Carthage, Illinois
Carthage is a city of 2,291 people in Hancock County, Illinois, founded in 1838.
Why visit Carthage
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails and 4 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Carthage Courthouse Square Historic District, Carthage Jail and Carthage Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 18°F, and about 23 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Carthage
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Carthage
Carthage is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 2,490 as of the 2020 census. Carthage is best known for being the site of the 1844 killing of Joseph Smith, who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
From the Wikipedia article Carthage, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Carthage Courthouse Square Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Illinois
Carthage Jail
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Museum in Carthage, Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes4
Churches and places of worship6
History
The first European-American settlers arrived in Carthage and in Hancock County in the first few decades of the 19th century. While sharing a name with the ancient city of Carthage, it is likely named more directly for Carthage, Tennessee. By 1833, they had erected simple buildings in Carthage. That year, a log cabin was built to serve as the county courthouse, and the county seat was moved from Montebello to Carthage. The town was platted in 1837.
The only person legally hanged in Hancock County, William Fraim, had been defended in his trial by roaming circuit attorney Abraham Lincoln. Fraim was found guilty of murder following a drunken brawl. Lincoln filed an appeal with the judge in the trial, which was as far as most appeals in those days went. Because Carthage then had no jail, Fraim was kept at the courthouse, which was next to the school. Fraim conversed with the children from his second-floor window. As a result of those conversations, most of the school children were present when their new friend was hanged. The hanging is believed to have taken place near the current city sewer plant east of town, where a natural amphitheater allowed for a crowd to view the spectacle.
From the History section of Carthage, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare1
Map of Carthage
29 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 7.6 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 22°F | 2.0 in | 6.3 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 32°F | 2.6 in | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 42°F | 4.1 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 33°F | 2.5 in | 1.4 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 5.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bentley (5 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
Hancock County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Keokuk Municipal Airport (EOK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Fort Madison 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Macomb 24 mi east, about 38 min by car
- Camp Point 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- Burlington 27 mi north, about 44 min by car
- Bushnell 34 mi east, about 55 min by car
- Quincy 36 mi south, about 58 min by car
- Beardstown 46 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Barry 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Hannibal 51 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Galesburg 54 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min 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
- Carthage city hall on Wabash, Nyttend, Public domain
- Hancock County Courthouse, Carthage, Nyttend, Public domain
- Carthage Jail from southwest, Nyttend, Public domain
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