Southern Illinois has long been referred to as "Little Egypt." This nickname may be the result of the practices of early settlers from Northern Illinois who traveled to Southern Illinois to buy grain after a series of bad winters and droughts. These wagon train folks recognized the similarities between themselves and the ancient Israelites who went to Egypt to buy grain grown in the rich Nile Delta. Additionally, one notices the existence of many Egyptian names such as Carmi, Cairo, Thebes, Karnak, Goshen, and Dongola. For natives of Southern Illinois who grew up with the understanding that this area of Illinois is frequently referred to as “Egypt,” it is understood why many businesses take on an Egyptian theme.
Southern Illinois is bordered on three sides by the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers. Several other rivers traverse its countryside, including the Big and Little Muddy, Little Wabash, Saline, and Cache rivers. The southern part of the state is characterized by wooded hills, farms, underground coal mines, strip mines, and low marsh lands.
The uniqueness of “Egypt” as the nickname for the southern third of Illinois may best be explained by author Baker Brownell in his book “The Other Illinois”: “… Although the legend probably was invented after the fact, it is persistent. There was a drought in the northern counties (of Illinois) in the early 1800’s…the wheat fields dried up, the streams died in their beds. But in southern Illinois rain fell and there were good crops, and from the north came people seeking corn and wheat as to Egypt of old. Thus, the name Egypt.” A similar situation is described in The Bible (Genesis 41:57, 42:1-3).
In 1960, when Southeastern Illinois College was formed, a sphinx was included in the official seal of the college to honor the "Little Egypt" heritage shared by the people of the college district. Southeastern's competitive teams have always had the falcon as their mascot. In Egypt, the king was thought of as a living god. While alive, he was Horus, the falcon-headed skygod, sitting on the magic Isis throne.
Little Egypt on the Mississippi
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Illinois’ Little Egypt The most southern portion of Illinois has been known as Little Egypt at least since the 1820s, and maybe earlier. The first connection between southern Illinois and Egypt was probably the one made in 1799 by Baptist preacher John Badgley. He looked down from the bluffs over the American Bottoms (the wide floodplain that stretches from Alton to Chester) and proclaimed the area the “Land of Goshen,” an exceptionally fertile area in Egypt located in the delta of the Nile River.
Checking with official sources in Illinois, including Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Southeastern Illinois College, there seems to be a consensus that the Mississippi River called to mind the Nile, while the expansive Native American mounds at Cahokia were (kinda) like some of Egypt’s (lesser) pyramids. We can probably thank Napoleon Bonaparte, whose invasion of Egypt in 1798 spurred news coverage all the way to North America.
Map of Little Egypt counties in Southern Illinois. Typically, Little Egypt includes the counties in red, while the ones in pink are occasionally included.
As a refresher, it tells us how Joseph’s brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery. After many years, Joseph rose from enslavement to becoming Egypt’s governor and, foreseeing a famine, wisely rationed the country's produce for seven years in preparation. When the famine took hold, Joseph’s estranged family came to Egypt desperate for food. In time, all was forgiven and they were united in that land. (Longer version in Genesis 37, 39-45). To bring it all home, residents in Northern Illinois traveled south to buy grain after a series of dreadful winters and droughts. In light of that, doesn’t “Little Egypt” make sense now?
Cities of Little Egypt
Carbondale
Welcome to Carbondale, Illinois! A city of more than 22,223 residents, Carbondale is home to a thriving business community enormously boosted by Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, recognized nationally for outstanding education, research, and athletics. Located in the heart of beautiful Southern Illinois, Carbondale and the surrounding region offer scenic lakes, a national forest, and abundant recreational opportunities, including two stops along the Southern Illinois Golf Trail. Carbondale is also the front door of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, the home of fabulous restaurants serving international cuisine, the retail center for multiple counties, and the region's cultural center, with many stages filled with music, dance, and live theater. Carbondale is a bustling community of unusual shops, diverse commerce, cultural activities, and many other luxuries that would be expected in a large city. Yet, it maintains the comforts and charm of a small town.
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SIU Campus Lake in Carbondale
Cairo
Cairo is the state of Illinois and the county seat of Alexander County. A river city, Cairo has the lowest elevation of any location in Illinois and is the only Illinois city to be surrounded by levees. The city is named after Egypt's capital on the Nile and is located in the river-crossed area of Southern Illinois known as "Little Egypt". Cairo is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, the largest rivers in North America, and is near the Cache River complex, a Wetland of International Importance. Settlement began in earnest in the 1830s and busy river boat traffic expanded through the 1850s.
Cairo had been growing as an important river port for steamboats, which traveled all the way south to New Orleans. A new city charter was written in 1857,[10] and Cairo flourished as trade with Chicago to the north spurred development. During the Civil War, Admiral Andrew Hull Foote made Cairo the naval station for the Mississippi River Squadron on September 6, 1861.
In 1869, construction began on the United States Custom House and Post Office, which was designed by Alfred B. Mullet, the Supervising Architect. The custom house was completed in 1872. It served as a custom house, post office, and United States Court. District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Illinois from 1905 to 1912. At the height of Cairo's prosperity, the post office in the building was the third busiest in the United States. It is one of only seven of Mullet's Victorian structures remaining in the nation, and the building has been converted for use as a museum.
Cairo Illinois Custom House
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For protection from seasonal flooding, Cairo is completely enclosed by a series of levees and flood walls, due to its low elevation between the rivers. Several buildings, including the old custom house, were originally designed to be built to a higher street level, to be at the same height as the top of the levees. That plan was scrapped as the cost of fill to raise the streets and surrounding land to that height proved to be impractical.
Cairo's turbulent history of race relations is marked by the 1909 spectacle lynching of black resident William James and white resident Henry Salzner. In 1900, Cairo had a population of nearly 13,000. Since the 1930s, Cairo has suffered a marked decline in its economy and population. Its highest population was 15,203 in 1920;[33] in 2020 it had 1,733 residents, about an 89% loss of population from its peak a century earlier.
Cairo is located at the confluence of the Ohio River with the Mississippi, near Mounds, Illinois. The elevation above sea level is 315 feet (96 m). The city of Cairo has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) and has many characteristics of a city in the Upper South. Summers are hot and humid, with a daily average in July of 79 °F (26.1 °C) and temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on an average of 40 days annually. Winters are generally cool with mild periods, though extended stretches of cold can occur. Cairo's winter is typically mild by Illinois standards, as the January daily average is 34 °F (1.1 °C). Precipitation is spread relatively uniformly throughout the year.
Other Cities and Landmarks
- Thebes: Another town with an Egyptian name, adding to the "Little Egypt" theme.
- Karnak: A small town contributing to the region's unique nomenclature.
- Shawnee National Forest: Covers over 277,500 acres in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills in the region, covering roughly half of the southern tip of Illinois.
The Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois covers over 277,500 acres of the region. The Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuse contains many different wildlife including deer, geese, ducks, owls, wild turkeys, and many other bird species. Fifteen State Parks, recreation, and conservation areas are located within the region.
Demographics of Cairo (2020 Census)
As of the 2020 census, the demographic breakdown of Cairo was as follows:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 25.33% |
| African American | 68.96% |
| Native American | 0.40% |
| Other Races | 0.63% |
| Two or More Races | 4.67% |
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