Thebes, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thebes, Illinois
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Thebes Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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Location of Thebes in Illinois
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Alexander |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.31 sq mi (5.99 km2) |
| • Land | 1.75 sq mi (4.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.57 sq mi (1.47 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 208 |
| • Density | 119.20/sq mi (46.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
62990
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-74873 |
| Wikimedia Commons | Thebes, Illinois |
Thebes is a village in and the former county seat of Alexander County, Illinois, United States. The population was 436 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1860 the county seat was moved to Cairo, Illinois, at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Contents
History
Thebes was established in 1835. At first it was known as Sparhawk Landing. It was the county seat of Alexander County from 1846 until 1859.
Thebes, like the city of Cairo, also in Alexander County, is named after the Egyptian city of the same name. This part of southern Illinois is known as "Little Egypt".
Abraham Lincoln practiced law here. Legend says that Dred Scott, a slave whose Supreme Court decision set back black rights by declaring that African-American slaves had no claim to freedom, may have been imprisoned in the courthouse jail.
The Mississippi River at Thebes is in excess of four feet deep, which enabled the town to become a busy steamboat port. Union troops passed through Thebes on their way to attack the South during the American Civil War. Thebes Bridge, an important railroad bridge, opened for rail traffic in 1905 and is still in use today.
In literature, Thebes is the home village of Captain Andy Hawks, his wife Parthenia Ann Hawks and daughter Magnolia in the Edna Ferber novel Show Boat.
Geography
Thebes is located at 37°13′9″N 89°27′25″W / 37.21917°N 89.45694°W (37.219177, -89.456915).
According to the 2010 census, Thebes has a total area of 2.318 square miles (6.00 km2), of which 1.75 square miles (4.53 km2) (or 75.5%) is land and 0.568 square miles (1.47 km2) (or 24.5%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 114 | — | |
| 1900 | 417 | — | |
| 1910 | 717 | 71.9% | |
| 1920 | 857 | 19.5% | |
| 1930 | 751 | −12.4% | |
| 1940 | 730 | −2.8% | |
| 1950 | 541 | −25.9% | |
| 1960 | 471 | −12.9% | |
| 1970 | 442 | −6.2% | |
| 1980 | 455 | 2.9% | |
| 1990 | 461 | 1.3% | |
| 2000 | 478 | 3.7% | |
| 2010 | 436 | −8.8% | |
| 2020 | 208 | −52.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 176 | 84.62% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 7 | 3.37% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 12 | 5.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13 | 6.25% |
| Total | 208 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 208 people, 128 households, and 102 families residing in the village.
Education
Residents are zoned to the Egyptian School District.
See also
In Spanish: Thebes (Illinois) para niños
