county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in
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 state, this region is aligned in culture more with that of the Upland South than the Mi ...
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 ...
is Benton. This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".
History
Franklin County was established on January 2, 1818 and formed from parts of Gallatin and White counties. It was named for
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading int ...
.
File:Franklin County Illinois 1818.png, Franklin County at the time of its formation in 1818
File:Franklin County Illinois 1839.png, The creation of Williamson County in 1839 reduced Franklin to its current borders.
Coal mining
Coal was mined in Franklin County as early as 1889, at the King Coal Mine, located at Township 5 South, Range 3 East.
The high levels of gas found in Franklin County's coal deposits have resulted in mining disasters and explosions over the years. Between 1905 and 1968, there were eleven mine disasters. In 1905, the Zeigler No. 1 mine, located in Zeigler, had an explosion that killed about fifty people. In 1917, an explosion in Old Ben Mine No. 11, located in
Christopher
Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or " Anointed", and φέρε ...
, killed 17. The worst explosion occurred in 1951, in the Orient No. 2 Mine in West Frankfort, in which 119 people died.
The West Frankfort quadrangle of Franklin County is home to 17
coal mines
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron fro ...
, according to a 2004 report.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.2%) is water.
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area
The Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area is a 3,300-acre (13.4 km²) state park bordering Rend Lake near Benton, Illinois. The state park is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to concentrate on shoreline recreation, i ...
is located in this county.
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Benton have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of was recorded in August 2007. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in May.
In 1912, a
tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...
destroyed facilities at the Possum Ridge Mine.
On March 18, 1925, Franklin County was among five southern Illinois counties effected by the infamous Tri State Tornado. The storm cut across the southern edge of the county, hitting West Frankfort and destroying most of the northern side of town, causing significant damage to the town's mining facilities. Farther to the east, the village of Parrish was also struck, and was never rebuilt. The storm killed 192 people in Franklin County, injuring hundreds more and leaving scores of people homeless.
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
*Perr ...
(west)
Major highways
*
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 (I-57) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central Railroad for much of its route. It runs from Sikeston, Missouri, at I-55 to Chicago, Illinois, at I-94. I-57 ess ...
Illinois Route 34
Illinois Route 34 (IL 34) is a north–south state road in southern Illinois. It runs from a former ferry crossing to Kentucky Route 297 across the Ohio River in Rosiclare to Illinois Routes 14/ 37 in Benton. This is a distance of .
Rou ...
Illinois Route 154
Illinois Route 154 is an east–west state road in southern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 3 in Red Bud to Illinois Route 37 in Whittington. This is a distance of .
Route description
Illinois 154 is the main east–west road ...
*
Illinois Route 184
Illinois Route 184 is a state road in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois located entirely within Franklin County. It runs from Illinois Route 149 in Royalton north to Illinois Route 14 in Mulkeytown. Route 184 is maintained ...
Demographics
As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
, there were 39,561 people, 16,617 households, and 10,912 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 18,525 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.7% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 21.8% were
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
, 9.4% were
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
, and 5.7% were Italian.
Of the 16,617 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 41.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,381 and the median income for a family was $43,170. Males had a median income of $39,122 versus $28,950 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,504. About 14.5% of families and 19.8% 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 ...
, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Christopher
Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or " Anointed", and φέρε ...
*
Orient
The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of '' Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...
Ewing
Ewing may refer to:
People
* Ewing (surname)
* Ewing (given name)
Places
;United States
* Ewing Township, Boone County, Arkansas
* Ewing, Illinois, a village
* Ewing Township, Franklin County, Illinois
* Ewing, Indiana, an unincorporated co ...
Franklin County is divided into twelve townships:
*
Barren
Barren primarily refers to a state of barrenness (infertility
Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusoc ...
Browning
Browning may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* The Browning, an American electronicore band
* ''Browning'', a set of variations by the composer William Byrd
Places
* Browning, Georgia, USA
* Browning, Illinois, USA
* Browning, Missouri, ...
*
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
Ewing
Ewing may refer to:
People
* Ewing (surname)
* Ewing (given name)
Places
;United States
* Ewing Township, Boone County, Arkansas
* Ewing, Illinois, a village
* Ewing Township, Franklin County, Illinois
* Ewing, Indiana, an unincorporated co ...
Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
Steel City
The Steel City is a common nickname for many cities that were once known for their production of large amounts of steel. With industrial production also in developing countries, like those in Eastern Europe and Asia, most of these cities do n ...
* Franklin, Johnson, Massac, and Williamson County Regional Office of Education #21
Primary and secondary
* Christopher Unit School District #99
* Sesser Unit School District
* Benton School District #47
* Frankfort Community Unit School District #168
* Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit School District #188
* Thompsonville Community Unit School District #174
* Ewing-Northern Community Unit School District #115
Ku Klux Klan in Southern Illinois The Ku Klux Klan in Southern Illinois operated between 1867 and 1875 in seven counties—Franklin, Williamson, Jackson, Saline, Johnson, Union, and Pope. The "worst Klan years" were in 1874 and 1875.
The earliest date attributed to this grou ...
*
Fourth Franklin County Courthouse
The fourth Franklin County Courthouse was a government building in central Benton, the county seat of Franklin County, Illinois, United States. Built in 1874 to replace an older structure that could no longer serve the county's needs, it wa ...