West Frankfort is a city in
Franklin County, Illinois
Franklin County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 37,804. The largest city is West Frankfort and the county seat is Benton. This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".
History ...
. The population was 8,182 at the 2010 census. The city is well known for its rich history of coal. The city is part of the
Metro Lakeland
Metro Lakeland is a name that was coined in the 1960s for an area of southern Illinois that is centered on the intersections of Interstate 57, Interstate 24, and Illinois Route 13 — a four-lane east-west highway connecting the communities of M ...
area.
History
Although one might associate the name "West Frankfort" with the city "
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
" in Germany, or
Frankfort in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, the truth is far more local. Around 1810, early Tennessee settler Francis ("Frank") Jordan and his seven brothers began the construction of no fort atop a hill in present-day Franklin County. Completed in 1811, the fort was named "Frank's Fort," in Jordan's honor.
[Official City Website](_blank)
Retrieved on October 29, 2007
Frank's Fort was built in today's Williamson County, Ill., near Corinth. A few miles to the east, Francis' brother, Thomas Jordan, built "Jordan's Fort" in Cave Township, Franklin County, Ill., near the town of Thompsonville.
The construction of these forts was in response to the danger of attack during
Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion was a conflict between the United States and Tecumseh's Confederacy, led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh in the Indiana Territory. Although the war is often considered to have climaxed with William Henry Har ...
, which culminated in the
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe ( ) was fought on November 7, 1811, in Battle Ground, Indiana, between American forces led by then Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American forces associated with Shawnee leader Tecums ...
in 1811. Then-governor of the
Illinois Territory
The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. Its ca ...
,
Ninian Edwards
Ninian Edwards (March 17, 1775July 20, 1833) was a founding political figure of the State of Illinois. He served as the first and only governor of the Illinois Territory from 1809 to until the territory was dissolved in 1818. He was then one of ...
, actively encouraged the construction of these forts and offered the services of the Saline Militia in their erection.
Thus, both Jordan family forts were built with the help of the Illinois Militia for safety of the civilians.
Since the Shawnee Trail, an important trading route linking
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois. Having been inhabited by indigenous peoples, it was settled by France as part of the Illinois Country. It was named for the Kaskaskia people. Its population peaked at about 7,000 in the 18th c ...
and
Old Shawneetown, Illinois
Old Shawneetown is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the village had a population of 193, down from 278 at the 2000 census. Located along the Ohio River, Shawneetown served as an important United States ...
, ran along the high ground in the vicinity of the fort, this area became an attractive destination for settlers in search of cheap land made available by the recently passed
Bit Act
The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communications. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represented a ...
of 1850. The resulting settlement took the name of the nearby fort, which was subsequently shortened to "Frankfort." Frankfort grew quickly during this period, with its population rivaling that of Chicago, at the time.
Frankfort was Franklin County's first
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
until 1839, when the lower half of the county was declared as
Williamson County.
After railroad tracks linking Chicago,
Paducah
Paducah ( ) is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky. The largest city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located at the confluence of the Tennessee and the Ohio rivers, halfway between St. Louis, Missour ...
, and
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, were laid west of Frankfort, many businesses and residents migrated to the new commercial center forming near the tracks. This new community became known as West Frankfort, for its location to the west of Frankfort. The two cities eventually merged and retained the name West Frankfort.
The area of West Frankfort formerly known as ''Frankfort'' is still sometimes referred to locally as ''Frankfort Heights'' or, more commonly, simply as "The Heights", due to its higher elevation relative to the rest of the city. A post office was maintained in Frankfort Heights until its destruction by fire in 2004, making West Frankfort one of the smallest cities in the United States to have two
ZIP codes (the other zip code is designated as "Frankfort Heights, Illinois").
Beginning in 1904, the Deering Coal Mine Company took Franklin County and West Frankfort from no coal production in 1900 to being the #1 coal producer in Illinois by 1917. Once the mines opened, the population increased 3,500 in seven years. By 1927, West Frankfort's population had reached 19,896. In the late 1940s, four theatres and a minor league baseball team (see below) marked the downtown area.
Tri-State Tornado of 1925
1929 coal mine explosion
On December 1, 1929, an explosion at the Old Ben Coal Company's Old Ben No. 8 Mine killed 7 people.
1947 coal mine explosion
The Old Ben No. 8 Mine exploded again on July 24, 1947, killing 27 people.
West Frankfort Cardinals
The
West Frankfort Cardinals
The West Frankfort Cardinals were an American minor league baseball team based in West Frankfort, Illinois. From 1947 to 1950, the West Frankfort Cardinals were charter members of the Illinois State League in 1947 to 1948 and the Mississippi–O ...
were a minor-league baseball team from 1947 to 1950, serving as a Class D affiliate of the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
.
