Valier, Illinois
village in Franklin County, Illinois, United States
Valier is a village in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 554 at the 2020 census.
History
Valier was founded in the early 1900s and named for William Valier, who owned the land upon which the community was established. While a stop along the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the community didn't experience notable expansion until the opening of a coal mine nearby in 1917. The mine operated off and on until closing for good in 1960.
Geography
Valier is located in western Franklin County 9 miles (14 km) west of Benton, the county seat.
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Valier has a total area of 1.13 square miles (2.93 km2), of which 1.12 square miles (2.90 km2) (or 99.29%) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.71%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census there were 554 people, 296 households, and 183 families residing in the village. The population density was 489.40 inhabitants per square mile (188.96/km2). There were 281 housing units at an average density of 248.23 per square mile (95.84/km2).
The public source identifies “Valier, Illinois” as village in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Valier, Illinois and village.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Valier, Illinois”, the useful work is to connect “village in Franklin County, Illinois, United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2490683. Authority coordinates are 38.016, -89.041. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020, 1917, 1960 and 2021.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Valier, Illinois”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Valier, Illinois primary sources, Valier, Illinois archive and Valier research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Valier, Illinois”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Valier, Illinois” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.