text:
White County, Illinois

White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,877. Its county seat is Carmi. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".

History
White County was organized from Gallatin County in 1815, and was named after Captain Isaac White, a Gallatin County legislator who is credited with the idea of extending the Illinois-Wisconsin border a few miles north of the southern tip of Lake Michigan and was also in charge of the salt works at Equality. He was killed in 1811 at the Battle of Tippecanoe. The county seat, Carmi, was founded in 1814, and incorporated in 1816. The first courthouse was in the log cabin of John Craw.

The first white settlers came to White County between 1807 and 1809. The first settlements were near the Little Wabash River and Big Prairie, one of the numerous prairies in the county. These families—Hanna, Land, Hay, Williams, Calvert, Ratcliff, Holderby, Robinson, Stewart, among others—typically had spent time in the Carolinas, Kentucky or Tennessee before moving into Illinois, and most were of Scots-Irish descent. Many came through the land office at Shawneetown, Illinois, which was a port for flatboats which traveled the Ohio River.

Other early settlements were Grayville, located at the mouth of Bonpas Creek and the Wabash River, settled by the Gray family around 1810; Phillipstown, on the bluffs above the Wabash and Fox River floodplain; and New Haven (mostly in Gallatin County), which was home to a brother of Daniel Boone around 1818. Old Sharon Church (Presbyterian), located near the later village of Sacramento, was organized around 1816, and the village of Seven Mile Prairie was established a few miles north of the church in the 1830s. The parents of longtime Abraham Lincoln girlfriend Ann Rutledge were part of this group, along with families named McArthy, Miller, McClellan, Pollard, Storey, Fields, and Johnson.

About 1839, a group of Irish immigrants began moving into the extreme western part of Enfield Township, led by Patrick Dolan, as well as members of the Mitchell and Dunn clans. Dolan was auctioneer in 1853 when the village of Enfield was platted, as Seven Mile moved west in anticipation of a railroad line, which was not built until 1872. German families moved into the middle portion of the county in the 1840s and onward, especially from the Baden region, and included the family names of Rebstock, Dartt, Brown, Sailer, Stanley, and Drone.

The second half of the 19th century saw the establishment of the towns of Norris City, Springerton, Mill Shoals (once the home of a thriving barrel-making industry which depleted the nearby virgin forests), Epworth, Herald, Burnt Prairie (previously known as "Liberty"), Crossville, Phillipstown, Concord (also known as Emma), Maunie and Rising Sun (commonly called Dogtown)--the latter two villages are located on the Wabash and attracted several African-American families. A number of villages which no longer exist were also formed: Trumbull, Roland, Middle Point, Stokes Station, Gossett, Bungay, Calvin, Iron, and Dolan Settlement.

In 1925, White County was the last of five Illinois counties affected by the infamous Tri-State Tornado. Although the storm spared the towns of Carmi, Enfield and Crossville, significant damage was done to the surrounding rural areas, where 28 people were killed, dozens were injured and scores of homes and farms were destroyed.

Agriculture was the primary industry of White County until the summer of 1939, when oil was discovered in the Storms and Stinson fields in the Wabash River Bottoms. The population of Carmi doubled within two years, from 2,700 to 5,400, with corresponding increases at Crossville and Grayville—in 1940 it was said one could walk between these two towns by simply walking from rig to rig. Many of these workers migrated from previous oil booms in Texas and Oklahoma. As of 2013, fracking is underway near Carmi.

The current population of White County is a little over 17,000, with 6,500 in the county seat of Carmi. There is a high number of retired people, and many citizens work in the factories of Evansville or Mount Vernon, Indiana, located 45 and 25 miles to the east, respectively. Besides oil and agriculture, industries include auto parts manufacturing, plastics, a convenience store distribution center and underground coal mining.

Due to legal actions enforced by Indiana courts, White County, Illinois was also the site of the ill-fated Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival also known as the Bull Island Fest in 1972. Three county sheriffs were the only police force present at the festival.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 502 sqmi, of which 495 sqmi is land and 7.1 sqmi (1.4%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carmi have ranged from a low of 22 °F in January to a high of 89 °F in July, although a record low of -20 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 103 °F was recorded in August 2007. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.61 in in October to 5.00 in in May.

Transit

 * Rides Mass Transit District

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-64.svg|20px]] Interstate 64
 * [[Image:US 45.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 45
 * [[Image:Illinois 1.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 1
 * [[Image:Illinois 14.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 14
 * [[Image:Illinois 141.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 141

Adjacent counties

 * Edwards County (north)
 * Gibson County, Indiana (northeast, now separated by Bonpas Creek instead of the Wabash River)
 * Posey County, Indiana (east, intermittent sections of water and land boundaries)
 * Gallatin County (south)
 * Saline County (southwest)
 * Hamilton County (west)
 * Wayne County (northwest)

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,665 people, 6,313 households, and 4,142 families residing in the county. The population density was 29.6 PD/sqmi. There were 7,181 housing units at an average density of 14.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.5% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 14.0% were American, and 11.8% were English.

Of the 6,313 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 45.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,728 and the median income for a family was $48,666. Males had a median income of $41,712 versus $26,168 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,081. About 10.1% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Carmi
 * Grayville (Partially in Edwards County)

Villages

 * Burnt Prairie
 * Crossville
 * Enfield
 * Maunie
 * Mill Shoals
 * Norris City
 * Phillipstown
 * Springerton

Unincorporated towns

 * Brownsville
 * Emma
 * Epworth
 * Herald
 * Rising Sun

Townships
White County is divided into ten townships:

 * Burnt Prairie
 * Carmi
 * Emma
 * Enfield
 * Gray
 * Hawthorne
 * Heralds Prairie
 * Indian Creek
 * Mill Shoals
 * Phillips

Education
School districts (unified K-12 except when otherwise specified) include:
 * Carmi-White County Community Unit School District 5
 * Gallatin Community Unit School District 7
 * Grayville Community Unit School District 1
 * Norris City-Omaha-Enfield Community Unit School District 3
 * Fairfield Community High School District 225 (secondary grades only)
 * New Hope Community Consolidated School District 6 (elementary grades only)

title: White County, Illinois


text:
Wayne County, Illinois

Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 16,179. Its county seat is Fairfield. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".

History
Wayne County was formed in 1819 out of Edwards County. It is named after Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne, an officer in the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 715 sqmi, of which 714 sqmi is land and 1.7 sqmi (0.2%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Fairfield have ranged from a low of 20 °F in January to a high of 88 °F in July, although a record low of -23 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 113 °F was recorded in July 1901. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.70 in in February to 4.80 in in April.

Transit

 * Rides Mass Transit District

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-64.svg|20px]] Interstate 64
 * [[Image:US 45.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 45
 * [[Image:Illinois 15.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 15
 * [[Image:Illinois 242.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 242

Adjacent counties

 * Clay County (north)
 * Richland County (northeast)
 * Edwards County (east)
 * White County (southeast)
 * Hamilton County (south)
 * Jefferson County (southwest)
 * Marion County (northwest)

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16,760 people, 7,102 households, and 4,853 families living in the county. The population density was 23.5 PD/sqmi. There were 7,975 housing units at an average density of 11.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.0% were German, 14.1% were English, 12.7% were American, and 9.8% were Irish.

Of the 7,102 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.7% were non-families, and 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 42.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,207 and the median income for a family was $47,879. Males had a median income of $34,800 versus $27,192 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,493. About 9.9% of families and 14.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

City

 * Fairfield

Villages

 * Cisne
 * Golden Gate
 * Jeffersonville
 * Johnsonville
 * Keenes
 * Mount Erie
 * Sims
 * Wayne City

Unincorporated communities

 * Barnhill
 * Ellery
 * Mayberry
 * Rinard
 * Wynoose
 * Zenith

Townships
Wayne County is divided into these 20 townships:

 * Arrington
 * Barnhill
 * Bedford
 * Berry
 * Big Mound
 * Elm River
 * Four Mile
 * Garden Hill
 * Grover
 * Hickory Hill
 * Indian Prairie
 * Jasper
 * Keith
 * Lamard
 * Leech
 * Massilon
 * Mount Erie
 * Orchard
 * Orel
 * Zif

Program 1033 Acquisitions
According to Department of Defense data, Wayne County has received six 5.56MM rifles and three "Utility Trucks" with a total acquisition cost of $120,705.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Wayne County, Illinois


text:
Washington County, Illinois

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,761. Its county seat is Nashville. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".

