Massac County, Illinois

History

This area was occupied by various cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years before European contact. The most complex and last was that of the Mississippian culture, which built the complex mounds and plaza at the Kincaid Site (now a National Historic Landmark). They abandoned the site in about 1500, centuries before European contact.

Part of the Illinois Country was claimed by French explorers; this area was barely settled, with most French colonial villages close to the Mississippi River. During the French and Indian War against the British, the French built a fort here in 1757. It was named Fort Massac after Claude Louis d'Espinchal, Marquis de Massiac, the French Naval Minister. Massiac is a commune in Cantal, France. Although beginning to be settled by Americans after the American Revolution, Massac County was formally organized on February 8, 1843, out of territory from both Johnson and Pope counties. In the mid-19th century, after the revolutions of 1848, the Midwest received many German immigrants. Their descendants today comprise nearly one-third of the population of the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 242 square miles (630 km²), of which 237 square miles (610 km²) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km²) (1.9%) is water.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Metropolis have ranged from a low of 25 °F (−4 °C) in January to a high of 90 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −21 °F (−29 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.00 inches (76 mm) in August to 4.76 inches (121 mm) in May.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

2010

Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

2000

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 15,429 people, 6,362 households, and 4,242 families residing in the county. The population density was 65.0 inhabitants per square mile (25.1/km²). There were 7,113 housing units at an average density of 30.0 per square mile (11.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.0% white, 5.9% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.7% were German, 16.1% were Irish, 8.5% were English, and 8.5% were American.

Of the 6,362 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 42.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,077 and the median income for a family was $51,794. Males had a median income of $46,231 versus $25,717 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,216. About 9.7% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

Village

Unincorporated communities