Washington County was formed on January 2 , 1818 out of St. Clair County . It was named for George Washington . Despite its relative proximity to the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis , Missouri , the county is not considered part of the St. Louis metropolitan area , also known as the Metro-East . In 1813 , the Lively Massacre occurred near Little Crooked Creek . In 1959 , the state established the Washington County State Recreation Area
Lively Massacre
Lively massacre
Washington County, Illinois