Pike County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
County | |
 Pike County Courthouse, Pittsfield | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIllinois | |
 Illinois's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:39°37′N90°53′W / 39.62°N 90.89°W /39.62; -90.89 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | January 31, 1821 |
| Named after | Zebulon Pike |
| Seat | Pittsfield |
| Largest city | Pittsfield |
| Area | |
• Total | 849 sq mi (2,200 km2) |
| • Land | 831 sq mi (2,150 km2) |
| • Water | 18 sq mi (47 km2) 2.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 14,739 |
• Estimate (2024) | 14,258 [1] |
| • Density | 17.7/sq mi (6.85/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
| Website | www |
Pike County is acounty in theU.S. state ofIllinois. It is located between theMississippi River and theIllinois River in western Illinois. According to the2020 United States census, it had a population of 14,739.[2] Itscounty seat isPittsfield.[3]
Pike County was formed in January 1821 out ofEdwards andMadison Counties. It was named in honor ofZebulon Pike, leader of thePike Expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of theLouisiana Purchase. Pike served at theBattle of Tippecanoe, and was killed in 1813 in theWar of 1812.
Prior to the coming of the first European settler to the future Pike County, French traders, hunters, and travelers passed through the native forests and prairies. Originally Pike County began on the south junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The east boundary was theIllinois River north to theKankakee River to the Indiana State line on north to Wisconsin territorial line and then west to theMississippi River to the original point at the south end. The first county seat was Cole's Grove, a post town, in what later becameCalhoun County.The Gazetteer of Illinois and Missouri, published in 1822, mentionedChicago as "a village of Pike County" containing 12 or 15 houses and about 60 or 70 inhabitants.
TheNew Philadelphia Town Site was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2005, designated aNational Historic Landmark in 2009, and established as aNational Park in 2022. Founded byFrank McWorter, an earlyfree black settler in Pike County, it was the first town founded by a black man in the United States. McWorter had invested in land there sight unseen after purchasing the first few members of his family out of slavery. In 1836 he founded the town ofNew Philadelphia, nearBarry. He was elected mayor and lived there the rest of his life. With the sale of land, he made enough money to purchase the freedom of his children. After therailroad bypassed the town, its growth slowed and it was eventually abandoned in the 20th century. The town site is now anarchaeological site.
In the early 21st century, Pike County acquired notability as awhitetail deer hunting center, especially forbowhunting.
![Pike County between 1823 and 1825, including unorganized territory temporarily attached to it[4]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aPike_County_Illinois_1823.png)
According to theUS Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 849 square miles (2,200 km2), of which 831 square miles (2,150 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (2.1%) is water.[5]
Pike County is located on the highlands between theIllinois River, which forms its eastern border, and theMississippi River, which bordersMissouri. It has two interstate highways,I-72, with bridges spanning both rivers to enter the county, andI-172 which extends about 300 feet (91 m) into the county to its intersection with I-72.
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Pittsfield have ranged from a low of 15 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 115 °F (46 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.74 inches (44 mm) in January to 4.11 inches (104 mm) in May.[6]
Pike County is one of the few US counties to border as many as nine counties. Illinois has two – Pike andLaSalle.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 2,396 | — | |
| 1840 | 11,728 | 389.5% | |
| 1850 | 18,819 | 60.5% | |
| 1860 | 27,249 | 44.8% | |
| 1870 | 30,768 | 12.9% | |
| 1880 | 33,751 | 9.7% | |
| 1890 | 31,000 | −8.2% | |
| 1900 | 31,595 | 1.9% | |
| 1910 | 28,622 | −9.4% | |
| 1920 | 26,866 | −6.1% | |
| 1930 | 24,357 | −9.3% | |
| 1940 | 25,340 | 4.0% | |
| 1950 | 22,155 | −12.6% | |
| 1960 | 20,552 | −7.2% | |
| 1970 | 19,185 | −6.7% | |
| 1980 | 18,896 | −1.5% | |
| 1990 | 17,577 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 17,384 | −1.1% | |
| 2010 | 16,430 | −5.5% | |
| 2020 | 14,739 | −10.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 14,258 | [7] | −3.3% |
| US Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[13] | Pop 1990[14] | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,760 | 17,444 | 16,868 | 15,802 | 13,874 | 99.28% | 99.24% | 97.03% | 96.18% | 94.13% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 9 | 8 | 260 | 274 | 63 | 0.05% | 0.05% | 1.50% | 1.67% | 0.43% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 23 | 24 | 29 | 24 | 33 | 0.12% | 0.14% | 0.17% | 0.15% | 0.22% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 20 | 32 | 41 | 38 | 43 | 0.11% | 0.18% | 0.24% | 0.23% | 0.29% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[18] | x[19] | 5 | 4 | 6 | x | x | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 8 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.14% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[20] | x[21] | 89 | 112 | 438 | x | x | 0.51% | 0.68% | 2.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 76 | 69 | 87 | 172 | 262 | 0.40% | 0.39% | 0.50% | 1.05% | 1.78% |
| Total | 18,896 | 17,577 | 17,384 | 16,430 | 14,739 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2010 United States census, there were 16,430 people, 6,639 households, and 4,527 families residing in the county.[22] The population density was 19.8 inhabitants per square mile (7.6/km2). There were 7,951 housing units at an average density of 9.6 per square mile (3.7/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 1.7% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.[22] In terms of ancestry, 26.3% wereGerman, 16.8% wereAmerican, 15.1% wereEnglish, and 13.4% wereIrish.[23]
Of the 6,639 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.8% were non-families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 42.5 years.[22]
The median income for a household in the county was $40,205 and the median income for a family was $50,426. Males had a median income of $39,071 versus $26,835 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,996. About 11.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.[24]
Pike County was reliably Democratic from 1892 through 1948; only 2 Republican Party nominees carried the county vote during that period. However, it was a national bellwether in every presidential election from 1912 to 2004 aside from 1924 & 1988. Since 2000, the county has become a Republican stronghold, withDonald Trump winning it in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of 57.6 points.
