Carlinville, Illinois
Carlinville is a city of 5,480 people in Macoupin County, Illinois, founded in 1865.
Why visit Carlinville
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 12 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Marvel Theater, Carlinville Historic District and Carlinville Chapter House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 19°F.
Weather in Carlinville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Carlinville
Carlinville is a city in and the county seat of Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,710.
From the Wikipedia article Carlinville, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Carlinville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Carlinville Chapter House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
John C. Anderson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house located at 920 W. Breckenridge St. in Carlinville, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes12
The Wood Duck Bar and Grill
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
546 West Main Street, Carlinville
History
Carlinville is named for Thomas Carlin, seventh governor of Illinois, who as a member of the state legislature was instrumental in creating Macoupin County.
Carlinville has long been a site of Illinois history, and played host to many presidential hopefuls via campaign stops at a time in American history when railway routes produced many visits by politicians. Perhaps the largest and most important hallmark of Carlinville's history is its courthouse, the largest built outside of New York City at the time of its erection. Built in 1870 and designed by famous state capitol building architect Elijah E. Myers, the construction of Carlinville's courthouse produced its candidacy for the location of the state capitol. Locally, it is known as "The Million Dollar Courthouse" due to its cost overruns at the time it was built.
In the early 1900s Carlinville became the site of a great many Sears Catalog Homes. An entire neighborhood was constructed of the homes and was funded, in 1918, by Standard Oil of Indiana for its mineworkers in Carlinville, at a cost of approximately one million dollars. In gratitude, Sears, Roebuck named one of its house models the "Carlin". Today 149 of the original 156 homes still exist, the largest single repository of Sears Catalog Homes in the United States.
From the History section of Carlinville, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship13
The Roads Church - Carlinville
Church · Nondenominational · 1.6 mi
19453 Hurricane Drive, Carlinville
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare1
Map of Carlinville
61 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 19°F | 2.3 in | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 23°F | 2.1 in | 4.7 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 43°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 74°F | 54°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 55°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 44°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 33°F | 3.5 in | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 25°F | 2.3 in | 2.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Carlinville Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Macoupin County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for tornados.
- 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-10-03: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Saint Louis Regional Airport (ALN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.
- Benld 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Auburn 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Brighton 22 mi southwest, about 35 min by car
- Godfrey 29 mi southwest, about 47 min by car
- Chatham 29 mi north, about 47 min by car
- Alton 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Wood River 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Edwardsville 34 mi south, about 55 min by car
- Jacksonville 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Springfield 38 mi north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Carlinville banner, Coalfather, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anderson House Carlinville Front View Looking Up, Coalfather, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anderson House Carlinville Front View, Coalfather, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anderson House Carlinville Front View Porch, Coalfather, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Image The Carlinville Chapter House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Macoupin County Jail entrance, stannate, CC BY 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.