Quincy, Illinois

Quincy, known as the "Gem City", is a city on the Mississippi River and county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census the city had 40,633 people. However, the population of Quincy is sometimes confusing to residents and onlookers alike in the fact that there are an estimated 112,000 people in the area when including the Hannibal micropolitan area as well as other municipalities in the direct vicinity (see "geography section"). Quincy is the 11th-most populous city in Illinois, outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The community is a river city and was built on top of limestone bluffs. Quincy serves as the economic and cultural hub of West-Central Illinois and is the primary city of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. In the fall of 2010 Quincy was listed as eighth in the top fifteen small cities to raise a family in the United States by Forbes magazine for its commute times, high school graduation rate, median household income, home ownership rate and cost of living.

Early history
Quincy sits on the banks of the Mississippi River. For centuries the site was home to Sauk, Fox and Kickapoo Native American tribes.

Quincy’s European-American founder, John Wood, came west from Moravia, New York in 1818 and settled in the Illinois Military Tract. Wood purchased 160 acre from a veteran for $60. The next year he became the first settler in what was originally called "Bluffs", and by 1825 would be known as Quincy. Wood was elected Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1856. He became Governor in 1860 upon the death of elected Governor William Henry Bissell.

In 1825 Quincy became the Adams County seat, both named in honor of the newly-elected U.S. President, John Quincy Adams. The town square was originally named John Square (to complete the name John Quincy Adams) on April 30, 1825, but was eventually renamed Washington Square.

Quincy’s earliest 19th century settlers were primarily from New England, Yankees who moved west in a continuing search for good land. They brought a culture of progressive values, such as support for public education. In the 1840s they were joined by a wave of German immigrants, who left Europe after the Revolutions in German provinces. The new residents brought with them much needed skills for the expanding community.

The Mormon Exile & the Civil War
During the winter of 1838-1839, five thousand members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons, on their way west, were driven from their homes in Missouri and arrived in Quincy. Though vastly outnumbered by the new arrivals, the residents of Quincy provided them food and shelter. Joseph Smith then led his followers 40 mi up river to Nauvoo, Illinois. The kindness extended by the people of Quincy continues to be remembered by Mormons. In 2002, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir gave a benefit concert in Quincy, with the proceeds donated to the city as an expression of gratitude

Quincy grew rapidly during the 1850s. Steamboat arrivals and departures made Quincy’s riverfront a center of activity. In 1858, Quincy was the site for the sixth Senatorial debate by U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas and his challenger, Abraham Lincoln. Quincy was the largest city in which Lincoln and Douglas appeared, as the debates in Freeport, Quincy, and Alton drew the largest crowds due to the size of the cities (at the time) as well as the fact that Quincy and Alton border Missouri, bringing the importance of slavery into greater spotlight in those cities with Missouri being a bitterly divided slave state and Illinois a non-slave state.

Lincoln and Douglas again competed during the 1860 Presidential campaign. Although there was substantial support for Douglas in the County, Quincy had a local chapter of the Wide Awakes, the para-military organization that supported Lincoln and the other Republican candidates. The Quincy Wide Awakes were involved in a violent confrontation in a monster political rally on August 25, 1860, in Payson.

The matter of slavery was a major religious and social issue in Quincy’s early years. The Illinois city’s location, separated only by the Mississippi River from the slave state of Missouri, which was a hotbed of political controversy on the issue, made Quincy itself a hotbed of political controversy on slavery. Dr. Eells House, at 415 Jersey, was considered station number one on the Underground Railroad from Quincy to Chicago.

The Civil War brought increasing prosperity to Quincy. It also brought another connection to Mormons, as most Mormon migrants to Utah in the 1860s came by rail to Quincy; they then boarded steam boats to cross the Mississippi River and continue their journey.

By 1870, Quincy passed Peoria to become the second largest city in Illinois. A massive railroad bridge across the Mississippi River had been completed, and Quincy was linked by rail to Omaha, Kansas City and other points west. These connections greatly increased its trade and shipping.

Contemporary history (1980 to present)


Over the past several decades, the city has worked to redevelop Quincy while holding onto its German roots. It has identified several historic districts within the city, and created an extensive park system. Quincy is known for having a large population of dogwoods and has been a member of Tree City USA since 1986. Quincy is the home to many performing arts organizations including the Quincy Symphony Orchestra, Quincy Community Theater and the Muddy River Opera Company.

