Editing Randolph County, Illinois

{{Short description|County in Illinois, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Randolph County
 | state                = Illinois
 | ex image             = Randolph County Courthouse, Chester.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Randolph County Courthouse (Illinois)|Randolph County Courthouse]] in Chester
 | founded              = 1795
 | seat wl              = Chester
 | largest city wl      = Chester
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 597
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 576
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 22
 | area percentage      = 3.6
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 30163
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | web                  = http://am.randolphco.org/
 | district             = 12th
 | time zone            = Central
 | named for            = [[Edmund Randolph]]
 | motto                = Where Illinois Began
}}

'''Randolph County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Illinois]]. According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], it had a population of 30,163.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US17157|title = Explore Census Data}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Chester, Illinois|Chester]].<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}}</ref>

Owing to its role in the state's history, the county motto is "Where Illinois Began."  It contains the historically important village of [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]], Illinois's first capital.

The county is part of [[Southern Illinois]] in the southern portion of the state known locally as "[[Little Egypt (region)|Little Egypt]]", and includes fertile river flats, part of the [[American Bottom]]; it is near the [[Greater St. Louis]] area.

==History==
Randolph County was organized in 1795 out of a part of [[St. Clair County, Illinois|St. Clair County]]. It was named in honor of [[Edmund Randolph]], Governor of Virginia. [[George Rogers Clark]] of the army of [[Virginia]] captured the area from the British on July 4, 1778, near the end of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]]. The area then became the seat, for several years, of [[Illinois County, Virginia]], although the Congress of the Confederation legislated the existence of the [[Northwest Territory]] on July 13, 1787. Edmund Randolph was Governor of Virginia at the time Virginia ceded the Northwest Territory to the United States. In 1809, when [[Illinois Territory|Illinois]] became a separate territory, Territorial Secretary [[Nathaniel Pope]], in his capacity as acting governor, issued a proclamation establishing Randolph as one of the Illinois' two original counties. The county's boundaries were last changed in 1827, when land was taken to form [[Perry County, Illinois|Perry County]].

The [[Mississippi River]] has played a prominent role in the county's history, altering its boundaries in 1881 when it severed the [[isthmus]] that connected Kaskaskia to the Illinois mainland, destroying the original village of [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]] and forcing its historic cemetery to be relocated across the river to [[Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site|Fort Kaskaskia]]. Crains Island,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Chester,+Illinois&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=13&ll=37.860489,-89.7789&spn=0.061936,0.173035&iwloc=addr | title=Google Maps }}</ref> southeast of [[Chester, Illinois|Chester]], is another [[enclave]] of Illinois west of the Mississippi that was created by a change in the river's course.

<gallery>
File:Randolph County Illinois 1809.png|Randolph County as it was re-established in 1809. This diagonal border line had been drawn by the Indiana Territorial government in 1803.<ref>White, Jesse.  ''Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties.'' State of Illinois, March 2010.  [http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/ipub15.pdf]</ref>
File:Randolph County Illinois 1812.png|Randolph County between 1812 and 1813
File:Randolph County Illinois 1813.png|Randolph County between 1813 and 1816
File:Randolph County Illinois 1816.png|Randolph County between 1816 and 1827
File:Randolph County Illinois 1827.png|Randolph County in 1827, reduced to its current borders
</gallery>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|597|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|576|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|22|sqmi}} (3.6%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/>

The [[Kaskaskia River]] flows into the [[Mississippi River]] in Randolph County. At this point the Mississippi, which usually defines the border between Illinois and [[Missouri]], is entirely in Illinois. The Mississippi changed its course in the late-nineteenth century, leaving Kaskaskia, the former state capital, on the west side of the river. The boundary of the State, however, follows the old course of the river, leaving Illinois with an exclave on the western shore of the Mississippi River. A smaller enclave, Crains Island, is a few miles further down the river.

