Wabash County, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Wabash 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 11,947, which is a decrease of 7.7% from 12,937 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 Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel, Illinois
Mount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 7,982, while the next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, population 528. Located at the confluence of the Wabash, Patoka, and White Rivers, Mount...

.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 227.51 square miles (589.2 km²), of which 223.25 square miles (578.2 km²) (or 98.13%) is land and 4.25 square miles (11 km²) (or 1.87%) is water.

Major highways

  • Illinois Route 1
    Illinois Route 1
    Illinois Route 1 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. Running parallel to the Indiana border, it is also the longest state road, starting on the south side of Chicago as Halsted Street at the intersection with 95th Street, south to a free ferry crossing to Kentucky at Cave-In-Rock on...

  • 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 ....

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  • Adjacent Counties

    • Lawrence County - north
    • Knox County, Indiana
      Knox County, Indiana
      As of the census of 2000, there were 39,256 people, 15,552 households, and 10,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 17,305 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...

       - east
    • Gibson County, Indiana
      Gibson County, Indiana
      Gibson County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana and is included in the Evansville, Indiana–Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 33,503. The county seat is Princeton.-Geography:...

       - south
    • Edwards County
      Edwards County, Illinois
      Edwards County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 6,721, which is a decrease of 3.6% from 6,971 in 2000...

       - west
    • Richland County - northwest


    History

    Wabash County was formed in 1824 out of Edwards County
    Edwards County, Illinois
    Edwards County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 6,721, which is a decrease of 3.6% from 6,971 in 2000...

    , after an armed confrontation between the militias of Albion
    Albion, Illinois
    Albion is a city in Edwards County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,933 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Edwards County. It is the home of the most pig farmers per square mile of all of the US counties.-Geography:...

     and Mt. Carmel
    Mount Carmel, Illinois
    Mount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 7,982, while the next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, population 528. Located at the confluence of the Wabash, Patoka, and White Rivers, Mount...

     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
    Wabash River
    The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...

    , 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," (Prounounced "Wah-bah-she-keh"), the word for "pure white." Much of the river bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.
    A 329 acres (1.3 km²) remnant of the county's original Eastern Woodlands ecosystem
    Ecosystem
    An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....

     can be found in the Forest of the Wabash located within the county's Beall Woods State Park
    Beall Woods State Park
    Beall Woods State Park is Illinois state park on bordering the Wabash River and Keensburg in Wabash County, Illinois in the United States. of the state park is an old-growth forest designated as an Natural Area by the state of Illinois. The trees within the forest consist overwhelmingly of...

    .

    In the 1920s
    1920s
    File:1920s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Sean Hogan during the Irish Civil War; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the 18th amendment, which made alcoholic beverages illegal throughout the entire decade; In...

     there existed a famous hotel and resort that existed in Wabash County nearby the Grand Rapids Dam on the Wabash River. The hotel was named the Grand Rapids Hotel
    Grand Rapids Hotel
    The Grand Rapids Hotel was a hotel that existed outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois in Wabash County, Illinois, United States in Southern Illinois in the 1920s during a timeperiod that is commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, and the Golden Twenties. The hotel was located on...

     and 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 of 2011, John Matthew Nolan wrote a detailed history of the Grand Rapids Hotel
    Grand Rapids Hotel
    The Grand Rapids Hotel was a hotel that existed outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois in Wabash County, Illinois, United States in Southern Illinois in the 1920s during a timeperiod that is commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, and the Golden Twenties. The hotel was located on...

    .

    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 12,937 people, 5,192 households, and 3,587 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 58 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 5,758 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.86% 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...

    , 0.39% 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...

    , 0.17% 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...

    , 0.45% 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...

    , 0.05% 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...

    , 0.26% 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 0.83% from two or more races. 0.73% 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. 32.4% 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....

    , 22.8% American
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    , 11.6% English
    English people
    The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

     and 9.4% 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 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_PCT016&-tree_id=. 97.3% spoke English
    English language
    English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

     and 1.4% Spanish
    Spanish language
    Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

     as their first language

    There were 5,192 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% 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, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.

