Wabash County | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 38°26′N87°50′W / 38.44°N 87.84°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Illinois |
Founded | 1824 |
Named for | Wabash River |
Seat | Mount Carmel |
Largest city | Mount Carmel |
Area | |
• Total | 228 sq mi (590 km2) |
• Land | 223 sq mi (580 km2) |
• Water | 4.3 sq mi (11 km2) 1.9% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,361 |
• Estimate (2021) | 11,202 |
• Density | 50/sq mi (19/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 12th |
Wabash County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 11,361. [1] Its county seat is Mount Carmel. [2] It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".
Wabash County was formed in 1824 out of Edwards County. This averted to an armed confrontation between the militias of Albion and Mt. Carmel after the county seat was moved from a town near the current city of Mount Carmel to Albion.
The county is named for the Wabash River, which forms its eastern and southern borders. The name "Wabash" is an English spelling of the French name for the river, "Ouabache."' French traders named the river after the Miami Indian word for the river, "Wabashike," (pronounced "Wah-bah-she-keh"), the word for "pure white." Much of the river bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.
A 329 acres (1.33 km2) remnant of the county's original Eastern Woodlands ecosystem can be found in the Forest of the Wabash, located within the county's Beall Woods State Park.
In the 1920s a notable hotel and resort operated in Wabash County nearby the Grand Rapids Dam on the Wabash River. Named the Grand Rapids Hotel, it was owned by Frederick Hinde Zimmerman. During the hotel's nine-year existence, it catered to individuals from all over the United States. In July 2011, John Matthew Nolan published a detailed history of the Grand Rapids Hotel.
On the morning of April 18, 2008, at 4:37am local time, one of the largest earthquakes in Illinois history hit the area. The epicenter of this tremor was in Lick Prairie Township, near the middle of the county. The tremor was felt for a wide radius, more than 400 miles away in Nebraska. [3]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 228 square miles (590 km2), of which 223 square miles (580 km2) is land and 4.3 square miles (11 km2) (1.9%) is water. [4] It is the fifth-smallest county in Illinois by area.
Two rivers, the Wabash River to the east and the Little Wabash River to the west join at the southern tip of the county; the Little Wabash separating the two counties, Wabash County from the Edwards County.
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Carmel have ranged from a low of 21 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −19 °F (−28 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.73 inches (69 mm) in February to 5.12 inches (130 mm) in May. [5]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1830 | 2,710 | — | |
1840 | 4,240 | 56.5% | |
1850 | 4,690 | 10.6% | |
1860 | 7,313 | 55.9% | |
1870 | 8,841 | 20.9% | |
1880 | 9,945 | 12.5% | |
1890 | 11,866 | 19.3% | |
1900 | 12,583 | 6.0% | |
1910 | 14,913 | 18.5% | |
1920 | 14,034 | −5.9% | |
1930 | 13,197 | −6.0% | |
1940 | 13,724 | 4.0% | |
1950 | 14,651 | 6.8% | |
1960 | 14,047 | −4.1% | |
1970 | 12,841 | −8.6% | |
1980 | 13,713 | 6.8% | |
1990 | 13,111 | −4.4% | |
2000 | 12,937 | −1.3% | |
2010 | 11,947 | −7.7% | |
2020 | 11,361 | −4.9% | |
2023 (est.) | 10,942 | [6] | −3.7% |
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010-2013 [1] |
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,947 people, 5,012 households, and 3,310 families residing in the county. [11] The population density was 53.5 inhabitants per square mile (20.7/km2). There were 5,585 housing units at an average density of 25.0 per square mile (9.7/km2). [4] The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 0.6% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. [11] In terms of ancestry, 25.6% were German, 12.3% were English, 11.7% were American, and 8.4% were Irish. [12]
Of the 5,012 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.0% were non-families, and 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 42.0 years. [11]
The median income for a household in the county was $46,026 and the median income for a family was $55,611. Males had a median income of $44,932 versus $28,292 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,350. About 7.2% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over. [13]
Wabash County is one of 17 Illinois counties that use the term precinct instead of township.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 4,237 | 75.57% | 1,253 | 22.35% | 117 | 2.09% |
2016 | 4,047 | 74.07% | 1,151 | 21.07% | 266 | 4.87% |
2012 | 3,478 | 67.74% | 1,590 | 30.97% | 66 | 1.29% |
2008 | 3,254 | 56.16% | 2,462 | 42.49% | 78 | 1.35% |
2004 | 4,212 | 70.13% | 1,752 | 29.17% | 42 | 0.70% |
2000 | 3,406 | 61.84% | 1,987 | 36.07% | 115 | 2.09% |
1996 | 2,381 | 45.15% | 2,177 | 41.28% | 716 | 13.58% |
1992 | 2,485 | 39.82% | 2,436 | 39.04% | 1,319 | 21.14% |
1988 | 3,453 | 60.30% | 2,241 | 39.14% | 32 | 0.56% |
1984 | 3,639 | 66.73% | 1,795 | 32.92% | 19 | 0.35% |
1980 | 3,571 | 61.18% | 1,975 | 33.84% | 291 | 4.99% |
1976 | 3,388 | 54.41% | 2,781 | 44.66% | 58 | 0.93% |
1972 | 4,310 | 68.35% | 1,985 | 31.48% | 11 | 0.17% |
