Pike County, Illinois

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Pike County, Illinois
Map of Illinois highlighting Pike County
Location in the state of Illinois
Map of the U.S. highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location in the U.S.
Founded 1821
Seat Pittsfield
Largest city Pittsfield
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
848.88 sq mi (2,199 km²)
831.38 sq mi (2,153 km²)
17.50 sq mi (45 km²), 2.06%
Population
 - (2010)
 - Density
16,430
21/sq mi (8/km²)
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,430, which is a decrease of 5.5% from 17,384 in 2000.[1] Its county seat is Pittsfield.[2]

Contents

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 848.88 square miles (2,198.6 km2), of which 831.38 square miles (2,153.3 km2) (or 97.94%) is land and 17.50 square miles (45.3 km2) (or 2.06%) is water.[3]

Pike County is located on the highlands between the Illinois River on the eastern border, and the Mississippi River on the west. It has two interstate highways, I-72, with bridges spanning both rivers to enter the county and I-172 which only extends about 300 feet (91 m) into the county where it ends at its southern terminus with I-72.

Major highways

Townships

  • Chambersburg (T3S R2W)
  • Perry (T3S R3W)
  • Fairmount (T3S R4W)
  • Flint (T4S R2W)
  • Griggsville (T4S R3W)
  • New Salem (T4S R4W)
  • Hadley (T4S R5W)
  • Barry (T4S R6W)
  • Kinderhook (T4S R7W)
  • Levee (T4S R8W)
  • Detroit (T5S R2W)
  • Newburg (T5S R3W)
  • Pittsfield (T5S R4W)
  • Derry (T5S R5W)
  • Pleasant Vale (T5S R6W)
  • Cincinnati (T5S R7W)
  • Montezuma (T6S R2W)
  • Hardin (T6S R3W)
  • Martinsburg (T6S R4W)
  • Atlas (T6S R5&6W
  • Pearl (T7S R2W)
  • Spring Creek (T7S R3W)
  • Pleasant Hill (T7S R4W)
  • Ross (T7S R5W

Adjacent counties

Pike County, Illinois, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as nine counties. Illinois has two such counties—Pike and LaSalle.

Pike County in Illinois and Missouri are two of twenty-two counties or parishes in the United States with the same name to border each other across state lines. The others are Union Parish, Louisiana and Union County, Arkansas, Big Horn County, Montana and Big Horn County, Wyoming, Sabine County, Texas and Sabine Parish, Louisiana, Bristol County, Massachusetts and Bristol County, Rhode Island, Kent County, Delaware and Kent County, Maryland, Escambia County, Alabama and Escambia County, Florida, Teton County, Idaho and Teton County, Wyoming, Park County, Montana and Park County, Wyoming, San Juan County, New Mexico and San Juan County, Utah, and Vermilion County, Illinois and Vermillion County, Indiana. respectively. (Note, despite the different spellings, the source of the name is the same for Vermilion County, Illinois and Vermillion County, Indiana--the Vermillion River which flows through both counties.)

National protected area

History

Pike County was formed on January 31, 1821 out of Madison County. It was named in honor of Zebulon Pike, leader of the Pike expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of the Louisiana Purchase. Pike served at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and was killed in 1813 in the War of 1812.

Prior to the coming of the first European settler to Pike County, French traders, hunters, and travelers passed through the native forests and prairies. Originally Pike County began on the south junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The east boundary was the Illinois River north to the Kankakee River to the Indiana State line on north to Wisconsin territorial line and then west to the Mississippi River to the original point at the south end. The first county seat was Cole's Grove, a post town, in what later became Calhoun County. The Gazetteer of Illinois and Missouri, published in 1822, mentioned Chicago as "a village of Pike County" containing 12 or 15 houses and about 60 or 70 inhabitants.

The New Philadelphia Town Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2009. It was the first town founded by an African American before the American Civil War. Frank McWorter was an early free black settler in Pike County. He had invested in land there sight unseen after purchasing the first few members of his family out of slavery. In 1836 he founded the town of New Philadelphia, near Barry, Illinois. He was elected mayor and lived there the rest of his life. With the sale of land, he made enough money to purchase the freedom of his children. After the railroad bypassed the town, its growth slowed and it was eventually abandoned in the 20th century. The town site is now an archaeological dig.

In the early 21st century Pike County acquired notability as a center for the whitetail deer hunting industry, especially bowhunting.

  • Pike County from the time of its creation to 1823

  • Pike County between 1823 and 1825, including a large tract of unorganized territory temporarily attached to it.[4]

  • Pike County in 1825, reduced to its present borders.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1900 31,595
—
1910 28,622 −9.4%
1920 26,866 −6.1%
1930 24,357 −9.3%
1940 25,340 4.0%
1950 22,155 −12.6%
1960 20,552 −7.2%
1970 19,185 −6.7%
1980 18,896 −1.5%
1990 17,577 −7.0%
2000 17,384 −1.1%
2010 16,430 −5.5%
IL Counties 1900-1990
Census QuickFacts

As of the census of 2000,[5] there were 17,384 people, 6,876 households, and 4,778 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 8,011 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.38% White, 1.50% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.2% were of American, 24.7% German, 17.5% English and 8.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 6,876 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,127, and the median income for a family was $38,583. Males had a median income of $27,687 versus $18,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,946. About 9.80% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Pike County Courthouse, Pittsfield, Illinois

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

  • Straut

Shinn, Shepherd, Pleasant Vale

Climate and weather

Pittsfield, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
1.7
 
33
15
 
 
1.8
 
40
20
 
 
3.2
 
51
30
 
 
3.9
 
64
42
 
 
4.1
 
74
52
 
 
3.3
 
82
62
 
 
4.1
 
86
66
 
 
3
 
85
63
 
 
3.2
 
78
54
 
 
2.9
 
66
43
 
 
3.4
 
51
31
 
 
2.6
 
38
21
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[6]

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Pittsfield have ranged from a low of 15 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 115 °F (46 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.74 inches (44 mm) in January to 4.11 inches (104 mm) in May.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Pike County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17149.html. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_counties_national.txt. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
  4. ^ White, Jesse. Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties. State of Illinois, March 2010. [1]
  5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Pittsfield, Illinois". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0949. Retrieved 2011-01-27.

External links

Marion County, Missouri Adams County Brown County
Ralls County, Missouri Scott County and Morgan County
   Pike County, Illinois    
Pike County, Missouri Calhoun County Greene County
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Municipalities and communities of Pike County, Illinois, United States
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Springfield (capital)
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Coordinates: 39°37′N 90°53′W / 39.62°N 90.89°W / 39.62; -90.89