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West Frankfort, Illinois

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West Frankfort is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, USA. The population was 8,196 at the 2000 census. The city is part of the Metro Lakeland area.

History

Although one might associate the name "West Frankfort" with the cities named "Frankfurt" in Germany or Frankfort in Kentucky, the truth is far more local. Around 1810, Francis Jordan, an early settler from Tennessee, with the help of his seven brothers, began construction of a fort atop a hill in present-day Franklin County. Completed in 1811, the fort was named "Frank's Fort", in Jordan's honor.[1][unreliable source?]

Jordan also built a fort a few miles to the east, at Jordan's Settlement, near modern Thompsonville, Illinois. This fort was called "Jordan's Fort". The construction of these forts was in response to the danger of attack during Tecumseh's War, which culminated in the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Then-governor of the Illinois Territory, Ninian Edwards, actively encouraged the construction of these forts and offered the services of the Saline Militia in their erection.[1]

Since the Shawnee Trail, an important trading route linking Kaskaskia, Illinois and Old Shawneetown, Illinois 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 of 1805. The resulting settlement took the name of the nearby fort, which was subsequently shortened to "Frankfort". Frankfort grew quickly during this period, its population rivaling that of Chicago at that time.[1]

After railroad tracks linking Chicago, Paducah, and Memphis were laid 4 miles (6 km) west of Frankfort, many businesses and residents migrated to the new commercial center which formed near the tracks. This new community came to be known as West Frankfort for its location west of Frankfort. The two cities eventually merged and retained the name of West Frankfort.[1]

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.[1]

Tri-State Tornado of 1925

See Tri-State Tornado

1951 Coal Mine Explosion

The Orient No. 2 coal mine exploded on Dec. 21, 1951, killing 119 men. The mine, located outside of West Frankfort, was one of the major employers of the area. Everyone in West Frankfort was affected by this tragedy. Many said they could never celebrate Christmas again. The West Frankfort Junior High School became a temporary morgue for identification of the bodies. A call went out for funeral directors. The explosion received national attention from the wire services, newspapers and Life Magazine. Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson visited the site. The United States Bureau of Mines called the explosion avoidable. The disaster resulted in Congress passing the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act which was signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 16, 1952. List of United States Federal Legislation

Geography

West Frankfort is located at 37°53′55″N 88°55′24″W / 37.89861°N 88.92333°W / 37.89861; -88.92333Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (37.898545, -88.923315)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.3 km²), of which, 4.8 square miles (12.3 km²) of it is land and 0.21% is water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 8,196 people, 3,596 households, and 2,207 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,726.8 people per square mile (666.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.40% White, 0.20% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population.

In the city the population was spread out with 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 income for a household in the city was $25,358, and the median income for a family was $34,432. Males had a median income of $32,621 versus $18,765 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,671. About 13.9% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Events

Each year West Frankfort hosts the Old King Coal Festival. This four-day event is held every September to pay tribute to coal miners with a parade, concerts, pageants, carnival rides and a wide variety of food.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Official City Website Retrieved on October 29, 2007
  2. ^ Hal Smith Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
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