Hamilton

Formed January 1, 1821 (22^nd county)

Hamilton County (7,993), McLeansboro (2,643)

The tan brick courthouse built in 1938 is in Art Deco style.  Illinois State Highway 142 passes directly in front of the building.  It is located on a square at Jackson, Main, Sloan, and Locust streets.  William R. McCoy is the building designer.  It sits on a hill in the city.  There was an earlier courthouse which burned in 1878.  The county was founded on January 1, 1821 out of White County as the 22^nd county with McLeansboro as the only county seat.  It is named for American Statesman Alexander Hamilton.  William B. McLean donated the land for the city and was honored with its name.  Hamilton County was the birthplace of 1 Illinois Governor, John H. Steele. 

Hamilton County government consists of a sheriff and 4 Commissioners.  Twenty-one Circuit Court Judges serve Hamilton, Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties.  Hamilton County is in southeast Illinois.  Evansville, Indiana is east and Saint Louis, Missouri is west of the county.  The county center is 4 miles South-Southwest of McLeansboro.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wayne, White, Gallatin, Saline, Franklin, and Jefferson counties. 

The area of the county is 434 square miles.  It is 66 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 89 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 18.4 persons per square mile making it 96 out of 102 in the state.  Hamilton County has 42.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county is a rectangle.  McLeansboro is located near the center of the county.  McLeansboro is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 33.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Mount Vernon Micropolitan Statistical Area.