Hardin County, Illinois

Infobox U.S. County
county = Hardin County
state = Illinois


seallink =


map size = 150
founded = 1839
seat = Elizabethtown
largest city = Rosiclare
area_total_sq_mi = 182
area_total_km2 = 470
area_land_sq_mi = 178
area_land_km2 = 462
area_water_sq_mi = 3
area_water_km2 = 8
area percentage = 1.76%
census yr = 2000
pop = 4800
density_sq_mi = 27
density_km2 = 10
time zone = Central
UTC offset = -6
DST offset= -5
footnotes =
web = |

Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population was 4,800. Its county seat is Elizabethtown, IllinoisGR|6.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 182 square miles (470 km²), of which, 178 square miles (462 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (1.76%) is water.

Hicks Dome (coord|37.53139|N|88.36833|W) is an interesting geological feature in Hardin County. Some believe the dome may be related to an ancient meteor or comet impact, a part of the 38th parallel structures, a string of geological features running to Kansas. Some believe this to be a string of impact craters from a body that broke apart prior to hitting the earth.Fact|date=February 2007 The Hicks Dome is underlain by ultramafic igneous rocks and igneous diatremes or breccia pipes. Most geologists currently accept the theory that the older rocks at the center of the uplift are related to this deep seated igneous activity. This igneous activity may have also provided the fluorine for the fluorspar deposits in this region.

Fluorspar, or calcium fluoride, was mined in Hardin County until the early 1990s.

Adjacent counties

*Gallatin County - north
*Union County, Kentucky - east
*Crittenden County, Kentucky - east
*Livingston County, Kentucky - southwest
*Pope County - west
*Saline County - northwest

National protected area

* Shawnee National Forest (part)

History

Hardin County was formed in 1839 out of Pope County. Additional territory was later attached from Gallatin County.

Hardin County was named for Hardin County, Kentucky, which was named for John Hardin, an officer in the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War. John Hardin was killed by Shawnee Indians in 1792 in what is now Shelby County, Ohio.

The County, and particularly Cave-In-Rock, was a stronghold for outlaws, bandits, pirates, and counterfeiters.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1900= 7448
1910= 7015
1920= 7533
1930= 6955
1940= 7759
1950= 7530
1960= 5879
1970= 4914
1980= 5383
1990= 5189
2000= 4800
footnote= [http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/il190090.txt IL Counties 1900-1990] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,800 people, 1,987 households, and 1,367 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 2,494 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.42% White, 2.75% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.48% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.4% were of American, 16.6% English, 14.5% German and 11.3% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 98.5% spoke English as their first language.

There were 1,987 households out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county the population was spread out with 20.40% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,693, and the median income for a family was $31,625. Males had a median income of $32,414 versus $17,091 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,984. About 14.70% of families and 18.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.60% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

*Cave-In-Rock
*Elizabethtown
*Rosiclare

Census designated places

*Karbers Ridge
*Lamb

References

* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhardin/hch.htm History of Hardin County]

External links

* [http://www.hardincountyil.org Hardin County tourism page]