Editing Edwards County, Illinois

{{Short description|County in Illinois, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Edwards County
 | state                = Illinois
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = 
 | founded year         = 1814
 | seat wl              = Albion
 | largest city wl      = Albion
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 223
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 222
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.3
 | area percentage      = 0.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 6245
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 5968 {{loss}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = 
 | ex image             = Edwards County Courthouse in Albion.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Edwards County Courthouse in Albion
 | district             = 12th
 | named for            = [[Ninian Edwards]]
}}

'''Edwards 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 6,245.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Edwards_County,_Illinois?g=0500000US17047 |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Albion, Illinois|Albion]].<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/20120704084002/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=July 4, 2012 }}</ref>

==History==
Edwards County was named for [[Ninian Edwards]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n114 115]}}</ref> the governor of the Illinois Territory, and, later, governor of Illinois.

Edwards County is subdivided into "Road Districts", rather than "[[Township (United States)|Townships]]" as in most Illinois counties. Pursuant to the [[Land Ordinance of 1785]], the [[Northwest Territory]] (including Illinois) was surveyed and mostly organized into townships that are six miles square; but Edwards County was settled prior to that survey, and its pre-existing Road Districts do not generally correspond with the survey's townships.

<gallery>
File:Edwards County Illinois 1815.png|Edwards County, when it was created in 1815 from [[Gallatin County, Illinois|Gallatin]] and [[Madison County, Illinois|Madison]] Counties, extended north to Lake Michigan.
File:Edwards County Illinois 1816.png|The county between 1816 and 1819. [[Clark County, Illinois|Clark]] and [[White County, Illinois|White]] Counties were created from Edwards and [[Gallatin County, Illinois|Gallatin]] Counties.
File:Edwards County Illinois 1819.png|The county between 1819 and 1821. At this point [[Crawford County, Illinois|Crawford County]] was split off from Edwards, and [[Wayne County, Illinois|Wayne]] Counties.
File:Edwards County Illinois 1821.png|Edwards between 1821 and 1824
File:Edwards County Illinois 1824.png|Edwards in 1824, reduced to its current size by the creation of [[Wabash County, Illinois|Wabash County]]
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|223|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|222|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/> It is the fourth-smallest county in Illinois by area.

When Edwards County was formed in 1814, it comprised nearly half of the State of Illinois. New counties were formed from it until, in 1824, it assumed its present form from the creation of [[Wabash County, Illinois|Wabash County]]. The two are [[List of counties in Illinois|the fourth and fifth smallest counties]] in Illinois.

Edwards County is separated from Wabash County by the [[Bonpas Creek]].

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Albion, Illinois]]
|21|37|2.57
|25|44|2.72
|35|55|4.29
|45|66|5.13
|55|76|4.61
|64|86|4.19
|68|89|3.86
|66|88|3.43
|58|81|2.89
|47|70|3.36
|36|54|4.28
|26|42|3.51
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0009
  |title=Monthly Averages for Albion, Illinois
  |access-date=January 27, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Albion have ranged from a low of {{convert|21|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|89|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-20|°F}} was recorded in January 1982 and a record high of {{convert|109|°F}} was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|2.57|in}} in January to {{convert|5.13|in}} in April.<ref name="weather"/>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:Illinois 1.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 1]]
* [[Image:Illinois 15.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 15]]
* [[Image:Illinois 130.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 130]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Richland County, Illinois|Richland County]] (north)
* [[Wabash County, Illinois|Wabash County]] (east)
* [[White County, Illinois|White County]] (south)
* [[Wayne County, Illinois|Wayne County]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 3444
|1830= 1649
|1840= 3070
|1850= 3524
|1860= 5454
|1870= 7565
|1880= 8597
|1890= 9444
|1900= 10345
|1910= 10049
|1920= 9431
|1930= 8303
|1940= 8974
|1950= 9056
|1960= 7940
|1970= 7090
|1980= 7961
|1990= 7440
|2000= 6971
|2010= 6721
|2020= 6245
|estyear=2023
|estimate=5968
|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}}</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> 2010-2017<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17047.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606162244/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17047.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref>
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Edwards County, Illinois age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 census age pyramid for Edwards County]]}}

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 6,721&nbsp;people, 2,840&nbsp;households, and 1,926&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/DPDP1/0500000US17047
  |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/20200213030409/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17047
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|30.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 3,187 housing units at an average density of {{convert|14.3|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17047
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213162418/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17047
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 26.8% were [[Germans|German]], 22.4% were [[English people|English]], 13.3% were [[Americans|American]], and 8.4% were [[Irish people|Irish]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17047
  |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/20200213012106/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17047
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 2,840&nbsp;households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.2% were non-families, and 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 42.7 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $40,430 and the median income for a family was $51,337. Males had a median income of $40,183 versus $27,295 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,113. About 10.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 12.3% 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/DP03/0500000US17047
  |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/20200213023423/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17047
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Communities==
[[Image:Edwards County, IL.png|thumb|right|Precincts of Edwards County|300px]]

===Cities===
* [[Albion, Illinois|Albion]] (seat)
* [[Grayville, Illinois|Grayville]] (Partially in White County)

===Villages===
* [[Bone Gap, Illinois|Bone Gap]]
* [[Browns, Illinois|Browns]]
* [[West Salem, Illinois|West Salem]]

