County and city officials, and special guests, officially kicked off the 200th anniversary of McDonough County on the first floor of the courthouse Monday morning. On Jan. 25, 1826, McDonough County was officially created by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the Jan. 26 event, remarks were provided by County Board Chair Eric Blakely, Mayor Mike Inman, Sheriff Nick Petitgout and Western Illinois University English Professor Emeritus and Archivist John Hallwas. The Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce concluded with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, and the raising of the McDonough County flag at the Courthouse flag pole.
Blakely, who served as event emcee, shared a brief history about the early days of McDonough County.
Before Jan. 25, 1826, this area was also referred to as part of Madison County and part of Pike County, he told the audience.
'On Jan. 25, 1826, Judge Robert Young declared that his county had the required 350 good standing resident citizens to create our own local government and conduct elections for our own Board of Supervisors and Judge,' Blakely shared. 'We became what is known today as McDonough County.'
According to Blakely, McDonough County is the only square-sided county in the state, 24-miles by 24-miles, with 16 townships for equal government. Of the 370,000 acres that make up the county, approximately 270,000 are cultivated in some form of agriculture. The first election of officers was July 3, 1830, and on July 3, 1826, Macomb was selected to serve as the new county seat. Macomb Mayor Mike Inman noted that the county and city has had a long history of collaboration and partnership, going back to Commodore Thomas Macdonough and Gen.
Alexander Macomb during the war of 1812. Through the partnerships built and nurtured over the past 200 years, the two units of government continue to work together, he added.
Hallwas said during this bicentennial year, the many cultural aspects of the county, which have characterized residents' experiences for 200 years, will be emphasized as these make the county a 'very meaningful place to live.'
'Despite a cold winter morning, this day is a good time to express appreciation for our very fine McDonough County heritage. We live in a small town and rural area of Illinois, with a wonderful county tradition of high American values, deep sense of community, inspiring social concern and appreciation for our many committed residents of the past,' Hallwas told the crowd of 50+ gathered for the event.
Petitgout, before raising the county's flag on the west lawn of the courthouse's flag pole, concluded the ceremony with thanks to the county board for preserving the courthouse throughout the years.
'The foundation of the courthouse is the foundation of our county,' he added.
'Today, you sit in the center of the county, in a structure that has been here since the 1860s {Editor's Note: The courthouse's boiler is the original boiler that was installed in 1868}.'
Bicentennial Year Celebrations and Events Booklet
A variety of celebrations and events will be held throughout 2026. An event booklet will be published by the Community News Brief in late March/early April in partnership with the Bi-Centennial committee headed up by Dr.
John Hallwas and Kathy Nichols and including the McDonough County board chair Eric Blakely, Macomb Mayor Michael Inman, and numerous groups and organizations representing various communities within McDonough County. The Community News Brief will also feature special columns and stories highlighting the county's history through the Bicentennial year.
The History of McDonough County McDonough County, named for War Hero Commodore Thomas Macdonough, was created from territory that was part of Schuyler County. The county organization was completed June 14, 1830, and Macomb was appointed the county seat in 1831.
During the War of 1812 at the Battle of Plattsburgh, Gen. Alexander Macomb was in charge of the Army, while Commodore Thomas Macdonough was in charge of the Naval Battle on Lake Champlain, which was a decisive United States victory. On Sept. 11, 1814, American forces led by Macdonough defeated the British fleet on Lake Champlain, which forced the British land forces to retreat and abandon their invasion of northern New York. While Macdonough was protecting the U.S. by sea, Macomb led American land forces, successfully defending U.S. soil against British advances. The McDonough County region, which is part of nearly 5.4 million acres in western Illinois known as the 'Military Tract,' was settled by War of 1812 veterans, who were provided with free or discounted land. As such, the veterans who settled here named the city and the county out of respect for their War of 1812 command leaders. The Military Tract, located between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, encompasses Adams, Fulton, Hancock, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Pike, Schuyler and Warren counties.
The Ambassador Committee of the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce joined in a historically significant ribbon cutting Monday as McDonough County Illinois celebrated it’s bicentennial at the McDonough County Courthouse. Marking 200 years since it’s establishment on Jan. 25, 1826; the ribbon cutting kicks off a year-long series of events, activities, and ceremonies to honor the rich traditions and the people who paved the way for growth and progress.
Sheriff Nick Petitgout raised the county’s flag as part of the kickoff celebration
