Why visit Harristown
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 1 place to stay in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Harristown
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Harristown
Harristown is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,310 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Harristown, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Where to stay1
Americas Best Value Inn
Motel and hotel · 1.6 mi
333 North Wyckles Road, Decatur
Churches and places of worship3
West Decatur Church of God
Church · 1.5 mi
4500 West Main Street, Decatur
Schools, colleges and libraries12
History
The village was named in honor of Major Thomas L. Harris, who was elected and served as Major of the Fourth Illinois Regiment in the Mexican–American War, and who was afterward a member of Congress from 1849 to 1858.
The first settlers arrived in 1828 and began building log cabins and improving land around the area. 1841 saw the building of the township's first schoolhouse, a log building, and served as both the school and as a place of worship until 1853 when the first church was built. Harristown was along the main line of the Wabash Railroad, which contributed to increased population and business.
Harristown was the first Illinois home of Abraham Lincoln. His family settled alongside the Sangamon River 4 miles (6 km) south of the present village in 1830 for a little over a year before relocating due to the harsh winter and extreme sickness. Lincoln and his family constructed a log cabin and fenced in 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land, planting corn in the fenced land. During that winter, Lincoln, together with his stepmother's son, John D. Johnston, and John Hanks were hired by Denton Offutt to build a flatboat and navigate it from Beardstown, Illinois, down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. It was during this time that Lincoln saw slavery first-hand for the first time.
From the History section of Harristown, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Harristown
17 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 20°F | 2.4 in | 5.9 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 24°F | 2.0 in | 2.5 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 33°F | 2.6 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 43°F | 4.1 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 74°F | 54°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 65°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 57°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 46°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 34°F | 3.2 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 25°F | 2.4 in | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Decatur Wtp Hcn (6 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
Macon County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Decatur Airport (DEC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Decatur 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Forsyth 8 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- Clinton 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Taylorville 24 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Bement 26 mi east, about 43 min by car
- Lincoln 27 mi northwest, about 43 min by car
- Grandview 30 mi west, about 48 min by car
- Atlanta 30 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Springfield 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Chatham 36 mi west, about 57 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
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.