Amboy, Illinois
Amboy is a city of 2,384 people in Lee County, Illinois, founded in 1854.
Why visit Amboy
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Amboy station.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Amboy
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Amboy
Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States, along the Green River. As of the 2020 census, Amboy had a population of 2,278.
From the Wikipedia article Amboy, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
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Amboy station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Railway station in Amboy, Illinois
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship4
Gas and EV charging1
History
Amboy had its start in the 1850s when the Illinois Central Railroad was extended to that point. The community's name is a transfer from Amboy, New Jersey.
The chain of Carson Pirie Scott & Co. began in Amboy when Samuel Carson opened his first dry goods store there in 1854.
The Christian denomination Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, had a general conference in Amboy on April 6, 1860, at which time Joseph Smith III reorganized the church founded by his father Joseph Smith Jr.
The Illinois Central facility in Amboy served as the railroad's division headquarters for the railroad's region. The building was saved from demolition and is a museum. The actual railroad and trainyard were abandoned and removed in the early 90's.
Amboy was the site of an ammunition factory for World War II - The Green River Ordnance Plant. It was roughly bordered by Sterling Rd to the south, Bataan Rd to the East, and Bataan Rd. to the North and West of the facility. The facility employed 4500 people at one time. The facility was completed on Dec. 15, 1942 and used until VJ day in August 1945.
The plant is also known as the place where Vesta Stoudt first invented modern duct tape. [1]
From the History section of Amboy, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Map of Amboy
14 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 14°F | 2.0 in | 13.0 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 1.8 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 64°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.4 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.2 in | 5.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dixon 1W Hcn (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lee County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Whiteside County Airport (SQI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Dixon 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Sterling 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- DeKalb 34 mi northeast, about 55 min by car
- Ottawa 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- Sycamore 39 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Rockford 40 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Freeport 42 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Plano 42 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Belvidere 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Loves Park 46 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Amboy Il Downtown4, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Food Vendor, Amboy Depot Days, Amboy, Illinois (7877987496), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Whats For Dinner?, Amboy Depot Days, Amboy, Illinois (7878002458), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Amboy Depot Days, Street Entertainer, Amboy, IL (7878013646), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170819 06 Amboy Depot Museum, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170206 46 Amboy, Illinois, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Digital Lomo Architecture, Amboy, Illinois (6321381808), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Amboy Marsh in Winter (51209227460), Joseph Gage from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Amboy Il Depot6, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Electric Jesus (8240285964), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- B.E. Canavan and Winifred Canavan Skinner (cabinet card is by LaRush, Artist) (8738376217), mudra51 from USA, Public domain
- Casey's Gas Station (52195242887), Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Life Today, November 17, 2012 (8197826889), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- His and Hers Vintage Schwinn Touring Bicycles (6321253464), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- ISS023-E-9142 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS021-E-35194 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-9143 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- DSCF3998 (51208924429), Joseph Gage from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
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