Crab Orchard, Illinois

Crab Orchard is an unincorporated census-designated place east of Marion in Williamson County, Illinois located along an old route of Illinois Route 13 now designated Crab Orchard Road. The upper branches of Crab Orchard Creek which eventually feed into Crab Orchard Lake flow nearby and gave the community its name. For a brief time during the Civil War, it was known as Erwinsville, which is the name in the original plat of the village. In its early days it had the nickname "Steal-Easy." The Crab Orchard post office was established 18 August 1853 and discontinued operations 15 May 1924. It's now served by the Marion post office.^[1] As of the 2010 census, Crab Orchard has a population of 333.^[2] Crab Orchard has an area of 1.430 square miles (3.70 km²); 1.395 square miles (3.61 km²) of this is land, and 0.035 square miles (0.091 km²) is water.

Community services

Crab Orchard Community Unit School District #3 serves the community and surrounding area. The district provides classes from Kindergarten to 12th grade. The schools teams have been known as the "Trojans." The high school is an outgrowth of the old private Crab Orchard Academy begun by Professor James W. Turner in 1890 that operated until 1913. A two-year high school began in 1915, a junior year was added in the 1920s and it became a four-year high school in 1938. School district consolidation led to the creation of the unit district in 1952. The current grade school building dates to about 1974 and the 7-12 grade building opened in October 2004.^[3]

The Crab Orchard Public Library District serves the area with its main library in Crab Orchard and satellite services at Pittsburg and Creal Springs.^[4]

Fire protection is provided by the Williamson County Fire Protection District. Station #3 is located on the north edge of the community.^[5] Treated water is provided by the private Coal Valley Water District.^[6]

References

Municipalities and communities of Williamson County, Illinois, United States
County seat: Marion
Cities	Carterville Creal Springs Herrin Hurst Johnston City Marion
Villages	Bush Cambria Colp Crainville Energy Freeman Spur‡ Pittsburg Spillertown Stonefort‡
Precincts	Blairsville Carterville Corinth Crab Orchard Creal Springs East Marion Grassy Herrin Lake Creek Southern Stonefort West Marion
CDP	Crab Orchard Whiteash
Other unincorporated communities	Attila Blairsville Chittyville Clifford Corinth Crenshaw Crossing Dewmaine Dog Walk Dykersburg Egyptian Hills Egyptian Shores Ferges Fergestown Hafer Lake Crest New Camp No. 9 Old Camp Paulton Paineville Pulleys Mill Shakerag
Ghost towns	Chamness Halfway Halfway (Little Juarez)
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 37°43′45″N 88°48′15″W / 37.72917°N 88.80417°W / 37.72917; -88.80417