Montgomery

Formed January 1, 1821 (24^th county)

Montgomery County (28,287), Hillsboro (5,869), Litchfield (6,781)

A unique 1872 courthouse was enlarged in 1912.  A justice center built in 1993 augments the courthouse.  The courthouse sits in a city square where Seward and Main streets come together.  The designer was G. B. Randall.  Illinois State Highway 127 passes one block east of the square.  The grounds feature a canon.  Hamilton was the county seat until 1823 when Hillsboro assumed that role.  The county was founded on January 1, 1821 out of Bond and Madison counties as the 24^th county.  American Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery is the namesake for the county.  Hillsboro is named for its geographical hilltop location. 

Montgomery County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a coroner, a clerk, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 14 Board Members (legislative.)  Seventeen Circuit Court Judges serve Montgomery, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Marion, and Shelby counties and a court clerk serves Montgomery County (judicial.) The county is in south central Illinois south of Springfield, Illinois and northeast of Saint Louis, Missouri.  The county center is 5.9 miles North of Hillsboro nearer Butler.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Sangamon, Shelby, Christian, Fayette, Bond, Madison, and Macoupin counties. 

The area of the county is 703 square miles.  It is 25 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 48 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 40.2 persons per square mile making it 59 out of 102 in the state.  Montgomery County has 74.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 55 goes north to southwest in the county from Sangamon County to Macoupin County.  The county is shaped like an overstuffed chair facing east.  Hillsboro is located southwest quarter of the county.  Litchfield is located in the southwest quarter near the western border.  Hillsboro is the county seat and Litchfield is the largest city.  Hillsboro is 20.8% of the county population while Litchfield is 24.0% of the county population.