BlockBefore

Hanover, Illinois

18 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1911 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Hanover Township. It lies in ZIP code area 61041. It stands on Duke Creek. The Survey maps it on the Hanover quadrangle. 863 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 627 feet above sea level.

Hanover within Jo Daviess County

Population over time

2 figures

Hanover grew from 844 to 863 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
2010844
2020863+19 (+2%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

8 surveys from 18 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

7,025 words on this township

The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878 names this settlement in its chapter on Hanover Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The Township of Hanover forms the southwest corner of the county. It is consequently out of the lead mining region, except, perhaps, its northwestern border. Geographically, the township presents a great variety of natural beauty. On the western side lies a low prairie of nine by two miles in size, which, from its barren nature, has been named the "Sand Prairie." This is washed on the west by the " Father of Waters," while on the opposite side rises the high bluffy chain of hills which extends up the river bank to Galena, broken only by the valleys of the Small Pox and Galena Rivers. A tradition was current among the noble red men of the forest that the bed of the Mississippi once passed on the eastern side of the prairie near the bluffs, and an examination of this location tends to confirm the story. It is known that, in the flood of 1828 the supposed river bed was filled with water from the Mississippi.

Passage source: The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878.

At the place where the Village of Hanover now stands, the voyagers encountered the Apple River Falls, and were obliged to carry their canoe around on the land. At this time, remarks our droll informant, there was here a large city called Wapello - inhabited by a tribe of Sacs and Foxes, and named after their chief. Appreciating the value of this location as a mill site, Fowler and Ames marked it with a claim stake, and proceeded up the river. The next Spring they returned, took up the claim and engaged in farming.

Passage source: The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878.

Those were indeed dark days of hardships and bitterness to the resolute men who established the beautiful, and now, peaceful homes of Hanover. After peace and confidence had been restored, settlers began to fill up the valleys more rapidly. In 1835, Wm. R., son of James Craig, opened the first general store at the village, in a log house, but in the ensuing year he built a storeroom, which now forms a part of Nathan Craig's residence. There was no other general store established until that of James W. White in 1845. Mr. Craig kept a public house from the time of his settlement but the first and only regular hotel was not built until 1847, by Joseph E. Milligan. It is called the "Hanover Hotel, " and now owned by George W. Clark. In 1835, Mr. Craig erected a chair factory between the two mills he had already built. He found the water power sufficient to drive the machinery of the three establishments. At this point the river is about 200 feet wide, having a natural fall over a rocky bed of eleven feet. The dam is two hundred and forty feet long and five feet high, securely bolted to the rock, making a head and fall of sixteen feet, with a reservoir or flowage extending nearly ten miles and affording, probably, the best and most secure water power in northwestern Illinois.

Passage source: The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., a Biographical Directory of Its Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion ... History of the Northwest, History of Illinois ... Constitution of the United States, published 1878.

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 Hanover Township - it names this place 40 more 40 times.

Fires near this place

9 since 2008

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 9 fires within 5 miles of Hanover between 2008 and 2012, burning about 123 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined4
Equipment and vehicle use2
Debris and open burning2
Natural1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
17 August 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSavanna District, Upper Mississippi National Wildlife RefugeCAFETERIA FIRE
7 July 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined4.0 acresSavanna District, Upper Mississippi National Wildlife RefugeWHITTON GATE
25 May 2008Natural75 acresSavanna District, Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge1700'S
7 April 2011Equipment and vehicle use8.4 acresSavanna District, Upper Mississippi National Wildlife RefugeWHITTON GUARD HOUSE
23 April 2010Debris and open burningunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesHANOVER
23 April 2010Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesHANOVER2
10 April 2009Debris and open burning34 acresSavanna District, Upper Mississippi National Wildlife RefugePARCEL 8C
9 October 2010Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreIllinois Division of Forestry ResourcesSCHUBERT

