Du Quoin ( ) is a city in
Perry County Perry County may refer to:
United States
*Perry County, Alabama
*Perry County, Arkansas
*Perry County, Illinois
*Perry County, Indiana
*Perry County, Kentucky
*Perry County, Mississippi
*Perry County, Missouri
*Perry County, Ohio
*Perry Coun ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. It is best known for hosting the annual
DuQuoin State Fair and the Street Machine Nationals. The population is estimated at 5,761 in the 2020 census.
Geography
Du Quoin is located at (38.0068, -89.2349).
The city of Du Quoin is located in the southeastern portion of Perry County, Illinois.
According to the 2010 census, Du Quoin has a total area of , of which (or 98.85%) is land and (or 1.15%) is water.
Climate
History
The area east of Du Quoin is known as
Old Du Quoin. In the early 19th century, Du Quoin was near the
Lusk's Ferry Road
Lusk's Ferry Road was an early road in Illinois that provided an overland connection between the main settlement, Fort Kaskaskia, on the Mississippi River, and Lusk's Ferry, an important crossing point on the Ohio River. The overland route affor ...
, an important early road that connected
Kaskaskia
The Kaskaskia were one of the indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands. They were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation, also called the Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in t ...
with
Lusk's Ferry on the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
. The road ran easterly out of
Steeleville to a point southwest of Du Quoin. There it turned to the southeast to cross the
Big Muddy River
The Big Muddy River is a river in southern Illinois. It joins the Mississippi River just south of Grand Tower. The Big Muddy has been dammed near Benton, forming Rend Lake.
The Big Muddy has a mud bottom for most of its length.
Hydrography
T ...
and head for Lusk's Ferry.
Du Quoin had its start at its present location in 1853 when the railroad was extended to that point. The city was named after Chief Jean Baptiste Ducoigne of the
Kaskaskia
The Kaskaskia were one of the indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands. They were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation, also called the Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in t ...
, an
Illiniwek
The Illinois Confederation, also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, were made up of 12 to 13 tribes who lived in the Mississippi River Valley. Eventually member tribes occupied an area reaching from Lake Michicigao (Michigan) to Iowa, Illi ...
people, who were defeated by the
Shawnee
The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...
near here in 1802.
Media
Du Quoin is served by a weekly newspaper, the ''Weekly-Press''. Du Quoin is also served by radio stations
WDQN AM 1580/FM 97.1 and
WDQN-FM 95.9 FM. A former daily newspaper, the ''Du Quoin Call,'' was published from 1895 until 2022.
Rail transportation
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Du Quoin. Amtrak Train 391, the southbound
Saluki
The Saluki, also known as the Persian Greyhound, is a standardised breed developed from sighthounds – dogs that hunt primarily by sight rather than scent – that was once used by nomadic tribes to run down game animals. The dog was origina ...
, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 1:49 pm daily with service to
Carbondale. Amtrak Train 393, the southbound
Illini, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 8:39 pm daily serving the same point as the southbound Saluki. Amtrak Train 390, the northbound Saluki, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 7:51 am daily with service to Centralia, Effingham, Mattoon,
Champaign-Urbana,
Rantoul, Gilman, Kankakee, Homewood, and
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. Amtrak Train 392, the northbound Illini, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 4:26 pm daily serving the same points as the northbound Saluki.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 6,448 people, 2,716 households, and 1,648 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,988 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.23%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 7.23%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.36%
Native American, 0.34%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.36% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.44% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 2,716 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,124, and the median income for a family was $37,688. Males had a median income of $33,576 versus $18,958 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $14,883. About 13.3% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
Medical care
Du Quoin is home to Marshall Browning Hospital, a 25-bed critical access facility, and two nursing homes. The nearest
ICU is 25 miles away, at Memorial Hospital of
Carbondale.
Events
The DuQuoin State Fair is held in late August and early September since 1923. The
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one-mile (1.6-km) clay oval motor racetrack in Du Quoin, Illinois, about southeast of St Louis, Missouri. It is a stop on the ARCA Menards Series, USAC Silver Crown Series and American Flat Track.
Histor ...
has hosted different types of racing. It hosted a
AAA National Championship
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to:
Airports
* Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA)
* Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA)
Arts, entertainment, and m ...
race from 1948 to 1955, and a
USAC National Championship race from 1955 to 1970. It currently hosts a
USAC Silver Crown Series
The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapol ...
race and a
ARCA Menards Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into the three national ...
race. From 1957 to 1980, Du Quoin was home to the
Hambletonian Stakes
The Hambletonian Stakes is a major American harness race for three-year-old trotting horses, named in honor of Hambletonian 10, a foundation sire of the Standardbred horse breed, also known as the "Father of the American Trotter." The first ...
