Christian County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,800. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Taylorville. Christian County comprises the Taylorville, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Springfield-

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

, IL

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

History

Christian County was formed February 15, 1839 out of Sangamon, Montgomery and Shelby counties. It was named for

Christian County, Kentucky Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,748. Its county seat is Hopkinsville. The county was formed in 1797. Christian County is part of the Clarksville, TN–KY Metropo ...

. It was originally named Dane County and was called Dane County until 1840. File:Christian County Illinois 1839.png, Christian County at its creation in 1839

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water. The county is bounded on the north by

Sangamon River The Sangamon River is a principal tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 13, 2011 in central Illinois in the United Stat ...

, and intersected by the south fork of that stream.

Adjacent counties

* Macon County (northeast) * Shelby County (southeast) * Montgomery County (southwest) *

Sangamon County Sangamon County is located in the center of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 197,465. Its county seat and largest city is Springfield, the state capital. Sangamon County is included in the S ...

(northwest)

Major highways

US Route 51 U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south-north United States highway that extends from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Highw ...

Illinois Route 16 Illinois Route 16 (IL 16) is an east–west highway in central Illinois. Its western terminus is at the Joe Page Bridge over the Illinois River in Hardin, while its eastern terminus is at Paris at Illinois Route 1 and U.S. Route 150, with ...

Illinois Route 29 Illinois Route 29 (IL 29) is a two to four lane state road that runs south from U.S. Route 6/ Illinois Route 89 at Spring Valley to U.S. Route 51/ Illinois Route 16 at Pana, running through Pekin, Peoria and Springfield. The nearest major n ...

Illinois Route 48 Illinois Route 48 (IL 48) is an north–south state highway with its southern terminus at Interstate 55 (I-55) and IL 127 in Raymond and its northern terminus at IL 54 east of Clinton. Route description IL 48 t ...

Illinois Route 104 Illinois Route 104 is a state highway in central and western Illinois. It extends from Illinois Route 29 near Taylorville, west over the Illinois River at Meredosia to its western terminus in downtown Quincy. This is a distance of . Route d ...

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Taylorville have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in May.

Demographics

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, there were 34,800 people, 14,055 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,563 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 1.4% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 21.9% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 12.7% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 10.6% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, and 9.9% were

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. Of the 14,055 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 41.6 years. The median income for a household in the county was $41,712 and the median income for a family was $52,680. Males had a median income of $42,897 versus $30,027 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,519. About 12.7% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Assumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Tow ...

* Pana * Taylorville

Villages

* Bulpitt * Edinburg *

Harvel Harvel is a village in the civil parish of Meopham in the west of the county of Kent, England. It is sited on the southern edge of the North Downs. The village's name may derive from the names ''Halifield'' (Holy Field) or ''Heorot Field'' (Har ...

* Jeisyville * Kincaid * Morrisonville * Mount Auburn * Moweaqua * Owaneco * Palmer, Illinois, Palmer * Stonington, Illinois, Stonington * Tovey, Illinois, Tovey

Census-designated places

* Langleyville, Illinois, Langleyville

Other unincorporated places

* Bolivia, Illinois, Bolivia * Clarksdale, Illinois, Clarksdale * Dunkel, Illinois, Dunkel * Ellis, Illinois, Ellis * Grove City, Illinois, Grove City * Hewittsville, Illinois, Hewittsville * Midway, Christian County, Illinois, Midway * Millersville, Illinois, Millersville * Old Stonington, Illinois, Old Stonington * Osbernville, Illinois, Osbernville * Radford, Illinois, Radford * Roby, Illinois, Roby * Rosamond, Illinois, Rosamond * Sharpsburg, Illinois, Sharpsburg * Sicily, Illinois, Sicily * Vanderville, Illinois, Vanderville * Velma, Illinois, Velma * Willey Station, Illinois, Willey Station * Zenobia, Illinois, Zenobia

Townships

Christian County is divided into these seventeen Civil township, townships: * Assumption Township, Christian County, Illinois, Assumption * Bear Creek Township, Christian County, Illinois, Bear Creek * Buckhart Township, Christian County, Illinois, Buckhart * Greenwood Township, Christian County, Illinois, Greenwood * Johnson Township, Christian County, Illinois, Johnson * King Township, Christian County, Illinois, King * Locust Township, Christian County, Illinois, Locust * May Township, Christian County, Illinois, May * Mosquito Township, Christian County, Illinois, Mosquito * Mount Auburn Township, Christian County, Illinois, Mount Auburn * Pana Township, Christian County, Illinois, Pana * Prairieton Township, Christian County, Illinois, Prairieton * Ricks Township, Christian County, Illinois, Ricks * Rosamond Township, Christian County, Illinois, Rosamond * South Fork Township, Christian County, Illinois, South Fork * Stonington Township, Christian County, Illinois, Stonington * Taylorville Township, Christian County, Illinois, Taylorville

Notable people

* Jon Corzine, Former governor of New Jersey, former resident of Willey Station, Illinois, Willey Station. * Roy A. Corzine (1882-1957), Illinois state representative and farmer, was born in Stonington, Illinois, Stonington. * Harry Forrester (coach), Harry Forrester, member of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame and Quincy University Hall of Fame. * Brant Hansen, Christian radio host and author, graduated from high school in Assumption, Illinois, Assumption. * Frank P. Sadler (1872–1931), Illinois state senator and lawyer, lived on a farm near Grove City, Illinois, Grove City. * John Wesley Fribley (1906–2002), state senate (1934–1952), born in Pana

Politics

Like most of German-settled Central Illinois, Christian County was solidly Democratic until Woodrow Wilson’s response to German defeat in World War I turned the county over to the Republican Party in its 1920, 1924 and 1928 landslides. The county remained Democratic-leaning through the rest of the twentieth century, only voting Republican in landslide wins. However, since 2000 Christian County has become reliably Republican.

References

;Specific ;General
United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles

United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)

United States National Atlas
{{Coord, 39.55, -89.28, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-IL_source:UScensus1990 Christian County, Illinois, 1839 establishments in Illinois Illinois counties Populated places established in 1839