Sangamon county is located in almost the exact center of Illinois, about 200 miles southwest of
Chicago and 100 miles northeast of
St Louis. It was established in 1821.
The county seat is Springfield which is also the State Capital and the area abounds in Lincolnesque memorabilia in honor of the famed President, Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Ledger is the oldest bank in Illinois and the future President made his first deposit of $310 there in 1853.
The University of Illinois at Springfield is located here along with many other 2- and 4-year institutions.
On a nostalgic note, historic Route 66 passes through Springfield on its way to Santa Monica, CA.
The county population on July 1, 1999, was 191,306, an increase of 12,920 over the 1990 census.
For information on county government, contact the National Association of Counties Web site.
Additional information is available at these pages:
