Cairo (Kay-ro)
City
The massive gate that closes the town's protective levee is visible behind the railroad bridge
Name origin: Cairo, Egypt
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Alexander
Elevation	315 ft (96 m)
Coordinates	37°0′47″N 89°10′49″W / 37.01306, -89.18028
Area	9. List of cities in Illinois, arranged in alphabetical order but does not include towns villages or unincorporated communities Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Alexander County is a County located in the US state of Illinois. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 1 sq mi (24 km²)
Population	3,632 (2000)
Density	198. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 9 /km² (515 /sq mi)
Founded	1858
Mayor	Judson Childs
Timezone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code	62914
Area code	618
Location of Cairo within Illinois
Wikimedia Commons: Cairo, Illinois

Cairo is a city in Alexander County, Illinois in the United States. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during Area code 618 is the Telephone Area code serving the southern part of Illinois. Alexander County is a County located in the US state of Illinois. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The population was 3,632 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alexander County. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Alexander County is a County located in the US state of Illinois. The city's name is /ˈkeɪɹoʊ/, (KAY-ro) pronounced differently from the English name for the capital city of Egypt. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt.

Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River and is the southernmost town in the state of Illinois. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Cairo is one of the few towns in Illinois protected by a levee. Dike (constructionEmbankmentA levee, levée, dike (or dyke) embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial The rivers converge at what is the southernmost point in Illinois at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant. This article is about the Fort Defiance near Cairo Illinois. For others see Fort Defiance. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States

It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The Cape Girardeau&ndashJackson Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in southeastern Missouri

History

Cairo was founded in 1837 by the Cairo City and Canal Company, after an earlier effort (1818) had failed, and incorporated as a city in 1858. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status For fifteen years the town grew slowly, but the sale of lots, which commenced in 1853, and the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad attracted settlers, with the result that by 1860 the population exceeded 2,000. The Illinois Central, sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad carrier in the central United States, with its primary routes It was an important steamboat port in the nineteenth century; Cairo even had its own Customs House, which has since been converted into a museum. A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar This important structure was designed by Alfred B. Mullet, the U. S. Supervising Architect during Reconstruction, and is one of only seven of his structures remaining. During the American Civil War, Cairo was of great strategic importance and for several months both Grant and Foote had headquarters there. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

Cairo abandonment

The town has a number of fine examples of prosperous nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century architecture, included Magnolia Manor and Riverlore Mansion. Magnolia Manor is a Postbellum manor located in Cairo Illinois, located in Alexander County. Much of the city, even in some areas of decay, is listed on the Nation Register of Historic Places. The population of Cairo has declined from a 1920 high of 15,203 to 3,632 in 2000. There is a movement to stop this slow abandonment, and restore Cairo's architectural landmarks, develop tourism focusing on its history, and bring new opportunities back to the community.

In 1969, Cairo was the site of an intense civil rights struggle. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African The threat of violence resulted in the National Guard being called in to restore order. White-owned businesses were boycotted in a protest led by the United Front civil rights organization. Despite these events, Cairo has slowly emerged from this contention within the town.

Cairo today faces many significant socio-economic challenges, including poverty, education, and employment. There is now a community clinic offering medical and dental care, and also several mental health services. Much of Cairo’s turbulent history was chronicled on a music CD called Greetings From Cairo, Illinois released in 2005. Greetings From Cairo Illinois is a 2005 Concept album and Historical album by Stace England with songs referencing the history of The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union.

Historical places

The Riverlore

• Magnolia Manor
• The Riverlore
• Gem Theatre
• The Cairo Custom House
• A. Magnolia Manor is a Postbellum manor located in Cairo Illinois, located in Alexander County. B. Safford Memorial Library
• Fort Defiance State Park
• U. S. Post Office
• The Hewer

1997 Aerial view of Cairo, IL. Ohio River in foreground, Mississippi River in background.

Geography

Cairo is located at 37°0′47″N, 89°10′49″W (37. 013144, -89. 180345). ^[1] The elevation above sea level is 315 feet (96 m). Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 1 square miles (23. 6 km²), including 2. 1 square miles (5. 4 km²) of water (22. 78% of the total area).