During the Mississippi River flood of 1993, riverside businesses and industries suffered extensive damage when the river crested at a record 32.2 feet (9.81 m), 15 ft above flood stage. For a time, the Bayview Bridge, one of Quincy's two bridges, was the only bridge open across the Mississippi River between Alton, Illinois and Burlington, Iowa. The Memorial Bridge was closed since the end of June, due to water over its western approach. On July 16, 1993, the Bayview Bridge closed for 40 days when the river submerged the land on the west side of the Mississippi River at West Quincy, Missouri.

During the 1990s, Quincy was known to be a skydiving hub; it hosted the World FreeFall Convention (WWFC) from 1990 to 2001. The event was moved to Rantoul, Illinois after problems with drinking, deaths, and nudity prompted the city council to ban the event. As of 2007, the WFFC was put on hiatus

A flood in June 2008 submerged much of Quincy's riverfront and low-lying regions not protected by the bluffs. Record Mississippi River levels occurred on 22 June 2008. The Red Cross accepted donations for Quincy and other communities in Adams County, as natural disaster funds were recently depleted.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,366 people, 16,546 households, and 10,109 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,761.2 people per square mile (1,066.0/km²). There were 18,043 housing units at an average density of 1,234.2 per square mile (476.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.02% White, 4.65% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 16,546 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,956, and the median income for a family was $40,718. Males had a median income of $30,734 versus $20,748 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,479. About 9.2% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Quincy is governed using a mayor-council. The city council consists of fourteen members. Each of the city's seven wards elects two members. The mayor is elected in citywide vote.

Economy
Companies based in Quincy include Niemann Foods and Gardner Denver. Harris' Television and Radio Transmission has a facility in town. Titan Wheel (Titan International) is also located in Quincy. Blessing Hospital and the Quincy Public Schools round out the top three employers in the area.

In 1978, Quincy formed the Great River Economic Development Foundation, a private, non-profit organization designed to retain existing businesses and attract new ones to the area. This organization has been instrumental in putting the Quincy-Hannibal Area on the map as a distinct region in conjunction with the major metropolitan areas nearby such as Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO, and even Kansas City, MO. As a whole, Quincy falls from average to just above average in several economic categories in comparison to the national averages.

The cost of living in Quincy is well below the national average. The city is also below the national averages in cost of food, utilities and other miscellaneous costs. In the fall of 2010 Quincy was listed as eighth in the top fifteen small cities to raise a family in the United States by Forbes magazine for its commute times, high school graduation rate, median household income, home ownership rate and cost of living. Forbes compared 126 cities with a population under 100,000 and ranked them on these five quality-of-life measures.

Geography
Quincy is located at °N, °W (39.932335, -91.388737). It is adjacent to the Mississippi River and Quincy Bay, a large inlet of water fed by Cedar and Homan Creeks.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.6 square miles (37.9 km²), of which, 14.6 square miles (37.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.

Micropolitan area
Quincy is considered a micropolis, defined as an area surrounding the city within a certain distance that contains a population between 10,000 and 49,999 people. The micropolitan area also extends into Lewis County, Missouri and possibly Marion County, but does not include the city of Hannibal, as Hannibal has its own micropolitan area. The Quincy-Hannibal Area is actually considered each its own micropolis, however they are adjacent to each other. Many local media outlets treat them as being one area, and even sometimes include Keokuk, IA. Locally, this is referred to as the Tri-City area. They also share several cab companies and other transportation mediums such as bus lines, Amtrak train lines and even a ferry. Quincy and Hannibal are also connected to nearby St. Louis and even as far north as Chicago, IL by train.

A recent survey shown that within 10 mi of Quincy, the population exceeds 55,000 people. The survey was extended to 25 mi and showed that there are 112,000 people in the area (including the Hannibal micropolitan area as well as other municipalities). The Sansone Group conducted the survey when constructing the Prairie Trails Shopping Complex on the east side of Quincy.

Nearby communities
The city has four suburbs within 10 miles (16 km), all unincorporated or annexed into Quincy.
 * North Quincy, Illinois is a fairly large village north of Quincy. The city was never annexed, but just grew out of the subdivisions over time. The border between Quincy and North Quincy is Koch's Lane or Locust Street, which travels from U.S. 24 to 36th street. U.S. 24 and Illinois Route 96 run through the town, while the Quincy train station is to its northeast.
 * Hickory Grove, Illinois is a small rural community east of Quincy, on the other side of Interstate 172. The town was annexed by Quincy in 2004 when development of a new shopping complex was being built on the other side of the interstate.
 * Marblehead, Illinois is located south of Quincy on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. The town is located along Illinois 57 (Gardner Expressway) and has a population of about 1,000 people.
 * West Quincy, Missouri is a commercial city with no population along U.S. Route 24. The town was deserted in the Great Flood of 1993. During the summer, numerous tents are set up for the sale of fireworks, which are illegal in Illinois but legal in Missouri.  The town is separated from Quincy by the Mississippi River.

