Washington County, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 14,716, which is a decrease of 2.9% from 15,148 in 2000. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is Nashville
Nashville, Illinois
Nashville is a city in Washington County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,258. It is the county seat of Washington County.-Geography:Nashville is located at ....

.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 563.91 square miles (1,460.5 km²), of which 562.57 square miles (1,457 km²) (or 99.76%) is land and 1.33 square miles (3.4 km²) (or 0.24%) is water. There are many lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks in this area.

Major highways

  • Interstate 64
    Interstate 64
    Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...

  • U.S. Highway 51
  • Illinois Route 4
    Illinois Route 4
    Illinois Route 4 is a long state road that runs south from the Interstate 55 business loop around Springfield south to Illinois Route 13 just north of Murphysboro. This is a distance of .-Route description:...

  • Illinois Route 15
    Illinois Route 15
    Illinois Route 15 is an east–west highway with its western terminus at Illinois Route 3, U.S. Route 40, I-55, I-64, and I-70 and its eastern terminus at Wabash River at the Illinois/Indiana Border where it meets Indiana 64. This is a distance of ....

  • Illinois Route 127
    Illinois Route 127
    Illinois Route 127 is a north–south highway in central and southern Illinois. Its southern terminus is at Illinois Route 3 near Olive Branch and its northern terminus at Interstate 55, along with the southern terminus of Illinois Route 48 in Raymond. This is a distance of .- Route description...

  • Illinois Route 153
    Illinois Route 153
    Illinois Route 153 is a north–south state road in southern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 154 in Eden to Illinois Route 15 in rural Washington County. This is a distance of .- Route description :...

  • Illinois Route 177
    Illinois Route 177
    Illinois Route 177 is an east–west state road in southern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 159 in Belleville to U.S. Route 51 in Irvington. This is a distance of .- Route description :...

  • Illinois Route 160
    Illinois Route 160
    Illinois Route 160 is a north–south highway in southwestern Illinois. Its southern terminus is at Illinois Route 15 south of Addieville, and its northern terminus is at Illinois Route 140 east of Alhambra. This is a distance of .- Route description :...

    >

  • Adjacent counties

    • Clinton County
      Clinton County, Illinois
      -Demographics: As of the census of 2000, there were 35,535 people, 12,754 households, and 9,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile . There were 13,805 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...

       (north)
    • Marion County (northeast)
    • Jefferson County
      Jefferson County, Illinois
      Jefferson County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,827, which is a decrease of 3.0% from 40,045 in 2000...

       (east)
    • Perry County (south)
    • Randolph County
      Randolph County, Illinois
      Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....

       (southwest)
    • St. Clair County
      St. Clair County, Illinois
      St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...

       (west)

    History

    Washington County was formed in 1818 out of St. Clair County
    St. Clair County, Illinois
    St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...

    . It was named for George Washington
    George Washington
    George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

    . Despite its relative proximity to the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri
    St. Louis, Missouri
    St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

    , the county is not considered part of the St. Louis metropolitan area, also known as the Metro-East.

    Demographics


    As of the census
    Census
    A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

    of 2000, there were 15,148 people, 5,848 households, and 4,239 families residing in the county. The population density
    Population density
    Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

     was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 6,385 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.58% White
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , 0.33% Black
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

     or African American
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , 0.22% Native American
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , 0.18% Asian
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , 0.03% Pacific Islander
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , 0.13% from other races
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

    , and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.71% of the population were Hispanic
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

     or Latino
    Race (United States Census)
    Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

     of any race. 50.8% were of German
    Germans
    The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

    , 13.6% Polish, 11.8% American
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

     and 5.6% Irish
    Irish people
    The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

     ancestry according to Census 2000.

    There were 5,848 households out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples
    Marriage
    Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

     living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

    In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

    The median income for a household in the county was $40,932, and the median income for a family was $48,433. Males had a median income of $32,209 versus $22,151 for females. The per capita income
    Per capita income
    Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

     for the county was $19,108. About 3.70% of families and 6.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.00% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

    Education

    The county is served by seven school districts:
    • Oakdale CCSD 1
    • West Washington County CUD 10
    • Irvington CCSD 11
    • Ashley CCSD 15
    • Hoyleton Cons SD 29
    • Nashville CCSD 49
    • Nashville CHSD 99.

    Cities and towns

    • Addieville
      Addieville, Illinois
      Addieville is a village in Washington County, Illinois, in the United States. The population, at the time of the 2010 census, was 252.-Geography:The latitude of Addieville is 38.391N. The longitude is -89.49W.It is in the Central Standard Time zone...

