Editing Christian County, Illinois

{{Short description|County in Illinois, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Christian County
 | state                = Illinois
 | ex image             = File:Christian County Courthouse, Taylorville.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Christian County Courthouse in Taylorville
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1839
 | seat wl              = Taylorville
 | largest city wl      = Taylorville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 716
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 709
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 6.3
 | area percentage      = 0.9
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 34032
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 33228 {{loss}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = https://www.christiancountyil.gov/
 | district             = 15th
 | named for            = [[Christian County, Kentucky]]
}}

'''Christian County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Illinois]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 34,032.<ref>{{cite web|title=Christian County, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Christian_County,_Illinois?g=050XX00US17021|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 8, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Taylorville, Illinois|Taylorville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

==History==
Christian County was formed February 15, 1839, out of [[Sangamon County, Illinois|Sangamon]], [[Montgomery County, Illinois|Montgomery]] and [[Shelby County, Illinois|Shelby]] counties. It was named for [[Christian County, Kentucky]]. It was originally named Dane County and was called Dane County until 1840.<ref>
{{Citation
 | last =Adams
 | first =James N. (compiler)
 | year =1989
 | publication-date =1989
 | editor-last =Keller
 | editor-first =William E.
 | title =Illinois Place Names
 | publication-place =Springfield
 | publisher =Illinois State Historical Society
 | pages =[https://archive.org/details/illinoisplacenam00adam/page/575 575]
 | isbn =0-912226-24-2
 | url-access =registration
 | url =https://archive.org/details/illinoisplacenam00adam/page/575
 }}
</ref>

<gallery>
File:Christian County Illinois 1839.png|Christian County at its creation in 1839
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|716|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|709|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.3|sqmi}} (0.9%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/>
The county is bounded on the north by [[Sangamon River]], and intersected by the south fork of that stream.<ref>{{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Christian (counties)|display=Christian. II. A central county of Illinois}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Macon County, Illinois|Macon County]] (northeast)
* [[Shelby County, Illinois|Shelby County]] (southeast)
* [[Montgomery County, Illinois|Montgomery County]] (southwest)
* [[Sangamon County, Illinois|Sangamon County]] (northwest)

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 51.svg|25px]] [[US Route 51]]
* [[Image:Illinois 16.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 16]]
* [[Image:Illinois 29.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 29]]
* [[Image:Illinois 48.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 48]]
* [[Image:Illinois 104.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 104]]

== Climate and weather ==
{{climate chart
|[[Taylorville, Illinois]]
|16|32|1.78
|21|39|1.78
|31|50|3.01
|41|63|3.48
|52|74|3.77
|61|83|3.66
|65|86|3.68
|63|85|2.76
|54|79|2.83
|42|67|2.34
|33|51|3.57
|22|38|2.43
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL1152
  |title=Monthly Averages for Taylorville, Illinois
  |access-date=January 27, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Taylorville have ranged from a low of {{convert|16|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|86|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-23|°F}} was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of {{convert|104|°F}} was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.78|in}} in January to {{convert|3.77|in}} in May.<ref name="weather"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 1878
|1850= 3203
|1860= 10492
|1870= 20363
|1880= 28227
|1890= 30531
|1900= 32790
|1910= 34594
|1920= 38458
|1930= 37538
|1940= 38564
|1950= 38816
|1960= 37207
|1970= 35948
|1980= 36446
|1990= 34418
|2000= 35372
|2010= 34800
|2020= 34032
|estyear=2023
|estimate=33228
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 4, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/il190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2014}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17021.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606150528/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17021.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Christian County, Illinois age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 census age pyramid for Christian County]]}}

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 34,800&nbsp;people, 14,055&nbsp;households, and 9,211&nbsp;families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17021
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010855/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17021
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|49.1|PD/sqmi}}. There were 15,563 housing units at an average density of {{convert|21.9|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17021
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212203202/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17021
  |archive-date=February 12, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 1.4% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 21.9% were [[Germans|German]], 12.7% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 10.6% were [[Americans|American]], and 9.9% were [[English people|English]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17021
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014332/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17021
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 14,055&nbsp;households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 29.9% 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 41.6 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $41,712 and the median income for a family was $52,680. Males had a median income of $42,897 versus $30,027 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,519. About 12.7% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17021
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213011319/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17021
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Christian County Illinois.png|right|250px|Map of Christian County, Illinois]]

===Cities===
* [[Assumption, Illinois|Assumption]]
* [[Pana, Illinois|Pana]]
* [[Taylorville, Illinois|Taylorville]]

===Villages===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Bulpitt, Illinois|Bulpitt]]
* [[Edinburg, Illinois|Edinburg]]
* [[Harvel, Illinois|Harvel]]
* [[Jeisyville, Illinois|Jeisyville]]
* [[Kincaid, Illinois|Kincaid]]
* [[Morrisonville, Illinois|Morrisonville]]
* [[Mount Auburn, Illinois|Mount Auburn]]
* [[Moweaqua, Illinois|Moweaqua]]
* [[Owaneco, Illinois|Owaneco]]
* [[Palmer, Illinois|Palmer]]
* [[Stonington, Illinois|Stonington]]
* [[Tovey, Illinois|Tovey]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
* [[Langleyville, Illinois|Langleyville]]

