De Soto, Illinois
De Soto is a village of 1,654 people in Jackson County, Illinois, founded in 1854.
Why visit De Soto
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails and 1 place to eat in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in De Soto
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About De Soto
De Soto is a village in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,407 at the 2020 census. It is named for Hernando de Soto, the discoverer of the Mississippi River.
From the Wikipedia article De Soto, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes1
Gresa's Cafe
Restaurant · American, Diner, Breakfast, Burger, Italian, Soup, Salad, Sandwich, Wings, Fries
108 United States Highway 51, De Soto
Churches and places of worship5
History
De Soto was laid out in 1854 when the railroad was extended to that point. The village's name honors Hernando de Soto (c. 1496/1497–1542), a Spanish conquistador who explored the region in 1541–2. A post office has been in operation at De Soto since 1855.
De Soto was largely destroyed by the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925. Sixty-nine people died in De Soto when approximately 30% of the town was destroyed, and of this total 33 were children at a local school that collapsed from the winds. The tornado affected Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 and injuring over 2,000.
From the History section of De Soto, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Map of De Soto
21 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 25°F | 2.8 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 28°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 36°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 5.3 in |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 5.0 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 64°F | 4.1 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 68°F | 3.6 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 56°F | 2.9 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 45°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.9 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 3.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Carbondale Southern Il Ap (3 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
Jackson County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2009-07-02: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southern Illinois Airport (MDH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Carbondale 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Cambria 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Carterville 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Crainville 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Herrin 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Christopher 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Marion 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Cobden 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Benton 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Anna 25 mi south, about 39 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
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
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