Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population was 33,893. Its county seat is Chester.

Owing to its role in the state's history, the county motto is "Where Illinois Began."

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 597 square miles (1,547 km²), of which, 578 square miles (1,498 km²) of it is land and 19 square miles (49 km²) of it (3.15%) is water.

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 capitol, on the west side of the River. The boundary of the State, however, follows the old course of the River, leaving Illinois with an enclave on the western shore of the Mississippi River.

Adjacent counties

• Monroe County (northwest)
• St. Clair County (north)
• Washington County (northeast)
• Perry County (east)
• Jackson County (southeast)
• Perry County, Missouri (south)
• Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri (southwest)

Cities and towns

• Baldwin
• Chester
• Coulterville
• Ellis Grove
• Evansville
• Kaskaskia
• Percy
• Prairie du Rocher
• Red Bud
• Rockwood
• Ruma
• Sparta
• Steeleville
• Tilden

Unincorporated communities

• Glenn
• Grigg
• Menard
• Modoc
• Schuline
• Walsh
• Welge
• Wine Hill

History

Randolph County was organized in 1795 out of a part of St. Clair County. It was named in honor of Edmund Randolph, Governor of Virginia. The Northwest Territory was captured from the British near the end of the Revolutionary War by the army of Virginia. Illinois then became, for a brief time, Illinois County, Virginia. Edmund Randolph was Governor of Virginia at the time Virginia ceded the Northwest Territory to the United States. The county's boundaries were last changed in 1827, when land was taken to form 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 and forcing its historic cemetery to be relocated across the river to Fort Kaskaskia. Crains Island , southeast of Chester, is another enclave of Illinois west of the Mississippi that was created by a change in the river's course.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,893 people, 12,084 households, and 8,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 59 people per square mile (23/km²). There were 13,328 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.71% White, 9.29% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 46.3% were of German, 11.7% American, 9.0% Irish, 6.5% English and 5.7% French ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 12,084 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.10% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 116.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,013, and the median income for a family was $44,766. Males had a median income of $30,837 versus $21,501 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,696. About 7.10% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Other
2004	54.00% 8,076	45.27% 6,771	0.73% 109
2000	49.88% 7,127	47.55% 6,794	2.56% 366
1996	37.0% 5,422	50.7% 7,419	12.3% 1,806
1992	29.6% 4,899	51.5% 8,529	19.0% 3,137
1988	48.3% 7,396	51.2% 7,844	0.5% 78
1984	59.5% 9,415	40.1% 6,355	0.4% 59
1980	56.9% 8,810	39.1% 6,052	4.1% 632
1976	48.1% 8,190	51.0% 8,693	0.9% 155
1972	60.2% 9,761	39.7% 6,440	0.1% 14
1968	50.4% 7,681	39.0% 5,953	10.6% 1,616
1964	38.7% 5,803	61.3% 9,199	0.0% 0
1960	52.0% 7,988	47.9% 7,344	0.1% 15
1956	60.0% 8,439	40.0% 6,778	0.0% 4
1952	54.6% 8,427	45.3% 6,998	0.1% 13
Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections; Randolph County Clerk and Recorder.

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 County Journal, which is based in Percy and also covers Perry and Jackson Counties, the Randolph County Herald-Tribune in Chester, the North County News in Red Bud, and the Sparta News-Plaindealer.

External links

• Randolph County Government
• Randolph County Herald-Tribune
• North County News
• Sparta News-Plaindealer