Title: Princeton, Illinois Content: Princeton is a city in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. It is also the county seat of Bureau County. In 2010, 7,660 people lived there. Princeton is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area. ==History== Bureau County was a New England settlement. The first people of Princeton were from New England. These people were "Yankees." They were part of a group of New England farmers who went west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most of them came because of the Erie Canal.New England in the Life of the World: A Record of Adventure and Achievement By Howard Allen Bridgman pg. 93 When they came to what is now Bureau County, there was nothing but forest and wild prairie. The New Englanders created farms, built roads, created government buildings and created post routes. Culturally, Bureau County would be very similar with early New England culture for most of its history. During slavery, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad at the home of Owen Lovejoy.History of Princeton Past and Present of Bureau County, Illinois: Together with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead, Volume 1 by George B. Harrington page 103 Princeton's old nickname was "The City of Elms" because there were many elm trees in Princeton during the middle of the 20th century. ==Geography== Princeton is at (41.378481, −89.466924). The United States Census Bureau says that Princeton has a total area of . All of it is land. ==People== upright=1.3|thumb|South historic Main Street district in Princeton, Illinois. ===2000 census=== The 2000 census says that there were 7,501 people, 3,263 households, and 1,987 families living in Princeton. ==Infrastructure== ===Transportation=== Amtrak has service to Princeton. It is on the California Zephyr, the Illinois Zephyr, the Carl Sandburg and the Southwest Chief. It goes daily in both directions between Chicago and points west from Princeton. ==Education== Princeton has the Princeton High School. It is the oldest township high school in the state. It was created in 1867. ==Famous people== * William Bascom, folklorist, anthropologist * E. Leslie Conkling, educator and Illinois state legislator * Henry C. Doolittle, state assemblyman from Wisconsin * William Dyke, Wisconsin judge and politician * Virgil Fox, one of the greatest organist of the 20th Century * Billy Garrett, auto racer * Gary Green, guitarist for the band Gentle Giant * Thomas P. Gunning, dentist and Illinois state senator * Madison Gonterman, head football coach at Indiana University 1896–97 * Jerry Hadley, opera singer and recitalist * Kathryn Hays, television actress (birth name Kay Piper) * Frank Fernando Jones, Iowa state legislator * Paul Kell, NFL player with the Green Bay Packers * Keith Knudsen, drummer with the Doobie Brothers * Owen Lovejoy, Congressman, key supporter of Abraham Lincoln, and a leader in the Underground Railway movement to free slaves * Asa Mercer, founder of the University of Washington * Bruce Nickells, harness racing driver and trainer; grew up in Princeton * Ben Parr, author of Captivology, former co-editor of Mashable and columnist for CNET * Joseph R. Peterson lawyer and Illinois state legislator'Illinois Blue Book 167-1968,' Biographical Sketch of Joseph R. Peterson, pg. 174–175 * Robert Petkoff, noted Broadway and television Actor, graduated from Princeton High School * Joseph "Joe" Ruklick, NBA basketball player with the Philadelphia Warriors * Josh Taylor, actor in Days of Our Lives soap opera and television features * Justin Tranchita, actor and artist * William V. Thompson, bowler * Richard Widmark, Oscar-nominated actor of 61 movies, he was senior class President when he graduated from Princeton High School * Milo Winter, children's book artist * Nick Young, radio newscaster with CBS and WBBM