BlockBefore

Geneseo, Illinois

11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1934 and the latest in 1991. It stands in Geneseo Township. It lies in ZIP code area 61254. The Survey maps it on the Geneseo quadrangle. 6,539 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 650 feet above sea level.

Geneseo within Henry County

On record in Geneseo

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register within a mile 2 records

The National Register names another town for these. They stand within one mile of this settlement's coordinate.

Population over time

2 figures

Geneseo fell from 6,586 to 6,539 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20106,586
20206,539-47 (-1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

8 surveys from 11 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

23,436 words on this township

History of Henry County, Illinois : It's Taxpayers and Voters; Containing Also, a Biographical Directory, a Condensed History of the State; Map of the County; a Business Directory...etc, published 1877 names this settlement in its chapter on Geneseo Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

ANDREWS JAMES, Farmer. Sec. 7; P.O. Geneseo; born in Trumbull Co. Ohio, April 3, 1830; came toTazewell Co. in 1843, and to this county in 1854; Dem; owns 600 acres of land, valued at $24,000; wife was Marietta Campbell, born in St. Lawrence Co. N. Y., Jan. IO, 1841; married March 26, 1862; has seven children.

Passage source: History of Henry County, Illinois : It's Taxpayers and Voters; Containing Also, a Biographical Directory, a Condensed History of the State; Map of the County; a Business Directory...etc, published 1877.

BARGE BEN J. F. Supt. of Geneseo City Schools and County Supt. of Schools; born in Concord, Middlesex Co. Mass. Feb. 2, 1834; came to this county, 1861; Rep; Bapt; owns house and lot; educated in public schools of Concord, Haverhill and Lowell; two years in Yale College; did not return after his father's death in 1852; taught in Mississippi and Louisiana from 1852 to 1861; spent one and a'half years in military service in Department of Northwest, under Gen. Pope; farmed two years; taught six years in Cambridge, and now five years at Geneseo; married June, 1863 to Carrie W. Showers, of Cambridge, 111; she was born in Cambridge, June 2, 1841; has four children, Hattie, Cora, Jennie and Allie.

Passage source: History of Henry County, Illinois : It's Taxpayers and Voters; Containing Also, a Biographical Directory, a Condensed History of the State; Map of the County; a Business Directory...etc, published 1877.

BLISS H. F. Farmer, Sec 31, P.O. Geneseo; born in New York, Oct. 13, 1809; came to this county in 1853; Rep; Meth; owns 120 acres of land, valued at $4,800; was Justice of Peace for two years; wife was Amy C. Briggs, born in Oneida Co. N. Y., March 5, 1810; married Nov. 18, 1830; four children, three boys and one girl, all now living.

Passage source: History of Henry County, Illinois : It's Taxpayers and Voters; Containing Also, a Biographical Directory, a Condensed History of the State; Map of the County; a Business Directory...etc, published 1877.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Geneseo Township - it names this place 139 more 139 times.

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Geneseo: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Davenport Clay Pit & MillClayProducer

