The town was registered in 1816 by John James, originally of Frederick County, Maryland.

[7] In the 1830s, Rising Sun was a seasonal stop for hundreds of flatboats daily heading down the Ohio River.

[9] Joseph Barricklow (1867–1924), Illinois lawyer and state legislator, was born in Rising Sun.

[11] The Rising Star Casino Resort (formerly known as Grand Victoria Casino & Resort) was opened in October 1996 by an affiliate of Hyatt Corporation with a 2,700-passenger riverboat and 40,000 square feet of gaming space.

There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of 775.2 per square mile (299.3/km2).

36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,119 housing units at an average density of 754.0 per square mile (291.1/km2).

32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.