General Info
Champaign County was founded in 1833 and Urbana was selected as the county seat. Settlers were attracted to the ample natural resources of the nearby Salt Fork River and communities were established. As rail lines were constructed in 1854, Champaign County grew dramatically and hotels, schools, churches and a variety of businesses began to boom. Early industry was dominated by coal mining and agriculture and Champaign County continued to thrive. By 1900 its population had reached 46,622 and the area continued to grow. Today Champaign County is home to approximately 195,671 residents.