Every working recorded in Henry County

Storms near this place

57 since 1995

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Geneseo in 57 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 28 thunderstorm wind, 16 hail, 4 tornado, 4 flash flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2002LightningGeneseo1 hurtLightning struck a semi truck on Interstate 80. The driver of the truck received minor burns to his right side.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$50,000Wind gusts estimated to be 75 mph blew down several large trees and damaged business signs and roofs mainly on the west side of Geneseo, IL around 625 am July 21.
May 1995Tornado (F0)Geneseo$20,000A small tornado briefly touched down near the Ebenezer Church north of Geneseo at about 1800 CDT. Gordon Sammons' mobile home was blown over on its side against a utility pole which apparently prevented it from continuing its role. As Mr. Sammons crawled up and out of his home he looked skyward and saw the funnel dipping down from the clouds.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$10,000Wind gusts estimated to be 65 to 70 mph blew down numerous large trees and branches in Geneseo, IL around 418 pm CDT July 23.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$10,00010 inch diameter limb down with numerous small limbs
June 2010Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$3,000Severe thunderstorm winds downed several trees, flipped over a rooftop air conditioner unit on city hall, and blew in a plate glass window.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$2,500A roof was partially blown off a house.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$2,000Large branch down causing damage to a house
September 2000Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$2,000Large tree down.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindGeneseo$500Tree blown down
March 2025Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Two power poles were reported down.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-A tree was blown down at Stewart and Wells Streets.
February 2024HailGeneseo-Spotter report via HAM radio.
February 2024HailGeneseo-Time was estimated from radar.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-A mesnot site at Bob Reade Field on the north side of Geneseo measured a gust of 54 knots.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Six inch tree branch downed by thunderstorm winds. Time estimated by radar.
April 2023Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-WQAD Meteorologist Andrew Stutzke provided pictures and drone video of uprooted pine trees at this location damage was straight and lined up perfectly with the gust front. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
April 2023Tornado (EF2)Geneseo-A localized rear flank downdraft (RFD) surge on the south side of a broader high precipitation(HP) supercell RFD caused a tornado to form. The EF2 tornado with 115 MPH winds began just east of Geneseo. The path had sporadic damage and based on eye-witness reports it was a multiple vortex tornado. Different suction vortices caused damage to farm buildings, trees, silos and houses along its 2.8 mile long path. Many trees were uprooted or snapped in different directions. Most houses had uplift of shingles. Towards the end of the path, the tornado strengthened just before it occluded. EF2 damage was found here as a power pole was snapped, 4 farm outbuildings were destroyed and the roof on the house was lifted then put back down on the house. Many thanks to Henry County OEM for helping with the survey.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Several tree limbs blown down.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Mping report of strong thunderstorm winds.
August 2021Tornado (EFU)Geneseo-Sheriff Sergeant reported a touchdown of a landspout with damage to crops. EM reported a small area with crops damaged in the middle of the field. EF-unknown is the rating.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-A 12 inch diameter tree was snapped.
November 2020Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at around 60 mph.
June 2020Flash FloodGeneseo-The Emergency Manager reports flash flooding of urban areas in Geneseo with roads closed due to high water.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-A NWS employee reported numerous large trees were down over property fences. Several trees were down or uprooted in the town of Geneseo. The event time was estimated by radar.
August 2016Flash FloodGeneseo-A County Official reported that significant flash flooding was occurring in parts of Geneseo The water was in excess of 6 inches deep. The water levels had returned to normal by 1 PM.
August 2016Flash FloodGeneseo-The Emergency Manager reported that a vehicle was washed off the road and into a ditch.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Local law enforcement reported trees were down.
July 2015HailGeneseo-Hail to the diameter of ping pong balls was observed.
July 2015HailGeneseo-Hail to the diameter of golf balls was observed near Geneseo. This was a delayed report.
July 2014FloodGeneseo-Heavy rain that fell across northwest Illinois during the last two weeks of June lead to the Green River near Geneseo rising above the major flood stage of 18 feet around 930 AM on July 1 and falling below the major flood stage around 1100 PM on July 2. The river crested at 18.5 feet on July 1 around 600 PM.
June 2013Flash FloodGeneseo-Law Enforcement reported water over portions of Highway 6 east of Geneseo and rural roads across Henry County. Rainfall reports across Henry County ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
November 2013Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Estimated 60 mph winds were accompanied by pea sized hail.
April 2012Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Law enforcement reported winds of 60 mph along with heavy rain near Geneseo.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Wind gusts estimated to be 60 to 70 mph blew down large trees and limbs in and around Atkinson at between 505 and 510 pm CDT June 23. One resident noted that the time was 508 pm (CDT) when his 40-foot tree landed on the roof of his house in Atkinson. The former elementary school roof sustained extensive damage; the baseball dugouts were blown down; a barn and a large agricultural building were unroofed; the roof of the gymnasium was also damaged. Most residents were without power for about 24 hours.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph downed power lines, uprooted several trees, and broke tree limbs in Geneseo, IL. The local newspaper showed several trees and large limbs that landed on homes.
April 2006Funnel CloudGeneseo-seen on Interstate 80
June 2006HailGeneseo-from co-op observer; pea to nickel size hail.
September 2006Heavy RainGeneseo-City police reported water collecting on highway 82 north of town.
June 2005HailGeneseo-On Interstate 80 at mile marker 14.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Thunderstorm winds snapped four to six inch tree limbs. Reported by off-duty NWS employee.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Several large tree limbs downed.
March 1998Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-Large tree and power line blown down and blocking Wolf Road near Route 82.
February 2024HailGeneseo-no account filed
April 2023HailGeneseo-no account filed
April 2023HailGeneseo-no account filed
August 2023HailGeneseo-no account filed
May 2017HailGeneseo-no account filed
June 2017HailGeneseo-no account filed
June 2017HailGeneseo-no account filed
June 2017HailGeneseo-no account filed
March 2006HailGeneseo-no account filed
May 2003HailGeneseo-no account filed
May 2000Tornado (F0)Geneseo-no account filed
June 1999Funnel CloudGeneseo-no account filed
March 1998Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-no account filed
April 1997Thunderstorm WindGeneseo-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Henry County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Hickory Hills5.9 miles12
Woodcrest6.0 miles12
Shady Beach6.7 miles14
Atkinson7.6 miles11
Morristown8.4 miles12
Green River8.9 miles12
Level Acres9.0 miles12
Dayton9.3 miles12

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on GeneseoAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q577536The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 408940. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.