Oakland, Illinois

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This article is about the Coles County city. For the Chicago community area, see Oakland, Chicago.
Coordinates: 39°39′24″N 88°1′31″W﻿ / ﻿39.65667°N 88.02528°W﻿ / 39.65667; -88.02528
Main from Oak in Oakland.jpg
Main Street
Country United States
State Illinois
County Coles
Township East Oakland
Elevation 659 ft (201 m)
Area 0.87 sq mi (2 km2)
 - land 0.83 sq mi (2 km2)
 - water 0.04 sq mi (0 km2)
Population 880 (2010)
Density 1,215.8 / sq mi (469 / km2)
Timezone CST (UTC-6)
 - summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code 61943
Area code 217
Location of Oakland within Illinois
Location of Oakland within Illinois
Wikimedia Commons: Oakland, Illinois

Oakland is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 880 at the 2010 census.


Oakland, formerly known as Independence, was platted in 1833.

Pioneer doctor and abolitionist Dr. Hiram Rutherford moved to Oakland in 1840 to start his practice in the young town. He became a prominent citizen. Rutherford is most widely known for his involvement in the 1847 Matson slave trial, which involved his friend Abraham Lincoln. A Kentucky slave owner, Gen. Robert Matson, annually brought slaves to work on his land near Oakland. One year, a family of slaves ran away from the farm and took refuge with Dr. Rutherford and Gideon Ashmore. Matson sued the men for harboring slaves; Rutherford and Ashmore countered that the slaves could not legally be held in a free state. Rutherford attempted to have Lincoln represent him in the case, but Lincoln had already agreed to represent the slave owner. Matson, represented by Lincoln, lost the case in Coles County court.[1]

Rutherford's home and office, as well as other historic sites, are maintained and available for tours.


Oakland is located at 39°39′24″N 88°01′31″W﻿ / ﻿39.656788°N 88.025401°W﻿ / 39.656788; -88.025401.[2]

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 0.87 square miles (2.3 km2), of which 0.83 square miles (2.1 km2) (or 95.40%) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (or 4.60%) is water.[3]


As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 996 people, 416 households, and 294 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,215.8 people per square mile (469.0/km²). There were 437 housing units at an average density of 533.4 per square mile (205.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.10% White, 0.20% African American, 0.10% Native American, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.

There were 416 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.86.


The median income for a household in the city was $34,038, and the median income for a family was $38,167. Males had a median income of $29,342 versus $20,577 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,964. About 8.8% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.


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