Madison

Formed December 17, 1818 (12^th county)

Madison County (12,627), Fredericktown (4,435)

The outstanding red brick Romanesque Revival courthouse with a stone base and tower was erected in 1900.  It is in a Court Square where Main Street goes around the courthouse.  United States Highway 67 Business is Main Street in this part of the town.  The insides have wood floors and a wooden staircase.  On the grounds is a statue of Old Abe, the War Eagle, commemorating civil war tales.  There was an 1821 courthouse earlier in Fredericktown, the only county seat.  The courthouse was designed by Theodore C. Link.  Madison County was formed on December 17, 1818 from Cape Girardeau County as the 12^th county.  It is named for United States President James Madison.  The county seat is named for a settler friend, Colonel George Frederick Bollinger.  He is also the namesake of Bollinger County. 

Madison County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Madison, Saint Francois, Sainte Genevieve, and Washington counties and One County Court Judge serves Madison County.  The county is in southeast Missouri.  Saint Louis, Missouri is north and Springfield, Missouri is west of the county.  The county center is 6.8 miles Southwest of Fredericktown.  The county is surrounded clockwise by St. Francois, Perry, Bollinger, Wayne, and Iron counties. 

The area of the county is 497 square miles.  It is 84 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 74 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 25.4 persons per square mile making it 68 out of 115 in the state.  Madison County has 40.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 67 passes north to south in the county from St. Francois County to Wayne County.  The county is an overall rectangle.  Fredericktown is in the northern quarter of the county.  Fredericktown is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 35.1% of the county population.

Marquand