Brussels, Illinois
| Brussels | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
St. Mary's Catholic Church
|
|
 Location of Brussels in Calhoun County, Illinois. |
|
.svg) Location of Illinois in the United States |
|
| Coordinates: 38°56′50″N 90°35′19″W / 38.94722°N 90.58861°WCoordinates: 38°56′50″N 90°35′19″W / 38.94722°N 90.58861°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Calhoun |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.56 sq mi (1.44 km2) |
| • Land | 0.56 sq mi (1.44 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 141 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 136 |
| • Density | 243.73/sq mi (94.13/km2) |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-09148 |
| Brussels, Illinois | |
Brussels is a village in Calhoun County, Illinois, United States. The population was 141 at the 2010 census, that figure representing no change from its 2000 population.
Brussels is the headquarters location of the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, which is noted for its population of bald eagles. The refuge is named after the two great rivers that flow together close to Brussels, the Illinois River and the Mississippi River.
Brussels has one school district, No. 42, which consists of one grade school (Brussels Grade School) and one high school (Brussels High School). The school district serves the surrounding communities of Meppen, Golden Eagle, and parts of Batchtown. In addition to the public school system, Brussels has a parochial grade school, St. Marys. Brussels High School is small and its enrollment usually hovers at around 70 students.
Brussels was first settled in 1822, when John Mettz came to the area; later in the same year, Joshua Twitchell established the community's first business, a blacksmith shop. In 1843, Brussels' population grew significantly due to an influx of German immigrants. German immigration continued through the 1860s, and Irish immigrants also began settling in Brussels in the 1850s. The Wittmond Trading Post, one of the first brick stores in the region, opened in Brussels in 1847, marking the beginning of the village's commercial development. St. Mary's Church formed in 1848 to serve the community's Catholic residents; its current church building was constructed in 1863. In the early 1860s, St. Matthew's Church formed for Brussels' German Lutheran population. Brussels opened its own post office in 1875 and built its own jail in 1876. In 1888, Brussels was legally incorporated as a village.
The main street of the village is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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