Washington County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington County
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Washington County Courthouse in Nashville
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Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
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 Illinois's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Illinois |
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| Founded | January 2, 1818 | |
| Named for | George Washington | |
| Seat | Nashville | |
| Largest city | Nashville | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 564 sq mi (1,460 km2) | |
| • Land | 563 sq mi (1,460 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.3 sq mi (3 km2) 0.2% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,761 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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13,536  |
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| • Density | 24.399/sq mi (9.420/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| Congressional district | 12th | |
Washington County is a place in the U.S. state of Illinois. It's like a big neighborhood or district. In 2020, about 13,761 people lived there. The main town, or "county seat," is Nashville. You can find Washington County in the southern part of Illinois, an area sometimes called "Little Egypt".
Contents
History of Washington County
Washington County was created on January 2, 1818. It was formed from parts of St. Clair County. The county was named after George Washington, a very important leader in American history.
Even though it's somewhat close to St. Louis, Missouri, Washington County is not part of the bigger St. Louis area. Early settlers came from Kentucky in the 1800s. Later, many immigrants arrived from countries like Germany, Poland, Ireland, and England. In 1959, the state opened the Washington County State Recreation Area for outdoor fun.
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Washington County when it was first created in 1818
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Washington County in 1824, after its borders changed
Geography and Climate
Washington County covers about 564 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. There are many lakes, rivers, and streams here. The Kaskaskia River forms the county's northern border.
Weather in Washington County
| Weather chart for Nashville, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2.2
38
22
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2.3
44
27
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3.5
56
35
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3.9
67
45
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4.1
76
55
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3.7
85
64
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3.7
88
68
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2.7
87
65
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3.2
80
58
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3
69
47
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3.8
54
37
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3
42
26
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
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Metric conversion
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The weather in Nashville, the county seat, changes with the seasons. In January, temperatures average around 22°F (about -5°C). In July, it gets warmer, with averages around 88°F (about 31°C). The county gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. In November 2013, a very strong tornado hit the area.
Transportation and Roads
You can get around Washington County using South Central Transit buses. Many important roads also pass through the county.
Major Highways
Interstate 64
U.S. Highway 51
Illinois Route 4
Illinois Route 13
Illinois Route 15
Illinois Route 127
Illinois Route 153
Illinois Route 160
Illinois Route 177
Neighboring Counties
Washington County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Clinton County (to the north)
- Marion County (to the northeast)
- Jefferson County (to the east)
- Perry County (to the south)
- Randolph County (to the southwest)
- St. Clair County (to the west)
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 1,517 | — | |
| 1830 | 1,675 | 10.4% | |
| 1840 | 4,810 | 187.2% | |
| 1850 | 6,953 | 44.6% | |
| 1860 | 13,731 | 97.5% | |
| 1870 | 17,599 | 28.2% | |
| 1880 | 21,112 | 20.0% | |
| 1890 | 19,262 | −8.8% | |
| 1900 | 19,526 | 1.4% | |
| 1910 | 18,759 | −3.9% | |
| 1920 | 18,035 | −3.9% | |
| 1930 | 16,286 | −9.7% | |
| 1940 | 15,801 | −3.0% | |
| 1950 | 14,460 | −8.5% | |
| 1960 | 13,569 | −6.2% | |
| 1970 | 13,780 | 1.6% | |
| 1980 | 15,472 | 12.3% | |
| 1990 | 14,965 | −3.3% | |
| 2000 | 15,148 | 1.2% | |
| 2010 | 14,716 | −2.9% | |
| 2020 | 13,761 | −6.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 13,536 | −8.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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In 2010, about 14,716 people lived in Washington County. Most people living here are white (97.7%). Other groups include Black or African American, Asian, and American Indian. About 1.3% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background. Many families in the county have German, Polish, Irish, or English roots. The average age of people in the county was 42.3 years.
Education in Washington County
There are six different school districts that serve the children and teens in Washington County:
- Oakdale CCSD 1
- West Washington County CUD 10
- Irvington CCSD 11
- Ashley CCSD 15
- Nashville CCSD 49
- Nashville Community High School District 99
Communities and Towns
Washington County has several cities, villages, and smaller communities.
Cities in Washington County
Villages in Washington County
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or villages:
Townships
Washington County is also divided into smaller areas called townships:
- Ashley
- Beaucoup
- Bolo
- Covington
- DuBois
- Hoyleton
- Irvington
- Johannisburg
- Lively Grove
- Nashville
- Oakdale
- Okawville
- Pilot Knob
- Plum Hill
- Richview
- Venedy
Media and News
If you want to know what's happening in Washington County, you can listen to the local radio station, WNSV, in Nashville. There are also two weekly newspapers: The Nashville News and The Okawville Times.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Washington (Illinois) para niños