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 3,632 people, 1,561 households, and 900 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 515. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 1 people per square mile (198. 9/km²). There were 1,885 housing units at an average density of 103. 2 per km² (267. 3 per sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 35. 93% White, 61. 70% Black or African American, 0. 08% Native American, 0. 72% Asian, 0. 03% Pacific Islander, 0. 36% from other races, and 1. 18% from two or more races; 0. 74% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,561 households out of which 30. 4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 29. 3% were married couples living together, 25. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42. 3% were non-families. Of all households, 39. 7% are made up of individuals and 17. 6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 26 and the average family size was 3. 08.

The age distribution is 30. 4% under the age of 18, 8. 1% from 18 to 24, 22. 0% from 25 to 44, 21. 6% from 45 to 64, and 17. 9% 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there were 79. 5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70. 2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,607, and the median income for a family was $28,242. Males had a median income of $28,798 versus $18,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,220. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country Of the population as a whole, 33. 5% lives below the poverty line, as compared with 27. 1% of families. Out of the total population, 47. 0% of those under the age of 18 and 20. 9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Education

The city is served by Cairo Unified School District 1. Cairo Unified School District 1 is a Unified school district located in the southern Illinois ' Alexander County, and more specifically in the county seat Based on Census estimates, the Cairo school district has the highest percentage in Illinois of children in poverty, 60. 6%. It is 15th highest in the United States. ^[3]

The district has two elementary schools, Bennett Elementary School and Emerson Elementary School. Middle and high school students attend Cairo Junior/Senior High School.

Transportation

Cairo at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers

Cairo's location on a spit of land that lies between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers made multiplexing US 51, 60 and 62 briefly through Illinois more practical than directly connecting Missouri and Kentucky. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. The result of Cairo's position as a critical highway junction is that Missouri and Kentucky are the only states to border each other with no direct highway connection between them.

Culture

Cairo is mentioned in the book American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and in a song by Josh Ritter called "Monster Ballads. American Gods is a Novel by Neil Gaiman. The novel is a blend of Americana, Fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern Neil Richard Gaiman (ˈgeɪmən (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of Science fiction and Fantasy short stories and "

Notable Natives

• Four Major League Baseball players were born in Cairo - John Healy (1866), Ed Morgan (1904), Chet Covington (1910), and Vern Curtis (1920). John Healy (born October 27, 1866 in Cairo Illinois; died March 16, 1899 in St Edward Carre Morgan ( May 22, 1904 &ndash April 9, 1980) was a Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and Chester Rogers Covington ( November 6, 1910 - June 11, 1976) was a Major League Baseball Pitcher who played for the Cairo had its own minor-league team (variously known as the Egyptians, Champions and Giants) in the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League from 1903-06, 1911-14 and 1922-24. The Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (or KITTY League) was a Class D minor league circuit that went through six different lives
• Negro League Pitcher: Frank "Chip" McAllister - Born: April 29, 1918 - Died: May 5, 1987. Chip played from 1938 to 1946 for the Indianapolis ABC's, St, Louis Stars, New Orleans-St. Louis Stars, New York Black Yankees, Harrisburg-St. Louis Stars, Brooklyn Brown Dodgers and Cleveland Clippers. He was a big right-handed pitcher and occasional outfielder.
• Cairo is the birthplace and hometown of Illinois Appellate Judge Stephen L. Spomer.

References

See also

• List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
• Little Egypt
• Magnolia Manor
• Category:People from Cairo, Illinois

External links

• Cairo Chamber of Commerce
• History of Cairo, Illinois
• City-Data.com - Cairo, Illinois
• Pilot Light 2000 - site by Cairo high School alumni during 1960s
• Gem Theatre
• OERD Special Project/Fort Defiance Park - Southern Illinois University project about Fort Defiance

• Cairo, Illinois is at coordinates 37°00′47″N 89°10′49″W / 37.013144, -89.180345 (Cairo, Illinois)Coordinates: 37°00′47″N 89°10′49″W / 37.013144, -89.180345 (Cairo, Illinois)