Perry County, Illinois

Perry County Education, Geography, and History

Perry County is a county located in the state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 22,350. Perry County was created on January 29, 1827. The county seat is Pinckneyville. The county is named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819), American naval officer who led the victorious American forces at the Battle of Lake Erie.

Etymology - Origin of Perry County Name

The county is named for Commodore Oliver H. Perry, won distinction in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Perry County History

Perry County was created on January 29, 1827 (Laws, 1827, p. 110) and was formed from Jackson and Randolph Counties. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: Jackson County (1816-1827), Randolph County (1795-1827) and St. Clair County (1790-1803).

The County was named for Oliver Hazard Perry, a Commodore of the United States Navy, who won distinction as Commander of the fleet in the battle of Lake Erie, in 1813. The County Seat is Pinckneyville (1827-Present)-Not officially approved until June, 1828.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 447 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 442 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km2) (1.2%) is water.

Perry County is located in Southwestern Illinois. Pinckneyville, at the center of the county, is approximately 70 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri and 300 miles southwest of Chicago. The Mississippi River lies about 30 miles west of the County. Pyramid State Recreation Area is located in this county.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• North: Washington County
• Northeast: Jefferson County
• Southeast: Franklin County
• South: Jackson County
• West: Randolph County

Education

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