Union county was created in 1818, the same year Illinois became a state. It was formed from parts of Johnson County and later gave rise to Alexander County and part of Pulaski County.
The county is located in southern Illinois along the banks of the Mississippi River and is part of the "Little Egypt" section of Illinois.
Part of the Shawnee National Forest lies within the county's boundaries offering a multitude of recreational opportunities including horseback riding, picnicking and hiking.
The county seat is Jonesboro and the county population on July 1, 1999, was 18,023, an increase of 404 over the 1990 census. The Trail of Tears State Forest is located near the town, offering hiking, camping and other recreatiional opportunities.
For information on county government, contact the National Association of Counties Web site.
Additional information is available at these pages:
