BROWN COUNTY

Established in 1839, Brown County is the result of the southwest portion of Schuyler County being separated from the County and named for Major General Jacob Brown who was a major player in the War of 1812. Brown may have never set foot on the 307 square miles named for him and that was his loss.

Since that time, Brown County has endured as one of the state's smallest but prettiest counties. From apples to oil, the county has seen its share of booms and busts, but corn, beans and wheat have continued to be harvested from Brown County's fertile earth, albeit by a declining number of farmers. Brown County still has the look and feel of a farming community, but for how long is anyone's guess. DOT Foods and the Western Illinois Correctional Center now serve as the co-catalysts of Brown County's economy by providing a strong employment base that appears to be firmly entrenched in the community for years to come.

Through it all, the one thing that has never changed is the county's beauty, both in its people and in its land.

Brown County is a hunter's paradise. There are few places - if any - in Illinois that offer more for hunters. Brown County is among the largest in deer kill numbers per square mile every year at the conclusion of the shotgun seasons. Hunters from all over the country join the homegrown ones year round to hunt the county's backwoods. With a teaming deer population that is often problematic, locals welcome the hunters, who also have little problem finding other types of game to hunt, such as turkey.

For information on Brown County, including attractions, events, lodging and dining, contact the County Clerk's office:

Brown County Courthouse
201 Court Street
Room 4
Mount Sterling, IL 62353
(217) 773-3421

Or contact the Western Illinois Tourism Development Office:

Western Illinois Tourism Development Office
581 South Deere Road
Macomb, Illinois 61455
Phone: (309) 837-7460
Fax: (309) 833-4754
email: witdo@visitwesternillinois.info