Livingston County

Livingston County is an administrative county in Central Illinois covering a large rural area with scattered towns and extensive farmland throughout. The landscape consists of gently rolling terrain, open fields, and dispersed settlement patterns typical of the agricultural Midwest.

The county was established in 1837 as Illinois continued its westward expansion, carved from adjoining counties during a period of rapid settlement. It was named after Edward Livingston, a prominent American statesman who held important national offices.

Agricultural communities form the backbone of daily life here, with corn and livestock farming shaping local traditions and family-based enterprises. The rural character influences how people work together and maintain connections across the scattered towns and villages.

Two main highways, Interstate 55 and U.S. Highway 24, pass through the area and connect it to larger regional cities. Most visitor services and amenities are found in the scattered town centers rather than spread across the broader countryside.

The area is divided into thirty separate townships, each operating independently with its own local government structure and decision-making authority. This highly decentralized system of administration can seem surprisingly fragmented to visitors unfamiliar with how rural Midwestern governance works.

Location: Illinois

Inception: February 27, 1837

Capital city: Pontiac

Shares border with: LaSalle County, Grundy County, Kankakee County, Ford County, McLean County, Woodford County

Website: http://livingstoncounty-il.org/wordpress

GPS coordinates: 40.89000,-88.56000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:22