Southwestern Illinois RC&D, Inc.

Southwestern Illinois RC&D - Regional Info

Randolph County's motto "Where Illinois Began" is symbolic of the role this area played in the settlement of our State. Historians often begin their lectures about early Illinois with a brief mention of the French Jesuit missionary Father (Pere) Jacques Marquette and his 1673 expedition down the Mississippi River with the French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. In fact, however, Randolph County's history begins around 8000 B.C. with prehistoric hunters seeking refuge under a rock formation we now call the Modoc Rock Shelter. Early Indian tribes were still using this limestone bluff overhang for shelter as late as 1200 A.D. The Marquette & Jolliet expedition likely only set foot on Randolph County soil; but, in 1686 Robert de La Salle's Lieutenant Henri de Tonti scouted the Illinois Country for possible French trading post locations and did visit the area where the Village of Kaskaskia eventually developed. The French fleur-de-lis flew over the area from the late 1600's until the British accepted control of "New France" at Fort de Chartres following the end of the French & Indian War in 1763. The British Union Jack then flew over the area until the Revolutionary War when Colonel George Rogers Clark and his "Long Knives" captured Kaskaskia and Fort Gage on July 4, 1778 (Prairie du Rocher and Cahokia surrendered soon thereafter) and proclaimed the area to be called Illinois County as part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Governor Patrick Henry appointed Colonel John Todd as County Lieutenant and Civil Commandant and named Kaskaskia as the seat of civil government. Virginia eventually ceded its frontier holdings to the Continental Congress which, in 1787, established the Northwest Territory with General Arthur St. Clair presiding as Governor at Marietta, Ohio. In 1790, Governor St. Clair proclaimed what is now downstate Illinois to be called St. Clair County with Cahokia sharing a role in civil government with Kaskaskia. On October 5, 1795, roughly the southern half of then St. Clair County became Randolph County with Kaskaskia remaining as the seat of civil government.

Randolph County took its name from noted Revolutionary War soldier and statesman, U. S. Attorney General Edmund Randolph, a former Governor of Virginia. In 1800 the area became part of the newly-created Indiana Territory with Wm. Henry Harrison presiding as Governor at Vincennes. Then, in 1809, the Illinois Territory came into being with Ninian Edwards presiding as Governor at Kaskaskia. Illinois was finally admitted to the Union as a sovereign State in 1818 with Shadrach Bond named as Governor and the beloved Pierre Menard as Lieutenant Governor. Kaskaskia served as Illinois' first State Capital until 1820 when it was moved to Vandalia on the Kaskaskia River some 90 miles upstream. Kaskaskia continued as the Randolph County seat of government until the Flood of 1844 forced the County Seat to be relocated to Chester (Sparta also sought this designation!). In 1881 the Mississippi River broke through the "Narrows" and took over the Kaskaskia River channel leaving Kaskaskia as an 'island' on the Missouri side of the River. By 1901 the last surviving vestiges of Illinois' first State Capital, including the State House Building, had collapsed into the mighty Mississippi. The former Randolph County Courthouse met a kinder fate as it was later dismantled "brick by brick" and rebuilt as a schoolhouse in "new" Kaskaskia followed the relocated Village as it too was all but destroyed by more recent floods. Today, however, through diehard local efforts following the infamous Flood of 1993, visitors to Kaskaskia Island can see a restored Kaskaskia Bell Shrine ("The Liberty Bell of the West") and Church of The Immaculate Conception; and, off in the distance. . . that old brick schoolhouse!

Randolph County is justly proud of it many historic sites associated with the French Colonial era, the Revolutionary War, early Illinois statehood, the German immigration movement, Mississippi River steamboat days, the coming of the railroads, the Underground Slave Railroad/Civil Ware era, coal mining in southern Illinois, and such historical "tidbits" as Chester native Elzie Segar creating Popeye in 1929 and Sparta serving as the film location for the 1967 Hollywood movie "In The Heat Of The Night". Combined with numerous scenic and outdoor recreation attractions and amenities, these historic sites contribute much toward residents' overall quality of life and provide unlimited small business opportunities for entrepreneurs focused on tourism. Key industries in Randolph County include agriculture and agribusiness, including grain elevator & milling operations; coal mining and fabricated metal products; industrial equipment & process systems; rubber & plastic parts; construction and building material products; transportation & distribution; communications and utilities; retail & wholesale trade; healthcare & related support services; professional & technical services; education and human services; and, governmental units and institutions, including state prison & mental health facilities. The manufacture of "hvac" equipment has disappeared from the local industrial scene, while commercial printing & related graphic services and wearable goods still maintain a limited presence though pale in comparison to past decades.

Though much smaller in area (583 sq. mi.) than when created over 200 years ago, Randolph County's population has grown from 1,225 in 1800 to 34,583 in 1990 with occasional setbacks along the way. The County is represented by a 3-member Commission form of government and has 14 municipalities including Baldwin (village pop. 436); Chester (city pop. 8,204); Coulterville (village pop. 984); Ellis Grove (village pop. 353); Evansville(village pop. 844); Kaskaskia (village pop. 32); Percy (village pop. 925); Prairie du Rocher (village pop. 602); Red Bud (city pop. 3,007); Rockwood (village pop. 45); Ruma (village pop. 256); Sparta (city pop. 4,853); Steeleville (village pop. 2,059); and Tilden (village pop. 919). Randolph County is served by seven (7) school districts (Chester, Coulterville, Prairie du Rocher, Red Bud, Sparta, Steeleville and Trico), two (2) community college districts (Southwestern Illinois College and John A. Logan College), three (3) local hospitals (Chester Memorial, Red Bud Regional, and Sparta Community Hospital) and a county wide ambulance and 9-1-1 system. Transportation elements include two (2) community airports (Sparta's "Hunter Field" and Perryville MO), tow (2) railroads (Union Pacific and Canadian National/Illinois Central), two (2) navigable rivers with docking facilities (Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers), eight (8) two-land State highways (Rts 3,4, 14, 150, 153, 154, 155 and 159), and two (2) Mississippi River crossings (Chester Bridge and Ste. Genevieve-Modoc Ferry). Key utility providers include Dynegy/Illinois Power Co., Egyptian Electric Co-op, Verizon Communications, Egyptian Telephone Co-op, Harrisonville Telephone Co., Egyptian Water Co. and several municipal operations. Economic development efforts focused on business and industry retention, expansion, attraction, creation and transition ("REACT") are spearheaded by the Randolph County Dept. of Economic Development under the direction of the Randolph County Progress Committee Inc. This countywide organization works in concert with the Kaskaskia Regional Port District (KRPD), Mid America Workforce Investment Board, Western Egyptian EOC, Southwestern Illinois RC&D, SW IL RPC & EDD, Southwestern Illinois Tourism & Convention Bureau, Randolph County Tourism Committee, four (4) local Chambers of Commerce (Chester, Red Bud, Sparta, and Steeleville), and local communities interested in promoting their industrial parks and building space, tax increment financing "TIF" districts (Chester, Sparta and Steeleville), and ongoing downtown revitalization efforts.

For inquires on Randolph County "Where Illinois Business Began! Where Opportunities Never End!" contact: Edward R. Crow, Director/Randolph County Dept. of Economic Development at (618) 826-5000x 221, Fax (618) 826-3750 or email rndlfedc@egyptian.net.

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