Edwards

Formed January 1, 1814 (6^th county)

Edwards County (6,247), Albion (1,965)

A Georgian Revival red brick courthouse with working clock tower was built in 1854 on Main Street between 4^th and 5^th streets.  Main Street is Illinois State Highway 15.  The building was remodeled in 1888 and enlarged in 1997.  Elias Weaver is the building designer.  The grounds feature veteran memorials and a gazebo.  The county was founded on January 1, 1814 from parts of Gallatin and Madison counties as the 6^th county which were taking up most of the southern part of the state.  Palmyra was the first county seat followed by Albion in 1821.  The county is named for Governor Ninian Edwards.  He is also the source name for Madison County seat.  The county seat is named for an ancient name for Great Britain.  Edwards County was the birthplace of 1 Illinois Governor, Louis L. Emmerson. 

Edwards County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Twenty-one Circuit Court Judges serve Edwards, Crawford, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties.  The county is located in southeast Illinois touching the border with Indiana on the county’s southeast tip.  The Wabash River forms that border.  The county center is 3.9 miles North of Albion.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Richland and Wabash counties and Indiana and White and Wayne counties. 

The area of the county is 222 square miles.  It is 99 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 93 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 28.1 persons per square mile making it 77 out of 102 in the state.  Edwards County has 60.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county is a tall rectangle with a wandering eastern border.  Albion is in the south half of the county.  Albion is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 31.5% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced AL-BEE-ON.