1968 | 3,529 | 55.21% | 2,244 | 35.11% | 619 | 9.68% |
1964 | 2,905 | 43.84% | 3,721 | 56.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 4,261 | 58.55% | 3,013 | 41.40% | 4 | 0.05% |
1956 | 4,425 | 61.92% | 2,713 | 37.97% | 8 | 0.11% |
1952 | 4,246 | 61.38% | 2,661 | 38.47% | 10 | 0.14% |
1948 | 2,916 | 49.44% | 2,857 | 48.44% | 125 | 2.12% |
1944 | 3,496 | 52.95% | 3,026 | 45.83% | 81 | 1.23% |
1940 | 3,659 | 45.94% | 4,187 | 52.57% | 119 | 1.49% |
1936 | 2,860 | 39.59% | 4,214 | 58.33% | 150 | 2.08% |
1932 | 2,309 | 34.49% | 4,280 | 63.93% | 106 | 1.58% |
1928 | 2,373 | 37.26% | 3,955 | 62.10% | 41 | 0.64% |
1924 | 2,564 | 45.61% | 2,442 | 43.44% | 615 | 10.94% |
1920 | 2,871 | 52.40% | 2,514 | 45.88% | 94 | 1.72% |
1916 | 2,600 | 42.41% | 3,264 | 53.24% | 267 | 4.35% |
1912 | 601 | 18.08% | 1,676 | 50.41% | 1,048 | 31.52% |
1908 | 1,511 | 43.06% | 1,814 | 51.70% | 184 | 5.24% |
1904 | 1,298 | 44.57% | 1,300 | 44.64% | 314 | 10.78% |
1900 | 1,226 | 40.96% | 1,643 | 54.89% | 124 | 4.14% |
1896 | 1,321 | 42.22% | 1,739 | 55.58% | 69 | 2.21% |
1892 | 1,112 | 40.69% | 1,428 | 52.25% | 193 | 7.06% |
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Mount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2010 census, the population was 7,284, and it is the largest city in the county. The next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, population 475.
Perrysville is a town in Highland Township, Vermillion County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 456 at the 2010 census.
The White River is an American two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is 362 miles (583 km) long. Indiana's capital, Indianapolis, is located on the river. The two forks meet just north of Petersburg and empty into the Wabash River at Mount Carmel, Illinois.
The Mount Carmel Precinct is the largest of the eight precincts of Wabash County, Illinois. Roughly 85% of Wabash County's population resides in the precinct. Mount Carmel, Illinois, the county seat, is also the seat of the precinct.
The Grand Rapids Hotel also known as The Grand Rapids Resort, was a hotel that existed outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois, in Wabash County, Illinois, United States in Southern Illinois from 1922 to 1929. The hotel was located on the Wabash River next to the Grand Rapids Dam on land that was originally purchased by Thomas S. Hinde. Before the hotel was built, the property where the hotel was located was a site of a former homestead, and was used by Frederick Hinde Zimmerman for multiple small shops that sold goods to fisherman and tourists.
Frederick Hinde Zimmerman was an American banker, farmer, real estate entrepreneur, businessman, and hotel owner. Due to his large land holdings and expertise in farming, Zimmerman became a notable farmer, breeder, and real estate entrepreneur. Zimmerman's farm, originally purchased by his grandfather Thomas S. Hinde from the federal government in 1815, included the Grand Rapids Dam, Hanging Rock, and Buttercrust. His first experience running a business was in 1883 when he ran a grocery store in Fort Smith, Arkansas with his cousin Harry Hinde. Many of his businesses centered on his family farm, but in later years Zimmerman achieved success through his ownership and investment in mines, banks, and real estate. He also owned or invested in the Hanging Rock and Grand Rapids Dam Farm Company, the Grand Rapids Hotel Park Company, and the Wabash Bull-Frog Mines Company.
Ira Glenn Goodart was an American railroad conductor, hotel manager, county commissioner and county treasurer. Goodart was raised in Friendsville, Illinois, a small community outside of Mount Carmel, Illinois, in a German Catholic family. After trying a variety of menial jobs Goodart took a position on the New York Central Railroad as a conductor. He held the position with the New York Central until he lost his right leg during a violent train crash in the early 1920s.
Jacob Zimmerman was an Illinois state legislator, newspaper editor, and businessman. Zimmerman was a pioneer in the newspaper business in Illinois and Ohio, and a businessman who invested in mining, land, and banks in the Midwest. Zimmerman held a number of elected political offices in Illinois before his death in 1912.
Oscar Luscher Rapson was an American farmhand, hotel manager and store owner. Rapson is best known for being the first manager of the Grand Rapids Hotel, which was the first major resort on the Wabash River.
Hanging Rock is a natural sandstone rock formation overhanging the Wabash River in Wabash County, Illinois, in the United States. The rock formation is north of the town of Mount Carmel, Illinois, and located on land originally purchased by Thomas S. Hinde. The formation was formed while the glaciers melted and carved the landscapes of North America. The Native Americans were the first group of people to settle around Hanging Rock. Later the Hinde family purchased the property and used it for tourism and business.
It was the kind of tremor that might be ignored in earthquake-savvy California, but the temblor shook things up from Nebraska to Atlanta and rattled nerves in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky., where bricks toppled to the pavement... Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one with a magnitude of 4.6.