Heart Lake City, Illinois

Heart Lake City, Illinois

City in Illinois, United States

Nickname(s): The Chicago That Is Not Chicago; Heart of the Prairie; City of the Heart; HLC

Motto: Cor Urbis, Cor Populi (Latin: "Heart of the City, Heart of the People")

Coordinates: 39°58′12′′N 89°22′48′′W / 39.97000°N 89.38000°W

Country: United States

State: Illinois

County: Heart Lake County (county seat)

Townships: Heart Lake, Lincoln, Aurora, Prairie, Sangamon Valley

Founded: c. 1818 (as "Heart's Landing")

Incorporated (town): February 14, 1855

Incorporated (city): March 3, 1917

Government: Mayor–council

Mayor: Eleanor "Ellie" Whitaker (D)

City Council: 12 wards, 12 alderpersons

Area: • City 142.6 sq mi (369.3 km2)

• Land 136.2 sq mi (352.8 km2)

• Water 6.4 sq mi (16.6 km2) 4.5%

• Urban 210.4 sq mi (544.9 km2)

• Metro 2,140 sq mi (5,542 km2)

Elevation 610 ft (186 m)

Population (2020): • City 412,837

• Estimate (2023) 418,200

• Rank (US): 48th

• Density: 2,895/sq mi (1,118/km2)

• Urban: 620,500

• Metro: 870,000

• Metro rank (US): 62nd

Demonym: Heart Laker

Time zone: UTC−06:00 (CST)

• Summer (DST): UTC−05:00 (CDT)

ZIP Codes: 62501–62509, 62515, 62521, 62522, 62563 Area code(s): 217, 447

FIPS code: 17-33672

GNIS feature ID: 2394321

Website: heartlakecity.gov

Etymology

The city takes its name from Heart Lake, a natural glacial kettle lake whose shoreline forms a distinct cardioid shape. The lake was known to the Kickapoo and Potawatomi peoples as Mishigami-odena ("heart-shaped water") and to early French coureurs des bois as Lac en Cœur. The anglicized "Heart Lake" appears on survey maps as early as 1819.

The nickname "The Chicago That Is Not Chicago" originated in a 1922 Chicago Tribune column by humorist Ring Lardner, who wrote of the city's "Chicago ambitions on a prairie budget." The moniker was embraced locally as both self-deprecation and civic boosterism.

History

Pre-settlement and early frontier (pre–1818)

The Heart Lake basin was a seasonal gathering ground for the Kickapoo, Potawatomi, and Illinois Confederation peoples. Archaeological evidence from the Heart Lake Mound Group (c. 800–1200 CE) indicates Woodland-period habitation and ceremonial use of the lake's northern peninsula.

Founding and "Heart's Landing" (1818–1855)

The first permanent Euro-American settler, Elias Thorne (1789–1864), established a trading post at the lake's western outflow in 1818. The settlement, known as Heart's Landing, served as a waypoint on the Edwards Trace between Kaskaskia and Peoria. A post office was established in 1823 under the name Heartlake (one word).

The Black Hawk War (1832) brought a company of Illinois militia—including a young Abraham Lincoln—to encamp on the lake's south shore. Lincoln later referenced the lake's shape in an 1858 debate: "Nature herself drew a valentine on the prairie, and called it Heart Lake."

Railroad boom and incorporation (1855–1917)

The Chicago & Alton Railroad reached Heart Lake in 1854, triggering a population surge. The town incorporated on February 14, 1855—a date celebrated annually as Founders' Day.

By 1880, the city had become a regional grain and livestock hub. The Heart Lake Packing Company (later Heartland Foods) opened in 1873, eventually growing into one of the Midwest's largest meatpacking operations before its 1982 closure.

The "Greater Heart Lake" movement and city charter (1917)

A 1915 referendum to adopt a home-rule city charter passed by a 3-to-1 margin. The new charter, effective March 3, 1917, expanded municipal boundaries to 42 square miles, consolidated streetcar lines under the Heart Lake Municipal Railway, and established the Board of Park Commissioners—which immediately purchased 1,200 acres of lakefront for the Heart Lake National Park (designated a National Park in 1931, the only urban national park in Illinois).

