Paris, Illinois
Paris is a city of 8,276 people in Edgar County, Illinois, founded in 1826.
Why visit Paris
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 3 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Paris Theatre, Paris Carnegie Public Library, Edgar County Courthouse and Eagle Ridge Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 17°F.
Weather in Paris
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Paris
Paris is a city in Edgar County, Illinois, United States. It is 165 miles (266 km) south of Chicago and 90 miles (140 km) west of Indianapolis. The population was 8,291 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat and largest city in Edgar County.
From the Wikipedia article Paris, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks9
Paris Carnegie Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Carnegie library in Paris, Illinois
207 South Main Street, Paris
Edgar County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Local government building in the United States
France Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel in Illinois, United States of America
Henry Clay Moss House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Paris IL, listed on the NRHP in Illinois
Paris Elks Lodge No. 812 Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Illinois, United States
Pine Grove Community Club
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Illinois, United States
Shaw-Van Gilder House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes3
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.8 mi
114 West Jasper Street, Paris
Mo-Fr 05:30-22:00; Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
History
Paris was established in 1826 on land donated by Samuel Vance to be the county seat, and was incorporated as a village in 1849. The town most likely received its name from the word "Paris" carved into a jack oak tree in the middle of what became the town and not after France's capital.
Paris's history includes the service of two brothers, Walter Booth and Newton Booth, as its mayors in the mid-1850s. Newton Booth later moved west to California, where he served as governor and a U.S. senator.
The commission form of government was adopted in 1915. In 1907, L. A. G. Shoaff bought the Centralia White Stockings and renamed them the Paris Colts. In 1908 the team was renamed the Paris Parisians. After the 1908 season the team went under. In the 1950s Paris was home to a minor league baseball team named the Paris Lakers. A contest was held among the community to decide on a name for the team. James C. Dickey's submission, the Paris Lakers, was chosen. The Lakers were the 1956 Midwest League Champions and were an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
From the History section of Paris, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship7
Shopping2
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare2
Map of Paris
52 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 17°F | 2.8 in | 8.6 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 20°F | 2.3 in | 3.6 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 29°F | 3.0 in | 2.0 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.9 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 43°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 3.7 in | 0.6 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 22°F | 2.9 in | 4.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Paris Stp 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
Edgar County has had 7 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)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Terre Haute Regional Airport (HUF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- Marshall 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Terre Haute 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Georgetown 25 mi north, about 41 min by car
- Casey 26 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- Charleston 27 mi west, about 44 min by car
- Catlin 31 mi north, about 50 min by car
- Arcola 33 mi west, about 53 min by car
- Oakwood 35 mi north, about 56 min by car
- Danville 37 mi north, about 59 min by car
- Mattoon 37 mi west, about 59 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
- 118 E. Court St., Paris, IL, Dclark, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 111 E. Washington St., Paris, IL, Dclark, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Paris-City-Hall-il, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 4.0
- Paris Carnegie Public Library, Nyttend, Public domain
- Old Paris High School, Nole4428, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pine Grove Community Club from west, Nyttend, Public domain
- Henry Clay Moss House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Edgar County Courthouse from southwest at dusk, Nyttend, Public domain
- Shaw-Van Gilder House, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS020-E-13640 - View of Illinois, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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