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Chester, Illinois]]
|22|39|1.85
|26|46|1.99
|35|56|3.51
|45|68|3.42
|54|78|4.30
|64|87|3.85
|68|91|3.76
|66|89|3.39
|58|82|3.19
|46|71|3.08
|36|56|4.16
|27|44|3.16
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0221
  |title=Monthly Averages for Chester, Illinois
  |access-date=January 27, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Chester have ranged from a low of {{convert|22|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|91|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-18|°F}} was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of {{convert|113|°F}} was recorded in July 2012. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.85|in}} in January to {{convert|4.30|in}} in May.<ref name="weather"/>

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:Illinois 3.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 3]]
* [[Image:Illinois 4.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 4]]
* [[Image:Illinois 13.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 13]]
* [[Image:Illinois 150.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 150]]
* [[Image:Illinois 153.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 153]]
* [[Image:Illinois 154.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 154]]
* [[Image:Illinois 155.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 155]]
* [[Image:Illinois 159.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 159]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Monroe County, Illinois|Monroe County]] (northwest)
* [[St. Clair County, Illinois|St. Clair County]] (north)
* [[Washington County, Illinois|Washington County]] (northeast)
* [[Perry County, Illinois|Perry County]] (east)
* [[Jackson County, Illinois|Jackson County]] (southeast)
* [[Perry County, Missouri|Perry County]], [[Missouri]] (south)
* [[Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri|Ste. Genevieve County]], [[Missouri]] (southwest)

Randolph County is among the few counties in the United States to border two counties with the same name (Perry County in Missouri and Illinois).

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 3492
|1830= 4429
|1840= 7944
|1850= 11079
|1860= 17205
|1870= 20859
|1880= 25690
|1890= 25049
|1900= 28001
|1910= 29120
|1920= 29109
|1930= 29313
|1940= 33608
|1950= 31673
|1960= 29988
|1970= 31379
|1980= 35652
|1990= 34583
|2000= 33893
|2010= 33476
|2020= 30163
|estyear=2023
|estimate=29815
|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 8, 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 8, 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 8, 2014}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 8, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2013<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17157.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 8, 2014|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607104522/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17157.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[2020 United States census]]
}}

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 33,476&nbsp;people, 12,314&nbsp;households, and 8,188&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/DPDP1/0500000US17157
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=July 12, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033250/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17157
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|58.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 13,707 housing units at an average density of {{convert|23.8|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17157
  |access-date=July 12, 2015
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192344/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17157
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 87.6% white, 9.7% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.6% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 40.3% were [[Germans|German]], 11.3% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 9.4% were [[English people|English]], and 5.7% were [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17157
  |title=DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 12, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213022503/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17157
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 12,314&nbsp;households, 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 41.0 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $45,020 and the median income for a family was $55,113. Males had a median income of $43,359 versus $28,376 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,950. About 7.0% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.9% 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/DP03/0500000US17157
  |title=DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 12, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021353/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17157
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Government and infrastructure==
The [[Illinois Department of Corrections]] [[Menard Correctional Center]] is located in [[Chester, Illinois|Chester]].<ref>"[http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/facilities/information.asp?instchoice=men Menard Correctional Center]." [[Illinois Department of Corrections]]. Retrieved on September 1, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US1713139&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on Chester city, Illinois] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728180712/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US1713139&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on |date=2011-07-28 }}." [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on September 1, 2010.</ref> Prior to the January 11, 2003, commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Menard, [[Tamms Correctional Center|Tamms]], and [[Pontiac Correctional Center|Pontiac]] correctional centers. After that date, only Pontiac continued to host the male death row.<ref>"[http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/news/doc_report/archive/doc_report_online_03_07_03.shtml DOC Report Online]." [[Illinois Department of Corrections]]. Retrieved on September 1, 2010.</ref>

==Politics==
Randolph is a rural conservative county in southern Illinois that has trended Republican since 2000 in presidential elections.
{{PresHead|place=Randolph 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|access-date=April 7, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|10,624|3,461|288|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|11,076|3,592|242|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|10,023|3,439|732|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|8,290|5,759|389|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,538|7,395|269|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|8,076|6,771|109|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|7,127|6,794|366|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|5,422|7,419|1,806|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,899|8,529|3,137|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|7,396|7,844|78|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|9,415|6,355|59|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|8,810|6,052|632|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|8,190|8,693|155|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|9,761|6,440|14|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|7,681|5,953|1,616|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,803|9,199|0|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|7,988|7,344|15|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|8,439|6,778|4|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|8,427|6,998|13|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|6,867|6,852|62|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|7,518|6,199|39|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|9,333|7,802|80|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|7,057|8,247|397|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,747|8,634|266|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|5,739|6,251|103|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,527|3,734|2,619|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|6,180|3,181|521|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|5,517|5,403|326|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,169|3,217|2,000|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|3,045|3,172|256|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,238|2,518|451|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|3,045|3,278|146|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|3,024|3,081|124|Illinois}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|2,425|2,702|401|Illinois}}

==Media==
There are two AM radio stations licensed in the county — WHCO 1230AM in Sparta and KSGM 980AM in Chester.