Sister cities
Quincy, Illinois has two sister cities.
 * 🇩🇪 Herford, Germany
 * 🇨🇳 Jiaxing, China

Media
Quincy's television market includes the cities of Quincy, Hannibal, Burlington, Macomb, and Keokuk. The market was widely served by Insight Communications through 2007. In January, 2008, Comcast took control of the cable television system. Satellite television services are provided by DirecTV or Dish Network.

The city is usually combined with Hannibal due to their proximity and labeled as the 171 market on the DMA chart. With regards to television service, Quincy and the surrounding region are served by affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and the CW networks. STARadio Corporation and Quincy Newspapers own many of the local media in the region. Quincy Newspapers also owns the Quincy Herald-Whig, which is the most widely read newspaper in the region. In 2008, QuincyNews.org launched as an independent local news Website. As of February 2006, Quincy can receive 17 FM stations, 5 AM stations, and one NOAA Wideband Weather Radio station.

Attractions
As the largest city between the Quad Cities, St. Louis, Springfield, and Columbia areas, the Quincy area contains numerous architectural and historical destinations. Some of the featured attractions in the city include: the Quincy Museum, the John Wood Mansion, the Gardner Museum of Architecture and Design, the Quincy Art Center, and the Villa Katherine Castle.

During the year, the city holds numerous events. Events on the riverfront include the annual Fourth of July fireworks show, the U.S. Catfish Anglers Tournament, and "Movies on the Muddy", showings of recently released movies along the banks of the Mississippi River. Since 2006, Quincy has been host to the Big Dam Film Festival, an annual international film festival sponsored by Young Professionals Quincy. In addition, Quincy hosts the Pepsi Little People's Golf Championships, an annual event that features talented young golfers from around the world. The "Smoke on the River" BBQ Competition has also been put on by the Quincy Exchange Club since 2007 and is hosted on the river front.

During the summer, Quincy features the Midsummer Arts Faire the 4th weekend in June in downtown Quincy's historic Washington Park. The juried fine art festival features artwork for sale by artists throughout the region and country as well as food, entertainment and children's activities. A Gus Macker 3 on 3 basketball tournament has also been hosted by the Quincy Exchange Club since 1990 on Memorial Day weekend. From June to September, there is a series of free "Blues In The District" concerts in Washington Park. Quincy's Christmas Candelight Tour is held in December and features a public walk through several historic homes decorated for the holidays. The Dogwood Festival is held in spring. A parade leads people to see dogwood trees in bloom throughout the city. Another popular event for kids in the summer is the Quincy Breakfast Optimist Club's Soapbox Derby Race "". The Soapbox Derby is held the second weekend after Memorial day.

Durning October, The Early Tin Dusters are in town showing cars that range from the early years up to 1948. The event is first held in Downtown Quincy and on the last day it is held at upper Moorman Park.

Throughout the year, a local grassroots project called Chophouse Hijack spurs interest and patronage in local restaurants by "hijacking" them with a variety arts and entertainment attractions. The initiative is unique to Quincy and is a great way to take in the various flavors and atmosphere's of Quincy's many eateries.

Architecture
As Quincy's population exploded during the mass migration from Germany, its culture was changed by the new immigrants, who brought styles of their home country. The South Side German Historic District has much of the city's historical architecture. Other significant buildings exist: Temple B’nai Sholom is one of America's earliest Moorish Revival synagogues. The Quincy Museum located on Historic Maine Street was featured on a cover of National Geographic as one of the ten most architecturally significant corners in the United States. From 14th to 24th streets, Maine Street is notable for the number of restored homes dating back to the 19th century.

The Villa Katherine Castle is a small Moorish castle situated on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. It is a rarity to find an example of Mediterranean architecture in the Midwest.

The "Gem City" has been twice recognized as an All-American City. It has a range of architecture, including several Gothic style churches. The city is home to Quincy University, a Catholic Franciscan College founded in 1860, John Wood Community College, and several other smaller colleges.

