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Edwards County, Illinois

44 topographic sheets cover 15 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

1 National Register listing published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Illinois within the United States
Edwards County within Illinois

What the record shows

  • 172 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 15 populated places in this county; 15 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

1

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
St. Johns Episcopal Churchbuilding201212000027

Wildfire, 2010 to 2019

12 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 12 of them, burning about 15 acres. None started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning8
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Equipment and vehicle use1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
22 March 2018Debris and open burning4.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources296
16 March 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources294
12 March 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources225
8 September 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources15-132
6 February 2016Debris and open burning1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources154
25 April 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources231
22 September 2019Debris and open burning1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources419
22 May 2017Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIllinois Division of Forestry Resources237

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2025

60 of 149 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 149 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 4 injuries and about $8,706,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind58
Hail37
Flash Flood16
Heavy Rain12
Flood11
Tornado10
Lightning4
Funnel Cloud1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1995Thunderstorm WindCountywide2 killed, $200,000Two fatalities occurred when straight-line winds overturned a tractor-semitrailer into the path of an oncoming automobile. Both drivers were killed instantly. Numerous trees were blown down across the county with widespread power outages.
June 1990Tornado (F4)not stated1 killed, $2,500,000no account filed
July 2012Thunderstorm WindWest Salem2 hurt, $25,000Twelve power poles were knocked down.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindAlbion1 hurt, $50,000One mobile home was demolished and numerous trees were blown down in and around Albion. One occupant of the mobile home received cuts and bruises after the mobile home rolled over twice and came to rest about 50 feet from its original location. On the White County line, just north of Grayville, a wind gust to 69 MPH was clocked. Numerous streets were blocked by downed trees and limbs.
July 1958Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
January 1989Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
April 2011Thunderstorm WindBlood$1,000,000Widespread major damage occurred across the county. An insurance agent reported over 450 claims to his office alone. The 100-foot tall steeple of an old historic church in West Salem was toppled. The steeple punctured a hole in the roof as it fell. A house in West Salem suffered major damage when a large oak tree fell on it. West Salem firefighters worked through the following day to clear streets of downed trees. Elsewhere in northern Edwards County, a house was partially unroofed. Trees were uprooted, and power lines were down. Numerous grain bins, machine sheds, and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed.
May 1996HailAlbion$500,000no account filed
April 1972Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
November 2013Tornado (EF2)Black$200,000The tornado crossed into Edwards County from Wayne County. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. A new addition to a house was destroyed. An attached garage was destroyed, with two vehicles turned 180 degrees. Two 100-year-old barns were totally destroyed. Several 100-year-old trees were snapped or uprooted. Other residences in the area sustained minor damage. The estimated peak winds in this tornado were 130 mph. The maximum intensity was attained just west of Illinois Route 130, almost due north of Albion. A second shorter track EF-2 tornado occurred simultaneously just south of this tornado. Both tornadoes were witnessed on the ground at the same time. This tornado was spawned by the same supercell that produced the EF-2 tornado that tracked from Sims to Fairfield in Wayne County.
October 2001Thunderstorm WindCountywide$200,000A line of thunderstorms produced damaging winds countywide. The most severe damage appeared to be in southern parts of the county, between Grayville and Albion. Just northwest of Grayville, a residence was partially unroofed, the front porch was blown away, and a nearby shed was destroyed. At a nearby farm, another shed was destroyed, and a pickup truck was blown over. At a farm southwest of Albion, a grain bin was blown into a pond, and an equipment barn was destroyed. Power poles were broken 1 mile south of Browns and near the Richland County line. Along Illinois Route 130, about 10 utility poles were blown down, blocking the highway at the Richland County line. In West Salem, several large branches landed on roofs, and TV antennas and chimneys were damaged. Near Browns, a 60 by 72 foot storage building and its contents were heavily damaged. Other structures were damaged south of Browns.
