Benton

History

Benton was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator from Missouri. Up until that point, the community was known as Swindler's Ridge. The pioneer priest Father Samuel Mazzuchelli founded the village's Catholic parish, Saint Patrick's Church. Father Mazzuchelli is buried in Saint Patrick's cemetery. He was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1993, and the case for his Sainthood is still pending.

Geography

Benton is located at (42.570836, -90.38437). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  536
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  323
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  294
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  275
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  262
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  259
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  258
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  256