Education
Quincy has a number of educational institutions within the city or close by. One of the largest Illinois high schools outside of the Chicago area, Quincy Senior High School is located on Maine Street in Quincy. Quincy Notre Dame High School, a private Catholic high school, is also located in Quincy. Quincy University is Quincy's most highly decorated school, and was established in the 1860s. On the city's east side, John Wood Community College is the regional community college. A campus of the technical school Vatterott College is located on Quincy's north side. Gem City College is located in the heart of downtown Quincy and the Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing is located next door to Blessing Hospital. Regionally, Quincy is within driving distance of Western Illinois University in Macomb, Hannibal-LaGrange College downriver in Hannibal, Missouri, and Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri.

Health and medicine
Quincy is home to Blessing Hospital. Specialty areas include a cancer center, cardiovascular center, outpatient surgery center, and rehabilitation. Blessing also operates the Blessing Rieman College of Nursing.

Transportation
Highways

Interstate 72 passes just south of Quincy. Its spur route, Interstate 172, passes just east of town. In recent years, the Prairie Trails Shopping Complex has been a focal point for development in this area. Illinois Route 104 (Broadway) is a main east-west artery from the Mississippi River bridges to Interstate 172. Illinois Route 96 enters the city from the southeast and travels north (through the east side of Quincy) to U.S. Route 24. Illinois Route 57 branches south from U.S. 24 downtown and passes Quincy's Civic Center on its way to Interstate 172 southeast of the city. Illinois 96 also serves as the Great River Road, which follows the path of the Mississippi River. Eastbound U.S. 24 crosses the Mississippi River from Missouri on the Quincy Memorial Bridge, while westbound traffic uses the newer Bayview Bridge. Bayview bridge was constructed in 1986, but was not built as a 4-lane bridge because of budget cuts, as the cable suspension made it unaffordable to build a 4-lane bridge. Other groups claimed that business in the downtown part of Quincy would decline if the Memorial bridge was shut down.

On the Missouri side, U.S. Route 61 carries the Avenue of the Saints, a four-lane highway connecting Saint Louis to Minneapolis – Saint Paul. The Avenue of the Saints gets its name from Saint Louis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Quincy is at the center of four-lane highways in all directions: • The Avenue of the Saints passes just 5 miles to the west and is 4-lane from Canada to the Gulf • Illinois Highway 172 is part of the newly designated Route 110/CKC (Chicago - Kansas City Expressway)which offers a less-congested alternate route to these popular Midwest destinations.

Ongoing projects will improve transportation links with nearby major cities. U.S. Route 36, south of Quincy and multiplexed with Interstate 72, is currently (as of August, 2007) being upgraded to a 4-lane highway, which will connect Quincy with Saint Joseph, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri. With the continuing improvements to Illinois Route 336 north of the city, Quincy will also have a direct connection to Peoria and the Quad Cities in the near future.

Air Travel

The Quincy Regional Airport is to Quincy's east, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) outside of the city limits. Due to Quincy's close proximity to St. Louis, Cape Air offers 6 daily commuter flights that take less than an hour. They also have a code-share agreement with American Airlines. Flight instruction, plane rentals and hanger space are also available at the Airport. Longest Runway: 7,089 ft.

Rail Service

Freight Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Norfolk Southern offer multiple freight trains daily and Burlington Junction Rail Road offers short line service many sites and development districts. Amtrak Quincy is an Amtrak community with a rail station on the north side of town. It is the terminus of two Amtrak routes, the Illinois Zephyr and the Carl Sandburg. The former departs in the morning and arrives in the evening, while the later arrives in the evening and departs in the morning. Both trains follow the same track to Chicago's Union Station and make the same stops.

River Access

Quincy is home to the northernmost port on the Mississippi River for 12-month barge traffic. The municipal barge dock currently serves multiple industries in the South Quincy Development District. The Mid America Intermodal Port Commission is working to secure funding for an additional multi-million dollar intermodal port facility.

Public Transit
Quincy Transit Lines provides fixed-route and paratransit bus service throughout Quincy. There are four fixed routes, and each route is split into two branches. Those routes run Monday-Saturday, between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm. During Sundays and holidays, Quincy Transit Lines operates a pared-down version of the fixed-route system that is made up of two routes - the North route and the South route.

Quincy Transit Lines route Route 4 stops near the city's Amtrak station at Wissman Lane/30th Street intersection.