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.'
