Williamson

Formed February 28, 1839 (85^th county)

Williamson County (67,154), Marion (16,855)                

The Modern light brown brick courthouse was built in 1971 to replace a classic 1888 courthouse.  The facility is at Jefferson and Van Buren streets.  Illinois State Highway 37 is four blocks west of the site.  Clark, Altay, and Associates are the courthouse architects.  The building was enlarged in 1985.  An Administration building is across the street.  The county was formed on February 28, 1839 out of Franklin County as the 85^th county with Marion as the only county seat.  The county is dual named for Williamson County, Tennessee and for Revolutionary War hero, Doctor Hugh Williamson.  The county seat is named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.  He is also the namesake of Marion County. 

Williamson County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Twenty-one Circuit Court Judges serve Williamson, Alexander, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, and Union counties.  The county is in southern Illinois.  Saint Louis, Missouri is northwest and Paducah, Kentucky is southeast of the county.  The county center is in Marion 3.3 miles Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Franklin, Saline, Pope, Johnson, Union, and Jackson counties. 

The area of the county is 420 square miles.  It is 68 out of 102 in the state.  It ranks 22 out of 102 in population in the state.  It has a density of 159.9 persons per square mile making it 18 out of 102 in the state.  Williamson County has 67.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 57 travels north to south through the county from Franklin County to Johnson County.  United States Highway 45 clips the southeast corner from Saline County, east to Johnson County, south.  The county is a rectangle with Marion located slightly south of the county’s center but it extends into Johnson County.  Marion is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Marion-Herrin Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Stonefort