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Jo Daviess County

Mines and quarries near this place

7 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Hanover: 4 past producers, 2 unknowns, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Lead, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Zinc, Limestone, General. 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
Kansas MineLead, ZincUnknownGalena, Sphalerite
Nobis QuarryLimestone, GeneralPast Producer
Bertsch QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Illinois MineLead, ZincUnknownGalena, Sphalerite
Shelly QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Skene MineLead, ZincPast Producer1901, 1907
Illinois MineLeadPast Producer

Every working recorded in Jo Daviess County

Storms near this place

29 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Hanover in 29 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 15 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 2 tornado, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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
July 2006Thunderstorm WindHanover$3,000Trees down. Estimated 56 to 63 knot (65 to 75 mph) winds
July 2006HailHanover$2,000penny to quarter size hail
May 2000Thunderstorm WindHanover$1,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindHanover-Trees and power lines blown down around and in Hanover, Illinois.
July 2024Tornado (EF1)North Hanover-A tornado developed just northeast of Hanover in Jo Daviess County, and tracked to the southeast around 50 mph along an intermittent path. The tornado caused significant roof damage to a home east of Hanover that was rated EF-1. The tornado then moved into Carroll County near S. Breyer Road, around 18:02 CST. The tornado caused EF-1 damage around Lake Carroll, including damage to a garage, gazebo, and boat dock, and numerous trees downed. The tornado then downed trees in Shannon before lifting around 18:16 CST. The tornado was rated EF-1 with maximum winds around 100 mph, in both Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindHanover-A public report of trees down in Hanover. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindHanover-A report of a large tree down in Hanover Illinois.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindHanover-A State Official reported that a tree was blown down onto a portion of Highway 84 just southeast of Hanover.
April 2017HailHanover-Broadcast media relayed a public report of quarter size hail.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindHanover-Tree limbs were blown down, and the time estimated was from radar.
June 2014HailHanover-The public reported hail the size of quarters, but mostly penny size.
June 2013Tornado (EF0)Hanover-A NWS Survey Team determined that there was a brief tornado touchdown 3 miles south of Hanover with no significant damage.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindHanover-Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew down numerous trees near Hanover, IL at 927 pm CDT June 8.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindHanover-Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew a large maple tree down about 1 mile east southeast of Hanover, IL at 925 pm CDT June 8. Some lawn furniture was also blown around the yard of the residence.
September 2010Thunderstorm WindHanover-Wind gusts estimated to be 60 to 70 mph were observed about 1 mile east northeast of Hanover, IL at 555 pm CDT September 12.
September 2010Thunderstorm WindHanover-Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew down some large tree branches about 1 mile east northeast of Hanover, IL at 555 pm CDT September 12.
June 2008Flash FloodNorth Hanover-Heavy rains caused rapid rises of the Apple River during the late evening of June 12 and morning hours of June 13. The Apple river overflowed its banks and was covering W Lone Street just west of Elizabeth, IL around 11:00 pm June 12. The flash flood waters began to recede around mid morning June 13.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindHanover-Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees and tree limbs in Hanover, IL around 12:15 pm July 31.
May 2006HailHanover-penny size hail covering the ground.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindHanover-large trees bending over
May 2004Thunderstorm WindHanover-2 large trees down between Hanover and Elizabeth
April 1994HailHanover-Thunderstorm winds damaged a porch in East Dubuque and knocked down trees at Menominee. Large hail damaged cars and siding at Elizabeth.
March 2026HailHanover-no account filed
April 2026HailHanover-no account filed
May 2013HailHanover-no account filed
February 2009HailHanover-no account filed
May 2004HailHanover-no account filed
June 1999HailHanover-no account filed
August 1998Thunderstorm WindHanover-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Jo Daviess 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
Pleasant Hill (historical)2.4 miles14
North Hanover2.6 miles18
Whitton2.6 miles15
Weston (historical)4.0 miles18
Woodland Valley Courts4.1 miles23
Brinksburg (historical)4.6 miles15
Elizabeth5.2 miles14
Rodden5.4 miles18

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 HanoverAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2672128The 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 409751. 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.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

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.