===Other unincorporated places===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Bolivia, Illinois|Bolivia]]
* [[Clarksdale, Illinois|Clarksdale]]
* [[Dunkel, Illinois|Dunkel]]
* [[Ellis, Illinois|Ellis]]
* [[Grove City, Illinois|Grove City]]
* [[Hewittsville, Illinois|Hewittsville]]
* [[Midway, Christian County, Illinois|Midway]]
* [[Millersville, Illinois|Millersville]]
* [[Old Stonington, Illinois|Old Stonington]]
* [[Osbernville, Illinois|Osbernville]]
* [[Radford, Illinois|Radford]]
* [[Roby, Illinois|Roby]]
* [[Rosamond, Illinois|Rosamond]]
* [[Sharpsburg, Illinois|Sharpsburg]]
* [[Sicily, Illinois|Sicily]]
* [[Vanderville, Illinois|Vanderville]]
* [[Velma, Illinois|Velma]]
* [[Willey Station, Illinois|Willey Station]]
* [[Zenobia, Illinois|Zenobia]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Christian County is divided into these seventeen [[Civil township|townships]]:
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Assumption Township, Christian County, Illinois|Assumption]]
* [[Bear Creek Township, Christian County, Illinois|Bear Creek]]
* [[Buckhart Township, Christian County, Illinois|Buckhart]]
* [[Greenwood Township, Christian County, Illinois|Greenwood]]
* [[Johnson Township, Christian County, Illinois|Johnson]]
* [[King Township, Christian County, Illinois|King]]
* [[Locust Township, Christian County, Illinois|Locust]]
* [[May Township, Christian County, Illinois|May]]
* [[Mosquito Township, Christian County, Illinois|Mosquito]]
* [[Mount Auburn Township, Christian County, Illinois|Mount Auburn]]
* [[Pana Township, Christian County, Illinois|Pana]]
* [[Prairieton Township, Christian County, Illinois|Prairieton]]
* [[Ricks Township, Christian County, Illinois|Ricks]]
* [[Rosamond Township, Christian County, Illinois|Rosamond]]
* [[South Fork Township, Christian County, Illinois|South Fork]]
* [[Stonington Township, Christian County, Illinois|Stonington]]
* [[Taylorville Township, Christian County, Illinois|Taylorville]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
* [[Jon Corzine]], former governor of [[New Jersey]], former resident of [[Willey Station, Illinois|Willey Station]].
* [[Roy A. Corzine]] (1882-1957), Illinois state representative and farmer, was born in [[Stonington, Illinois|Stonington]].
* [[Harry Forrester (coach)|Harry Forrester]], member of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame and Quincy University Hall of Fame.
* [[Brant Hansen]], Christian radio host and author, graduated from high school in [[Assumption, Illinois|Assumption]].
* [[Tom Candy Ponting]] (1824-1916), cattleman who drove the first herd of cattle from [[Texas]] to [[New York City]]
* [[Frank P. Sadler]] (1872–1931), Illinois state senator and lawyer, lived on a farm near [[Grove City, Illinois|Grove City]].
* [[John Wesley Fribley]] (1906–2002), state senate (1934–1952), born in [[Pana, Illinois|Pana]]
* [[Yvonne Craig]] (1937–2015) was born in [[Taylorville, Illinois]]. American actress renowned for her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the 1960s television series [[Batman (TV series)|Batman]].

==Politics==
Like most of German-settled [[Central Illinois]], Christian County was solidly Democratic until [[Woodrow Wilson]]’s response to German defeat in [[World War I]] turned the county over to the Republican Party in its 1920, 1924 and 1928 landslides. The county remained Democratic-leaning through the rest of the twentieth century, only voting Republican in landslide wins. However, since 2000 Christian County has become reliably Republican.

{{PresHead|place=Christian County, Illinois|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=October 30, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|11,278|4,026|296|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|11,563|4,335|333|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|10,543|3,992|942|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|8,885|5,494|348|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,872|6,918|365|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|9,044|6,112|111|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|7,537|6,799|435|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|5,563|7,431|1,843|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|5,087|9,042|3,461|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|7,040|8,295|101|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,534|7,541|77|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|8,770|6,625|641|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|7,445|9,306|209|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|10,072|7,556|47|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|7,486|8,465|1,743|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|6,153|11,898|0|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|9,263|10,207|15|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|10,282|9,093|59|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,906|9,844|17|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|7,576|9,366|120|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|8,995|9,360|82|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|10,255|11,457|150|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|8,145|11,400|976|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|6,096|11,515|631|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|9,896|7,345|190|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|7,398|5,826|2,832|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|7,535|5,398|1,352|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|6,923|7,982|787|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,994|3,821|2,067|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|3,686|4,156|607|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,856|3,297|693|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|3,686|4,519|252|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|3,857|4,639|124|Illinois}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|2,941|3,655|735|Illinois}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois#Christian County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Christian County, Illinois]]
*[[List of counties in Illinois]]

==References==
;Specific
{{Reflist|30em}}

;General
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310144543/http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/edgar.html United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles]
* [http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/ United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081205020547/http://www.nationalatlas.gov/ United States National Atlas]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Christian County, Illinois
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Macon County, Illinois|Macon County]]
|East      =
|Southeast = [[Shelby County, Illinois|Shelby County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Montgomery County, Illinois|Montgomery County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Sangamon County, Illinois|Sangamon County]]
}}
{{Christian County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|39.55|-89.28|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-IL_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Christian County, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:1839 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Illinois counties]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1839]]