Mid-century growth and the "Second City" mythos (1917–1970)

The interwar period saw Heart Lake market itself as an industrial alternative to Chicago. The Aurora Avenue corridor attracted automotive suppliers, textile mills, and the Midwest Radio Corporation (later MRC Electronics). The city's population peaked at 438,000 in the 1960 census.

The "Chicago That Is Not Chicago" identity crystallized in this era: a 1947 Look magazine profile contrasted Heart Lake's "wide streets, clean air, and civic optimism" with Chicago's "smoke, congestion, and machine politics."

Deindustrialization and reinvention (1970–present)

The 1970s and 1980s brought plant closures: Heartland Foods (1982), MRC Electronics (1988), and the Chicago & Alton shops (1991). Unemployment reached 14.2% in 1983. The city responded with the Heart Lake Renaissance Plan (1985), leveraging the lakefront, the university, and the historic downtown for tourism, healthcare, and technology sectors.

The Heart Lake Tech Corridor (est. 1994) along the former rail yard now hosts 40+ firms in ag-tech, biotech, and logistics software. Population decline reversed after 2000; the 2020 census recorded the first growth since 1960.

Geography

Topography

Heart Lake City sits on the Springfield Plain, a flat to gently rolling till plain of the Wisconsinan glaciation. The city's most prominent feature is Heart Lake (surface area 2,140 acres; max depth 42 ft), a kettle lake formed by a stranded ice block. The lake's cardioid shape—two rounded lobes separated by a narrow isthmus—is unusual but not unique among glacial kettles.

The Sangamon River passes 6 miles west of downtown. Lake Springfield (reservoir) lies 12 miles southeast.

Cityscape

The city radiates from the Historic Downtown (the original 1855 plat) along a modified grid. Major corridors:

• Aurora Avenue (US 36) — east-west commercial spine

• Lincoln Boulevard — north-south ceremonial axis, terminating at the Lincoln Monument

• University Drive — connects downtown to HLSU campus

• Lake Shore Drive — scenic loop around Heart Lake

Neighborhoods (selected):

Neighborhood; Character: Old Town; Victorian/Italianate homes, bed-and-breakfasts, gayborhood ("The Heart")

Warehouse District; Converted lofts, breweries, tech offices, art galleries

University Heights; Student rentals, bookstores, music venues

Lincoln Park; Mid-century ranch homes, professional-class, top-rated schools

East Side; Historically Polish/Italian, now diverse, strong parish networks

Prairie Crossing; New urbanist development (2003–present), mixed-use, transit-oriented

South Lakeshore; Luxury condos, marina, restaurant row

Climate

Severe weather: The metro averages 2–3 tornado warnings annually. The May 22, 2011 EF3 tornado tracked 14 miles through the southeast metro, causing 3 fatalities and $180M in damage.

Demographics

Historical population

Census, Pop., %±

1860, 4,217

1870, 12,843, +204.5%

1880, 28,910, +125.1%

1890, 52,301, +80.9%

1900, 78,450, +50.0%

1910, 112,600, +43.5%

1920, 168,200, +49.4%

1930, 245,800, +46.1%

1940, 298,400, +21.4%

1950, 356,200, +19.4%

1960, 438,000, +23.0%

1970, 421,500, −3.8%

1980, 398,100, −5.6%

1990, 382,600, −3.9%

2000, 379,200, −0.9%

2010, 395,400, +4.3%

2020, 412,837, +4.4%

2020 Census – Racial and Ethnic Composition

(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity, Pop., %

White (NH), 238,500, 57.8%

Black or African American (NH), 72,400, 17.5%

Hispanic or Latino (any race), 48,700, 11.8%

Asian (NH), 24,100, 5.8% Two or more races (NH), 18,600, 4.5%

Other (NH), 10,500, 2.5%

Total, 412,837, 100%

Ancestry (2018–2022 ACS, top responses): German (28.4%), Irish (14.2%), Polish (9.1%), English (8.7%), Italian (6.3%), Mexican (5.9%), American (4.8%).

