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Carterville is a city in Williamson County, Illinois, in the United States, and is geographically situated between Carbondale, Illinois and Marion, Illinois. The city is located next to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, an Illinois State Park. The Refuge's 44,000 acres (180 km²) of land and water contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna . As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,616. Carterville's long serving Mayor is Bill Mausey.
History
Carterville was founded by George M. McNeill and Laban Carter. Mr. McNeill married Olive Herrin of Herrin Prairie and, in 1866, they settled on the farm that is now known as Carterville. The Co-founder, Mr. Laban Carter, came to Williamson County in 1864, and purchased 100 acres (0.40 km²) of land and helped organize and secure a post office for Carterville in 1871. Later the town was named in Mr. Carter's honor . McNeill was one of the youngest members of the Union army during the American Civil War. He enlisted at 16 and was with General Sherman during his March to the Sea
Carterville is home to John A. Logan College, named for the local American Civil War hero and politician A college of approximately 8,000 students, John A. Logan College has been featured in Rolling Stone Magazine as the nation's fifth best community college and in 2004 was recognized as one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation.
The Carterville Unit 5 Schools' athletic programs have been successful in the past, winning the IHSA State Conference Championship in Class 3A football in 1996
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