    In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

    The median income for a household in the county was $34,473, and the median income for a family was $42,142. Males had a median income of $31,142 versus $18,091 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 $16,747. About 9.50% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

    Earthquake

    On the morning of April 18, 2008, at 4:37am local time, one of the largest earthquakes in Illinois History hit the area. This tremor was epicentered in Lick Prairie Township, near the middle of the county. This tremor was felt more than 400 miles away in Nebraska.

    Precincts (Seat)

    Wabash County is one of 17 Illinois counties that use the term precinct.
    • Bellmont
      Bellmont Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Bellmont Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Bellmont, Illinois is the seat....

       (Bellmont)
    • Coffee
      Coffee Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Coffee Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Keensburg, Illinois is the seat of the precinct....

       (Keensburg)
    • Compton
      Compton Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Compton Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. There is no incorporated community in the precinct....

       (East Grayville)
    • Friendsville
      Friendsville Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Friendsville Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Although there is no incorporated town, there is a community, Friendsville, Illinois, in the precinct....

       (Friendsville)
    • Lancaster
      Lancaster Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Lancaster Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Like Friendsville Precinct, there is an unincorporated community in the precinct, Lancaster, Illinois....

       (Lancaster)
    • Lick Prairie
      Lick Prairie Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Lick Prairie Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. The nearest community is Bellmont, Illinois but no town exists in the precinct. The 2008 Illinois earthquake was epicentered towards the middle of the precinct....

       (Lick Prairie)
    • Mount Carmel
      Mount Carmel Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      The Mount Carmel Precinct is largest of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Roughly 85% of Wabash County's population resides in the precinct...

       (Mount Carmel)
    • Wabash
      Wabash Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois
      Wabash Precinct is one of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Allendale, Illinois is the precinct seat....

       (Allendale)


    Wabash County precincts and their boundaries

    Villages

    • Allendale
      Allendale, Illinois
      Allendale is a village in Wabash Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois. The population was 528 at the 2000 census.- History :The original location of Allendale was Timberville, South of the current location. When the railroad was to come through the region, the town was moved to its current location...

    • Bellmont
      Bellmont, Illinois
      Bellmont is a village in Wabash County, Illinois. The population was 297 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bellmont is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land...

    • Keensburg
      Keensburg, Illinois
      Keensburg is a village in Coffee Precinct, Wabash County, Illinois. The population was 252 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Keensburg is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land. Keensburg is connected to the nearby towns of Mount...


    Unincorporated towns / census-designated places

    • Cowling
      Cowling, Illinois
      Cowling is an unincorporated community in Wabash County, Illinois, United States. Cowling is located on Illinois Route 1 northeast of Grayville....

    • Friendsville
      Friendsville, Illinois
      Friendsville is an unincorporated community in Wabash County, Illinois, United States. Friendsville is west-northwest of Mt. Carmel....

    • Lancaster
      Lancaster, Illinois
      Lancaster is an unincorporated community in Wabash County, Illinois, United States. Lancaster is located 9 miles west of Allendale and 12 miles northwest of Mt. Carmel....

    • Maud
      Maud, Illinois
      Maud is an unincorporated community in Wabash County, Illinois, United States. Maud is east-northeast of Bellmont....

    • Odgen
      Odgen, Illinois
      Odgen is an unincorporated community in Wabash County, Illinois, United States. Odgen is northwest of Mount Carmel....


    Climate and weather

    In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Carmel have ranged from a low of 21 °F (-6.1 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (31.7 °C) in July, although a record low of -19 °F was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 102 °F (38.9 °C) was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.73 inches (6.9 cm) in February to 5.12 inches (13 cm) in May.

    See also

    • National Register of Historic Places listings in Wabash County
    • Grand Rapids Hotel
      Grand Rapids Hotel
      The Grand Rapids Hotel was a hotel that existed outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois in Wabash County, Illinois, United States in Southern Illinois in the 1920s during a timeperiod that is commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, and the Golden Twenties. The hotel was located on...


    Further reading

    • Nolan, John Matthew, "2,543 Days: A History of the Hotel at Grand Rapids Dam on the Wabash River" 2011, ISBN 978-1-257-04152-7
    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
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