November 2013Tornado (EF2)Black$150,000This tornado travelled just south of and nearly parallel to another EF-2 tornado. Two machine sheds were destroyed along with a barn. Several trees were snapped. More than one eyewitness saw both tornadoes on the ground at the same time. Peak winds were estimated near 110 mph. This tornado was spawned by the same supercell that produced the EF-2 tornado that tracked from Sims to Fairfield in Wayne County.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindCountywide$150,000A 157-year-old wooden church in Samsville suffered severe wind damage. Much of the structure collapsed, while a few exterior walls remained partially standing. Most of the interior contents were destroyed, except for those in the basement. Elsewhere to the north of Albion, a large machine shed, several other sheds, and barns were heavily damaged or destroyed. At least two vehicles and a trailer were demolished by a large tree north of Albion. Widespread damage to trees and power lines occurred in the northern half of the county. A house trailer was split in half by a downed tree. Around eight power poles, along with some power lines, were down across Route 130 from West Salem northward to the county line. About eight miles south-southwest of Albion, the roof was peeled off a mobile home and blown into a pond. A dog alone in the mobile home survived, but the mobile home was uninhabitable.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindAlbion$100,000Several buildings were damaged, and numerous trees and power lines were down. At least a couple of trees landed on homes and vehicles. One tree blocked Route 15 temporarily. An office building was damaged when its brick chimney blew over and fell through the roof. At least a couple of buildings received broken windows. Another building sustained minor roof damage. The damage appeared to be greatest over northern parts of the city.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindWest Salem$85,000Scattered straight-line wind damage was observed across much of the northern half of the county. Within the overall area of scattered damage, more concentrated damage was located in West Salem. In West Salem, numerous large tree limbs were broken, and a couple of trees were uprooted. Elsewhere around northern Edwards County, hundreds of tree limbs and about a half-dozen trees were blown down. Downed trees and limbs damaged a couple of homes, garages, and a pickup truck. Two barns were blown down between West Salem and Bone Gap. Several power poles were blown over. Peak winds were estimated near 80 mph. The damaging wind event continued east into Wabash County.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindAlbion$60,000Numerous trees were blown down in Albion. At least eight trees were blown down on the south side of Albion. The trees ranged from one to three feet in diameter. One tree fell in a pool. Power lines were blown down. A very large tree fell into a home, producing significant damage. Another tree landed on a car.
July 2011LightningAlbion$50,000A lightning strike took out phone lines, radio consoles, and alarm systems at the county courthouse. The lightning appeared to have surged through the phone lines into the building.
July 2011Flash FloodAlbion$50,000Illinois Routes 15 and 130 were flooded in the Albion area. Many rural county roads suffered from washouts, especially gravel roads and culverts. A trained spotter in Albion reported a 24-hour rainfall total of 2.78 inches.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindCountywide$50,000Trees and power lines were blown down countywide. The community of West Salem received the brunt of the storm, where roofs were blown off two structures, and a number of other homes were damaged by falling trees. A snapped telephone pole resulted in a 90-minute power outage for much of West Salem. In Browns, a heavy iron chair was blown off a porch and into a car. Several limbs were down.
April 1996Flash FloodAlbion$50,000no account filed
May 2011Thunderstorm WindAlbion$40,000Trees were blown down. One tree landed on a mobile home just south of the city.
January 2012Tornado (EF1)Albion$30,000The tornado produced mainly tree damage. One steel high tension power pole was damaged. The average path width was 50 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph.
June 1999LightningBrowns$30,000Lightning struck a large oil storage tank, causing a spectacular fire.
May 2011FloodAlbion$30,000no account filed
June 2022Thunderstorm WindAlbion$25,000Lots of tree damage was reported. A tree fell on a home.
May 2019Thunderstorm WindAlbion$25,000A trained spotter reported a swath of downed trees and power lines near County Road 400.
May 2004Flash FloodSamsville$25,000no account filed
April 1989Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 2025Thunderstorm WindBrowns$20,000Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees and large tree limbs in Grayville. Some of the downed trees took down powerlines. A brick wall of a business was partially knocked down.