===Unincorporated Communities===
* [[Bennington, Illinois|Bennington]]
* [[Black, Illinois|Black]]
* [[Ellery, Illinois|Ellery]]
* [[Maple Grove, Illinois|Maple Grove]]
* [[Marion, Edwards County, Illinois|Marion]]
* [[Red Top, Illinois|Red Top]]
* [[Samsville, Illinois|Samsville]]

=== Precincts ===
Edwards County is divided into 12 election precincts:
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Albion No. 1 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Albion No. 1]]
* [[Albion No. 2 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Albion No. 2]]
* [[Albion No. 3 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Albion No. 3]]
* [[Bone Gap Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Bone Gap]]
* [[Browns Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Browns]]
* [[Dixon Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Dixon]]
* [[Ellery Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Ellery]]
* [[French Creek Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|French Creek]]
* [[Salem No. 1 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Salem No. 1]]
* [[Salem No. 2 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Salem No. 2]]
* [[Shelby No. 1 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Shelby No. 1]]
* [[Shelby No. 2 Precinct, Edwards County, Illinois|Shelby No. 2]]
{{Div col end}}

==Politics==
Edwards County is one of the most consistently Republican counties in the nation. It has voted for the Republican candidate in all Presidential elections from 1856 to present, except in 1912 when the party was divided and Theodore Roosevelt won the county as the “Bull Moose” Progressive candidate.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[The Political Graveyard]] |url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/IL/EW-votes.html |title=Edwards County, Illinois
|first=Lawrence |last=Kestenbaum |author-link=Lawrence Kestenbaum |website=politicalgraveyard.com |access-date=June 15, 2022}}
</ref> In the last five Presidential elections no Democratic candidate has reached 34 percent of the county's vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/map.html?scp=1&sq=%22election+map&st=cse|title=President Map - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times|website=elections.nytimes.com}}</ref>  Edwards County also holds the distinction of having the lowest percentage of any Illinois county of votes for governor [[Pat Quinn (politician)|Pat Quinn]], a Democrat, in his failed 2014 reelection bid. Quinn lost 101 of the 102 counties in Illinois, capturing only 13.7% of the vote in Edwards County.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wjbdradio.com/LocalNews/Quinn-Loses-Hardest-in-Edwards-County#.VF-66764kfE|title=WJBD - Local News - Quinn Loses Hardest in Edwards County<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=wjbdradio.com}}</ref> [[Hillary Clinton]] fared even worse in 2016 with only 13.1 percent of the county's ballots. The last Democrat to win the county was [[Andrew Jackson]] in 1832.

{{PresHead|place=Edwards County, Illinois|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,794|457|44|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,833|488|47|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,778|434|112|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,405|754|69|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,137|1,140|85|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,412|930|22|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,212|978|70|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,613|1,089|401|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,601|1,299|652|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,212|1,218|20|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,778|1,057|10|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,556|1,041|154|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,379|1,648|39|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,017|1,055|9|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,633|1,095|407|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,262|1,991|0|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,291|1,446|8|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,339|1,210|1|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,502|1,162|5|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,491|1,206|73|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,016|1,197|37|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,361|1,770|51|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|2,813|2,211|76|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|2,203|1,956|57|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,861|950|15|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,750|1,047|155|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,002|742|46|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,885|1,389|138|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|817|650|936|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,614|747|142|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,610|595|188|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,577|823|57|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,572|852|34|Illinois}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Republican|1,350|677|130|Illinois}}

In other positions the county has been not been consistently Republican for as long, but nevertheless has been so for many years. The last Democratic Senatorial candidate it backed was [[Alan J. Dixon]] in 1986<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/comparemaps.php?year=2010&fips=17&f=1&off=3&elect=0&class=3|title=David Leip's Election Atlas (Maps for Illinois Senate by election)|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref> and the last Democratic gubernatorial candidate it supported was [[Glenn Poshard]], who carried all of [[Southern Illinois]] in his failed 1998 bid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/comparemaps.php?year=2010&fips=17&f=1&off=5&elect=0|title=David Leip's Election Atlas (Maps for Illinois Governor by election)|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref> Edwards County lies in [[Illinois's 15th congressional district]], which has [[Cook Partisan Voting Index]] of R+21 and has been represented by Republican [[Mike Bost|Mike Bost]] since 2023.

Edwards County is a [[dry county]], with multiple referendums to allow alcohol sales failing in the mid-1990s. The portion of Grayville, Illinois that lies within Edwards County does allow alcohol sales per Grayville city ordinance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.il.us/lcc/localsurveysheet2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323080044/http://www.state.il.us/lcc/LocalSurveySheet2.pdf |archive-date=March 23, 2013 |url-status=live|title=Illinois Liquor Control Commission Home|website=www.state.il.us}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Edwards County, Illinois]]

==References==
* [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]
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071212055835/http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/township_maps/edwards_map.html Edwards County precincts and their boundaries]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Edwards County, Illinois
|North     = [[Richland County, Illinois|Richland County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Wabash County, Illinois|Wabash County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[White County, Illinois|White County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Wayne County, Illinois|Wayne County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Edwards County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois}}
{{Southern-Illinois |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|38.42|-88.06|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-IL_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Edwards County, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Illinois counties]]
[[Category:1814 establishments in Illinois Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1814]]
[[Category:Southern Illinois|Edwards County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Pre-statehood history of Illinois]]