History
Washington County was formed on January 2, 1818, out of St. Clair County. It was named for George Washington. Despite its relative proximity to the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, the county is not considered part of the St. Louis metropolitan area, also known as the Metro-East. In 1813, the Lively Massacre occurred near Little Crooked Creek. In 1959, the state established the Washington County State Recreation Area. Washington County was initially settled by immigrants from Kentucky who moved northward out of that state in the early 1800s. In the late 1800s there were (relatively) large numbers of immigrants who settled in Washington County, and by the early 1900s there were large numbers of first-generation immigrants still living in Washington County. They primarily came from the four countries of Germany, Poland, Ireland and England.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 564 sqmi, of which 563 sqmi is land and 1.3 sqmi (0.2%) is water. There are many lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks in this area, including the Kaskaskia River, which is the county's northern border.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Nashville have ranged from a low of 22 °F in January to a high of 88 °F in July, although a record low of -21 °F was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 106 °F was recorded in July 1980. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.18 in in January to 4.10 in in May. On November 17, 2013, an EF4 tornado swept through the area, destroying homes and causing two fatalities.

Public transit

 * South Central Transit

Major highways

 * I-64.svg Interstate 64
 * US 51.svg U.S. Highway 51
 * Illinois 4.svg Illinois Route 4
 * Illinois 13.svg Illinois Route 13
 * Illinois 15.svg Illinois Route 15
 * Illinois 127.svg Illinois Route 127
 * Illinois 153.svg Illinois Route 153
 * Illinois 177.svg Illinois Route 160
 * Illinois 160.svg Illinois Route 177

Adjacent counties

 * Clinton County (north)
 * Marion County (northeast)
 * Jefferson County (east)
 * Perry County (south)
 * Randolph County (southwest)
 * St. Clair County (west)

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,716 people, 5,926 households, and 4,112 families residing in the county. The population density was 26.2 PD/sqmi. There were 6,534 housing units at an average density of 11.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.7% white, 0.7% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 53.6% were German, 14.0% were Polish, 13.1% were Irish, 7.7% were English, and 6.1% were American.

Of the 5,926 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.6% were non-families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 42.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,440 and the median income for a family was $64,171. Males had a median income of $44,272 versus $30,683 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,846. About 5.5% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The county is served by six school districts:
 * Oakdale CCSD 1
 * West Washington County CUD 10
 * Irvington CCSD 11
 * Ashley CCSD 15
 * Nashville CCSD 49
 * Nashville Community High School District 99

Cities

 * Ashley
 * Centralia
 * Nashville

Villages

 * Addieville
 * Du Bois
 * Hoyleton
 * Irvington
 * New Minden
 * Oakdale
 * Okawville
 * Radom
 * Richview
 * Venedy

Unincorporated communities

 * Beaucoup
 * Clarmin
 * Cordes
 * Elkton
 * Huegely
 * Lively Grove
 * Plum Hill
 * Posen
 * Pyramid
 * Stone Church

Townships
Washington County is divided into these townships:

 * Ashley
 * Beaucoup
 * Bolo
 * Covington
 * DuBois
 * Hoyleton
 * Irvington
 * Johannisburg
 * Lively Grove
 * Nashville
 * Oakdale
 * Okawville
 * Pilot Knob
 * Plum Hill
 * Richview
 * Venedy

Politics
Washington is a rural conservative county in Southern Illinois that has always trended Republican in presidential elections. The only Democrat to win a majority of the county's ballots since the Civil War was Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1932 landslide. Historically, the county was dominated by organized labor and family farms. The area tends to be economically and socially conservative.

Media
WNSV in Nashville is the only radio station in the county.

The two weekly newspapers in the county are The Nashville News, located in Nashville, and The Okawville Times, which is based in Okawville.

title: Washington County, Illinois


text:
Warren County, Illinois

Warren County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 16,835. Its county seat is Monmouth.

History
Warren County was organized in 1825 out of Pike County which consisted of all portions of the state north and west of the Illinois River before 1825. Henderson County was formed in 1841 from the western area of Warren County.

Warren County was named for Dr. Joseph Warren, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. He is believed to have been the first officer to die in the Revolutionary War.

The current courthouse, constructed of red Portage stone, was completed in 1895.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 543 sqmi, of which 542 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi (0.1%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Monmouth have ranged from a low of 15 °F in January to a high of 85 °F in July, although a record low of -27 °F was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 110 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.62 in in January to 4.33 in in July.

Adjacent counties

 * Mercer County (north)
 * Knox County (east)
 * Fulton County (southeast)
 * McDonough County (south)
 * Henderson County (west)

Demographics
At the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,707 people, 6,918 households and 4,617 families residing in the county. The population density was 32.6 PD/sqmi. There were 7,682 housing units at an average density of 14.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 91.3% white, 1.7% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 4.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.2% were German, 14.7% were Irish, 11.3% were English, 10.0% were Swedish, and 5.5% were American.

Of the 6,918 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 39.6 years.

The median household income was $41,636 and the median family income was $49,623. Males had a median income of $40,289 and females $25,460. The per capita incomewas $20,047. About 11.0% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Warren County is located in Illinois's 17th Congressional District and is currently represented by Democrat Cheri Bustos. For the Illinois House of Representatives, the county is split between the 93rd district, currently represented by Republican Norine Hammond, and the 94th district, currently represented by Randy Frese. The county is located in the 47th district of the Illinois Senate, and is currently represented by Republican Jil Tracy.

In presidential elections, Warren County voted for the Republican Party's candidate in every election from 1936 through 1988, often by a wide margin. From 1992 to 2012, the contest in Warren County was more competitive, with the Democratic Party's candidate winning four out of six times.

Transit

 * Burlington Trailways
 * List of intercity bus stops in Illinois

Airport

 * Monmouth Municipal Airport

Major highways

 * US 34.svg U.S. Highway 34
 * US 67.svg U.S. Highway 67
 * Illinois 94.svg Illinois Route 94
 * Illinois 116.svg Illinois Route 116
 * Illinois 135.svg Illinois Route 135
 * Illinois 164.svg Illinois Route 164

State

 * Illinois State Police District 14, Macomb

County
In a scene in the 2018 film "Halloween", the local sheriff drives a car that says Warren County Sheriff's Department. Confirming that the fictional town of Haddonfield is located in Warren County.
 * Warren County Sheriff's Office

Municipal

 * Alexis Police Department, Alexis
 * Monmouth Police Department, Monmouth

Volunteer
Warren County/Monmouth Auxiliary Police Corps

City

 * Monmouth

Villages

 * Alexis (partly in Mercer County)
 * Kirkwood
 * Little York
 * Roseville

Unincorporated communities

 * Berwick
 * Cameron
 * Coldbrook
 * Eleanor
 * Gerlaw
 * Greenbush
 * Larchland
 * Ormonde
 * Ponemah
 * Shanghai City
 * Smithshire
 * Swan Creek
 * Utah
 * Youngstown

Townships
Warren County is divided into these townships:

 * Berwick
 * Cold Brook
 * Ellison
 * Floyd
 * Greenbush
 * Hale
 * Kelly
 * Lenox
 * Monmouth
 * Point Pleasant
 * Roseville
 * Spring Grove
 * Sumner
 * Swan
 * Tompkins

title: Warren County, Illinois


text:
Wabash County, Illinois

Wabash County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 11,361. Its county seat is Mount Carmel. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".

History
Wabash County was formed in 1824 out of Edwards County. This averted to an armed confrontation between the militias of Albion and Mt. Carmel after the county seat was moved from a town near the current city of Mount Carmel to Albion.

The county is named for the Wabash River, which forms its eastern and southern borders. The name "Wabash" is an English spelling of the French name for the river, "Ouabache."' French traders named the river after the Miami Indian word for the river, "Wabashike," (pronounced "Wah-bah-she-keh"), the word for "pure white." Much of the river bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.

A 329 acre remnant of the county's original Eastern Woodlands ecosystem can be found in the Forest of the Wabash, located within the county's Beall Woods State Park.

In the 1920s a notable hotel and resort operated in Wabash County nearby the Grand Rapids Dam on the Wabash River. Named the Grand Rapids Hotel, it was owned by Frederick Hinde Zimmerman. During the hotel's nine-year existence, it catered to individuals from all over the United States. In July 2011, John Matthew Nolan published a detailed history of the Grand Rapids Hotel.

Earthquake
On the morning of April 18, 2008, at 4:37am local time, one of the largest earthquakes in Illinois history hit the area. The epicenter of this tremor was in Lick Prairie Township, near the middle of the county. The tremor was felt for a wide radius, more than 400 miles away in Nebraska.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 228 sqmi, of which 223 sqmi is land and 4.3 sqmi (1.9%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Illinois by area.

Two rivers, the Wabash River to the east and the Little Wabash River to the west join at the southern tip of the county; the Little Wabash separating the two counties, Wabash County from the Edwards County.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Carmel have ranged from a low of 21 °F in January to a high of 89 °F in July, although a record low of -19 °F was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 102 °F was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.73 in in February to 5.12 in in May.