Weekly newspapers in the county are ''The Randolph County Herald Tribune'' located in Chester, ''The County Journal'', which is based in Percy and also covers Perry and Jackson Counties, the ''North County News'' in Red Bud, and the ''Sparta News-Plaindealer''.

The area is also served by the on-line newspaper based in Chester which is SunTimesNews.com

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Chester, Illinois|Chester]]
* [[Red Bud, Illinois|Red Bud]]
* [[Sparta, Illinois|Sparta]]

===Villages===
{{div col}}
* [[Baldwin, Illinois|Baldwin]]
* [[Coulterville, Illinois|Coulterville]]
* [[Ellis Grove, Illinois|Ellis Grove]]
* [[Evansville, Illinois|Evansville]]
* [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]]
* [[Percy, Illinois|Percy]]
* [[Prairie du Rocher, Illinois|Prairie du Rocher]]
* [[Rockwood, Illinois|Rockwood]]
* [[Ruma, Illinois|Ruma]]
* [[Steeleville, Illinois|Steeleville]]
* [[Tilden, Illinois|Tilden]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Blair, Randolph County, Illinois|Blair]]
* [[Bremen, Randolph County, Illinois|Bremen]]
* [[Dozaville, Illinois|Dozaville]]
* [[Eden, Randolph County, Illinois|Eden]]
* [[Fort Gage, Illinois|Fort Gage]]
* [[Grigg, Illinois|Grigg]]
* [[Houston, Illinois|Houston]]
* [[Leanderville, Illinois|Leanderville]]
* [[Marigold, Illinois|Marigold]]
* [[Menard, Illinois|Menard]]
* [[Modoc, Illinois|Modoc]]
* [[New Palestine, Illinois|New Palestine]]
* [[Prairie, Illinois|Prairie]]
* [[Preston, Illinois|Preston]]
* [[Reily Lake, Illinois|Reily Lake]]
* [[Schuline, Illinois|Schuline]]
* [[Shiloh Hill, Illinois|Shiloh Hill]]
* [[Walsh, Illinois|Walsh]]
* [[Welge, Illinois|Welge]]
* [[Wine Hill, Illinois|Wine Hill]]

===Forts===

* [[Fort de Chartres]]
{{div col end}}

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

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

==External links==
* [http://www.kbdz931.com/ KBDZ 93.1 FM Radio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106113012/http://www.kbdz931.com/ |date=November 6, 2012 }}
* [http://www.ksgm980.com/ KSGM AM 980 Radio]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051124061729/http://www.randolphco.org/gov/ Randolph County Government]
* [http://www.suntimesnews.com/ SunTimesNews.com]
* [http://www.randolphcountyheraldtribune.com/ Randolph County Herald-Tribune]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070203141822/http://www.blossomcity.com/ncn/ North County News]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205072515/http://egyptian.net/~leftypen/plain.htm Sparta News-Plaindealer]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Randolph County, Illinois
|North     = [[St. Clair County, Illinois|St. Clair County]]
|Northeast = [[Washington County, Illinois|Washington County]]
|East      = [[Perry County, Illinois|Perry County]]
|Southeast = [[Jackson County, Illinois|Jackson County]]
|South     = [[Perry County, Missouri]]
|Southwest = [[Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Monroe County, Illinois|Monroe County]]
}}

{{Randolph County, Illinois}}
{{Southern-Illinois}}
{{Illinois}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|38.05|-89.82|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-IL_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Randolph County, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:1795 establishments in the Northwest Territory]]
[[Category:Illinois counties]]
[[Category:Illinois counties on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:Southern Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1795]]