Religion (2020 PRRI Census): Unaffiliated (34%), Catholic (22%), Mainline Protestant (18%), Evangelical Protestant (14%), Black Protestant (6%), Other (6%).

LGBTQ+ population: 6.2% of adults (2022 Williams Institute), 3rd highest in Illinois after Chicago and Champaign-Urbana. The Old Town neighborhood hosts the annual Heart Lake Pride Festival (since 1994).

Economy

Metro GDP (2023): $58.4 billion (62nd US)

Largest Employers (2024)

Rank, Employer, Sector, Employees: 1, Heart Lake Health System, Healthcare, 9,800

2, Heart Lake State University, Education/Research, 7,200

3, Heart Lake Public Schools, Education, 4,500

4, State of Illinois (regional offices), Government, 3,900

5, AgriTech Solutions, Ag-tech/Software, 3,100

6, Midwest Logistics Hub, Transportation/Warehousing, 2,800

7, Aurora Mall / Simon Property Group, Retail, 2,400

8, Heartland Financial Services, Insurance/Finance, 2,100

9, MRC Advanced Materials, Specialty, Manufacturing, 1,900

10, City of Heart Lake, Government, 1,700

Key Sectors:

• Healthcare & Life Sciences: Heart Lake Health System (Level I Trauma, NCI-designated cancer center), Prairie Biologics (cell therapy manufacturing).

• Ag-Tech & Food Innovation: AgriTech Solutions, Heartland Alternative Proteins, USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (satellite lab).

• Logistics & Transportation: Midwest Logistics Hub (BNSF/NS intermodal, 1,200-acre inland port), Heart Lake Regional Airport (cargo focus).

• Higher Education & Research: HLSU's Institute for Prairie Ecology, Center for Rural Health Innovation.

• Tourism: 4.2M annual visitors (2023), $620M direct spending.

Income & Poverty (2022 ACS)

• Median household income: $62,400

• Per capita income: $34,800

• Persons below poverty level: 14.3%

• Gini coefficient: 0.46

Arts and Culture

Major Attractions

Attraction, Type, Annual Visitors, Not: Heart Lake National Park, National Park, 1.8M, 2,400 acres; 22 mi trails; beach, marina, nature center; only urban national park in IL

Lincoln Monument & Memorial Plaza, Monument/Park, 650K, 1922 Daniel Chester French bronze; 40-ft granite column; NPS-affiliated

Aurora Mall, Regional Mall, 8.2M, 1.4M sq ft; 180 tenants; Simon Property Group; renovated 2019

Heart Lake Museum of Art, Art Museum, 220K, Midwest modern/contemporary; Lynn College partnership

Prairie Heritage Museum, History Museum, 180K, Local/regional history; Kickapoo/Potawatomi collections

Heart Lake Zoo, Zoo, 340K, 85 acres; 1,200 animals; AZA accredited; red panda breeding program

Old Town Historic District, Historic District, —, 120 contributing properties; walking tours, ghost tours

Annual Events

• Founders' Day / Valentine's Festival (Feb 14) — parade, ice sculpture contest, mass wedding ceremony at Lincoln Monument

• Heart Lake Triathlon (June) — swim/bike/run centered on Heart Lake; 2,500 participants

• Prairie State Fair (August) — at Heart Lake Fairgrounds; 300K attendance

• Heart Lake Pride Festival (September) — 3-day, 80K attendance

• Aurora Avenue Arts Walk (October) — 50+ galleries/studios open

• Festival of Lights (Nov–Jan) — 2-mile drive-through display in National Park

Food Culture

Signature dishes:

• Heart Lake-Style Pizza — square-cut, cracker-thin crust, herb-heavy sauce, smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage

• Lake Perch Fry — beer-battered yellow perch, tartar, rye bread, coleslaw (Friday tradition)

• Horseshoe Sandwich — local variant adds fried pickles and beer cheese

• Corncob Jelly — historic preserve, revived by artisanal producers

Notable restaurants: The Boathouse (lakefront, fine dining), Thorne's (since 1889, steakhouse), Aurora Taquería (James Beard America's Classics 2021), Lydia's (Lynn College alumni-run, New Midwestern).

