America, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
America, Illinois
|
|
|---|---|
 America, Illinois
Location in Illinois
America, Illinois
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Pulaski |
| Elevation | 354 ft (108 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 618 |
| GNIS feature ID | 422407 |
America is a small place in Pulaski County, Illinois, in the United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a town or village that doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it's managed by the county. America is located about 5 miles (8 kilometers) northeast of Mound City.
Contents
Discovering America, Illinois
America, Illinois, is a quiet spot with a rich history. It's not a big city, but it played an important role in the early days of Illinois. Understanding its past helps us learn about how places grow and change over time.
A Look at Its History
America was founded partly by a businessman named Justus Post. He was an entrepreneur, which means he was someone who started businesses and took on financial risks. Post had already helped build a community near St. Louis, Missouri. Today, that place is known as Chesterfield, Missouri. He wanted to create a similar successful community in Illinois.
Early County Seat
When Alexander County, Illinois was first created in 1819, America was chosen as its county seat. A county seat is like the main town of a county. It's where the county government offices are located. Important decisions for the county are made there. America remained the county seat until 1833. At that time, another town called Unity took over this important role.
Becoming Part of Pulaski County
Later, in 1843, a new county was formed. This new area was named Pulaski County. When the county lines were redrawn, America became a part of this brand new county. This shows how towns can change which county they belong to as areas develop and new boundaries are set.