, one of the most famous events in
harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, or spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australi ...
, and one of three races comprising the
Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters Triple Crown is a combination of three major races in harness racing. The term ''Triple Crown'' is mostly used in the US, but also in France. The term is also used in thoroughbred racing.
United States
The Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trott ...
. Du Quoin now is best known for
Street Machines Nationals and the Du Quoin State Fair.
Notable people
*
Terry Deering, Illinois legislator; born in Du Quoin
*
Ralph A. Dunn, businessman and Illinois state legislator
*
Ruby Berkley Goodwin, writer and actress, born in Du Quoin
*
Frank Hansford
Frank Cicero Hansford (December 26, 1874 - December 14, 1952) was a professional baseball pitcher who played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Ass ...
, pitcher for the
Brooklyn Bridegrooms
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
; born in Du Quoin
*
Gerald Hawkins
Gerald Stanley Hawkins (20 April 1928– 26 May 2003) was a British-born American astronomer and author noted for his work in the field of archaeoastronomy. A professor and chair of the astronomy department at Boston University in the Unit ...
, Illinois legislator; born in Du Quoin
*
Billie Hayes
Billie Armstrong Brosch (August 5, 1924 – April 29, 2021), known professionally as Billie Hayes, was an American television, film, and stage actress, best known for her comic portrayals of Witchiepoo and Li'l Abner's Mammy Yokum.
Early ye ...
, actress (Witchiepoo in ''
H.R. Pufnstuf
''H.R. Pufnstuf'' is a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-sized-puppet program (not including their previous work with the Hanna-Barbera program ''The Ba ...
'', Mammy Yoakam in ''
Li'l Abner
''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn ...
''); born in Du Quoin
*
Nick Hill
Nick Hill (born April 5, 1985) is an American football coach and former quarterback. He is the head football coach at his alma mater, Southern Illinois University. Hill was signed by the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) as an ...
, football quarterback and head coach at
Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois, also known as Little Egypt, is the southern third of Illinois, principally along and south of Interstate 64. Although part of a Midwestern United States, Midwestern state, this region is aligned in culture more with that of th ...
; born in Du Quoin
*
Les Hite
Les Hite (February 13, 1903 – February 6, 1962) was an American jazz bandleader.
Life and career
Born in DuQuoin, Illinois, United States, Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. ...
, musician and bandleader; born in Du Quoin
*
Bhavesh Patel, theatre and television actor; lived in Du Quoin
*
Tyler Reddick
Tyler George Reddick (born January 11, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...
, NASCAR Cup Series driver; lived in Du Quoin
*
Don Stanhouse
Donald Joseph Stanhouse (born February 12, 1951) is a retired American professional baseball pitcher who had an eight-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1972–1980) with a brief comeback in 1982. He played for the Texas Rangers and Baltim ...
, pitcher with the
Texas Rangers,
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
,
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
; born in Du Quoin
*
Ken Swofford
Kenneth Charles Swofford (July 25, 1933 – November 1, 2018) was an American film and television actor often cast as a villain or a police officer.
Between 1962 and 1995, Swofford's film credits included ''Thelma & Louise'', '' Skyjacked' ...
, actor (''
Thelma & Louise
''Thelma & Louise'' is a 1991 American road crime comedy-drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri. It stars Susan Sarandon as Louise and Geena Davis as Thelma, two friends who embark on a road trip that ends up in unfores ...
'', ''
Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
''); born in Du Quoin
*
Rudolf Wanderone
Rudolf Walter Wanderone ( né Rudolf Walter Wanderon Jr.; January 19, 1913 – January 15, 1996), Includes three photos of his grave marker; provides birth and death dates, and legal surname spelling. Provides surname spelling without the t ...
, billiards player known as "Minnesota Fats"; lived in Du Quoin
*
John Iffert
John Curtis Iffert (born November 23, 1967) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop for the Diocese of Covington in Kentucky since 2021.
Biography
Early life
John Iffert was born in Du Quoin, Illi ...
, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Covington.
References
External links
City of Du Quoin
{{authority control
Cities in Illinois
Populated places in Southern Illinois
Cities in Perry County, Illinois
Populated places established in 1853
1853 establishments in Illinois