One-Sixteenth

Staunton Demographics:
As of the census of 2000, there are 5,030 people, 2,020 households, and 1,383 families residing in the city. The population density is 851.8/km2 (2,204.6/mi2). There are 2,153 housing units at an average density of 364.6/km2 (943.6/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 98.77% White, 0.10% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,020 households out of which 32.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% are married couples living together, 11.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% are non-families. 28.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.45 and the average family size is 3.00.

In the city the population is spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $35,893, and the median income for a family is $44,630. Males have a median income of $35,000 versus $21,121 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,905. 6.6% of the population and 4.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.0% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Staunton History:
Staunton was one of the first areas settled in Macoupin County. The settlement of the area initially involved people moving up from Southern Illinois. Staunton became organized as a village in 1846, and was recognized as a city in 1898.

Initally, farming was a major industry. Around the turn of the century, coal mining reshaped Staunton and communities around it. The coal mining industry began to decline after the Second World War. Coal in central Illinois has high levels of sulfur. The cost to scrub sulfur from coal is prohibitive. Most of the mines in the region had closed in the 1950's.

The largest employer in Staunton is the local school district. The second largest employer is Community Memorial Hospital, founded in 1950. Many other people in the area work in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Looks like you might be able to be a school teacher :)

Well, that's more than we wanted to know about Staunton. :-)

I will add, though, that the people here are the most helpful folks I have ever encountered.

A gentleman named Paul stopped to help us on the highway, and took Steph and the kids to the nearby Dairy Queen (that thankfully has a play area), then came back and waited with me until the tow truck arrived. He even offered to drive me around town as I was arranging lodging and such.

The owner of the local service station, Jim Aljets, who normally does not work on weekends, got a call from my insurance company, and came in to the office. He brought me to the hotel, helped Stephanie and I get settled, and even brought us some kitty food and litter so that I didn't have to walk back to the trailer (which is still parked on the side of I-55 about a mile or so away).

The lady at the front desk of the hotel, Lynn, offered to lend me her van so I could run errands.

I am stunned and humbled by the kindness of strangers.

Food and shelter? Check. Internet? Check. Whew!

LOL!

You need something more concrete? Yeesh, be careful what you wish for!

I'm reminded of the many fun trips I made with mom and dad to Arkansas during their moving phase. There was the time the trailer we were pulling blew a tire and we were stuck in the middle of nowhere for a while. There was the time the big U-Haul truck dad was driving died right as I was passing him in some traffic. I looked back when I got a chance and didn't see him. I kept driving, as instructed, to the rendezvous location in case we were separated. I waited there for about an hour, then turned and went back, didn't see them on the side of the road (they were able to get off the highway and in to be repaired), went back home, got the message of what happened, and went back. Oh, and did I mention the time we crashed into each other?

Ah, moving!

I'm glad you're getting so much help, but I'm not really that surprised. On the occasion I mentioned when dad's U-Haul died, they got the same kind of generous help. I don't remember what town it was in, but it was about midway between OKC and Sallisaw. But yeah, it's still pretty humbling, I imagine.

I think it's "Hail, Mercury" you're looking for. ;) But we're praying that this all gets sorted out swiftly and cheaply. After the moving-is-Hell experience, maybe Michigan will be paradise?

I was moving in a UHaul with all my worldly possessions. Someplace on an interstate between Jackson MS and I-don't-know-where the engine went out on the truck. Cell phones weren't nearly as popular back then as they are now.

Long story short. UHaul hauled off their truck with everything in it and told me that they would transfer all my junk (which had been professionally packed and loaded by a neighbor by the way) I had to run around Jackson finding where it was. WHen I finally found it I peeked into the back to see how they had loaded things. It was THROWN in. The boxes weren't stacked, they were piled. They didn't even tether my piano or rewrap it. It was just rolling around the back! Sharp metal objects were resting on soft wood. It looked like a tornado had struck. Here I was with a three year old in the middle of a hot Mississippi summer trying to rearrange my stuff in the back of a hot UHaul.

That is one layover I'll never forget.

If you'd broken down in St. Louis you could've stayed with us ... so near, and yet so far. But we'd probably force you to watch endless episodes of Star Trek, and would've required vats of Feliway for the cats.

Why did you guys not call me ? I am a few hours away. I am glad you guys found nice friendly people. Still, you should've called me.

Oh for heaven's sake, when I said you don't do things the easy way, I didn't mean you had to keep on living my stupidly prophetic words!
Stop already.
This sucks.
(But it makes a hell of a story.)
Best wishes for the engine fairies to rain showers of munificence upon your weary heads.

Gail, I had no idea you were in St. Louis. If you forced us to watch Star Trek, we'd just think we were at Mark's house ... or that we'd turned over control of the TV to our kids.

Peg ... seriously, I'm temporarily geography-deficient or something. I had no idea St. Louis was not all that far from Memphis. You know, for Illinois we go *this* way, and for Memphis we go *that* way. So theoretically they should be very far apart ;-)

Myrtle, the impression we're getting from U-Haul is that they generally Don't. Give. A. Damn. Great customer support. Not.

LOL Mungo ... maybe the fact that I couldn't think of Mercury's name is telling something.

Stuff your ears and lash yourself to the mast!

Hope you get there safe, sound, and soon.

all sorts of prayers headed your way. I had to chuckle when I thought of the fact that for Christians it is Holy Week, but for you it is more like Holy Shit, What Next? Week!!