Brown

Formed January 1, 1839 (73^rd county)

Brown County (6,247), Mount Sterling (1,998)                

The Neo-Classical red brick courthouse was built in 1868 and rebuilt in 1939.  It sits in a town square surrounded by Capitol and North streets and East and West Court streets.  United States Highway 24 is one block south of the site.  David House was the original architect and Raymond G. Johnson designed the rebuild.  The building features columns and the grounds have veteran memorials.  The county was carved from Schuyler County on January 1, 1839 as the 73^rd county with Mount Sterling as the only county seat.  The county is named for War of 1812 hero General Jacob Brown.  The county seat’s name was established by a settler for the “sterling soil.” 

Brown County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Commissioners.  Thirteen Circuit Court Judges serve Brown, Adams, Calhoun, Cass, Mason, Menard, Pike, and Schuyler counties.  The county is in western Illinois.  The Illinois River forms its eastern border.  Springfield, Illinois is directly east and St. Louis, Missouri is south of the county.  The county center is 5.5 miles Southeast of Mount Sterling.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Schuyler, Cass, Morgan, Pike, and Adams counties. 

The area of the county is 305 square miles.  It is 91 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 92 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 20.5 persons per square mile making it 92 out of 102 in the state.  Brown County has 41.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 24 crosses northeast to west in the county from Schuyler County to Adams County.  The county’s shape resembles an overstuffed chair facing east.  Mount Sterling is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Mount Sterling is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.0% of the county population.

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