1951 coal mine explosion
The Orient No. 2 coal mine exploded on December 21, 1951, killing 119 men. The mine, located outside of West Frankfort, was one of the area's major employers. According to lifelong residents, everyone in West Frankfort was affected by this tragedy, including grade schoolers of the time who remember their own losses or the suffering of classmates. Many residents had even said they could never celebrate Christmas again. After the catastrophe, the West Frankfort Junior High School became a temporary morgue for identification of the bodies, with many calls going out for funeral directors. The explosion received national attention from the wire services, newspapers and ''
Life Magazine
''Life'' was an American magazine published weekly from 1883 to 1972, as an intermittent "special" until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 until 2000. During its golden age from 1936 to 1972, ''Life'' was a wide-ranging weekly general-interest ma ...
''. Illinois Governor
Adlai Stevenson visited the site to support those mourning. The
United States Bureau of Mines
For most of the 20th century, the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) was the primary United States government agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and conservation of mineral ...
called the explosion "avoidable," with the disaster resulting in Congress passing the
Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952. In 2020, after years of planning and funding, locals unveiled a new $40,000 memorial monument in Coal Miners Memorial Park, which reads the names of all 119 men killed in the disaster.
Eclipse crossroads of America
The area was in totality during the
solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
The solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, dubbed the "Great American Eclipse" by the media, was a total solar eclipse visible within a band that spanned the contiguous United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. It was also visible as a ...
, with
Giant City State Park
Giant City State Park is an Illinois state park on in Jackson and Union Counties, Illinois, United States. Illinois acquired more than in 1927, and dedicated the park as Giant City State Park. A lodge and visitor center welcome state park gu ...
, approximately to the southwest, experiencing the longest period of totality during the eclipse (approximately 2 minutes and 40 seconds). It will also be within the path of totality of the
solar eclipse of April 8, 2024
A total solar eclipse will take place at the Moon's ascending node on Monday, April 8, 2024, visible across North America and dubbed the Great North American Eclipse (also Great American Total Solar Eclipse and Great American Eclipse) by some o ...
, making it one of only a handful of cities within the direct paths of both eclipses.
Geography
West Frankfort is located at (37.898545, -88.923315).
According to the 2010 census, West Frankfort has a total area of , of which (or 99.18%) is land and (or 0.82%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2000
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 ...
,
there were 8,196 people, 3,596 households, and 2,207 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,973 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.55%
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 ...
, 2.13%
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 ...
, 0.23%
Native American, 0.31%
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 ...
, 0.09%
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 ...
, 0.12% 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 0.66% 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 2.77% of the population.
Of the 3,596 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.
The city's age demographic was 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median household income in the city was $25,358, and the median family income was $34,432. Males had a median income of $32,621, versus $18,765 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 $14,671. About 13.9% of families and 18.6% 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 27.0% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
*
Clyde L. Choate, politician, World War II Medal of Honor recipient
*
William A. Denning, Illinois Supreme Court justice and state representative, practiced law in Frankfort
*
Kenneth J. Gray, politician, World War II Victory Medal recipient
*
Tim Lee Hall, politician
*
Max Morris
Glen Max Morris (March 13, 1925 – January 8, 1998) was an American professional basketball and American football player. He was a consensus All-American in both sports for Northwestern University and later played professional football for the ...
, athlete, played in both the
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
and
AAFC
*
Hal Smith, member of the
1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series championship team
*
Joe Wendryhoski, athlete, former
NFL lineman for the
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
Events, media, and recognition
Each year West Frankfort hosts the Old King Coal Festival. This four-day event is held every May. Now coinciding with Rend Lake Festival, held in nearby Benton. Formerly the Old King Coal Festival was held in the third week of September; to pay tribute to coal miners with a parade, concerts, pageants, carnival rides and a wide variety of food.
West Frankfort is also home to Candy Cane Lane, a large lights display featured every year around Christmas. The display involves several blocks of homes, including a large display by a local art teacher. In 2019, areas of Candy Cane Lane were featured on the ABC show ''
The Great Christmas Light Fight''.
West Frankfort is home to the Frankfort Area Historical Museum, which operates in a renovated 3 story Logan Grade School. The Society features a large research library, and maintains a microfilm of U.S. Census and local newspapers.
West Frankfort was formerly home to the Daily American Newspaper, which operated for nearly 100 years. The newspaper was replaced by the West Frankfort Gazette, and replaced again by the Franklin County Gazette as of 2020.
Three Angels Broadcasting Network
The Three Angels Broadcasting Network, or 3ABN, is a Christian media television and radio network which broadcasts Seventh-day Adventist religious and health-oriented programming, based in West Frankfort, Illinois, United States. Although it is ...
(3ABN), a Christian broadcasting network, operates their world headquarters outside of town.
WITM-FM on 88.7 will be 3ABN Radio Music Channel's first affiliate to play Christian music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
West Frankfort was formerly the home of at least two radio stations, and local media source WFCN News operates outside of town.
References
External links
*
West Frankfort ''Daily American'' newspaper
{{authority control
Cities in Franklin County, Illinois
Cities in Illinois
Populated places in Southern Illinois
Populated places established in 1811
Coal mining disasters in Illinois
1811 establishments in Illinois Territory
1951 mining disasters
1951 in Illinois
1951 disasters in the United States
December 1951 events in the United States
1947 mining disasters
1929 mining disasters