Morgan

Formed January 1, 1823 (28^th county)

Morgan County (32,917), Jacksonville (17,625)

A unique French Renaissance stone building was constructed in 1870.  It was restored in 2009.  It is on State Street at West Street.  United States Highway 67 is eight blocks south.  Gordon P. Randall is the building architect.  The grounds feature veteran memorials.  Morgan County was formed on January 1, 1823 from Greene and Sangamon counties as the 28^th county.  Olmsted’s Mound was the first county seat followed by Jacksonville in 1825.  Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan provided the inspiration for the county name.  General Andrew Jackson is the namesake for the county seat.  Morgan County was the birthplace of 1 Illinois Governor, Richard Yates, Jr. 

Morgan County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Twenty-two Circuit Court Judges serve Morgan, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Sangamon, and Scott counties.  The county is in western Illinois directly west of Springfield, Illinois.  The northwest arm of the county touches the Illinois River.  The county center is in Jacksonville .3 miles East of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Cass, Sangamon, Macoupin, Green, Pike, Scott, and Brown counties. 

The area of the county is 568 square miles.  It is 42 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 46 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 58.0 persons per square mile making it 43 out of 102 in the state.  Morgan County has 77.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 72 crosses east to west through the county from Sangamon County to Scott County.  United States Highway 36 is combined with Interstate Highway 72 from Sangamon to Scott counties.  United States Highway 67 enters the county at its northwest corner, Cass County, and exits southwest, Scott County.  The county is shaped like a fat pistol facing west.  Jacksonville is located in the northern half of the county.  Jacksonville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 53.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area.

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