Flora

Flora is a city in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,803 at the 2020 census. In September 1960, Flora was named "Ford Town USA" and some years later "Ford City USA" The city is located at 38°40.2N 88°28.5W (38.6698, -88.4841). Flora has a total area of 4.69 square miles (12.15 km²), all land. The city was founded by Samuel White in 1854. White donated land for the 1st schoolhouse, the Baptist Church and parsonage. He also donated land to the City of Flora for several buildings and the city park. The City Park, at that time called the Public Square, is present day Library Park where Flora Public Library is located. In December 1860, White married Helen M. Riggs in Flora. The couple had two children, who are buried in Elmwood Cemetery. Flora is located on the Illinois River, which runs through the center of the city. It is located near the junction of the Illinois Turnpike and the Chicago River. The Illinois River is one of the few places in the United States where you can see the Chicago skyline from the top of the Mississippi River. It runs through Flora's central business district, which was once the site of the Flora Manufacturing Company. The town's name is derived from the word Flora, which means "factory" or "mill".

History

Samuel White was born September 10, 1831 in Warren County, Ohio. He and his family came to Clay County in 1852. The original town of Flora was laid out, surveyed and platted in February 1854. White donated land for the 1st schoolhouse, the Baptist Church and parsonage. The City Park, at that time called the Public Square, is present day Library Park where Flora Public Library is located. The city's founder died November 15, 1912 in Sterling, Colorado and was returned to Flora for burial in the family plot at Elmwood. The book "Flora, Illinois - Founded 1854" compiled by Flora Resident, Jeanie Briscoe contains historic information about the B & O railroad, the history of various buildings, and obituaries of some ofFlora's early citizens.

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Flora has a total area of 4.69 square miles (12.15 km²), all land. Flora is located at 38°40.2N 88°28.5W (38.6698, -88.4841) and has a population of 1,856. FlorA is located in the eastern part of the island of Biscay, in the north-east of the province of Bighorn. The island is home to the Biscayne National Park, which is a national park. The park is also known as the Bighorne National Park. Flor a is located on the Benthorne Peninsula, which includes the Bghorne Peninsula and the Bascule Peninsula. The Bghennes National Park is a National Park and National Park Service park. It is the only place in the state that has been named after a U.S. president. It was named after Flora, the first female president of the United States, who was elected in 1864. The town's name is derived from the word "flora", which means "frosty" or "frozen" in Spanish. It also means "beautiful" and "florentine" in English. It has a name for a type of plant that is native to the area, the Flora plant, which can be found on the island. The Flora River flows through the town and into the Bihennes River.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,803 people, 1,984 households, and 1,115 families residing in the city. The city's age distribution consisted of 20.6% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 22. 6% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a family was $60,660. The per capita income for the city was $27,726. About 11.5% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0 per cent of those under age 18 and 9.0 percent of those age 65 or over. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the city's population will reach 4,800 by the end of the decade. The population density is 1,024.09 inhabitants per square mile (395.40/km²). There were 2,278 housing units at an average density of 485.71 per squaremile (187.53/ km²) The racial makeup of the city is 92.30% White, 0.46% African American, 1.44% Native American,1.23% Asian, and 4.46 per cent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.42 per cent. The average household size is 2.82 and the average family size was 2.26.

Economy

In September 1960, Flora was named "Ford Town USA" and some 1500 vehicle owners were supplied with a new Ford car or truck to drive during that week. Flora is surrounded by a gently rolling countryside, with approximately 80-85% of it dedicated to farming and livestock.Flora's main industry is agriculture, although there are companies located in Flora that employ several hundreds. The town is home to the Flora Festival, which takes place in September and October each year. The Flora River runs through the town, and the town is known for its beautiful scenery. It was named after the town of Flora, which is located in the north of the town. The city is also known as the birthplace of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, who was born and raised in the town in the 1950s and 1960s. It has a population of around 3,000 people, with the majority of the population living in the city centre and surrounding areas. The area is known as one of the best places in the United States to raise livestock and to raise crops. The local economy is based on agriculture, with many companies based in the area. The economy is dominated by agriculture and livestock, with several hundred companies based there. The community is also home to a number of other small towns, such as Flora City, which was founded in the early 1900s. The village has a reputation for being a good place to live and raise livestock. It is also a popular tourist destination, with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

The Flora B&O Depot

The Flora B&O Depot was built in 1872 with generous help from local citizens. It served the City of Flora until 1916, when it was destroyed by fire. In 1998, the depot was named one of three sites in Clay County on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the University of Illinois Extension Service rents the third floor. The second floor is a community room available to rent for various activities. The first floor houses the Flora Chamber of Commerce office, a museum containing city and county historical artifacts, and two unfinished room available for occupancy. The depot was purchased by theFlora Community Development Corporation (FCDC) in 1998. In the 1950s, as roads improved, cars became the chief means of transportation. Travelers no longer looked to trains as the primary source of transportation, and the depot became less important to the community and the days of hosting 12 passenger trains, daily passing through Flora, became a fond memory. The FCDC successfully obtained three federal grants to restore the building, matched by local donations of citizens. In 1924, three hundred employees worked at the local station. It was here that railroad employees and their families held potluck dinners and socials. Not only was the depot a hub of transportation and commerce, it was a center for much of the social life in the community in the 1920s and 1930s. It is now a museum, with two unfinished rooms available to occupancy. It has been listed as a national historic site since 1998.

'Is We Is'

In 1987 a group of Flora officials formed the so-called "Barbed Wire Choir" and recorded a music video in an attempt to land a state prison. The video gained the attention of national programs such as MTV, Good Morning America and The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers. Flora ultimately lost its bid to host the new prison. "Is we is or is we isn't/gonna get ourselves a prison," is the song's refrain. The song was recorded by the Flora City Council and features the mayor and several other city officials. It was released as a single and has sold more than 100,000 copies in Florida. The city lost the bid to land the new state prison in 1987, and the song was never played on national TV again. It is still played on local radio and television in Flora, Florida, and in other parts of the U.S. It has also been played on "The Late Show" and "Good Morning America" in the past, and on "Larry King Live" in recent years. The music video is available on iTunes and other streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Flora, Clay County, Illinois = 95.4. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 20. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 101. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Flora = 4.1 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 4,803 individuals with a median age of 40.8 age the population dropped by -7.42% in Flora, Clay County, Illinois population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,024.09 residents per square mile of area (395.37/km²). There are average 2.25 people per household in the 1,987 households with an average household income of $33,297 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.20% of the available work force and has dropped -5.53% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 16.74%. The number of physicians in Flora per 100,000 population = 57.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Flora = 41.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 11.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 96. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 201. 90 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 21.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 43, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Flora, Clay County, Illinois which are owned by the occupant = 60.98%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 49 years with median home cost = $65,040 and home appreciation of 8.09%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $12.54 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,253 per student. There are 16.7 students for each teacher in the school. 15069.31% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 6.62% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.38% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).