Transit

 * Rides Mass Transit District

Major highways

 * [[Image:Illinois 1.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 1
 * [[Image:Illinois 15.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 15

Adjacent counties

 * Lawrence County - north
 * Knox County, Indiana - northeast
 * Gibson County, Indiana - south and mostly east
 * Edwards County - west
 * Richland County - northwest

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,947 people, 5,012 households, and 3,310 families residing in the county. The population density was 53.5 PD/sqmi. There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 25.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 0.6% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.6% were German, 12.3% were English, 11.7% were American, and 8.4% were Irish.

Of the 5,012 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.0% were non-families, and 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 42.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,026 and the median income for a family was $55,611. Males had a median income of $44,932 versus $28,292 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,350. About 7.2% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Mount Carmel (seat)

Villages

 * Allendale
 * Bellmont
 * Keensburg

Unincorporated communities

 * Adams Corner
 * Cowling
 * Friendsville
 * Lancaster
 * Maud
 * Odgen
 * Rochester

Precincts
Wabash County is one of 17 Illinois counties that use the term precinct instead of township.

 * Bellmont (Bellmont)
 * Coffee (Keensburg)
 * Compton (East Grayville)
 * Friendsville (Friendsville)
 * Lancaster (Lancaster)
 * Lick Prairie (Lick Prairie)
 * Mount Carmel (Mount Carmel)
 * Wabash (Allendale)

Wabash County precincts and their boundaries

Education
School districts include:
 * Allendale Community Consolidated School District 17
 * Edwards County Community Unit School District 1
 * Grayville Community Unit School District 1
 * Wabash Community Unit School District 348

title: Wabash County, Illinois


text:
Vermilion County, Illinois

Vermilion County is a county in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 74,188. It contains 21 incorporated settlements; the county seat and largest city is Danville.

Vermilion County is part of the Danville, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the larger Champaign–Urbana–Danville Combined Statistical Area.

History
Vermilion County is named after the Vermilion River, which passes through the county and empties into the Wabash River in Indiana near Cayuga; the river was so named because of the color of the earth along its route.

The area which became Vermilion County was under the flag of France from 1682 to 1763, as part of New France.

It was taken over by Great Britain for fifteen years after the French and Indian War; it then became part of the colonies after the Revolutionary War when the area was ceded to Virginia, titled "the Illinois County of Virginia". Later it was part of the Indiana Territory, then the Illinois Territory, and finally the state of Illinois. The county was created on January 18, 1826, from a portion of Edgar County. There was an unorganized territory to the north and west which was attached to the county; Champaign and Iroquois counties were formed from part of this territory in 1833. The remainder was used to create Ford County in 1859, the last Illinois county to be formed.

The county's saline springs were a strong attraction to early explorers; they were mentioned as early as 1801. Joseph Barron, an interpreter fluent in several Native American languages, stated in an affidavit that he was present at the "Vermilion Salines" that year. The production required 100 gallons of water for one bushel of salt and proved to be profitable from the first run (1822–1829), when salt became less expensive and the venture was no longer economical.

The area's first settlement was made in 1819 near these saline springs, by the Treat, Beckwith, and Whitcomb. James Butler, from Ohio, followed in 1820 and settled in the Catlin area; within a few years, the settlement grew to encompass several families and became known as "Butler's Point". In the southern part of the county, Henry Johnson built a cabin west of present-day Georgetown; this area was known as "Johnson's Point". The southern portion of the county was soon filled with small settlements. Most settlers in Vermilion County came from the American South, who had left because of their opposition to slavery.

Some of the early settlers were of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers. They founded the settlement of Vermilion Grove in the south part of the county, one of the county's first settlements and the site of the county's second public school.

The county has strong ties to Abraham Lincoln, who practiced law in Danville from 1841 to 1859 with Ward Hill Lamon; Lamon later served as Lincoln's bodyguard. Lincoln spoke in Danville during his 1858 campaign for a seat in the US Senate. Lincoln gave the speech in his stocking feet from the balcony of Dr. William Fithian, a prominent local physician. The Fithian home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the Vermilion County Museum; visitors can see Lincoln memorabilia including a bed in which Lincoln slept.

The various stages in the evolution of Vermilion County are shown below.

Geography
Vermilion County is located along the eastern border of Illinois; its northern border is about 95 mi south of Chicago.

Vermilion County in Illinois and Vermillion County in Indiana are two of twenty-two counties or parishes in the United States with the same name to border each other across state lines. According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 901.28 sqmi, of which 898.37 sqmi (or 99.68%) is land and 2.91 sqmi (or 0.32%) is water. The land in Vermilion County consists mostly of various forms of silt loam. Lake Vermilion, a man-made 1000 acre reservoir, is the county's largest body of water, located northwest of Danville. It provides the city's culinary water, and also provides recreation opportunities.

Adjacent counties

 * Iroquois County – north
 * Benton County, Indiana – northeast
 * Warren County, Indiana – east
 * Vermillion County, Indiana – southeast
 * Edgar County – south
 * Douglas County - southwest
 * Champaign County – west
 * Ford County – northwest

Cities

 * Danville (county seat)
 * Hoopeston
 * Georgetown

Villages

 * Allerton – at SW corner of county; extends into Champaign County
 * Alvin – north of Danville
 * Belgium – on Route 1
 * Bismarck – north of Danville
 * Catlin – southwest of Danville
 * Fairmount – southwest of Danville
 * Fithian – west of Danville on US 150
 * Henning – north of Danville on US 136
 * Indianola – southwest of Danville
 * Muncie – west of Danville on US 150
 * Oakwood – west of Danville on US 150
 * Potomac – on US 136 north of Danville
 * Rankin – at NW corner of county
 * Ridge Farm
 * Rossville – on Route 1, south of Hoopeston
 * Sidell – east of Allerton
 * Tilton
 * Westville

Unincorporated communities

 * Armstrong
 * Batestown
 * Cheneyville
 * Collison
 * East Lynn
 * Hartshorn
 * Hegeler
 * Hillery
 * Hope
 * Illiana
 * Jamaica
 * Jamesburg
 * Midway
 * Newtown
 * Olivet
 * Ryan
 * Unionville

Previous settlements
Several towns were established in the county which no longer survive. In some cases, the coming of the railroads helped to define the best locations for settlements, and as a result some existing towns were abandoned. When Lake Vermilion was created, the town of Denmark was flooded and now lies at the bottom of the reservoir.

 * Archie (south of Sidell)
 * Blue Grass City
 * Butler's Point (see Catlin)
 * Conkeytown
 * Denmark
 * Ellis (Middlefork Township)
 * Franklin (see Bismarck)
 * Geneva
 * Gilbert (see Alvin)
 * Humrick
 * Johnsonville (Blount Township)
 * Munroe
 * Myersville (see Bismarck)
 * Pellsville (see Rankin)
 * Prospect City
 * Reilly (Butler Township)
 * Shepherd's Town
 * Watkins Grove (or Watkins Glen)
 * Weaver City (see Ambia, Indiana)

Townships
Township government was adopted in Vermilion County in 1851, and eight townships were created:

 * Carroll
 * Danville
 * Elwood
 * Georgetown
 * Middlefork
 * Newell (first called Richland)
 * Pilot
 * Ross

Eleven additional townships were created in the following decades:

 * Blount
 * Butler
 * Catlin
 * Grant
 * Jamaica
 * Love
 * McKendree
 * Oakwood
 * Sidell
 * South Ross
 * Vance

Parks
The Vermilion County Conservation District operates four parks:
 * Forest Glen Preserve
 * Heron County Park
 * Kennekuk Cove County Park
 * Lake Vermilion County Park

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages three areas in the county:
 * Kickapoo State Recreation Area
 * Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area
 * Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 81,625 people, 32,655 households, and 21,392 families residing in the county. The population density was 90.9 PD/sqmi. There were 36,318 housing units at an average density of 40.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 82.5% white, 13.0% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 21.2% self-identified as American, 18.9% as German, 10.1% as Irish, and 9.1% as English.

Of the 32,655 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 39.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,456 and the median income for a family was $49,429. Males had a median income of $40,107 versus $30,104 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,218. About 14.6% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Climate and weather
Vermilion County is in the humid continental climate region of the United States along with most of Illinois. Its Köppen climate classification is Dfa, meaning that it is cold, has no dry season, and has a hot summer. In recent years, average temperatures in Danville have ranged from a low of 17 °F in January to a high of 86 °F in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 112 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.99 in inches in February to 4.70 in inches in June.

Transportation
Danville Mass Transit provides public transit to the Danville area with buses.

