Franklin County, Illinois

History

Franklin County was established on January 2, 1818, and formed from parts of Gallatin and White counties. It was named for Benjamin Franklin.

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, 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, according to a 2004 report.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 431 sqmi, of which 409 sqmi is land and 23 sqmi (5.2%) is water. Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area is located in this county.

Climate and weather

|Benton, Illinois |21|39|2.90 |26|45|2.87 |36|56|4.18 |45|67|4.50 |54|76|4.59 |63|85|4.06 |68|90|3.19 |65|88|3.04 |58|81|2.89 |45|69|2.94 |37|56|4.47 |26|43|3.56 |access-date=January 27, 2011 In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Benton have ranged from a low of 21 °F in January to a high of 90 °F in July, although a record low of -22 °F was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F was recorded in August 2007. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.87 in in February to 4.59 in in May.

On April 21, 1912, a tornado destroyed facilities at the Possum Ridge Mine.

On March 18, 1925, Franklin County was among five southern Illinois counties affected 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.

Adjacent counties

• Jefferson County (north)
• Hamilton County (east)
• Saline County (southeast)
• Williamson County (south)
• Jackson County (southwest)
• Perry County (west)

Transit

• South Central Transit

Major highways

• [[Image:I-57.svg|25px]] Interstate 57
• [[Image:Illinois 14.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 14
• [[Image:Illinois 34.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 34
• [[Image:Illinois 37.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 37
• [[Image:Illinois 148.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 148
• [[Image:Illinois 149.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 149
• [[Image:Illinois 154.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 154
• [[Image:Illinois 184.svg|25px]] Illinois Route 184

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 37,804. The median age was 44.1 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.8% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian,

40.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 59.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 16,251 households in the county, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.3% were married-couple households, 20.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 18,480 housing units, of which 12.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.2% were owner-occupied and 26.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.0%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 39,561 people, 16,617 households, and 10,912 families residing in the county.{{cite web |access-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014734/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17055 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212201800/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17055 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213035134/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17055 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

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, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025029/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17055 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Communities

Cities

• Benton (seat)
• Christopher
• Orient
• Sesser
• West Frankfort
• Zeigler

Villages

• Buckner
• Ewing
• Freeman Spur (mostly in Williamson County)
• Hanaford
• Macedonia (partly in Hamilton County)
• North City
• Royalton
• Thompsonville
• Valier
• West City

Census-designated place

• Mulkeytown

Townships

Franklin County is divided into twelve townships:

• Barren
• Benton
• Browning
• Cave
• Denning
• Eastern
• Ewing
• Frankfort
• Goode
• Northern
• Six Mile
• Tyrone

Unincorporated communities

• Akin
• Akin Junction
• Cleburne
• Deering City
• Frisco
• Kegley
• Meyer
• Parrish
• Pershing
• Plumfield
• Rend City
• Steel City
• Valier Patch
• West End
• Whittington

Education

Regional

• Franklin, Johnson, Massac, and Williamson County Regional Office of Education #21

Primary and secondary

• Christopher Unit School District 99
• Sesser-Valier Community Unit School District 196
• Benton Community Consolidated 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 Consolidated School District 115

Higher education

• John A. Logan College Extension Center - West Frankfort

Specialized

• Franklin & Jefferson County Special Education Cooperative

Politics

Franklin County voted mostly for Democratic US presidential candidates until 2000. Since then it has voted for Republican presidential nominees.

References

• United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
• United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
• United States National Atlas

References

1. (March 2025). "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020–2024". U.S. Department of Commerce.
2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
5. Hinton, Wayne. "Illinois Coal & Coal Mining, History & Genealogy - Coal Mines of Franklin County, Illinois".
6. Chenowith, Cheri. (2014). "Directory of Coal Mines in Illinois, 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Series, West Frankfort Quadrangle, Franklin County". Illinois State Geological Survey.
7. United States Mine Rescue Association. "Mine Disasters in the United States - By County - Franklin County, IL".
8. United States Mine Rescue Association. "Ziegler Mine Explosion".
9. United States Mine Rescue Association. "Old Ben No. 11 Mine Explosion".
10. United States Mine Rescue Association. "Orient No. 2 Mine Explosion - West Frankfort, Illinois".
11. Hubbs, Barbara Barr. "Possum Ridge Mine History".
12. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau.
13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
18. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
19. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
20. "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois- Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 16 (p. 18-28) - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 29-39)".
21. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin".
22. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Franklin County, Illinois".
23. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Franklin County, Illinois".
24. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Franklin County, Illinois".
25. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
26. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
27. not an option in the 1980 Census
28. not an option in the 1990 Census
29. [http://www.roe21.org Franklin, Johnson, Massac, and Williamson County Regional Office of Education #21]
30. [http://www.cpher99.org Christopher Unit School District #99]
31. [http://www.sv196.org Sesser Unit School District #196]
32. [http://www.benton47.org Benton School District #47]
33. [http://www.wfschools.org Frankfort Community Unit School District #168]
34. [http://www.zr188.org Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit School District #188]
35. [http://thompsonville.il.schoolwebpages.com Thompsonville Community Unit School District #174]
36. [http://www.ewinggradeschool.org Ewing-Northern Community Unit School District #115]
37. [http://www.fjsped.org Franklin & Jefferson County Special Education Cooperative]
38. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".