The county is located inIllinois's 15th Congressional District and is currently represented by RepublicanMary Miller. In theIllinois General Assembly, the county is located in the 50th legislative district and the 100th house district represented by SenatorSteve McClure and RepresentativeC. D. Davidsmeyer.[25]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 2,751 | 36.62% | 3,494 | 46.51% | 1,268 | 16.88% |
| 1896 | 3,111 | 36.26% | 5,329 | 62.12% | 139 | 1.62% |
| 1900 | 3,045 | 38.01% | 4,715 | 58.85% | 252 | 3.15% |
| 1904 | 3,007 | 44.42% | 3,112 | 45.97% | 650 | 9.60% |
| 1908 | 2,932 | 40.36% | 3,859 | 53.12% | 474 | 6.52% |
| 1912 | 1,169 | 17.65% | 3,371 | 50.90% | 2,083 | 31.45% |
| 1916 | 5,293 | 41.35% | 7,005 | 54.73% | 501 | 3.91% |
| 1920 | 5,564 | 54.12% | 4,279 | 41.62% | 437 | 4.25% |
| 1924 | 4,989 | 45.59% | 5,424 | 49.57% | 530 | 4.84% |
| 1928 | 6,705 | 61.88% | 4,008 | 36.99% | 123 | 1.14% |
| 1932 | 4,181 | 33.58% | 8,013 | 64.35% | 258 | 2.07% |
| 1936 | 5,589 | 40.00% | 8,187 | 58.59% | 198 | 1.42% |
| 1940 | 6,619 | 45.83% | 7,676 | 53.15% | 146 | 1.01% |
| 1944 | 5,633 | 48.85% | 5,833 | 50.58% | 66 | 0.57% |
| 1948 | 4,722 | 45.00% | 5,674 | 54.07% | 98 | 0.93% |
| 1952 | 6,382 | 54.97% | 5,219 | 44.95% | 10 | 0.09% |
| 1956 | 5,920 | 52.31% | 5,382 | 47.55% | 16 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 5,965 | 52.16% | 5,461 | 47.75% | 10 | 0.09% |
| 1964 | 4,113 | 38.48% | 6,576 | 61.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,035 | 50.66% | 4,191 | 42.17% | 713 | 7.17% |
| 1972 | 5,940 | 60.23% | 3,883 | 39.37% | 40 | 0.41% |
| 1976 | 4,975 | 49.21% | 5,006 | 49.52% | 129 | 1.28% |
| 1980 | 5,301 | 56.63% | 3,695 | 39.47% | 365 | 3.90% |
| 1984 | 5,295 | 57.03% | 3,965 | 42.70% | 25 | 0.27% |
| 1988 | 3,965 | 46.11% | 4,614 | 53.66% | 20 | 0.23% |
| 1992 | 3,342 | 36.98% | 4,016 | 44.44% | 1,679 | 18.58% |
| 1996 | 3,225 | 40.56% | 3,604 | 45.32% | 1,123 | 14.12% |
| 2000 | 4,706 | 58.01% | 3,198 | 39.42% | 208 | 2.56% |
| 2004 | 5,032 | 63.06% | 2,849 | 35.70% | 99 | 1.24% |
| 2008 | 4,457 | 58.31% | 3,024 | 39.57% | 162 | 2.12% |
| 2012 | 4,860 | 66.56% | 2,278 | 31.20% | 164 | 2.25% |
| 2016 | 5,754 | 76.41% | 1,413 | 18.76% | 363 | 4.82% |
| 2020 | 6,332 | 79.50% | 1,484 | 18.63% | 149 | 1.87% |
| 2024 | 6,086 | 80.88% | 1,302 | 17.30% | 137 | 1.82% |
School districts include:[27]
| Settlement | Population[28] | Type | Townships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry | 1,303 | City | Barry |
| Baylis | 172 | Village | New Salem |
| Detroit | 76 | Village | Detroit |
| El Dara | 63 | Village | Derry |
| Florence | 17 | Village | Detroit |
| Griggsville | 1,097 | City | Griggsville |
| Hull | 392 | Village | Kinderhook |
| Kinderhook | 189 | Village | Barry, Kinderhook |
| Milton | 214 | Village | Montezuma |
| Nebo | 282 | Village | Spring Creek |
| New Canton | 334 | Town | Pleasant Vale |
| New Salem | 121 | Village | New Salem |
| Pearl | 103 | Village | Pearl |
| Perry | 314 | Village | Perry |
| Pittsfield† | 4,206 | City | Newburg, Pittsfield |
| Pleasant Hill | 924 | Village | Pleasant Hill |
| Rockport | 67 | CDP | Atlas |
