, Illinois

Springfield
Motto: 
Home of President Abraham Lincoln[1]
Location in Sangamon County and the state of Illinois
Location in Sangamon County and the state of Illinois
Springfield is located in Illinois
Springfield
Springfield
Springfield is located in the United States
Springfield
Springfield
Coordinates: 39°47′54″N 89°40′33″W / 39.79833°N 89.67583°W / 39.79833; -89.67583[3]
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountySangamon
TownshipsCapital, Springfield, Woodside[2]
FoundedApril 10, 1821 (1821-04-10)[4]
Incorporated TownApril 2, 1832 (1832-04-02)[4]
City CharterFebruary 3, 1840 (1840-02-03)[5]
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • MayorMisty Buscher (R)
Area
 • Total67.49 sq mi (174.79 km2)
 • Land61.16 sq mi (158.41 km2)
 • Water6.33 sq mi (16.38 km2)
Elevation600 ft (183 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total114,394
 • Density1,870.37/sq mi (722.16/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
ZIP codes[8][9]
Area code217/447
FIPS code17-167-11046
GNIS feature ID2395940[3]
Websitewww.springfield.il.us

Springfield is the capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city,[10] the second largest outside of the Chicago metropolitan area (after Rockford), and the largest in central Illinois. Approximately 208,000 residents live in the Springfield metropolitan area.[11]

Springfield was settled by European-Americans in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state. The most famous historic resident was Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, when he went to the White House as President of the United States. Major tourist attractions include multiple sites connected with Lincoln including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home, Old State Capitol, Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, and the Lincoln Tomb. Largely on the efforts of Lincoln and other area lawmakers, as well as its central location, Springfield was made the state capital in 1839.

Springfield lies in a valley and plain near the Sangamon River. Lake Springfield, a large reservoir owned by the municipal City Water, Light & Power company (CWLP), provides city residents with recreation and drinking water. Weather is fairly typical for middle latitude locations, with four distinct seasons.

The city has a mayor–council form of government and governs the Capital Township. The government of the state of Illinois is based in Springfield. State government institutions include the Illinois General Assembly, the Illinois Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor of Illinois. There are three public and three private high schools in Springfield. Public schools in Springfield are operated by District No. 186. Springfield's economy is dominated by government jobs, plus the related firms that deal with the state and county governments and justice system, and health care and medicine.

  1. ^ Official website
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference portions was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Springfield, Illinois
  4. ^ a b Springfield Online Archived 2007-05-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on April 13, 2007
  5. ^ "Name of Local Government: Springfield". Illinois State Archives. Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  6. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "Geographic Names Information System". edits.nationalmap.gov. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Look Up a ZIP Code". USPS.com. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 12, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  9. ^ "Look Up a ZIP Code". USPS.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 12, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "Springfield (city), Illinois". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. July 8, 2014. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  11. ^ "Estimates of Resident Population Change and Rankings: July 1, 2012 to July 1, 2013". U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2014. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2014.

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