Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city of 18,014 people in Morgan County, Illinois, founded in 1825.
Why visit Jacksonville
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 39 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include RMC Stadium Cinemas, Illinois Theater, Jacksonville Historic District and Jacksonville Public Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Jacksonville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city and the county seat of Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,616 at the 2020 census, down from 19,446 in 2010. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, and was formerly home to MacMurray College. Jacksonville is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Morgan and Scott counties.
From the Wikipedia article Jacksonville, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
RMC Stadium Cinemas
Cinema and theater · 2.1 mi
2199 South Main Street, South Jacksonville
Museums and landmarks12
Jacksonville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Illinois, USA
Jacksonville Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Public library in Jacksonville, Illinois
201 West College Avenue, Jacksonville
Ayers Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Jacksonville, Illinois, United States
Beecher Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
Benjamin Henry Grierson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Jacksonville Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville Labor Temple
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Jacksonville, Illinois, United States
Joseph Duncan House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Morgan County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Local government building in the United States
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Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes39
Pick Me Up Liquor
Brewery and winery · 1.6 mi
1857 South Main Street, Jacksonville
Mo-Th 09:00-23:00; Fr, Sa 09:00-24:00; Su 10:00-21:00
27 more on the map.
History
Jacksonville was established by European Americans on a 160-acre (65 ha) tract of land in the center of Morgan County in 1825, two years after the county was founded. The founders of Jacksonville were settlers from New England, descended from the English Puritans who had settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory, during the early 1800s. Most of them arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal and the end of the Black Hawk War.
When they arrived in what is now Jacksonville, there was only dense forest and wild prairie. The "Yankee" New Englanders laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings, and established post routes. They brought certain values with them, such as a passion for education and establishing many schools, as well as a staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church, though some were Episcopalian. Due to the Second Great Awakening, some of them had converted to Methodism and Presbyterianism, while some others became Baptist, before moving to what is now Jacksonville. For most of its early history, Jacksonville, like some other parts of Illinois, would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture.
From the History section of Jacksonville, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Churches and places of worship19
First Christian Church
Church · 2.0 mi
2106 South Main Street, South Jacksonville
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries32
Life (Learning In Functional Envi
School · 1.0 mi
936 W Michigan Ave, Jacksonville
South Jacksonville Elem School
School · 1.3 mi
1700 S West St, South Jacksonville
Special Ed And Student Services
School · 0.4 mi
3 W Central Park Plz, Jacksonville
Healthcare7
Map of Jacksonville
147 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 18°F | 2.2 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 21°F | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 40°F | 4.5 in |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 5.1 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 65°F | 4.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 3.3 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 3.8 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 43°F | 3.1 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 23°F | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jacksonville 2 (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
Morgan County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Jacksonville Municipal Airport (IJX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- South Jacksonville 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Woodson 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Chapin 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Murrayville 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Franklin 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Arenzville 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Winchester 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Chatham 29 mi east, about 47 min by car
- Springfield 32 mi east, about 51 min by car
- Godfrey 54 mi south, 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
- JacksonvilleILSquare 2006, User:Dailynetworks, Public domain
- Jacksonville Public Library, Nyttend, Public domain
- Illinois School For the Deaf, Willjay, CC BY 3.0
- Beecher Hall, Illinois College, Attribution
- Morgan County Courthouse, Jacksonville, Nyttend, Public domain
- Joseph Duncan House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jacksonville Square (35036305361), Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Ayers Bank Building in Jacksonville, Nyttend, Public domain
- Benjamin Henry Grierson House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Jacksonville Labor Temple, Nyttend, Public domain
- A photo from the inside of the Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, Bran890, CC BY-SA 4.0
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