May 2019Flash FloodAlbion$20,000Several miles southwest of Albion, flash flooding of County Road 400 East occurred near the intersection of County Road 400 North. Parts of the road were washed away. A trained spotter measured a storm total of 5 inches of rain through the mid-morning hours. Near Browns, Illinois Highway 15 was flooded by Bonpas Creek.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindAlbion$20,000Tree limbs and utility lines were down around the county.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAlbion$20,000Numerous large tree limbs and a few large trees were blown down. Some of the tree limbs severed power lines. At least five utility poles were snapped.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindAlbion$20,000Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees, and several houses were damaged. A home in southwest Edwards County was damaged when a very large tree was uprooted and fell on the house.
May 2002Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
January 2008Thunderstorm WindBrowns$15,000A semi was blown into another semi, blocking Illinois Route 1.
July 1996Thunderstorm WindAlbion$15,000no account filed
March 2024Thunderstorm WindWest Salem$10,000A brick building on the town square had part of an exterior wall collapse due to downburst winds.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindAlbion$10,000Trees and power lines were down.
May 2011LightningWest Salem$10,000Lightning struck an oil tank battery, causing them to explode.
March 2008FloodAlbion$10,000Some county roads were closed due to flooding.
April 1998Flash FloodCountywide$10,000Thunderstorms with very heavy rain flooded numerous roads, including Route 130.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindAlbion$8,000Numerous tree limbs up to three inches in diameter were blown down.
January 2012Thunderstorm WindEllery$6,000Trees were snapped and blown down. These straight-line winds occurred with the same storm that produced the EF-2 tornado near Enfield and Centerville in White County and the EF-1 tornado near Albion.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindAlbion$6,000Large tree limbs were blown down. One of them landed on a power line.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindAlbion$5,000Large trees and limbs were down.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindAlbion$5,000Several miles south-southwest of Albion, multiple small trees were down a half mile south of County Roads 400E and 400N. Just southwest of Albion, a two to three foot diameter tree was down at the corner of County Roads 400E and 725N. Lots of smaller tree limbs were down in the area.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindAlbion$5,000Windows were blown out of a house.
November 1998Thunderstorm WindAlbion$5,000Wind gusts to 60 MPH accompanied a narrow line of showers that swept through the region. Downed tree limbs and power outages were fairly common around Albion. One tree limb landed on a newly acquired RV, causing moderate damage.
June 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated$5,000Several trees were blown down across the county.,
April 2006Thunderstorm WindAlbion$4,000Wind was the primary factor in a wreck involving a tractor trailer on Route 130. The empty tractor-trailer rig was reportedly picked up and pushed off the east side of the highway. Another vehicle collided with the tractor-trailer rig. Three people were injured in the wreck, none seriously. Emergency personnel responding to the overturned semi were delayed by slippery roads caused by hail two to three inches deep in places.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindAlbion$4,000Trees were blown down.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindAlbion$4,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindAlbion$3,000Multiple trees were blown down in Albion from thunderstorm winds.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindWest Salem$3,000Trees were knocked down.
December 2015Tornado (EF1)Ellery$3,000The tornado continued from Wayne County into Edwards County. Along the Edwards County portion of the path, there were several snapped trees. No structural damage was observed. The path was through sparsely populated farm country. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.
June 2006Thunderstorm WindBrowns$3,000Shingles were blown off a roof.
May 2021Thunderstorm WindWest Salem$2,000A healthy tree was downed across Highway 130.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindAlbion$2,000A couple of small limbs were down in Albion. A large tree was down in Browns.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindBrowns$2,000A power pole was down.
July 2004Flash FloodCountywide$2,000Considerable flooding of roads was observed across the county. The three main highways across the county, Routes 130, 15, and 1, were all covered with at least 6 inches of water in places. Route 1 stayed badly flooded between Cowling and Grayville after the rain ended. Two cars were stranded in floodwaters on Route 130. Numerous county roads were flooded, along with city streets in Albion. No flooding of homes or businesses was reported.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Clay1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Albion Brick Co.Clay PitClayPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

15

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Edwards County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.