Mason

Formed January 1, 1841 (90^th county)

Mason County (13,091), Havana (2,963)

The Federalist style structure was built in 1882 using the designs of William M. Allen.  This tan brick building is located on a square at Plum, Main, Broadway and Market streets.  United States Highway 136 is five blocks south of the site.  The building was enlarged in 1954 and remodeled in 1961.  The grounds feature veteran memorials.  The county was created on January 1, 1841 from parts of Tazewell and Menard counties as the 90^th county.  Both Bath and Havana have served as the county seat.  It is named for American Statesman George Mason from Virginia who is the Bill of Rights advocate.  Havana is named for Havana, Cuba. 

Mason County government consists of a sheriff and 8 Commissioners.  Thirteen Circuit Court Judges serve Mason, Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Menard, Pike, and Schuyler counties.  Mason County is in western Illinois on the Illinois River.  Springfield, Illinois is southeast and Peoria, Illinois is northeast of the county.  The county center is 10.1 miles Southeast of Havana nearer Easton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Tazewell, Logan, Menard, Cass, Schuyler, and Fulton counties. 

The area of the county is 539 square miles.  It is 48 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 81 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.3 persons per square mile making it 85 out of 102 in the state.  Mason County has 61.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 136 goes east to west in the county Logan to Fulton counties.  The county is shaped like a scoop.  Havana is on the western border of the county on the Illinois River.  Havana is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.6% of the county population.