| Time | 26 | Village | Hardin |
| Valley City | 14 | Village | Flint |
† – County seat
| Township | Population[28] | Housing Units[28] | Total Area[28] | Land Area[28] | Water Area[28] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | 468 | 251 | 67.88 sq mi (175.8 km2) | 63.71 sq mi (165.0 km2) | 4.17 sq mi (10.8 km2) |
| Barry | 1,605 | 745 | 38.51 sq mi (99.7 km2) | 38.50 sq mi (99.7 km2) | 0.01 sq mi (0.026 km2) |
| Chambersburg | 124 | 78 | 29.63 sq mi (76.7 km2) | 29.09 sq mi (75.3 km2) | 0.54 sq mi (1.4 km2) |
| Cincinnati | 34 | 13 | 26.73 sq mi (69.2 km2) | 23.82 sq mi (61.7 km2) | 2.91 sq mi (7.5 km2) |
| Derry | 214 | 98 | 37.40 sq mi (96.9 km2) | 37.40 sq mi (96.9 km2) | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Detroit | 263 | 149 | 26.98 sq mi (69.9 km2) | 26.24 sq mi (68.0 km2) | 0.74 sq mi (1.9 km2) |
| Fairmount | 149 | 88 | 37.62 sq mi (97.4 km2) | 37.62 sq mi (97.4 km2) | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Flint | 89 | 40 | 16.17 sq mi (41.9 km2) | 15.31 sq mi (39.7 km2) | 0.86 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| Griggsville | 1,310 | 610 | 37.64 sq mi (97.5 km2) | 37.64 sq mi (97.5 km2) | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Hadley | 219 | 115 | 36.86 sq mi (95.5 km2) | 36.84 sq mi (95.4 km2) | 0.02 sq mi (0.052 km2) |
| Hardin | 212 | 105 | 37.41 sq mi (96.9 km2) | 37.39 sq mi (96.8 km2) | 0.02 sq mi (0.052 km2) |
| Kinderhook | 741 | 369 | 37.91 sq mi (98.2 km2) | 37.86 sq mi (98.1 km2) | 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2) |
| Levee | 54 | 26 | 25.03 sq mi (64.8 km2) | 22.02 sq mi (57.0 km2) | 3.01 sq mi (7.8 km2) |
| Martinsburg | 360 | 167 | 37.74 sq mi (97.7 km2) | 37.74 sq mi (97.7 km2) | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Montezuma | 417 | 222 | 34.45 sq mi (89.2 km2) | 33.75 sq mi (87.4 km2) | 0.70 sq mi (1.8 km2) |
| Newburg | 967 | 425 | 37.55 sq mi (97.3 km2) | 37.21 sq mi (96.4 km2) | 0.35 sq mi (0.91 km2) |
| New Salem | 515 | 245 | 38.21 sq mi (99.0 km2) | 38.21 sq mi (99.0 km2) | 0.00 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Pearl | 197 | 148 | 25.26 sq mi (65.4 km2) | 24.63 sq mi (63.8 km2) | 0.63 sq mi (1.6 km2) |
| Perry | 522 | 283 | 37.22 sq mi (96.4 km2) | 37.21 sq mi (96.4 km2) | 0.01 sq mi (0.026 km2) |
| Pittsfield | 4,037 | 1,954 | 37.86 sq mi (98.1 km2) | 37.81 sq mi (97.9 km2) | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Pleasant Hill | 1,205 | 579 | 37.60 sq mi (97.4 km2) | 37.56 sq mi (97.3 km2) | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Pleasant Vale | 484 | 263 | 67.88 sq mi (175.8 km2) | 63.71 sq mi (165.0 km2) | 4.17 sq mi (10.8 km2) |
| Ross | 64 | 32 | 38.98 sq mi (101.0 km2) | 38.97 sq mi (100.9 km2) | 0.01 sq mi (0.026 km2) |
| Spring Creek | 489 | 255 | 37.41 sq mi (96.9 km2) | 37.40 sq mi (96.9 km2) | 0.01 sq mi (0.026 km2) |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Places adjacent to Pike County, Illinois | |
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Municipalities and communities ofPike County, Illinois,United States | ||
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