Riverton, Illinois
Riverton is a village of 3,513 people in Sangamon County, Illinois, founded in 1837.
Why visit Riverton
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Camp Butler National Cemetery, Center Park and Field of Dreams Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 20°F, and about 22 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Riverton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Riverton
Riverton is a village in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Riverton had a population of 3,532. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Riverton, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Camp Butler National Cemetery
Cemetery · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Military cemetery in Springfield, Illinois
5063 Camp Butler Road, Springfield
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes9
Conrad's Saloon
Bar and pub
705 North 7th Street, Riverton
Mo 08:00-12:00,13:00-25:00; Tu-Fr 08:00-25:00; Sa-Su 12:00-25:00
Docker's Tavern
Bar and pub · 1.3 mi
120 State Route 54, Spaulding
Mo-Fr 10:00-25:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-26:00
Riverton Village Tap
Bar and pub · 0.4 mi
305 East Jefferson Street, Riverton
Mo-Su 10:00-25:00
Frances' Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza
713 North 7th Street, Riverton
Where to stay1
History
Riverton was founded by John Taylor in 1837. Originally named Judy's Ferry for the ferry crossing the Sangamon River there, then Jamestown, after politician James Shields, the village was successful for about a decade, producing lumber for a planned railroad. When it was discovered that the railroad was badly constructed and unreliable, Jamestown fell into economic distress and the land on which it sat was sold.
The town was sold to Joseph Loose of Maryland, then again to John D. Keedy, a Springfield distiller. Land south of Jamestown was purchased and a distillery was put up. Yet again, the properties were lost, first mortgaged to Jacob Bunn, then given as a claim settlement to Parley L. Howlett, another distiller.
Jamestown was soon renamed Howlett, Shields had fallen from popularity, and a new flour mill and coal mine caused a short-lived boom. Despite their success, most of Howlett was sold to Jacob Bunn to pay off debt. Bunn started selling the lots to the residents, the only owner to do so. After a state requirement was passed preventing communities from being named after people, Howlett was rechristened as Riverton in the 1870s.
From the History section of Riverton, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship7
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 0.5 mi
924 North 7th Street, Riverton
Riverton First Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.0 mi
975 Riverton Road, Riverton
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare1
Map of Riverton
39 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 20°F | 2.0 in | 6.7 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 6.1 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 33°F | 2.8 in | 3.1 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 43°F | 4.0 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 56°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 45°F | 3.3 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 34°F | 2.7 in | 1.2 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 25°F | 2.1 in | 4.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Springfield Capital Ap 72439 (8 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
Sangamon County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2006-03-28: Tornadoes And Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Grandview 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Springfield 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Leland Grove 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Jerome 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Athens 13 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Chatham 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Mount Pulaski 18 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Petersburg 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Lincoln 23 mi northeast, about 37 min by car
- Taylorville 23 mi southeast, about 37 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
Loading what members have shared...
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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Camp Butler, Confederate graves, Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5
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