Editing Hardin County, Illinois (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Fluorite-48284.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Fluorite]] mineral specimen from Hardin County]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|182|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|178|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.1|sqmi}} (2.2%) is water.<ref name="census-density" /> It is the second-smallest county in Illinois by area.

Hicks Dome ({{coord|37.53139|N|88.36833|W}}) is a geological feature in Hardin County. The Hicks Dome is underlain by [[ultramafic rock|ultramafic]] [[igneous rock]]s and igneous [[diatreme]]s or [[breccia]] [[volcanic pipe|pipes]]. Most geologists accept the theory that the older rocks at the center of the uplift are a result of this deep-seated igneous activity. This activity may also have provided the [[fluorine]] in the fluorspar deposits in the region. [[Fluorspar]], or [[calcium fluoride]], was mined in Hardin County until the early 1990s.

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Elizabethtown, Illinois]]
|21|41|3.48
|24|47|3.68
|33|57|4.71
|42|68|4.75
|52|76|5.02
|60|84|4.19
|65|87|4.22
|63|87|3.49
|55|80|3.24
|43|70|3.22
|34|57|4.41
|25|46|4.29
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{Cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Elizabethtown, Illinois |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0362 |access-date=January 27, 2011 |publisher=The Weather Channel}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Elizabethtown have ranged from a low of {{convert|21|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|87|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-22|°F}} was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of {{convert|104|°F}} was recorded in August 2007. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|3.22|in}} in October to {{convert|5.02|in}} in May.<ref name="weather" />

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Gallatin County, Illinois|Gallatin County]] - north
* [[Union County, Kentucky|Union County]], [[Kentucky]] - east
* [[Crittenden County, Kentucky|Crittenden County]], [[Kentucky]] - south
* [[Livingston County, Kentucky|Livingston County]], [[Kentucky]] - southwest
* [[Pope County, Illinois|Pope County]] - west
* [[Saline County, Illinois|Saline County]] - northwest

===Transit===
* [[Rides Mass Transit District]]

===Major highways===
* [[Image:Illinois 1.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 1]]
* [[Image:Illinois 34.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 34]]
* [[Image:Illinois 146.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 146]]

===National protected area===
* [[Shawnee National Forest]] (part)