McLeansboro, IL

McLeansboro is Hamilton County's seat, named for Dr. William McLean, an early settler who lived there by 1821. The county chose McLean's donated land for its seat, and an early log courthouse was finished by mid-1821. That makes the square more than a government address—it is the spot where the city and county took shape together. McLeansboro is part of the Mount Vernon micropolitan area, but the local identity is southern Illinois county-seat country: courthouse, square, and a name tied directly to one of the first settlers. The city's story is plain to read.