 * Interstate 74 enters Vermilion County from the west on its way from Champaign–Urbana, and passes just to the north of the towns of Fithian, Muncie and Oakwood before passing through the south edge of the Kickapoo State Park, the north edge of Tilton and the south edge of Danville. Continuing east, it leaves the county and the state on its way to Indianapolis.
 * US Route 136, which runs across five states, passes into Vermilion County from the west on its way from Rantoul. It passes east through the towns of Armstrong, Potomac and Henning; it reaches Illinois Route 1 south of Rossville and then shares that highway's route as it passes south through Danville. At the south edge of Danville it reaches Main Street and resumes its eastward heading, leaving the east edge of Danville and passing out of the county and state on its way to Covington, Indiana.
 * US Route 150 enters the county from Champaign–Urbana to the west, running just to the south of Interstate 74 and passing through the towns of Fithian, Muncie and Oakwood. Just west of Danville it crosses to the north side of Interstate 74 as that highway veers to the southeast. In downtown Danville, it meets Illinois Route 1 and U.S. Route 136, and follows Route 1 to the south and continues through the towns of Belgium, Westville, Georgetown and Ridge Farm before entering Edgar County further to the south.
 * Illinois Route 1 runs from the north to the south through the county, passing through Hoopeston, Rossville, Danville, Belgium, Westville, Georgetown and Ridge Farm.
 * Illinois Route 9 runs from west to east near the north edge of the county and passes through Rankin and Hoopeston; upon reaching the Indiana border
 * Indiana State Road 26 continues its route to the east toward Lafayette, Indiana.
 * Illinois Route 49 is a north–south highway near the western edge of the county. It passes south through Rankin where it intersects Route 9; further south it passes near Armstrong where U.S. Route 136 briefly shares its route. Crossing Interstate 74, it shares the route of U.S. Route 150, running west for about 2 mi and leaving the county before continuing south in Champaign County.
 * Illinois Route 119 is a short 8 mi east–west road that connects the intersection of Illinois Route 1 and U.S. Route 136 with Indiana State Road 28 at the state line.

Four railroad lines pass through or into the county, all intersecting in the Danville area; this results in many different railroad crossings throughout the city:
 * Norfolk Southern Railway line – enters the county from Decatur to the southwest and passes through Danville on its way to Lafayette, Indiana to the northeast
 * CSX Transportation line - north-south through the county, connecting Chicago and Terre Haute, Indiana via Paris
 * Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad line – north–south line through the county, to the east of the CSX line, a few miles from the state border, beginning in northern Iroquois County and running south through Danville, then veering east.
 * Vermilion Valley Railroad line – a 6 mi line that connects the Flex-N-Gate factory west of Covington, Indiana with CSX in Danville.

The Vermilion Regional Airport is located northeast of Danville.

Economy
For 2014, Vermilion County had a workforce of 35,643 people; 32,584 were employed and 3,059 (8.6%) were unemployed.

Education
There are 12 school districts in the county that provide primary and secondary education. There are two post-secondary educational institutions: Danville Area Community College, a public two-year community college, and Lakeview College of Nursing, a four-year private institution (both located in Danville).

Government
Based on the 2000 census, Vermilion County is part of the Illinois's 15th congressional district; the Illinois Senate districts 52 and 53; and the Illinois House of Representatives districts 104 and 105.

Each township has a supervisor. The township board consists of the supervisor and four members elected at large from the township.

The Vermilion County Board is controlled by Republicans. Larry Baughn (R) of Hoopeston serves as chairman. The Vermilion County Circuit Court is led by Judge Thomas O’Shaugnessy.

title: Vermilion County, Illinois


text:
Union County, Illinois

Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 17,244. Its county seat is Jonesboro. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".

History
Union County was formed out of Johnson County, nearly a year before the Illinois Territory gained statehood. It was named for a joint revival meeting of the Baptists and Dunkards, called a "union meeting". The county seal depicts the leaders of these two groups shaking hands.

Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 422 sqmi, of which 413 sqmi is land and 8.7 sqmi (2.1%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Jonesboro have ranged from a low of 22 °F in January to a high of 90 °F in July, although a record low of -20 °F was recorded in January 1918 and a record high of 112 °F was recorded in July 1901. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.13 in in September to 5.22 in in May.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-57.svg|20px]] Interstate 57
 * [[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 51
 * [[Image:Illinois 3.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 3
 * [[Image:Illinois 127.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 127
 * [[Image:Illinois 146.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 146

Adjacent counties

 * Jackson County – north
 * Williamson County – northeast
 * Johnson County – east
 * Pulaski County – southeast
 * Alexander County – south
 * Cape Girardeau County, Missouri – west
 * Perry County, Missouri – northwest

Protected areas

 * Brown Barrens Nature Preserve
 * Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (partial)
 * Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (partial)
 * Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds
 * Giant City State Park (partial)
 * McClure Shale Glade Nature Preserve
 * Trail of Tears State Forest
 * Shawnee National Forest (partial)
 * Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,808 people, 7,167 households, and 4,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 43.1 PD/sqmi. There were 7,924 housing units at an average density of 19.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 9.4% were English, and 8.1% were American.

Of the 7,167 households, 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 42.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,760 and the median income for a family was $48,465. Males had a median income of $36,831 versus $31,272 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,512. About 12.7% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Anna
 * Jonesboro (seat)

Villages

 * Alto Pass
 * Cobden
 * Dongola
 * Mill Creek

Unincorporated communities

 * Balcom
 * La Rue
 * Reynoldsville
 * Ware
 * Wolf Lake

Politics
Like much of Southern Illinois, Union County has shifted toward the Republican Party over the past couple decades, with the Republican candidate for president winning the county since 2000.

Education
School districts include:

K-12:

 * Cobden School Unit District 17
 * Dongola School Unit District 66
 * Goreville Community Unit School District 1
 * Shawnee Community Unit School District 84

Secondary:
 * Anna Jonesboro Community High School District 81
 * Vienna High School District 133

Elementary:

 * Anna Community Consolidated School District 37
 * Buncombe Consolidated School District 43
 * Cypress School District 64
 * Jonesboro Community Consolidated School District 43
 * Lick Creek Community Consolidated School District 16

title: Union County, Illinois


text:
Talk:Wetzel County, West Virginia

Untitled
Wondering how to edit this U.S. County Entry? The WikiProject U.S. Counties standards might help.

Mason Dixon Line
Is the nortern border really the Mason Dixon line? I only ask because the image here and the one on the Mason Dixon page don't seem to coincide. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.115.151.162 (talk) 05:29, 3 June 2012 (UTC)

No, the Mason-Dixon Line is Not the northern border of Wetzel County, WV. Never was & Never will be since the Line — Preceding unsigned comment added by 52.129.8.51 (talk) 12:36, 25 September 2012 (UTC)

title: Talk:Wetzel County, West Virginia


text:
Tazewell County, Illinois

Tazewell County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 131,343. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. It is pronounced with a short "a", to rhyme with "razz" rather than "raze."

Tazewell County is part of the Peoria, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. The majority of the population lives along the county's western border.

History
Tazewell County was formed out of Peoria County in 1827. The consensus appears to be that it was named in honor of Littleton Tazewell, who served in the U.S. Senate, and who became Governor of Virginia in 1834. It is, however, possible that it was named after Littleton's father, prominent Virginia politician Henry Tazewell, after whom Tazewell County, Virginia, was named.

The first county seat was in Mackinaw from 1827 to 1836. It was moved temporarily from Mackinaw to Pekin in June 1831, with the county court proceedings in the Snell schoolhouse. It moved to Tremont in 1836. After a political struggle between Tremont and Pekin, the county seat was reassigned to Pekin in 1849.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 658 sqmi, of which 649 sqmi is land and 9.0 sqmi (1.4%) is water.

State Fish & Wildlife Areas
The following Illinois State Park & Natural Areas are located in Tazewell County:
 * Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - an 8.5-mile (13.7 km) long alluvial lake that lies parallel to the Illinois River.
 * Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area - 1,426-acre (577 ha) area of semi-protected habitat on the Illinois River.
 * Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area - 1,448-acre (586 ha) state park

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Pekin have ranged from a low of 14 °F in January to a high of 86 °F in July, although a record low of -27 °F was recorded in January 1884 and a record high of 113 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.50 in in January to 4.17 in in May.

Adjacent counties

 * Peoria County (northwest)
 * Woodford County (north)
 * McLean County (east)
 * Logan County (south)
 * Mason County (southwest)
 * Fulton County (west)

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-74.svg|20px]] Interstate 74
 * [[Image:I-155.svg|20px]] Interstate 155
 * [[Image:I-474.svg|20px]] Interstate 474
 * [[Image:US 24.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 24
 * [[Image:US 150.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 150
 * [[Image:Illinois 8.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 8
 * [[Image:Illinois 9.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 9
 * [[Image:Illinois 29.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 29
 * [[Image:Illinois 40.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 40
 * [[Image:Illinois 98.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 98
 * [[Image:Illinois 116.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 116
 * [[Image:Illinois 122.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 122

Airports
The following public-use airports are located in Tazewell County:
 * Pekin Municipal Airport (C15) - serves Pekin (Located by the Village of South Pekin, Illinois)
 * Manito Mitchell Airport (C45) - serves Manito, a village in Mason County

Public Transportation
Bus and paratransit service in Tazewell County is provided by Peoria's “CityLink” system, operating six routes (four originating from Peoria) seven days a week.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 135,394 people, 54,146 households, and 37,163 families living in the county. The population density was 208.6 PD/sqmi. There were 57,516 housing units at an average density of 88.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.2% white, 1.0% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 35.6% were German, 15.6% were American, 14.4% were Irish, and 12.0% were English.

