ABOUT JACKSONVILLE



About Jacksonville

The City of Jacksonville is located in West Central Illinois, 35 miles west of Springfield, the State Capital, 235 miles southwest of Chicago, and 85 miles northeast of St. Louis. Jacksonville is the County Seat of Morgan County and is one of the oldest towns in the Land of Lincoln, founded in 1825.  Population, according to the 2010 Census, is 17,616.

The state's first Governor's Mansion is located in Jacksonville - The Governor Duncan Mansion - beautifully located in Duncan Park.  The mansion is open to the public for tours, all directed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Jacksonville boasts many grandeur historical homes aligning the streets of State Street and College Avenue.  We are a city where Abraham Lincoln spent time practicing law and visiting before becoming our 16th United States President.  Today, residents and visitors can enjoy Lincoln's history in the city through audio tours, called 'Looking for Lincoln.'

Jacksonville is proud to be the home of two state educational institutions - Illinois School for the Visually Blind and the Illinois School for the Deaf and home to two colleges - Illinois College and Lincoln Land Community College. Illinois College was the state's first college to confer a degree. These fine educational institutions bring a diverse population to the community and greatly enrich the city economically.  In its early years, Jacksonville became to be known as the "Athens of the Midwest' because of its commitment to education.

Jacksonville's manufacturing industry is strong today housing industries such as Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc., Nestle USA, Eli Bridge
Company, ILMO Products, Bound to Stay Bound Books, United Gilsonite Laboratories, Pallet Repair Systems.  Its largest employer, Passavant Area Hospital, has been a major pillar in the community for years and looks to continue its excellent health service through its partnership with Memorial Health System.  The City's economy, job growth, educational facilities, healthcare and simple quality of life factors promise to be good reasons to make Jacksonville a city to call home.

Jacksonville is a proud community offering many amenities not often found in cities its size.  Jacksonville Symphony · Art Galleries · Theatre/Plays · 2 Colleges · Historical Homes and Tours · Underground Railroad · Illinois School for the Deaf · Illinois School for the Visually Impaired · Bed and Breakfasts · Carnegie Public Library · Recreational Parks and Lakes · All turf baseball fields (Future Champions Sports Complex) · Renovated historical downtown (the hub of the City) · Music festivals · Pumpkin Festival · Big Eli Ferris Wheel · Cruise Night · Ghost Tours · Historical Movie Theatre · Lake Trails · Fine Dining and Shopping · and its greatest asset, all the 17,616 citizens who make Jacksonville a wonderful, caring community.