    • Ashley
      Ashley, Illinois
      Ashley is a city in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 536 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ashley is located at ....

    • Centralia
      Centralia, Illinois
      Centralia is a town located in Marion, Washington, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 13,032 at the 2010 census. The town was founded because it was the point where the two original branches of the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853, converged....

    • Du Bois
      Du Bois, Illinois
      Du Bois is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 205 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Du Bois is located at ....

    • Hoyleton
      Hoyleton, Illinois
      Hoyleton is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 531 at the 2010 census. It is the home town of former Montréal Expos and San Francisco Giants left-handed pitcher Kirk Rueter.-Geography:...

    • Irvington
      Irvington, Illinois
      Irvington is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 659 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Irvington is located at ....

    • Nashville
      Nashville, Illinois
      Nashville is a city in Washington County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,258. It is the county seat of Washington County.-Geography:Nashville is located at ....

    • New Minden
      New Minden, Illinois
      New Minden is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 215 at the 2010 census. It possessed a post office from 1868 to 1976.-Geography:New Minden is located at ....

    • Oakdale
      Oakdale, Illinois
      Oakdale is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 221 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Oakdale is located at ....

    • Okawville
      Okawville, Illinois
      Okawville is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Okawville is located at...

    • Radom
      Radom, Illinois
      Radom is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 220 at the 2010 census.-History:Radom was named for Radom in Poland, the city where some of the early settlers came from. The people here are predominantly of Polish origin. Polish was the predominant language here...

    • Richview
      Richview, Illinois
      Richview is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 253 at the 2010 census. Some areas around Richview were made available for homestead under the Homestead Act during the Civil War.-Geography:...

    • Venedy
      Venedy, Illinois
      Venedy is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 138 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Venedy is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of...

    • Wamac
      Wamac, Illinois
      Wamac is a city in Clinton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,185 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the joining lines of adjacent three counties: Washington, Marion and Clinton. It derives its name from the first letters of those counties...



    Unincorporated communities

    • Elkton
      Elkton, Illinois
      Elkton is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Illinois, United States. Elkton is northwest of Oakdale. Its main attraction is the Elkton Union Church....

    • Huegely
      Huegely, Illinois
      Huegely is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Illinois, United States. Huegely is southwest of Hoyleton....

    • Lively Grove
      Lively Grove, Illinois
      Lively Grove is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Illinois, United States. Lively Grove is located on Illinois Route 153 northwest of Oakdale. Lively Grove is approximately from Elkton....

    • Posen
      Bolo Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Bolo Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 419 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...



    Townships

    Washington County is divided into these townships
    Civil township
    A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...

    :
    • Ashley
      Ashley Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Ashley Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 816 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Beaucoup
      Beaucoup Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Beaucoup Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 593 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Bolo
      Bolo Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Bolo Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 419 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Covington
      Covington Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Covington Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 418 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • DuBois
      DuBois Township, Washington County, Illinois
      DuBois Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 748 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Hoyleton
      Hoyleton Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Hoyleton Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 1,142 at the 2010 census. The village of Hoyleton is entirely within Hoyleton Township, and the eastern part of the village of New Minden is also within the township....

    • Irvington
      Irvington Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Irvington Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 1,285 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Johannisburg
      Johannisburg Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Johannisburg Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 511 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Lively Grove
      Lively Grove Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Lively Grove Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 688 at the 2010 census.The township is home to the Prairie State Energy Campus.- External links :***...

    • Nashville
      Nashville Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Nashville Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 3,676 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Oakdale
      Oakdale Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Oakdale Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 594 at the 2010 census. Oakdale has a public school called Oakdale Grade School.- External links :***...

    • Okawville
      Okawville Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Okawville Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 1,987 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Pilot Knob
      Pilot Knob Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Pilot Knob Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 555 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Plum Hill
      Plum Hill Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Plum Hill Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 537 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Richview
      Richview Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Richview Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 343 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...

    • Venedy
      Venedy Township, Washington County, Illinois
      Venedy Township is located in Washington County, Illinois. The population was 404 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...



    Climate and weather

    In recent years, average temperatures in Nashville have ranged from a low of 22 °F (-5.6 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31.1 °C) in July, although a record low of -21 °F was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 106 °F (41.1 °C) was recorded in July 1980. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.18 inches (5.5 cm) in January to 4.1 inches (10.4 cm) in May.

    See also

    • National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County

    Footnotes

    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
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