Of the 54,146 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.4% were non-families, and 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 39.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $54,232 and the median income for a family was $66,764. Males had a median income of $50,372 versus $34,747 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,036. About 6.3% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Delavan
 * East Peoria
 * Marquette Heights
 * Pekin (seat)
 * Washington

Villages

 * Creve Coeur
 * Deer Creek
 * Hopedale
 * Mackinaw
 * Minier
 * Morton
 * North Pekin
 * Tremont

Census-designated place

 * Heritage Lake

Other unincorporated communities

 * Groveland

Townships
Tazewell County is divided into these townships:

 * Deer Creek
 * Delavan
 * Groveland
 * Hopedale
 * Mackinaw
 * Morton
 * Pekin
 * Tremont
 * Washington

Politics
Tazewell County has been solidly Republican on the national level, voting for the Republican candidate for U.S. president since 1996 and in all but two elections since 1952.

For the purposes of Illinois law, as of the 2022 general primary election, the three established political parties in the county are the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and the Libertarian Party as all have received 5% or greater of the vote in a recent election. A relative rarity, Tazewell is one of only five counties where the Libertarian Party was an established political party in 2022. The Libertarian Party's established established political party status allows it to have the same reduced barriers to ballot access as the Democratic and Republican parties and to hold primary elections. In the 2022 primary, 20 voters requested a Libertarian primary ballot.

Notable people

 * Charles "Buffalo" Jones, Cowboy and Naturalist
 * Everett Dirkson US Senator
 * Gary Richrath, Lead Guitarist - REO Speedwagon
 * John Theodore McNaughton, Government Official

title: Tazewell County, Illinois


text:
Stephenson County, Illinois

Stephenson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 44,630. Its county seat is Freeport. Stephenson County is included in the Freeport, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Rockford-Freeport-Rochelle, IL Combined Statistical Area.

History
The land that became Stephenson County was first settled by William Waddams in 1832, who founded Waddams Grove. By 1837, population was sufficient to form Stephenson County, taking land from Jo Daviess and Winnebago counties. The county was named for Colonel Benjamin Stephenson, an official of the Illinois Territory.

Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 565 sqmi, of which 565 sqmi is land and 0.5 sqmi (0.09%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years the average temperatures in the county seat of Freeport, have ranged from a low of 9 °F in January to a high of 82 °F in July, although a record low of -29 °F was recorded in January 2009 and a record high of 101 °F was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.33 in in January to 4.46 in in June.

Adjacent counties

 * Green County, Wisconsin (north)
 * Winnebago County (east)
 * Ogle County (southeast)
 * Carroll County (southwest)
 * Jo Daviess County (west)
 * Lafayette County, Wisconsin (northwest)

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 20.svg|20px]] US Highway 20
 * [[Image:Illinois 26.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 26
 * [[Image:Illinois 73.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 73
 * [[Image:Illinois 75.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 75

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 47,711 people, 19,845 households, and 13,015 families residing in the county. The population density was 84.5 PD/sqmi. There were 22,081 housing units at an average density of 39.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 86.5% white, 9.0% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 46.6% were German, 12.5% were Irish, 10.0% were English, and 8.0% were American.

Of the 19,845 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 43.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,304 and the median income for a family was $54,224. Males had a median income of $41,672 versus $29,510 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,608. About 12.3% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
There are five public high schools and one private high Schools in the county: (approximate enrollment included)

Public high schools
 * Freeport High 1,254
 * Lena-Winslow High 299
 * Dakota High 254
 * Pearl City High 150
 * Orangeville High 142

Private high school
 * Aquin Catholic High 93

City

 * Freeport

Villages

 * Cedarville
 * Dakota
 * Davis
 * German Valley
 * Lena
 * Orangeville
 * Pearl City
 * Ridott
 * Rock City
 * Winslow

Census-designated places

 * Baileyville (part)
 * Lake Summerset
 * Willow Lake

Unincorporated communities

 * Afolkey
 * Bolton
 * Buckhorn Corners
 * Buena Vista
 * Damascus
 * Eleroy
 * Evarts
 * Florence
 * Kent
 * Loran
 * McConnell
 * Oneco
 * Red Oak
 * Rock Grove
 * Scioto Mills
 * Waddams Grove
 * Winneshiek
 * Yellow Creek

Townships

 * Buckeye
 * Dakota
 * Erin
 * Florence
 * Freeport
 * Harlem
 * Jefferson
 * Kent
 * Lancaster
 * Loran
 * Oneco
 * Ridott
 * Rock Grove
 * Rock Run
 * Silver Creek
 * Waddams
 * West Point
 * Winslow

Historic Sites

 * Kellogg's Grove

title: Stephenson County, Illinois


text:
Stark County, Illinois

Stark County is a county in Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,400. Its county seat is Toulon.

Stark County is part of the Peoria, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Stark County was formed in 1839 out of Knox and Putnam counties. It was named for General Colonel John Stark (August 28, 1728 – May 8, 1822), who served in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.

In the latter part of April 1829 a solitary, heavily laden wagon was wending its way from the hospitable home of Mr. French, at Prince's Grove, about a half mile north-west of the present town of Princeville, towards Spoon River, probably crossing that stream at a point since known as Boardman's Ford, or, as others think, near the seat of Cox's Mill, and moving on towards section fifteen in what has since been known as Essex Township.

The weather was warm and balmy considering the season. The prairie burnt over by the Indians in the fall was already green with sprouting grass. Accompanying this vehicle were as it might seem a guard of good men, and true; "neighbors" they called themselves, although they must have lived many miles apart, some of them thirty or forty from the scene of their present friendly labors, having come from LaSalle Prairie, from Chillicothe and Peoria. They were neither hunters or warriors, they feared no enemy, and sought not the "spoils of war".

It was a peaceable expedition and its leader was the occupant of the wagon, Isaac B. Essex, then in the strength of his manhood, and with him came his young wife and infant child to found a home in the wilderness. The "neighbors" were Daniel Prince, Stephen French, Simon Reed, Frank Thomas and two Baptist ministers, Elders Silliman and Allen. The former of these two was the father of the much respected Toulon townsman Minott Silliman, the first treasurer of Stark county. And these men had come so far to raise a cabin!

Mr. Essex had been out and made a claim in 1828, and in the fall of that year cut the logs and split the clap-boards for his house, probably all of which were on the northeast quarter of section fifteen. They now proceeded to haul them together and get them in shape on the proposed building site. They all camped in the woods the first night, but towards sundown of the second day, the cabin was raised, the roof on, and as Mr. Essex graphically said "we cut a log out and moved in."

This was emphatically the first pioneer cabin, the first home of non-Native American settlers within the present limits of Stark County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 288 sqmi, of which 288 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi (0.1%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Toulon have ranged from a low of 10 °F in January to a high of 84 °F in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 104 °F was recorded in July 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.41 in in February to 4.46 in in June.

Major highways

 * Illinois 17.svg Illinois Route 17
 * Illinois 18.svg Illinois Route 18
 * Illinois 91.svg Illinois Route 91
 * Illinois 40.svg Illinois Route 40
 * Illinois 93.svg Illinois Route 93
 * Illinois 78.svg Illinois Route 78

Adjacent counties

 * Henry County (northwest)
 * Bureau County (north)
 * Marshall County (east)
 * Peoria County (south)
 * Knox County (west)

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 5,994 people, 2,425 households, and 1,673 families residing in the county. The population density was 20.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,674 housing units at an average density of 9.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.7% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 33.5% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 13.8% were English, 10.8% were American, and 9.8% were Swedish.

Of the 2,425 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.0% were non-families, and 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 43.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,195 and the median income for a family was $62,681. Males had a median income of $44,931 versus $29,621 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,311. About 7.6% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Toulon
 * Wyoming

Villages

 * Bradford
 * La Fayette

Unincorporated communities

 * Castleton
 * Duncan
 * Elmira
 * Lombardville
 * Modena
 * Morse
 * Speer
 * Stark

Townships
Stark County is divided into these townships:

 * Elmira
 * Essex
 * Goshen
 * Osceola
 * Penn
 * Toulon
 * Valley
 * West Jersey

Politics
Since the American Civil War, Stark County has been heavily Republican, like most of Yankee-influenced Northern Illinois. The only Democratic presidential nominee to carry Stark County in the past 150 years has been Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, although Bob Dole won by just sixteen votes against Bill Clinton in 1996, and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt won the county in 1912 when the Republican Party was mortally divided between Roosevelt and conservative incumbent William Howard Taft.

title: Stark County, Illinois


text:
St. Clair County, Illinois

St. Clair County is the ninth most populous county in Illinois. Located directly east of St. Louis, the county is part of the Metro East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in southern Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, St. Clair County had a population of 257,400, making it the third most populous county in Illinois outside the Chicago metropolitan area. Belleville is the county’s seat and largest city.

