Shawneetown, Illinois

23 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1916 and the latest in 1996. It stands in Gold Hill Township. It lies in ZIP code area 62984. The Survey maps it on the Shawneetown quadrangle. 1,054 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 407 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Shawneetown within Gallatin County

On record in Shawneetown

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

Camp Mather-Camp Loganlisted 1998

Population over time

3 figures

Shawneetown fell from 1,410 to 1,054 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2000	1,410
2010	1,239	-171 (-12%)
2020	1,054	-185 (-15%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

12 surveys from 23 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

1916 USGS Shawneetown quadrangle1:62500, 5 printings
1949 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
1950 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
1954 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
1959 USGS Shawneetown quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
1959 USGS Shawneetown quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
1961 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
1964 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
1984 USGS West Frankfort quadrangle1:100000
1987 USGS Paducah quadrangle1:250000
1987 USGS West Frankfort quadrangle1:100000
1996 USGS Shawneetown quadrangle1:24000

Mines and quarries near this place

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Shawneetown: 3 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Delta Dredge	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Gallatin County Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Tradewater Dredge 1 & 2	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Wentzel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Gallatin County

Storms near this place

60 of 126 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Shawneetown in 126 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 89 flood, 17 thunderstorm wind, 9 flash flood, 7 hail. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
May 2011	Flood	Shawneetown	$400,000	Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Shawneetown river gage, the flood crest of 56.37 feet on the afternoon of May 6 was about two feet higher than the 1997 flood. This was still over nine feet lower than the record crest set in 1937. Sandbagging operations and some evacuations were conducted in Old Shawneetown, Equality, Junction, and New Haven. These communities are all affected by the Ohio River or its backwater coming up the Saline River. In Equality, floodwaters were four feet high in a church. At least several homes were inundated. In Junction, water was three to four feet deep in one house. About a dozen other homes in Junction were under one to three feet of water. The sewer plants in New Haven and Equality were endangered by flooding. Pumps in Old Shawneetown were overwhelmed by rainwater runoff collecting on the dry side of the levee. This was responsible for considerable flooding in Old Shawneetown even before the Ohio River crested. A number of roads were closed, including the main road into Junction and Route 1. All roads into Old Shawneetown were blocked by authorities to prevent looting and interference from sightseers. A Red Cross shelter was opened in Shawneetown.
March 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	$300,000	Moderate flooding continued on the Ohio River from late February. At the Shawneetown river gage, the river crested at 52.10 feet on March 4. Flood stage there is 33 feet. This flood crest was within a couple of inches of the January, 2005 flood. Isolated evacuations of some lowland residents were conducted. The community of Old Shawneetown was threatened, resulting in sandbagging and levee patrols. Very little if any structural flooding was reported in Old Shawneetown. A tributary of the Ohio River, the Saline River, experienced major backwater flooding extending across Gallatin County to Saline County. Isolated homes were accessible only by boat in areas around Junction, Equality, and New Haven. Isolated barns and outbuildings were flooded in the Junction and Equality areas. The Junction post office was temporarily moved to Shawneetown. About 40 roads were closed in Gallatin County, including Illinois Route 1 south of Route 13.
April 2011	Flood	Shawneetown	$200,000	Sandbagging operations and some evacuations were conducted in Old Shawneetown, Equality, Junction, and New Haven. These communities are all affected by the Ohio River or its backwater coming up the Saline River. Pumps in Old Shawneetown were overwhelmed by rainwater runoff collecting on the dry side of the levee. This was responsible for considerable flooding in Old Shawneetown even before the Ohio River crested. A number of roads were closed, including the main road into Junction and Route 1. All roads into Old Shawneetown were blocked by authorities to prevent looting and interference from sightseers. A Red Cross shelter was opened in Shawneetown.
June 2011	Lightning	Shawneetown	$100,000	A lightning strike was suspected as the cause of a fertilizer warehouse fire in Old Shawneetown. The building was a total loss. Lightning was the prime suspect because a power pole next to the building appeared to have been struck.
May 1996	Flash Flood	Shawneetown	$100,000	no account filed
April 1996	Flash Flood	Shawneetown	$100,000	no account filed
