Just over 17,000 people live in Bond County, one of the smallest counties in the state. Until 1817, Bond County was part of Madison County. On January 4 of that year, the Illinois Territorial Legislature voted to establish a new county, and named it after its territorial governor, Shadrach Bond. It is located in southwestern Illinois.

Bond County cities include Donnellson, Greenville, Mulberry Grove, Pierron, Pocahontas, Smithboro and Sorento. Greenville is the county seat, located about 45 miles east of St. Louis, Mo. Greenville holds its history close. Downtown, there’s the Bond County Historical Society at the Hoiles-Davis Museum, and the Bond County Genealogical Society, which holds thousands of archived materials at the Greenville Public Library – also an historic building.

On the campus of Greenville College, the Bock Museum houses the works of sculptor Richard W. Bock, who collaborated with famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Hogue Hall, also on campus, is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Despite its size, Bond County is home to parts of some of the most popular parks in the state. The 1,463-acre Eagle Creek State Park has several scenic trails that follow the Lake Shelbyville shoreline. Nearby Wolf Creek State Park is 2,400 acres, on Lake Shelbyville’s eastern shore. There’s also Eldon Hazlet State Park located on Carlyle Lake, the largest manmade reservoir in the state. Carlyle Lake is home to South Shore State Park, where more than 200,000 waterfowl drop by each winter during their migratory travels north and south.