Who / What
Forgottonia (also spelled Forgotonia) is a nickname for a 16‑county region in western Illinois.
It refers to the distinctive western bulge of the state that lies west of 90° Longitude West.
The term was coined in the late 1960s and early 1970s to identify this area.
Background & History
The name was popularized during the late 1960s and early 1970s to describe the region that corresponds roughly to “The Tract,” the Illinois portion of the Military Tract of 1812.
Geographically, Forgottonia stretches along and west of the Fourth Principal Meridian.
Because it is wedge‑shaped and sandwiched between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, it has historically been isolated from the eastern portion of Central Illinois—access mainly through river bridges.
Why Notable
Forgottonia is notable for its unique geographic identity within Illinois, distinct from the surrounding central state.
Its isolation has fostered a separate cultural and economic feel compared to neighboring regions.
The nickname underscores the area's historical ties to the early 19th‑century Military Tract and its contemporary role as a defined western Illinois region.
In the News
The term remains primarily a regional designation used by locals and historians.
No recent major developments have brought Forgottonia to national media coverage, but it continues to be referenced in discussions of regional geography and history.