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$60,000	In Shawneetown, thunderstorm winds downed several large trees measuring 12 to 14 inches in diameter. Some of the trees fell on homes and a truck. Siding and roofing damage occurred to a few houses. The damage occurred over a three-block area. Six miles northeast of Ridgway, several large trees were down. Power poles were down at Old Shawneetown and Junction.
January 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$50,000	The roof was blown off of a tool shop in the community of Shawneetown. At Ridgway, power lines were down, and a mobile home was blown off its foundation.
March 2011	Flood	Shawneetown	$50,000	no account filed
June 2021	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$25,000	In and just south of Shawneetown, at least a half dozen trees were snapped or uprooted. Two large trees fell over power lines. Numerous large limbs were blown down. One 30-foot limb grazed a garage.
January 2016	Flood	Shawneetown	$25,000	Moderate flooding along the Ohio River continued into January. At the Shawneetown gage, the river crested at 45.25 feet on the 4th. This flood was very similar to the flood of May, 2002, when the crest was 45.42 feet. Flood stage there is 33 feet. The main consequence was numerous flooded secondary roads. There was considerable flooding of low-lying agricultural land. Since the land was mostly unplanted, crop damage was insignificant. Levees protect large parts of the county. Seepage water was pumped out of Old Shawneetown, which has been largely vacated in recent decades after major floods caused heavy damage.
July 2020	Lightning	Shawneetown	$20,000	A house was struck by lightning, starting a fire.
February 2019	Flood	Shawneetown	$20,000	Moderate flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Shawneetown gage, the river crested at 48.96 feet on February 20. Flood stage there is 33 feet, and moderate flooding begins at 43 feet. The community of Old Shawneetown was threatened, but most of this community has been abandoned since the devastating flood of 2011. Very little if any structural flooding was reported in Old Shawneetown. There was considerable flooding of low-lying agricultural land. Numerous county roads were closed. Backwater flooding extended up the Saline River, affecting low ground from Junction to Equality.
September 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$20,000	Roofs were peeled off three businesses, including a tavern and convenience store. Numerous trees were blown down.
June 1998	Flash Flood	Shawneetown	$10,000	no account filed
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$4,000	Several trees and power lines were down.
April 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$4,000	no account filed
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$3,000	A large tree fell down onto a road. Minor damage occurred to a canopy near Ridgway.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$3,000	Wind gusts to 65 MPH downed trees and power lines.
April 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	$3,000	no account filed
May 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$2,000	A tree was down on a power line.
September 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$2,000	Trees were reported down near "Elizabethtown."
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$1,000	A tree was down on Highway 13, blocking one lane of the road.
March 2016	Flood	Shawneetown	$1,000	Minor flooding continued from February along the Ohio River. Some low-lying bottomland woods and fields were inundated.
February 2014	Flood	Shawneetown	$1,000	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Some low-lying fields and woodlands were inundated, along with a boat ramp.
December 2013	Flood	Shawneetown	$1,000	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying fields and woodlands were underwater, along with river access roads and a boat ramp.
December 2011	Flood	Shawneetown	$1,000	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Bottomland fields and some river access roads were inundated. River recreation facilities such as boat ramps were affected.
May 1995	Hail	Shawneetown	$1,000	no account filed
April 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	$500	Large trees were blown down around Shawneetown and along the Ohio River.
March 2025	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Late February flooding continued into early March along the Ohio River at Shawneetown. Minor flooding of bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas continued. River levels fell just below flood stage in the late evening on the 1st.
February 2023	Flood	Shawneetown	-	There was minor flooding of low-lying woods and fields near the Ohio River.
March 2023	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields were underwater. The river remained above flood stage into early April.
February 2022	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Some low-lying fields and woodlands were underwater.
February 2022	Flood	Shawneetown	-	The Ohio River rose above flood stage late in the month and remained there into March. The crest occurred in March.
May 2022	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Some low-lying fields were underwater.
March 2022	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. The river crested at 44.49 feet on the 4th at the Shawneetown river gage. This is 11.5 feet above flood stage. Low-lying fields and woodlands in the flood plain were underwater, along with some secondary roads.
