Villa Grove: By the numbers

A numerical view of Villa Grove:

61956 Town zip code

2,553 Population in 2000

1576 The year that "The Book of Martyrs", the oldest book in the Villa Grove Public Library, was published

$8,000 Cost of building the Henson family home in 1871 that was known as the Villa in the Grove

42,000 Number of pancakes served during the very first Pancake Festival in 1940

140,000 Number of pancakes served in 1950 at the festival. Organizers served 17,000 cups of coffee, 30 gallons of cream, used 265 pounds of Meadow Gold butter, 1,440 cans of Staley syrup and more than a ton of Oscar Mayer sausage.

18 Number of railroad steam engines that could be housed in the roundhouse

7 a.m. The time the first siren would blow in the railyard

30 to 40 Number of daily trains that came through Villa Grove during its heyday in the 1940s. Currently, about 25 trains pass through town daily

1904 On April 9, voters in Villa Grove decided all saloons should close

1940 Gem Theater opened. Now the Twin Cinemas, it is the only movie house in Douglas County. An adult ticket is $4.50.

1941 Year that Pulitzer-prize winning poet Mark Van Doren wrote a book-length poem "The Mayfield Deer". It is said to be inspired by Villa Grove's first settler, John Richman

1948 C.F. Rogers was the first town resident to buy a television

1963 Villa Grove News editor John "Jack" Holmes visited with President John F. Kennedy in the White House.

1976 The year the historic railroad depot was torn down in the middle of the night

6 Number of trophies won by the Villa Grove High School marching band at the 2003 MusicFest Orlando competition in Florida

32-29 Final score of the state high school basketball championship in 1923, when Villa Grove beat Rockford

2 Ranking the girls' high school track and field team earned at state in 1998

9 Number of holes on the golf course at the Tri-City Country Club in the southeast part of Villa Grove