Sangamon County, Illinois facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Sangamon" redirects here. For other uses, see Sangamon (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Sangamon County

U.S. county

Sangamon County Courthouse in 2017

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Illinois

Illinois's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Illinois

Founded

1821

Largest city

Springfield

Area

• Total

877 sq mi (2,270 km²)

• Land

868 sq mi (2,250 km²)

• Water

8.7 sq mi (23 km²) 1.0%

Population

(2020)

• Total

196,343

• Density

223.88/sq mi (86.44/km²)

Congressional districts

13th, 15th

Sangamon County is a place in the middle of Illinois, a state in the United States. It's like a big neighborhood with many towns and cities. In 2020, about 196,343 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Springfield, which is also the capital city of Illinois.

Sangamon County is part of the larger Springfield area. This means it's connected to nearby towns and cities for jobs and daily life.

History of Sangamon County

Lincoln Tomb

How Sangamon County Started

Sangamon County was created in 1821. It was formed from parts of Madison and Bond counties. The county got its name from the Sangamon River, which flows through it.

What Does "Sangamon" Mean?

The exact meaning of the name "Sangamon" is a bit of a mystery! One idea is that it comes from a word in the Pottawatomie language, Sain-guee-mon. This word might mean "where there is plenty to eat." Another idea is that French explorers named the river "St. Gamo" in the late 1600s. This was to honor an old French monk. The French way of saying "San-Gamo" might have become "Sangamon."

Abraham Lincoln's Connection to Sangamon County

Before he became President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was a politician in Sangamon County. He worked in the Illinois Legislature, which is like the state's law-making group. Lincoln and other leaders helped make Springfield the capital of Illinois. Springfield is the main city in Sangamon County. Lincoln also represented this area when he was in the US House of Representatives.

Other important people from Sangamon County include Colonel Edmund Dick Taylor. He was known as "Father of the Greenback" because of his work with money. Also, the rich businessmen Jacob Bunn and John Whitfield Bunn lived and worked here. Their actions helped shape the history of Sangamon County.

Geography and Nature

Where is Sangamon County?

Sangamon County covers about 877 square miles. Most of this area, about 868 square miles, is land. The rest, about 8.7 square miles, is water.

Weather in Sangamon County

The weather in Sangamon County changes throughout the year. In Springfield, the county seat, January is usually the coldest month. Temperatures can be around 17°F. July is the warmest, with temperatures around 87°F. The county has seen very cold days, like -24°F in 1905. It has also had very hot days, like 112°F in 1954. Rain and snow also vary, with May usually being the wettest month.

Main Roads and Transportation

Many important roads run through Sangamon County. These include major highways like Interstate 55 and Interstate 72. These roads help people travel easily across the county and to other parts of Illinois.

Interstate 55
Interstate 55 Business Loop
Interstate 72
U.S. Route 36
Illinois Route 4
Illinois Route 29
Illinois Route 54
Illinois Route 97
Illinois Route 104
Illinois Route 124
Illinois Route 123
Illinois Route 125

The county also has public transportation. The Sangamon Mass Transit District helps people get around Springfield and nearby areas. There is also the Springfield train station and bus stops for longer trips.

Neighboring Counties

Sangamon County shares borders with several other counties:

Menard County – to the north
Logan County – to the northeast
Macon County – to the east
Christian County – to the southeast
Montgomery County – to the south
Macoupin County – to the south
Morgan County – to the west
Cass County – to the northwest

Protected Natural Areas

Sangamon County has special places that are protected for their history or nature. These include:

Lincoln Home National Historic Site: This is where Abraham Lincoln lived before becoming president.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument: This site remembers an important historical event.
Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area: A state park for outdoor activities like fishing and boating.

People and Population

Who Lives in Sangamon County?

In 2010, there were about 197,465 people living in Sangamon County. Most people (83.6%) were white. About 11.8% were black or African American. Other groups included Asian people (1.6%) and American Indian people (0.2%). About 1.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many people in Sangamon County have German (29.4%), Irish (14.8%), or English (12.1%) backgrounds. The average age in the county was about 39.2 years old.

Families and Homes

In 2010, there were about 82,986 homes in Sangamon County. About 30.4% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. Many homes (44.4%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.33 people.

The median income for a family was about $66,917. This means half of the families earned more than this, and half earned less. About 13.4% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included about 19.7% of children under 18.

Cities and Towns

Sangamon County has several cities, villages, and smaller communities.

Cities in Sangamon County

Auburn
Leland Grove
Springfield (This is the main city and county seat.)
Virden

Villages in Sangamon County

Smaller Communities (Unincorporated)

These are places that are not officially cities or villages, but people live there.

Townships in Sangamon County

Sangamon County is also divided into smaller areas called townships. These help manage local services.

Auburn
Ball
Buffalo Hart
Capital
Cartwright
Chatham
Clear Lake
Cooper
Cotton Hill
Curran
Divernon
Fancy Creek
Gardner
Illiopolis
Island Grove
Lanesville
Loami
Maxwell
Mechanicsburg
New Berlin
Pawnee
Rochester
Springfield
Talkington
Williams
Woodside

Education in Sangamon County

Many school districts serve the students of Sangamon County. These districts provide education from kindergarten through 12th grade. Some of these schools might have their main offices in other counties, but they still serve parts of Sangamon County.

A-C Central Community Unit School District 262
Community Unit School District 16
Athens Community Unit School District 213
Auburn Community Unit School District 10
Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5
Edinburg Community Unit School District 4
Mount Pulaski Community Unit District 23
North Mac Community Unit School District 34
Pawnee Community Unit School District 11
Porta Community Unit School District 202
Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District 8
Riverton Community Unit School District 14
Rochester Community Unit School District 3A
Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District 9
Springfield School District 186
Tri-City Community Unit School District 1
Waverly Community Unit School District 6
Williamsville Community Unit School District 15

Historical Sites and Forts

Camp Butler: This is a historic site that was once a military camp.

Images for kids

Sangamon County from the time of its creation to 1823
Sangamon County between 1823 and 1825
Sangamon County between 1825 and 1839
Sangamon in 1839, when the creation of Logan and Menard Counties reduced it to its present borders