March 2020	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River, affecting mainly bottomland fields and surrounding low lying areas. The flooding continued into April.
January 2020	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields near the river were inundated.
July 2020	Flash Flood	Shawneetown	-	Flash flooding of roads was reported in the Shawneetown area. Some of the water was swiftly flowing over roads. There were reports of five inches of rain from more than one observer.
March 2019	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Moderate flooding of the Ohio River continued from February into March. At the Shawneetown river gage, the river crested at 48.96 feet on February 20. More details on the February flood crest and the total property damage estimate can be found in the February report. The community of Old Shawneetown was threatened, but most of this community has been abandoned since the devastating flood of 2011. Very little if any structural flooding was reported in Old Shawneetown. There was considerable flooding of low-lying agricultural land. Numerous county roads were closed. Backwater flooding extended up the Saline River, affecting low ground from Junction to Equality.
May 2019	Flood	Shawneetown	-	The Ohio River fell back below flood stage early in the month at Shawneetown. The flooding there was generally minor, causing the delay of crop planting in the flood plain.
December 2019	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding of dormant low-lying agricultural fields occurred.
February 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	-	The Ohio River rose above flood stage around mid-month and continued rising through the remainder of the month. As the river rose above flood stage, county roads in the river bottomlands were flooded and closed. Agricultural land was inundated.
March 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	-	The Ohio River rose above flood stage on the 31st and continued rising through the end of the month. The flooding during late March was minor.
September 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying agricultural land was inundated.
December 2018	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields near the river were inundated.
January 2017	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Mainly bottomland fields and surrounding low-lying areas were inundated. The boat ramp and parking lot at Old Shawneetown was under water.
March 2017	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River at Shawneetown. Some low-lying woods and fields near the river were inundated, along with a boat ramp.
May 2017	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Some low-lying fields and bottomlands were inundated.
April 2017	Flash Flood	Shawneetown	-	Numerous locations along Illinois Highway 13 were nearly impassable due to flash flooding. A trained spotter near Ridgway received 5.36 inches of rain in the previous 24 hours.
February 2017	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding ended on the Ohio River in the Shawneetown area. The minor flooding began in January. Some low-lying fields and woodlands were underwater.
February 2016	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding of the Ohio River inundated some low-lying woods and fields along the river.
February 2016	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. Some low-lying bottomland woods and fields were inundated. The river continued rising into March.
July 2016	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Ditches were overflowing, and there was some street flooding.
July 2015	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. The flooding affected mainly bottomland fields and surrounding low lying areas. The boat ramp and parking lot at Old Shawneetown were under water.
March 2015	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Moderate flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Shawneetown river gage, the river crested at 48.36 feet on the 20th. Flood stage is 33 feet. The community of Old Shawneetown was threatened, but most of this community has been abandoned since the devastating flood of 2011. Very little if any structural flooding was reported in Old Shawneetown. This flood crest was slightly higher than the flood of January, 2005.
April 2015	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding occurred along the Ohio River. A few county roads were closed. Bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas were under water.
December 2015	Flood	Shawneetown	-	The Ohio River rose above flood stage late in the month, but the crest did not occur until early January. In December, there was flooding of low-lying fields, woodlands, and some river access roads.
January 2014	Flood	Shawneetown	-	Minor flooding lingered along the Ohio River through the first week of 2014. Low-lying fields and woodlands were underwater, along with river access roads and a boat ramp.
October 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Shawneetown	-	A storm chaser estimated winds gusted to 60 mph.

Every storm recorded in Gallatin County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Junction	2.7 miles	23
Old Shawneetown	2.9 miles	23
Bowlesville (historical)	3.0 miles	23
Lawler	5.4 miles	22
New Market (historical)	6.1 miles	19
Gibsonia	6.1 miles	22
Ridgway	7.1 miles	18
Leamington	8.2 miles	22

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Shawneetown	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q577839	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 418318. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.