Shawneetown is a city in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,054 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Gallatin County.

History

The present town was established in 1937 after the Ohio River flood of 1937 inundated what is now Old Shawneetown, Illinois.

Geography

Shawneetown is located southeast of the center of Gallatin County. Illinois Route 13 passes through the city, leading southeast to the Ohio River and the Kentucky border at Old Shawneetown, and west to Harrisburg. It is located at the northeast edge of Shawnee National Forest.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Shawneetown had a population of 1,054. The median age was 46.6 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 468 households in Shawneetown, of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.0% were married-couple households, 20.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Notable people

  • John R. Anderson (1818–1863), Baptist minister and educator
  • Henry Rollmann (1853–1927), politician
  • William W. Wilshire (1830–1888), politician and judge

References

Further reading

  • 1887. History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin and Williamson Counties, Illinois. Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co.
  • Musgrave, Jon, ed. 2002. Handbook of Old Gallatin County and Southeastern Illinois. Marion, Ill.: IllinoisHistory.com. 464 pages.
  • Musgrave, Jon. 2004, Rev. ed. 2005. Slaves, Salt, Sex & Mr. Crenshaw: The Real Story of the Old Slave House and America's Reverse Underground R.R.. Marion, Ill.: IllinoisHistory.com. 608 pages.
  • Waggoner, Horace Q., interviewer. 1978. "Lucille Lawler Memoir" Shawneetown Bank Project. Sangamon State University. Springfield, Ill.
  • Shawneetown High School
  • Shawneetown history
  • Official website