Cahokia Village was founded in 1697 by French settlers and served as a Jesuit mission to convert tribes of the Illinois Confederation to Christianity. Prior to the establishment of Illinois as a state, the government of the Northwest Territory created St. Clair County in 1790 out of the western half of Knox County. In 1809, the county became the administrative center of the Illinois Territory and one of the two original counties of Illinois, alongside Randolph County.

In 1970, the United States Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County.

History
This area was occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples. The first modern explorers and colonists of the area were French and French Canadians, founding a mission settlement in 1697 now known as Cahokia Village. After Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War in 1763 and absorbed its territory in North America east of the Mississippi River, British-American colonists began to move into the area. Many French Catholics moved to settlements west of the river rather than live under British Protestant rule.

After the United States achieved independence in the late 18th century, St. Clair County was the first county established in present-day Illinois; it antedates Illinois' existence as a separate jurisdiction. The county was established in 1790 by a proclamation of Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory, who named it after himself.

The original boundary of St. Clair county covered a large area between the Mackinaw and Ohio rivers. In 1801, Governor William Henry Harrison re-established St. Clair County as part of the Indiana Territory, extending its northern border to Lake Superior and the international border with Rupert's Land.

When the Illinois Territory was created in 1809, Territorial Secretary Nathaniel Pope, in his capacity as acting governor, issued a proclamation establishing St. Clair and Randolph County as the two original counties of Illinois.

Originally developed for agriculture, this area became industrialized and urbanized in the area of East St. Louis, Illinois, a city that developed on the east side of the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. It was always strongly influenced by actions of businessmen from St. Louis, who were initially French Creole fur traders with western trading networks.

In the 19th century, industrialists from St. Louis put coal plants and other heavy industry on the east side of the river, developing East St. Louis. Coal from southern mines was transported on the river to East St. Louis, then fed by barge to St. Louis furnaces as needed. After bridges spanned the river, industry expanded.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the cities attracted immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and from the South. In 1910 there were 6,000 African Americans in the city. With the Great Migration underway from the rural South, to leave behind Jim Crow and disenfranchisement, by 1917, the African-American population in East St. Louis had doubled. Whites were generally hired first and given higher–paying jobs, but there were still opportunities for American blacks. If hired as strikebreakers, they were resented by white workers, and both groups competed for jobs and limited housing in East St. Louis. The city had not been able to keep up with the rapid growth of population. The United States was developing war industries to support its eventual entry into the Great War, now known as World War I.

In February 1917 tensions in the city arose as white workers struck at the Aluminum Ore Company. Employers fiercely resisted union organizing, sometimes with violence. In this case they hired hundreds of blacks as strikebreakers. White workers complained to the city council about this practice in late May. Rumors circulated about an armed African American man robbing a white man, and whites began to attack blacks on the street. The governor ordered in the National Guard and peace seemed restored by early June.

"On July 1, a white man in a Ford shot into black homes. Armed African-Americans gathered in the area and shot into another oncoming Ford, killing two men who turned out to be police officers investigating the shooting." Word spread and whites gathered at the Labor Temple; the next day they fanned out across the city, armed with guns, clubs, anything they could use against the blacks they encountered. From July 1 through July 3, 1917, the East St. Louis riots engulfed the city, with whites attacking blacks throughout the city, pulling them from streetcars, shooting and hanging them, burning their houses. During this period, some African Americans tried to swim or use boats to get to safety; thousands crossed the Eads Bridge to St. Louis, seeking refuge, until the police closed it off. The official death toll was 39 blacks and nine whites, but some historians believe more blacks were killed. Because the riots were racial terrorism, the Equal Justice Initiative has included these deaths among the lynchings of African Americans in the state of Illinois in its 2017 3rd edition of its report, Lynching in America.

The riots had disrupted East St. Louis, which had seemed to be on the rise as a flourishing industrial city. In addition to the human toll, they cost approximately $400,000 in property damage (over $8 million, in 2017 US Dollars ). They have been described as among the worst labor and race-related riots in United States history, and they devastated the African-American community.

Rebuilding was difficult as workers were being drafted to fight in World War I. When the veterans returned, they struggled to find jobs and re-enter the economy, which had to shift down to peacetime.

In the late 20th century, national restructuring of heavy industry cost many jobs, hollowing out the city, which had a marked decline in population. Residents who did not leave have suffered high rates of poverty and crime. In the early 21st century, East St. Louis is a site of urban decay. Swathes of deteriorated housing were demolished and parts of the city have become urban prairie. In 2017 the city marked the centennial of the riots that had so affected its residents.

Other cities in St. Clair County border agricultural or vacant lands. Unlike the suburbs on the Missouri side of the metro area, those in Metro-East are typically separated by agriculture, or otherwise undeveloped land left after the decline of industry. The central portion of St. Clair county is located on a bluff along the Mississippi River. This area is being developed with suburban housing, particularly in Belleville, and its satellite cities. The eastern and southern portion of the county is sparsely populated. The older small communities and small tracts of newer suburban villages are located between large areas of land devoted to corn and soybean fields, the major commodity crops of the area.

According to the St. Clair County Historical Society, the county flag was designed in 1979 by Kent Zimmerman, a senior at O'Fallon Township High School. Zimmerman's flag won first place in a contest against submissions by more than 40 grade school and high school students from throughout the county. The winning entry features the outline of St. Clair County with an orange moon, a stalk of corn, and a pickaxe against a background of three stripes alternating green, yellow, and green.

Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 674 sqmi, of which 658 sqmi is land and 16 sqmi (2.4%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Belleville have ranged from a low of 22 °F in January to a high of 90 °F in July, although a record low of -27 °F was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 117 °F at East St. Louis, Illinois was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.02 in in January to 4.18 in in May.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-55.svg|20px]] Interstate 55
 * [[Image:I-64.svg|20px]] Interstate 64
 * [[Image:I-70.svg|20px]] Interstate 70
 * [[Image:I-255.svg|20px]] Interstate 255
 * [[Image:US 40.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 40
 * [[Image:US 50.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 50
 * [[Image:Illinois 3.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 3
 * [[Image:Illinois 4.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 4
 * [[Image:Illinois 13.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 13
 * [[Image:Illinois 15.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 15
 * [[Image:Illinois 111.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 111
 * [[Image:Illinois 156.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 156
 * [[Image:Illinois 157.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 157
 * [[Image:Illinois 158.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 158
 * [[Image:Illinois 159.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 159
 * [[Image:Illinois 161.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 161
 * [[Image:Illinois 163.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 163
 * [[Image:Illinois 177.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 177
 * [[Image:Illinois 203.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 203

Public transit

St. Clair County is home to 11 St. Louis MetroLink stations on the Red and Blue Lines.

 * East Riverfront
 * 5th & Missouri
 * Emerson Park
 * Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center
 * Washington Park
 * Fairview Heights
 * Memorial Hospital
 * Swansea
 * Belleville
 * College
 * Shiloh-Scott

St. Clair County is also served by Metrobus and Madison County Transit.

Adjacent counties and city

 * Madison County (north)
 * Clinton County (northeast)
 * Washington County (east)
 * Randolph County (south)
 * Monroe County (southwest)
 * St. Louis, Missouri (west)
 * St. Louis County, Missouri (west)

Demographics
In the 2020 United States Census the racial makeup of the county was 59.6% White, 29.7% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.1% from other races, and 6.8% from two or more races. 4.9% were of Hispanic or Latino origin.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 270,056 people, 105,045 households, and 70,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 410.6 PD/sqmi. There were 116,249 housing units at an average density of 176.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 64.6% white, 30.5% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.5% were German, 11.1% were Irish, 7.4% were English, and 4.6% were American.

Of the 105,045 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.7% were non-families, and 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 36.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,562 and the median income for a family was $61,042. Males had a median income of $47,958 versus $34,774 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,770. About 12.3% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure
The Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center, operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections, is near East St. Louis.

Also located in St. Clair County is Scott Air Force Base, which is home to U.S. Transportation Command, the Air Force's Air Mobility Command, and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

Politics
St. Clair County is a reliably Democratic county, having voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every presidential election since 1928, with the exception of the 1972 United States presidential election.

Cities

 * Belleville
 * Cahokia Heights
 * Collinsville
 * Columbia
 * East St. Louis
 * Fairview Heights
 * Lebanon
 * Madison
 * Mascoutah
 * O'Fallon

Villages

 * Brooklyn
 * Caseyville
 * Dupo
 * East Carondelet
 * Fairmont City
 * Fayetteville
 * Freeburg
 * Hecker
 * Lenzburg
 * Marissa
 * Millstadt
 * New Athens
 * New Baden
 * Sauget
 * Shiloh
 * Smithton
 * St. Libory
 * Summerfield
 * Swansea
 * Washington Park

Census-designated places

 * Darmstadt
 * Floraville
 * Paderborn
 * Rentchler
 * Scott AFB

Unincorporated communities

 * Douglas
 * Imbs
 * North Dupo
 * Signal Hill
 * State Park Place
 * Westview

Townships

 * Canteen
 * Caseyville
 * Centreville
 * East St. Louis
 * Engelmann
 * Fayetteville
 * Freeburg
 * Lebanon
 * Lenzburg
 * Marissa
 * Mascoutah
 * Millstadt
 * New Athens
 * O'Fallon
 * Prairie du Long
 * St. Clair
 * Shiloh Valley
 * Smithton
 * Stites
 * Stookey
 * Sugarloaf

Former Township
Former Communities
 * Belleville

 * Alorton
 * Cahokia
 * Centreville
 * National City

Islands

 * Bloody Island

Education
Here is a list of school districts with any territory in the county, no matter how slight, even if the schools and/or administrative offices are located in other counties:
 * K-12 school districts
 * Brooklyn Community Unit School District 188
 * Cahokia Community Unit School District 187
 * Collinsville Community Unit School District 10
 * Columbia Community Unit School District 4
 * Dupo Community Unit School District 196
 * East St. Louis School District 189
 * Lebanon Community Unit School District 9
 * Marissa Community Unit School District 40
 * Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19
 * New Athens Community Unit School District 60
 * Red Bud Community Unit School District 132
 * Waterloo Community Unit School District 5
 * Wesclin Community Unit School District 3

 * Secondary school districts
 * Belleville Township High School District 201
 * Freeburg Community High School District 77
 * O'Fallon Township High School District 203

 * Elementary school districts
 * Belle Valley School District 11
 * Belleville School District 118
 * Central School District 104
 * Harmony Emge School District 175
 * Freeburg Community Consolidated School District 70
 * Grant Community Consolidated School District 110
 * High Mount School District 116
 * Millstadt Consolidated Community School District 160
 * O'Fallon Community Consolidated School District 90
 * Pontiac-William Holliday School District 105
 * Shiloh Village School District 85
 * Signal Hill School District 181
 * Smithton Community Consolidated School District 130
 * St. Libory Consolidated School District 30
 * Whiteside School District 115
 * Wolf Branch School District 113

title: St. Clair County, Illinois


text:
Shelby County, Illinois

Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 20,990. Its county seat is Shelbyville.

History
Shelby County was established in 1827 out of Fayette County. It was named in honor of Isaac Shelby, governor of Kentucky and participant in the American Revolutionary War.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 768 sqmi, of which 759 sqmi is land and 9.5 sqmi (1.2%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Shelbyville have ranged from a low of 19 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1915 and a record high of 111 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.89 in in February to 4.05 in in June.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-57.svg|20px]] Interstate 57
 * [[Image:US 45.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 45
 * [[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 51
 * [[Image:Illinois 16.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 16
 * [[Image:Illinois 32.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 32
 * [[Image:Illinois 128.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 128

Adjacent counties

 * Macon County - north
 * Moultrie County - northeast
 * Coles County - east
 * Cumberland County - east
 * Effingham County - south
 * Fayette County - south
 * Montgomery County - southwest
 * Christian County - west

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,363 people, 9,216 households, and 6,376 families living in the county. The population density was 29.5 PD/sqmi. There were 10,396 housing units at an average density of 13.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.6% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.5% were German, 9.9% were English, 9.8% were American, and 8.8% were Irish.

Of the 9,216 households, 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 43.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,627 and the median income for a family was $55,655. Males had a median income of $40,119 versus $27,860 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,891. About 7.8% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census-designated place
The Census Bureau has defined one census-designated place (CDP) in Shelby County.
 * Westervelt

Townships
Shelby County is divided into these townships:

 * Ash Grove
 * Big Spring
 * Clarksburg
 * Cold Spring
 * Dry Point
 * Flat Branch
 * Herrick
 * Holland
 * Lakewood
 * Moweaqua
 * Oconee
 * Okaw
 * Penn
 * Pickaway
 * Prairie
 * Richland
 * Ridge
 * Rose
 * Rural
 * Shelbyville
 * Sigel
 * Todds Point
 * Tower Hill
 * Windsor

Cities

 * Shelbyville (seat)
 * Windsor

Town

 * Sigel

Villages

 * Cowden
 * Findlay
 * Herrick
 * Moweaqua
 * Oconee
 * Stewardson
 * Strasburg
 * Tower Hill

Other unincorporated communities

 * Clarksburg
 * Henton
 * Lakewood
 * Mode

title: Shelby County, Illinois


text:
Scott County, Illinois

Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 4,949, making it the fourth-least populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Winchester.

Scott County is part of the Jacksonville, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Springfield-Jacksonville-Lincoln, IL Combined Statistical Area.

History
Scott County was formed in 1839 out of Morgan County. It was named for Scott County, Kentucky.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 253 sqmi, of which 251 sqmi is land and 1.9 sqmi (0.7%) is water. The county's western boundary is formed by the Illinois River.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Winchester have ranged from a low of 16 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 113 °F was recorded in July 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.60 in in January to 4.34 in in May.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-72.svg|20px]] Interstate 72
 * [[Image:US 36.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 36
 * [[Image:US 67.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 67
 * [[Image:Illinois 106.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 106
 * [[Image:Illinois 100.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 100

Adjacent counties

 * Morgan County (east)
 * Greene County (south)
 * Pike County (west)

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 5,355 people, 2,214 households, and 1,516 families living in the county. The population density was 21.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,459 housing units at an average density of 9.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.6% white, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.3% were German, 24.3% were American, 18.0% were English, and 16.2% were Irish.

Of the 2,214 households, 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.5% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 42.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,462 and the median income for a family was $64,412. Males had a median income of $40,781 versus $32,011 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,530. About 6.5% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

City

 * Winchester

Town

 * Naples

Villages

 * Alsey
 * Bluffs
 * Exeter
 * Glasgow
 * Manchester

Unincorporated communities

 * Bloomfield
 * Merritt
 * Oxville
 * Riggston

Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Scott County.

† county seat

title: Scott County, Illinois


text:
Schuyler County, Illinois

Schuyler County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 6,902. Its county seat is Rushville.

History
Schuyler County was formed in 1825 out of Pike and Fulton counties. It is named for Philip Schuyler, member of the Continental Congress and Senator from New York. In 1826, the county seat was moved from Beardstown (now in Cass County) to Rushville.

Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 441 sqmi, of which 437 sqmi is land and 4.1 sqmi (0.9%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Rushville have ranged from a low of 15 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 113 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.55 in in January to 5.14 in in May.

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 24.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 24
 * [[Image:US 67.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 67
 * [[Image:Illinois 99.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 99
 * [[Image:Illinois 100.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 100
 * [[Image:Illinois 101.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 101
 * [[Image:Illinois 103.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 103

Adjacent counties

 * Hancock County (northwest)
 * McDonough County (north)
 * Fulton County (northeast)
 * Mason County (east)
 * Cass County (southeast)
 * Brown County (south)
 * Adams County (southwest)

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 7,544 people, 3,040 households, and 2,014 families residing in the county. The population density was 17.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,459 housing units at an average density of 7.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 95.5% white, 3.2% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.8% were American, 20.2% were German, 13.1% were English, and 12.0% were Irish.

Of the 3,040 households, 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age was 43.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,686 and the median income for a family was $51,654. Males had a median income of $40,998 versus $28,810 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,649. About 8.6% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
In 1853, Schyler County adopted the township form of county government. Since November 22, 2013, Schuyler County is located in Regional Office of Education #26 alongside Hancock, Fulton, and McDonough counties.

The county is located in Illinois's 15th Congressional District and is currently represented by Republican Mary Miller. In the Illinois General Assembly, the county is split between multiple legislative districts. The northern portion of the county is located in the 47th legislative district and the 94th house district represented by Senator Neil Anderson and Representative Norine Hammond respectively. The southern portion of the county is located in the 50th legislative district and the 99th house district represented by Senator Jil Tracy and Representative Randy Frese respectively.

In presidential elections, Schuyler County usually favors Republican candidates, having voted for Democratic presidential candidates in only four elections during the period of 1944–2020. Since 1944, the Democratic candidate has won a majority of the vote in Schuyler County only once (in 1964).

