Editing Golconda, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Golconda, Illinois
| official_name =
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| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline = Pope County Courthouse, Golconda.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| image_caption = [[Pope County Courthouse (Illinois)|Pope County Courthouse]]
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| image_map = Pope County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Golconda Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 250px
| map_caption = Location of Golconda in Pope County, Illinois
| coordinates = {{coord|37|21|50|N|88|29|12|W|display=inline,title}}
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Illinois
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Pope County, Illinois|Pope]]
| subdivision_type3 = Township
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| established_title = Founded
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| leader_title = Mayor
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| leader_title1 = Mayor
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| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 1.41
| area_total_sq_mi = 0.54
| area_land_km2 = 1.32
| area_land_sq_mi = 0.51
| area_water_km2 = 0.09
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.03
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| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 430
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| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 630
| pop_est_as_of =
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| population_density_km2 = 477.19
| population_density_sq_mi = 1235.29
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| timezone1 = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1 = -6
| timezone1_DST = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = -5
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| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code|ZIP Code(s)]]
| postal_code = 62938
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| area_code = [[Area code 618|618]]
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| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 17-30133
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info = 2394922<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394922}}</ref>
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| blank2_name_sec2 = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2 = Golconda, Illinois
| website =
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}}
'''Golconda''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Pope County, Illinois|Pope County]], [[Illinois]], [[United States]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |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=2011-05-31 }}</ref> located along the [[Ohio River]]. The population was 630 at the 2020 census.  Most of the city is part of the [[Golconda Historic District]].

==History==
The city is named after [[Golconda]] in [[Hyderabad]], [[India]], famed in the 19th century for its diamond mines. Golconda was the first permanent settlement in [[Pope County, Illinois|Pope County]] in 1798, and a ferry point across the [[Ohio River]] that was sometimes called [[Lusk's Ferry, Illinois|Lusk's Ferry]] was established around that time.  The town was named Sarahsville upon the organization of Pope County in 1816,<ref>{{cite web|title=Pope County Historical Reminiscences|url=http://genealogytrails.com/ill/pope/cohist.htm|website=genealogytrails.com|publisher=Illinois Genealogy Trails|access-date=22 August 2015|archive-date=September 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916023709/http://genealogytrails.com/ill/pope/cohist.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> but changed its name to Golconda on January 24, 1817, after the ancient city of [[Golkonda]]<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA139 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=139}}</ref> in [[India]].  In 1840, the [[Buel House]], a single-family home presently-owned by the [[Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]], was built.<ref name="IHPA">{{cite web |url=http://www.illinoishistory.gov/hs/buel_house.htm |title=Buel House |work=[[Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]] |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331221225/http://www.illinoishistory.gov/hs/buel_house.htm |archive-date=2012-03-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Among the many historic buildings built in the latter half of the 19th century is the First Presbyterian Church (built in 1869). It is the oldest continuous [[Presbyterian]] congregation in Illinois. The church was organized in 1819.

===Trail of Tears===
Some 13,000 [[Cherokees]], led by Chief Bear Paw crossed the [[Ohio River]] at Golconda by ferry as part of the infamous "[[Trail of Tears]]" to [[Oklahoma]]. Because of the threat of disease, the Native Americans were not allowed to go into any towns or villages along the way; often this meant traveling much farther to go around them. After crossing Tennessee and Kentucky, they arrived at the [[Ohio River]] across from Golconda about the 3rd of December 1838. The starving Indians were charged a dollar a head (equal to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1|1838|r=0}}}} today) to cross the river on "Carpenter's Ferry", which typically charged twelve cents (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|0.12|1838|r=0}}}} today). They were not allowed passage until the ferry had serviced all others wishing to cross and were forced to take shelter under "Mantle Rock", a bluff on the Kentucky side, until "Mr. Carpenter had nothing better to do". Many died huddled together at Mantle Rock waiting to cross. Several Cherokee were also murdered by locals. Many of the Cherokee were rescued and sheltered by the Carpenter family, one of the founding leaders of Golconda. The killers filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Government through the courthouse in [[Vienna, Illinois|Vienna]], suing the government for $35 a head (equal to ${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|35|1838|r=-2}}}} today) to bury the murdered Cherokee.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bost|first1=Mike|last2=Tryon|first2=Michael|last3=Forby|first3=Gary|title=House Joint Resolution 142: Route 146 and the Trail of Tears|date=November 30, 2006|publisher=[[Illinois General Assembly|94th Illinois General Assembly]]|location=[[Springfield, Illinois]]|access-date=November 29, 2019|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=0142&GAID=8&GA=94&DocTypeID=HJR&LegID=26217&SessionID=50}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Golconda has a total area of {{convert|0.503|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|0.49|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 97.42%) is land and {{convert|0.013|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 2.58%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1730133
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=2015-12-27
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213063445/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1730133
  |archive-date=2020-02-13
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Golconda city hall from north.jpg|thumb|Golconda City Hall]]
{{US Census population
|1860= 404
|1870= 858
|1880= 1000
|1890= 1174
|1900= 1140
|1910= 1088
|1920= 1242
|1930= 1184
|1940= 1301
|1950= 1066
|1960= 864
|1970= 922
|1980= 960
|1990= 823
|2000= 726
|2010= 668
|2020= 630
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 726 people, 330 households, and 163 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,287.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 418 housing units at an average density of {{convert|741.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.45% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.96% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.41% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.28% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.55% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.34% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.41% of the population.

There were 330 households, out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.6% were non-families. 48.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 27.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 29.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,000, and the median income for a family was $34,375. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $16,146 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,698. About 18.3% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 43.1% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

== Notable people ==
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* [[James Lusk Alcorn]], (1816–1894), senator and 28th [[List of Governors of Mississippi|governor of Mississippi]]
* [[John R. Hodge]], (1893–1963), military governor of South Korea, commanding general of the U.S. Third Army
* [[Mason Ramsey]], (born 2006), star of viral video, "Walmart Kid Singing", and country singer<ref>{{cite news |title=11-year-old 'yodeling boy' Mason Ramsey, of Golconda, gets record deal |url=https://thesouthern.com/news/local/year-old-yodeling-boy-mason-ramsey-of-golconda-gets-record/article_b1ad88af-5825-5547-b0ef-52a3866984ad.html |work=The Southern Illinoisan |date=April 30, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Green B. Raum]], (1829–1909), Union general during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], congressman, and head of the Internal Revenue Service
* [[James A. Rose]], (1850–1912), Illinois Secretary of State

==In Literature==
In "[[Walking the Trail]]", a 1991 book by [[Jerry Ellis (author)|Jerry Ellis]], the author describes his visit to Golconda during his 900-mile walk retracing of the [[Trail of Tears]] in reverse.

==In the Movies==
Tommy Lee Jones in "U.S. Marshalls" mentioned Golconda, among others, when telling Law Enforcement where to set up road blocks along the Ohio River.

==See also==
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]
* [[Dixon Springs State Park]]
* [[Shawnee National Forest]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* http://www.visitgolconda.com/

{{Pope County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Pope County, Illinois]]
[[Category:County seats in Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1798]]
[[Category:Illinois populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:Trail of Tears]]