Jo Daviess

Formed January 1, 1827 (46^th county)

Jo Daviess County (22,042), Galena (3,313)

The unique features of this red/brown brick and masonry courthouse were created in 1839 and enlarged in 1899, 1970, and 1976.  It is on Bench Street and Meeker streets.  United States Highway 20 is eight blocks southwest of the courthouse.  Charles H. Royer is the building architect in Georgian Revival style.  Jo Daviess County was established on January 1, 1827 from Henry and Putnam counties as the 46^th county with Galena as the only county seat.  Battle of Tippecanoe hero Major Joseph Hamilton Daviess is the namesake for the county.  The county seat is named for the local lead ore. 

Jo Daviess County government consists of a sheriff and 17 Commissioners.  Thirteen Circuit Court Judges serve Jo Daviess, Carroll, Lee, Ogle, and Stephenson counties.  The county is in the northwest corner of the state on the border with both Wisconsin and Iowa.  Rockford, Illinois is east and Dubuque, Iowa is immediately across the river from the county’s northwest corner.  The Mississippi River forms the western border of the county.  The county center is 11.8 miles Southeast of Galena nearer Shapville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wisconsin and Stephenson and Carroll counties and Iowa. 

The area of the county is 600 square miles.  It is 35 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 53 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 36.7 persons per square mile making it 66 out of 102 in the state.  Jo Daviess County has 47.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 enters the county from the east, Stephenson County, and exits into Iowa.  United States Highways 61/151 cut the extreme northwest corner entering from Wisconsin and immediately turning west into Iowa.  The highest point in Illinois, Charles Mound, is in the county.  The county is shaped like a plow standing on its head.  Galena is in the far northwest part of the county.  Galena is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 15.0% of the county population.  The county is pronounced JOE DAE-VIS.  The county seat is pronounced GA-LEE-NA.

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