Official Symbols

Flag: created in 1917 (revised 1976, 2003). Field of prairie gold (yellow) with a cardinal red vertical stripe at the hoist (1/5 width). Centered on the gold field: a white cardioid (heart-lake shape) charged with a green oak leaf. The red stripe bears three white five-pointed stars (vertical alignment) representing the city's three founding townships: Heart Lake, Lincoln, and Prairie. Designed by Helen M. Cartwright (HLSU art faculty, 1915).

Seal: Circular. Outer ring: "CITY OF HEART LAKE • ILLINOIS • 1855" in gold serif on navy. Inner field: Heart Lake in silver-blue, viewed from above (cardioid shape), flanked by standing maize stalk (left) and oak branch with acorn (right) in natural colors. Above the lake, a rising sun with 13 rays. Below, a railroad spike and plowshare crossed in saltire (iron gray). Crest: a northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) displayed. Motto on scroll beneath.

Flower: Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Tree: Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

Bird: Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Fish: Yellow Perch

Incest: Monarch Butterfly.

Song: Music: Margaret "Peg" Whitfield (HLSU Conservatory '22). Lyrics: Orville "Bud" Kincaid (city clerk, poet). Adopted by Council Resolution 51-04. Performed at Founders' Day, graduations, and Hawks' seventh-inning stretch.

March: "On Aurora Avenue"

Logo / Wordmark (2019): Designed by Studio Verte (Warehouse District). Logomark: stylized cardioid formed by two approaching cardinal silhouettes (negative space). Wordmark: Gotham Rounded (custom weight). Tagline: "Find Your Center." Replaced 1983 "HL" monogram.

Mascot (Civic) (1994): "Cardy" the Cardinal, Anthropomorphic cardinal in city-logo jersey. Appears at parades, school visits, National Park Junior Ranger events. Performed by Heart Lake Community Theatre apprentices.

Sports

Team League, Venue Founded, Championships:

Heart Lake Hawks, Midwest League (A+), Thorne Field (6,500), 1947, 4 (1952, 1978, 1993, 2011)

Heart Lake FC, USL League One, Lincoln Stadium (8,200), 2018, 1 (2022)

HLSU Fighting Hearts, NCAA D-I (MVC), Multiple, 1892, 12 MVC all-sports titles

Heart Lake Roller Derby, WFTDA, Aurora Expo Center, 2009, —

Recreation: 42 city parks, 3 public golf courses, 2 public pools, 18 mi paved bike trails (including the Sangamon Valley Trail connection to Springfield).

Government and Politics

City Government: Mayor-council with 12 ward alderpersons. Mayor Eleanor "Ellie" Whitaker (elected 2021, re-elected 2025) is the city's first openly lesbian mayor.

Political Lean: D+8 (Cook PVI). Heart Lake City is a Democratic stronghold in an otherwise Republican-leaning county. The metro splits: city + inner suburbs (D), outer/exurban (R).

State/Federal Representation:

• IL Senate: 48th District (D), 51st District (R)

• IL House: 95th (D), 96th (D), 101st (R), 102nd (R)

• US House: IL-13 (D), IL-15 (R) — city split between districts

• US Senate: Dick Durbin (D), Tammy Duckworth (D)

Education

Higher Education

Institution, Type, Enrollment (Fall 2023), Notes Heart Lake State University (HLSU), Public research (R2), 24,500, Founded 1867 as Heart Lake Normal School; land-grant 1892; flagship programs: ag-sciences, education, nursing, public administration

Heart Lake Community College (HLCC), Public 2-year, 11,800, Founded 1964; strong transfer agreements with HLSU; workforce training partnerships

Heart Lake Technical College (HLTC), Public technical, 3,200, Founded 1972; CNC machining, welding, HVAC, dental hygiene, LPN

Lynn College, Private liberal arts, 1,600, Founded 1922 by Lydia Lynn; nationally ranked visual/performing arts; 8:1 student-faculty ratio

Sangamon Valley Seminary, Private graduate, 450, Mainline Protestant theological education

K–12

Heart Lake Public Schools (District 100): 28 elementary, 7 middle, 5 high schools; 22,400 students. Heart Lake High School (magnet STEM/arts) ranked #14 in Illinois (2024 U.S. News).

