Knox County, Illinois
| Knox County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
_1981.jpg) Knox County Courthouse | |
 Location in the state of Illinois | |
 Illinois's location in the U.S. | |
| Founded | 1825 |
| Named for | Henry Knox |
| Seat | Galesburg |
| Largest city | Galesburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 720 sq mi (1,865 km2) |
| • Land | 716 sq mi (1,854 km2) |
| • Water | 3.4 sq mi (9 km2), 0.5% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 52,919 |
| • Density | 74/sq mi (29/km²) |
| Congressional district | 17th |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website |
www |
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 52,919.[1] Its county seat is Galesburg.[2]
Knox County comprises the Galesburg, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Knox County was named in honor of Henry Knox, the first US Secretary of War.[3]
The first "Knox County" in what today is Illinois was unrelated to the modern incarnation. In 1790, the land of the Indiana Territory that was to become Illinois was divided into two counties: St. Clair and Knox. The latter included land in what was to become Indiana. When Knox County, Indiana, was formed from this portion of the county in 1809, the Illinois portions were subdivided into counties that were given other names.
The modern Knox County, Illinois, was organized in 1825, from Fulton County, itself a portion of the original St. Clair County.
Like its neighbor to the south, Fulton County, for its Spoon River Drive, Knox County is also known for a similar scenic drive fall festival the first two weekends in October, the Knox County Drive.
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Knox County between its creation in 1825 and 1831
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Knox County between 1831 and 1839
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Knox County in 1839, when it was reduced slightly to its current size
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 720 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]
Climate and weather
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Galesburg have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1982 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.41 inches (36 mm) in January to 4.37 inches (111 mm) in July.[5]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Henry County - north
- Stark County - east
- Peoria County - southeast
- Fulton County - south
- Warren County - west
- Mercer County - northwest
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 274 | — | |
| 1840 | 7,060 | 2,476.6% | |
| 1850 | 13,279 | 88.1% | |
| 1860 | 28,663 | 115.9% | |
| 1870 | 39,522 | 37.9% | |
| 1880 | 38,344 | −3.0% | |
| 1890 | 38,752 | 1.1% | |
| 1900 | 43,612 | 12.5% | |
| 1910 | 46,159 | 5.8% | |
| 1920 | 46,727 | 1.2% | |
| 1930 | 51,336 | 9.9% | |
| 1940 | 52,250 | 1.8% | |
| 1950 | 54,366 | 4.0% | |
| 1960 | 61,280 | 12.7% | |
| 1970 | 61,280 | 0.0% | |
| 1980 | 61,607 | 0.5% | |
| 1990 | 56,393 | −8.5% | |
| 2000 | 55,836 | −1.0% | |
| 2010 | 52,919 | −5.2% | |
| Est. 2013 | 52,078 | −1.6% | |
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 55,836 people, 22,056 households, and 14,424 families residing in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile (30/km²). There were 23,717 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.86% White, 6.29% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 3.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.0% were of German, 14.1% American, 12.5% Swedish, 11.5% Irish and 10.9% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.5% spoke English and 2.4% Spanish as their first language.
There were 22,056 households out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.40% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.60% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the county, the population was spread out with 22.00% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,407, and the median income for a family was $44,010. Males had a median income of $32,151 versus $21,662 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,985. About 7.70% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 6.00% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Knox County is divided into twenty-one townships:
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. p. 177.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Monthly Averages for Galesburg, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
- ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
Further reading
- Charles C. Chapman and Co., History of Knox County, Illinois: Together with Sketches of the Cities, Villages and Townships; Record of its Volunteers in the Late War; Educational, Religious, Civil and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons and Biographical Sketches of the Subscribers; History of Illinois, Abstracts of the State Laws, Etc., Etc., Etc. Chicago: Blakely, Brown and Marsh, Printers, 1878.
- Fred R. Jelliff, Annals of Knox County: Commemorating Centennial of Admission of Illinois as State of the Union in 1818. Galesburg, IL: Republican Register Printing, 1918.
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and of the Presidents of the United States: Also Containing a History of the County from Its Earliest Settlement Up to the Present Time. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1886.
External links
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Mercer County | Henry County | | |
| Warren County |  |
Stark County | ||
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| Fulton County | Peoria County |
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