Frankfort, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frankfort, Illinois
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Village
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Location of Frankfort in Will county, Illinois.
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Counties | Will, Cook |
| Townships | Frankfort, Rich |
| Incorporated | 1879 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.79 sq mi (40.91 km2) |
| • Land | 15.79 sq mi (40.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,296 |
| • Density | 1,285.04/sq mi (496.14/km2) |
| Standard of living (2010-2014) | |
| • Per capita income | $41,832 |
| • Median home value | $348,600 |
| ZIP code(s) |
60423
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| Area code(s) | 815 |
| Geocode | 27624 |
| FIPS code | 17-27624 |
Frankfort is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Cook County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 20,296. According to Forbes.com, in 2007 the village ranked as the 36th fastest growing suburb in the United States.
Name
The name "Frankfort" was taken from Frankfort Township as designated by the governing board of Will County. It was commonly known as "Frankfort Station" after the opening of the Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad through the township in 1855, though the official plat of the community dated March 1855 shows the name as "Frankfort". Property deed abstracts and railroad documents also show that the name was always Frankfort. Local residents incorporated Frankfort as a village in 1879.
History
First inhabited by Native Americans, including the Potawatomi and Sac and Fox tribes, Frankfort was used as a conduit between the Des Plaines and St. Joseph rivers. Originally, the area was part of the Virginia Territory before the French signed a treaty with Manitoqua, the Potawatomi chief, for land in the Prestwick area. The first pioneers came to Frankfort in the early 1830s by means of the Des Plaines River from the southwest and by wagon from the east along the Sauk Trail, a roadway that still exists today.
William Rice, the first non-native settler, made a permanent settlement in Frankfort in 1831. While the first pioneers, coming mainly from the New England colonies, were mostly of English and Scottish descent, German settlers made the village of Frankfort a reality. Later in the 1840s German settlers migrated from Germany to Frankfort. They had fled harsh conditions in their homeland by coming to America and proved to be very industrious and experienced farmers as they soon bought most of the fertile farm land from the "Yankees", who were more inclined to provide services for local needs. Establishing both ownership and pride in the area, the German settlers implemented the first system of resident concern for local lands, which has been maintained ever since.
What is now known as Frankfort Township was originally part of the Hickory Creek Precinct. Will County was originally divided into ten precincts. The county, in 1850, was changed to the township form of government. Frankfort Township was named by Frederick Cappel after his native city, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. In 1855 the Joliet and Northern Indiana Railroad built a line through an area linking Joliet, Illinois, with Lake Station, Indiana. The J&NI Railroad was leased to the Michigan Central Railroad, and service was implemented in July 1855. Nelson D. Elwood, an officer of the rail line, and Sherman Bowen, a Joliet attorney and real estate man, jointly platted a village of around 23 acres (9.3 ha) in March 1855 and named it Frankfort after the township. It was commonly referred to as "Frankfort Station" because of the railroad depot located there.
John McDonald became the first railroad agent in 1857.
In 1879, the village of Frankfort was incorporated, and elected John McDonald as the first Village President. Along with the establishment of the government, among the first undertakings of the newly formed administration was the institution of land use policies. Early plats that were recorded indicated a traditional grid pattern with residential uses surrounding the business district and railroad line and additional land provided for schools and public open spaces.
Geography
Frankfort is located at 41°29′53″N 87°50′58″W / 41.49806°N 87.84944°W (41.498133, -87.849549).
According to the 2010 census, Frankfort has a total area of 14.98 square miles (38.80 km2), all land.
An unincorporated area north of the village of Frankfort (in Frankfort Township) is a census-designated place known as Frankfort Square.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 332 | — | |
| 1890 | 431 | 29.8% | |
| 1900 | 250 | −42.0% | |
| 1910 | 273 | 9.2% | |
| 1920 | 497 | 82.1% | |
| 1930 | 590 | 18.7% | |
| 1940 | 568 | −3.7% | |
| 1950 | 685 | 20.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,135 | 65.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,325 | 104.8% | |
| 1980 | 4,357 | 87.4% | |
| 1990 | 7,180 | 64.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,391 | 44.7% | |
| 2010 | 17,782 | 71.1% | |
| 2020 | 20,296 | 14.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 15,234 | 16,168 | 85.67% | 79.66% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,085 | 1,738 | 6.10% | 8.56% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 16 | 9 | 0.09% | 0.04% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 462 | 659 | 2.60% | 3.25% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 1 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 12 | 41 | 0.07% | 0.20% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 156 | 589 | 0.88% | 2.90% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 815 | 1,091 | 4.58% | 5.38% |
| Total | 17,782 | 20,296 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Education
Frankfort School District 157C and Summit Hill District 161 serve residents of Frankfort. As of 2018 the former district's middle school "Hickory Creek" is ranked 5th in the state.
Frankfort is home to Lincoln-Way East High School. Lincoln-Way East High School has won state championships in Football (2005, 2017, 2019), Girls Softball (2002), Boys Gymnastics (2006, 2011), Girls Track & Field (2014, 2015, 2016), Girls Cheerleading (2014, 2015, 2017), Summer League Baseball, and Marching Band (2007, 2008). Lincoln-Way North has a state championship in Boys Gymnastics (2011) and Summer League Baseball (2011).
Notable residents
- Nick Allegretti, Super Bowl LIV Champion and Guard for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Lou Boudreau, Hall of Fame baseball player
- Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer of the rock band Styx.
- Jason Vander Laan, Current football tight end playing for the Carolina Panthers
- Erika Lauren, member of MTVs The Real World: D.C. cast and former radio personality on The Alan Cox Show WMMS (100.7 FM) in Cleveland, Ohio.
See also
In Spanish: Frankfort (Illinois) para niños