City

 * Rushville (seat)

Villages

 * Browning
 * Camden
 * Littleton

Unincorporated communities

 * Bader
 * Bluff City
 * Brooklyn
 * Frederick
 * Huntsville
 * Sheldons Grove
 * Sugar Grove

Townships

 * Bainbridge
 * Birmingham
 * Brooklyn
 * Browning
 * Buena Vista
 * Camden
 * Frederick
 * Hickory
 * Huntsville
 * Littleton
 * Oakland
 * Rushville
 * Woodstock

title: Schuyler County, Illinois


text:
Sangamon County, Illinois

Sangamon County is a county located near the center of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 196,343. Its county seat and largest city is Springfield, the state capital.

Sangamon County is included in the Springfield, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Sangamon County was formed in 1821 out of Madison and Bond counties. The county was named for the Sangamon River, which runs through it. The origin of the name of the river is unknown; among several explanations is the theory that it comes from the Pottawatomie word Sain-guee-mon (pronounced "sang gä mun"), meaning "where there is plenty to eat." Published histories of neighboring Menard County (formed from Sangamon County) suggest that the name was first given to the river by the French explorers of the late 17th century as they passed through the region. The river was named to honor "St. Gamo", or Saint Gamo, an 8th-century French Benedictine monk. The French pronunciation "San-Gamo" is the legacy.

Prior to being elected President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln represented Sangamon County in the Illinois Legislature. Lincoln, along with several other legislators, was instrumental in securing Springfield, the Sangamon County seat, as the state's capital. Sangamon County was also within the congressional district represented by Lincoln when he served in the US House of Representatives. Another legislator who represented Sangamon County was Colonel Edmund Dick Taylor, also known as "Father of the Greenback". The prominent financiers and industrialists Jacob Bunn and John Whitfield Bunn were based in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, as well as in Chicago, during the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The careers of these men and the people with whom they collaborated helped to shape much of the history and development of Sangamon County, Illinois.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 877 sqmi, of which 868 sqmi is land and 8.7 sqmi (1.0%) is water.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Springfield have ranged from a low of 17 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -24 °F was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 112 °F was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.62 in in January to 4.06 in in May.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-55.svg|20px]] Interstate 55
 * [[Image:Business Loop 55.svg|20px]] Interstate 55 Business Loop
 * [[Image:I-72.svg|20px]] Interstate 72
 * [[Image:US 36.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 36
 * [[Image:Illinois 4.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 4
 * [[Image:Illinois 29.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 29
 * [[Image:Illinois 54.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 54
 * [[Image:Illinois 97.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 97
 * [[Image:Illinois 104.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 104
 * [[Image:Illinois 124.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 124
 * [[Image:Illinois 123.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 123
 * [[Image:Illinois 125.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 125

Transit

 * Sangamon Mass Transit District
 * Springfield station
 * List of intercity bus stops in Illinois

Adjacent counties

 * Menard County – north
 * Logan County – northeast
 * Macon County – east
 * Christian County – southeast
 * Montgomery County – south
 * Macoupin County – south
 * Morgan County – west
 * Cass County – northwest

National protected areas

 * Lincoln Home National Historic Site

State protected areas

 * Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 197,465 people, 82,986 households, and 51,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 227.4 PD/sqmi. There were 89,901 housing units at an average density of 103.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 83.6% white, 11.8% black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 29.4% were German, 14.8% were Irish, 12.1% were English, 9.5% were American, and 6.3% were Italian.

Of the 82,986 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.1% were non-families, and 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 39.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,232 and the median income for a family was $66,917. Males had a median income of $48,324 versus $36,691 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,394. About 9.9% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Sangamon County is governed by a 29-member board. Each member of the board is elected from a separate district.

Other elected officials include:

Politics
Like much of Central Illinois, Sangamon County tilts Republican. It is rather conservative for a county with an urban state capital, but is not nearly as conservative as the surrounding counties. Only six Democrats have carried it since 1896. It is slowly moving towards the Democratic camp, having shifted 8.7 points to the left since 2000 (as of 2020).

Cities

 * Auburn
 * Leland Grove
 * Springfield (county seat and largest municipality)
 * Virden

Villages

 * Berlin
 * Buffalo
 * Cantrall
 * Chatham
 * Clear Lake
 * Curran
 * Dawson
 * Divernon
 * Grandview
 * Illiopolis
 * Jerome
 * Loami
 * Mechanicsburg
 * New Berlin
 * Pawnee
 * Pleasant Plains
 * Riverton
 * Rochester
 * Sherman
 * Southern View
 * Spaulding
 * Thayer
 * Williamsville

Unincorporated communities

 * Andrew
 * Archer
 * Barclay
 * Barr
 * Bates
 * Berry
 * Bissell
 * Bradfordton
 * Breckenridge
 * Buckhart
 * Buffalo Hart
 * Cimic
 * Clayville
 * Farmingdale
 * Glenarm
 * Island Grove
 * Lowder
 * New City
 * Riddle Hill
 * Salisbury
 * Toronto
 * Zenobia

Townships
Sangamon County is divided into these townships:

 * Auburn
 * Ball
 * Buffalo Hart
 * Capital
 * Cartwright
 * Chatham
 * Clear Lake
 * Cooper
 * Cotton Hill
 * Curran
 * Divernon
 * Fancy Creek
 * Gardner
 * Illiopolis
 * Island Grove
 * Lanesville
 * Loami
 * Maxwell
 * Mechanicsburg
 * New Berlin
 * Pawnee
 * Rochester
 * Salisbury (former, now defunct)
 * Springfield
 * Talkington
 * Williams
 * Woodside

Education
Here is a listing of school districts (all are full K–12) with any territory in this county, no matter how small, even if the administrative headquarters and/or schools are in other counties:

 * A-C Central Community Unit School District 262
 * Community Unit School District 16
 * Athens Community Unit School District 213
 * Auburn Community Unit School District 10
 * Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5
 * Edinburg Community Unit School District 4
 * Mount Pulaski Community Unit District 23
 * North Mac Community Unit School District 34
 * Pawnee Community Unit School District 11
 * Porta Community Unit School District 202
 * Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District 8
 * Riverton Community Unit School District 14
 * Rochester Community Unit School District 3A
 * Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District 9
 * Springfield School District 186
 * Tri-City Community Unit School District 1
 * Waverly Community Unit School District 6
 * Williamsville Community Unit School District 15

Forts

 * Camp Butler

title: Sangamon County, Illinois


text:
Saline County, Illinois

Saline County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 23,768. The largest city and county seat is Harrisburg. This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".

Three major towns in Saline County are connected by U.S. Route 45, and formerly by the now-abandoned Cairo and Vincennes/Big Four/New York Central Line, from north to south: Eldorado, Harrisburg, and Carrier Mills.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 387 sqmi, of which 380 sqmi is land and 7.0 sqmi (1.8%) is water.

The Saline County area is mostly rolling hills throughout gradually rising to the Hills of the Shawnee National Forest. The Saline River flows through the central point of the county in three forks: North, Middle, and South. To the north of Eldorado there are flat lowlands.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Harrisburg have ranged from a low of 22 °F in January to a high of 89 °F in July, although a record low of -23 °F was recorded in February 1951 and a record high of 113 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.04 in in September to 4.98 in in May.

Adjacent counties

 * Hamilton County (north)
 * White County (northeast)
 * Gallatin County (east)
 * Hardin County (southeast)
 * Pope County (south)
 * Johnson County (southwest)
 * Williamson County (west)
 * Franklin County (northwest)

National protected area

 * Shawnee National Forest (part)

State protected areas

 * Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area
 * Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area

Transit

 * Rides Mass Transit District

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 45.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 45
 * [[Image:Illinois 13.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 13
 * [[Image:Illinois 34.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 34
 * [[Image:Illinois 142.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 142
 * [[Image:Illinois 145.svg|20px]] Illinois Route 145

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 24,913 people, 10,379 households, and 6,631 families residing in the county. The population density was 65.6 PD/sqmi. There were 11,697 housing units at an average density of 30.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 93.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.8% were Irish, 16.6% were German, 12.9% were American, and 11.1% were English.

Of the 10,379 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.1% were non-families, and 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 41.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,644 and the median income for a family was $46,314. Males had a median income of $41,108 versus $28,464 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,903. About 13.4% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Eldorado
 * Harrisburg

Villages

 * Carrier Mills (Morrilsville)
 * Galatia
 * Muddy
 * Raleigh
 * Stonefort (partly in Williamson County)

Unincorporated communities

 * Buena Vista
 * Cottage Grove
 * Delta
 * Derby
 * Eagle
 * Harco
 * Lakeview (Pond Settlement)
 * Ledford
 * Liberty
 * Mitchellsville
 * New Hope
 * Pankeyville
 * Rudement
 * Somerset
 * Texas City
 * Wasson
 * West End

Townships
Saline County is divided into thirteen townships:

 * Brushy
 * Carrier Mills
 * Cottage
 * East Eldorado
 * Galatia
 * Harrisburg
 * Independence
 * Long Branch
 * Mountain
 * Raleigh
 * Rector
 * Stone Fort
 * Tate

title: Saline County, Illinois