Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population is 17,384. Its county seat is Pittsfield, Illinois.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 849 square miles (2,199 km²), of which, 830 square miles (2,150 km²) of it is land and 19 square miles (48 km²) of it (2.19%) is water.

Pike County is located on the highlands between the Illinois River on the eastern border, and the Mississippi River on the west. It has one interstate highway, I-72, with bridges spanning both rivers to enter the county.

Townships

Atlas, Barry, Chambersburg, Cincinnati, Derry, Detroit, Fairmount, Flint, Griggsville, Hadley, Hardin, Kinderbrook, Levee, Martinsburg, Montezuma, New Salem, Newburg, Pearl, Perry, Pittsfield, Pleasant Hill, Pleasant Vale, Ross, Spring Creek

Adjacent counties

• Brown County - north
• Scott County - east
• Morgan County - east
• Greene County - southeast
• Calhoun County - southeast
• Pike County, Missouri - south
• Ralls County, Missouri - west
• Adams County - northwest
• Marion County, Missouri - northwest

Pike County, Illinois, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as 9 counties. Illinois has two such counties--Pike and LaSalle. It is also one of the few counties in the United States to border its namesake in another state--in this case, Pike County, Missouri. Illinois has another such county--Vermilion County, Illinois, which borders Vermillion County, Indiana (note that although they are spelled differently, they are both named for the Vermilion River).

National protected area

• Great River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

History

Pike County was formed on January 31, 1821 out of Madison County. It was named in honor of Zebulon Pike, leader of the Pike expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of the Louisiana Purchase. Pike served at the Battle of Tippecanoe, and was killed in 1813 in the War of 1812.

Prior to the coming of the first settler to Pike County there had been French traders, hunters, and travelers passing through the native forests and beautiful prairies. Originally Pike County began on the south junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The east boundary was the Illinois River north to the Kankakee River to the Indiana State line on north to Wisconsin state line and then west to the Mississippi River to the original point at the south end. The first county seat was Cole's Grove, a post town, in what later became Calhoun County. The Gazetteer of Illinois and Missouri published in 1822 mentioned Chicago as a village of Pike County, containing 12 or 15 houses and about 60 or 70 inhabitants.

Frank McWorter was an early settler in Pike County after investing in land sight unseen and purchasing the first few members of his family out of slavery in Kentucky. In 1836 he founded the town of New Philadelphia, near Barry, Illinois, returning to Kentucky over several decades to free other offspring. The town site is now an archaeological dig.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,384 people, 6,876 households, and 4,778 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 8,011 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.38% White, 1.50% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.2% were of American, 24.7% German, 17.5% English and 8.1% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 6,876 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,127, and the median income for a family was $38,583. Males had a median income of $27,687 versus $18,440 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,946. About 9.80% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Atlas
• Barry
• Baylis
• Bedford
• Chambersburg
• Detroit
• El Dara
• Fishhook
• Florence
• Griggsville
• Hull
• Kinderhook
• Martinsburg
• Maysville
• Meredosia
• Milton
• Montezuma
• Nebo
• New Canton
• New Hartford
• New Salem
• Pearl
• Perry
• Pittsfield
• Pleasant Hill
• Seehorn
• Time
• Valley City

Census designated places

• East Hannibal
• Pike Station
• Rockport
• Summer Hill

Ghost towns

• Straut

Trivia

• Pike County IL is a hotspot for Whitetail Deer hunting. Bowhunters flock to Pike county every year because they know the odds of taking a trophy whitetail are better there than almost anywhere else in the U.S.

External links

• Pike County Chamber of Commerce