Private/Parochial: 12 schools, ~3,800 students. Largest: St. Francis Academy (Catholic, K–12), Heart Lake Lutheran, Prairie Jewish Day School.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways:

• I-72 / US 36 — east-west (Aurora Ave corridor)

• I-55 — north-south (6 mi west of downtown)

• IL-29 — north-south (Lincoln Blvd)

• IL-124 — northeast to Decatur

• Heart Lake Beltway (IL-336) — partial, 65% complete

Public Transit: Heart Lake Transit (HLT) — 22 fixed bus routes, 3 BRT lines (Red/Blue/Green), paratransit. 2023 ridership: 4.1M. Amtrak: Lincoln Service (Chicago–St. Louis) stops at Heart Lake Station (120K boardings/yr).

Air: Heart Lake Regional Airport (HLK) — general aviation, cargo (FedEx/UPS feeder), 2 runways (7,000 ft / 5,000 ft). Nearest commercial: Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI), 25 mi; Chicago O'Hare (ORD), 180 mi.

Rail: BNSF and Norfolk Southern freight; Midwest Logistics Hub intermodal terminal.

Bike/Ped: Heart Lake Trail System — 45 mi off-street; Lake Loop (12 mi) complete 2022.

Utilities

• Electric: Heart Lake Municipal Power (municipal, 60% wind/solar, 30% gas, 10% nuclear via PJM)

• Water: Heart Lake Water Authority — source: Heart Lake (primary), Sangamon River alluvial wells (backup); treatment capacity 45 MGD

• Wastewater: Heart Lake Sanitary District — tertiary treatment, biosolids composting

• Broadband: Heart Lake Fiber (municipal FTTH, 2019–present; 65% premises passed); Comcast, AT&T, T-Mobile 5G

Notable People

• Jane Addams (1860–1935) — social reformer, Nobel Peace Prize; born in Cedarville (now annexed)

• Ring Lardner (1885–1933) — humorist, coined city nickname

• Gwendolyn Brooks (1917–2000) — poet, Pulitzer; lived in Old Town 1940–1952

• John Malkovich (b. 1953) — actor; HLSU Theatre '76

• Michelle Obama (b. 1964) — former First Lady; summered at grandparents' South Lakeshore home

• Andre Braugher (1962–2023) — actor; HLSU '84

• Katie Sowers (b. 1986) — NFL coach; HLSU '09

• Noname (b. 1991) — rapper/poet; born and raised East Side

Sister Cities

Herzberg am Harz, Germany, 1972

Kokoro, Japan, 1988

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, 1995

Valentine, Australia, 2003

Lubiana, Slovenia, 2017

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. "QuickFacts: Heart Lake City, Illinois." 2020 Census.

2. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. "Climate Normals 1991–2020."

3. Heart Lake City Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, FY2023.

4. Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. "Community Profile: Heart Lake City."

5. Heart Lake City: An Illustrated History. Heart Lake Historical Society Press, 2017.

6. National Park Service. "Heart Lake National Park: General Management Plan." 2019.

7. Williams Institute. "LGBTQ+ Data & Research: Metropolitan Rankings." 2022.

See Also • List of mayors of Heart Lake City

• Heart Lake County, Illinois

• Heart Lake Metropolitan Statistical Area

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Heart Lake County

• The Heart Lake Chronicle (daily newspaper)

• Heart Lake Magazine (monthly lifestyle)

External Links

• City of Heart Lake Official Website

• Heart Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

• Heart Lake Transit

• Heart Lake National Park (NPS)

• Heart Lake State University

• Heart Lake Historical Society Digital Archives

This article is about the city in Illinois. For the lake, see Heart Lake (Illinois). For the county, see Heart Lake County, Illinois. For the metropolitan area, see Heart Lake Metropolitan Statistical Area.