Alvin, Illinois
| Alvin | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
Alvin post office and grain elevator
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|
 Location of Alvan in Vermilion County, Illinois. |
|
.svg) Location of Illinois in the United States |
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| Coordinates: 40°18′34″N 87°36′25″W / 40.30944°N 87.60694°WCoordinates: 40°18′34″N 87°36′25″W / 40.30944°N 87.60694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Vermilion |
| Township | South Ross |
| Founded | c. 1875 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2) |
| • Land | 0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 653 ft (199 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 270 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 261 |
| • Density | 329.13/sq mi (127.05/km2) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP Code(s) | 61811 |
| Area code(s) | 217 |
| FIPS code | 17-01242 |
Alvin is a village in South Ross Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 316 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Post Office uses the name Alvin, however the village is also known by the alternate spelling Alvan (for example, by the U.S. Census Bureau).
A settlement was founded in 1872 about a mile south of present-day Alvan, along the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad, and was called Gilbert in honor of the founder, Alvan Gilbert. In 1875, the new Havana, Rantoul and Eastern Railroad (which became the Illinois Central Railroad) crossed the C&EI north of Gilbert, and the town of Alvan was founded at the intersection. Tradition says that the town's name became Alvin (with an "i" instead of an "a") because the post office misspelled it and refused to correct the error.
In 1942, a tornado struck Alvan and caused much destruction, killing six people. A marker in the town commemorates the tragic event and reads as follows:
Alvin Tornado
Monday, March 16, 1942
11:40 AM
Killed
Billy Smith - Henry O'Farrell
Ruth Viles - George Johnson
Odessa Scott - Goldie Hoover
Donated by
Mel Schriefer
2004
A.E. Hoskins
Alvan is located on County Road 3 about 2 miles north of Bismarck, Illinois. The coordinates are 40°18′34″N 87°36′25″W / 40.30944°N 87.60694°W (40.309494, -87.606887).
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