Du Quoin ( ) is a city in

Perry County, Illinois Perry County is a county in Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 20,945. Its county seat is Pinckneyville. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known as " Little Egypt". History Perry County was formed ...

, United States. 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.

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, an important early road that connected

Kaskaskia The Kaskaskia were a historical Indigenous people 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 ...

with Lusk's Ferry on the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

. 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 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

, an

Illiniwek The Illinois Confederation, also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, were made up of a loosely organized group of 12 or 13 tribes who lived in the Mississippi River Valley. Eventually, member tribes occupied an area reaching from Lake Mich ...

people, who were defeated by the

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

near here in 1802. The first mayor of Du Quoin was George Spencer Smith.

Geography

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

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.

Transportation

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 intercity 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 or Persian hound (Persian:سگ تازی، Arabic: سلوقي) is a standardised breed developed from sighthounds – dogs that hunt primarily by sight rather than strong scent – that was once used by nomadic tribes to run down game ...

'', is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 1:17 pm daily with service to Carbondale. Amtrak Train 393, the southbound Illini, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 9:07 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 Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. Amtrak Train 392, the northbound Illini, is scheduled to depart Du Quoin at 4:36 pm daily serving the same points as the northbound Saluki.

Bus service

Public transit service in Du Quoin is provided by

South Central Transit South Central Illinois Mass Transit District is a provider of mass transportation in Clinton, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Perry and Washington counties in Illinois, with deviated fixed-routes serving numerous cities, as well as demand-re ...

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

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 chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 7.23%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.36% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.36% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino 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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

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 ...

, 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.

Education

Du Quoin belongs in the Community Unit School District (CUSD) #300 and is composed of: Du Quoin Elementary School, Du Quoin Middle School, and Du Quoin High School. The Elementary and Middle School are in adjoining buildings that do share some common areas.(https://www.duquoinschools.org/)

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 St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independe ...

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: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming * AAA (video game industry) - a category of high budget video games *'' TripleA'', an open source wargame Mu ...

race from 1948 to 1955, and a

USAC National Championship From 1956 to 1978, the United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned Championship Car class featured the top teams and drivers in U.S. open-wheel racing. Until 1971, races included road courses, ovals, dirt courses, and, on occasion, a hill climb. ...

race from 1955 to 1970. It currently hosts a USAC Silver Crown Series race and a

ARCA Menards Series The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car racing, 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 ...

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 fir ...

, 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, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

, and one of three races comprising the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Trotters. Du Quoin now is best known for Street Machines Nationals and the Du Quoin State Fair.

Nature and Parks

Du Quoin is known for the large amount of

Canada Geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North ...

that migrate for winter and to nest in Spring. Clutches between 3-8 goslings are common in April and May.

Notable people

* Terry Deering, Illinois legislator; born in Du Quoin * Ralph A. Dunn, businessman and Illinois state legislator *

Edward Murray East Edward Murray East (October 4, 1879 – November 9, 1938) was an American plant geneticist, botanist, agronomist and eugenicist. He is known for his experiments that led to the development of hybrid corn and his support of 'forced' eliminat ...

, plant geneticist, born in Du Quoin * Ruby Berkley Goodwin, writer and actress, born in Du Quoin * Frank Hansford, pitcher for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms; born in Du Quoin * Gerald Hawkins, Illinois legislator; born in Du Quoin * Billie Hayes, actress (Witchiepoo in '' H.R. Pufnstuf'', Mammy Yoakam in ''

Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' was a satirical American comic strip that appeared in multiple newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbillies living in the impoverished fictional mountain village of Dogpatch, ...

''); born in Du Quoin * Nick Hill, football quarterback and head coach at

Southern Illinois Southern Illinois is a region of the U.S. state of Illinois comprising the southern third of the state, principally south of Interstate 70. Part of downstate Illinois, it is bordered by the two List of U.S. rivers by discharge, most voluminous ri ...

; born in Du Quoin * Les Hite, musician and bandleader; born in Du Quoin * John Iffert, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Covington. * Bhavesh Patel, theatre and television actor; lived in Du Quoin * Tyler Reddick, NASCAR Cup Series driver; lived in Du Quoin * Charles Schlueter, retired musician (

Trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

) Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), Kansas City Symphony (KCS),

Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...

Cleveland Orchestra The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". T ...

Don Stanhouse Donald Joseph Stanhouse (born February 12, 1951) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who had an eight-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1972–1980) with a brief comeback in 1982. He pitched for the Texas Rangers and Balt ...

, pitcher with the Texas Rangers,

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) 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) East Division. As one of the America ...

, 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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

; born in Du Quoin *

Ken Swofford Kenneth Charles Swofford (July 25, 1933 – November 1, 2018) was an American film and television actor. With his burly build and distinctive red hair he was often cast in villain, police officer or 'everyman' roles. Between 1962 and 1995, ...

, actor (''

Thelma & Louise ''Thelma & Louise'' is a 1991 American crime drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri. The film stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as Louise and Thelma, two friends who embark on a road trip that ends up in unforese ...

'', ''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1928 by the American detective fiction writers Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred Bennington Lee (1905–1971). It is also the name of their main fictional detective, a mystery writer in New York City ...

''); born in Du Quoin *

Rudolf Wanderone Rudolf Walter Wanderone (Birth name, 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 wi ...

, billiards player known as "Minnesota Fats"; lived in Du Quoin

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