Editing Christopher, Illinois

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Christopher
| official_name      = 
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| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline      = Christopher-Market-Street-W-il.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
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| image_caption      = Market Street
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| image_map          = File:Franklin County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Christopher Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 
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| map_caption        = Location of Christopher in Franklin County, Illinois.
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| coordinates        = {{coord|37|58|20|N|89|3|10|W|display=inline}}
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| subdivision_name2  = [[Franklin County, Illinois|Franklin]]
| subdivision_type3  = Township
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| established_title  = Founded
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| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Gary Bartolotti
| leader_title1      = Mayor
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| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 4.24
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.64
| area_land_km2      = 4.20
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.62
| area_water_km2     = 0.04
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
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| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 440
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| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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| population_total   = 2697
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| population_density_km2 = 642.13
| population_density_sq_mi = 1662.76
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| timezone1          = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1        = -6
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| postal_code        = 62822
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| area_code          = [[Area code 618|618]]
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| blank_info         = 17-14286
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 406104<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|406104}}</ref>
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| blank_info_sec2    = 
| blank1_name_sec2   = 
| blank1_info_sec2   = 
| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2   = Christopher, Illinois
| website            = http://www.cityofchristopher.org/
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Christopher''' is a [[city]] in [[Franklin County, Illinois|Franklin County]], [[Illinois]], United States. The population was 2,697 at the time of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==

Christopher was founded in 1879 as a railroad stop, and named for Christopher Harrison, a grandson of prominent early settler Isham Harrison. A post office opened the following year. The community voted to become a village in 1903, and a city in 1910.<ref name=hoey>Bob Hoey, "[https://cityofchristopher.org/history A Brief History of Christopher]," City of Christopher website.  Accessed 11 June 2021.</ref>

===Coal mining===
In 1906, the United Coal Mining Company No. 1 [[Coal mining in the United States|mine]] opened near Christopher. An explosion at the mine killed eight men on July 27, 1915.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hinton-gen.com/coal/disasters3.html#jul1915exp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224031141/http://hinton-gen.com/coal/disasters3.html#jul1915exp|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 24, 2022|title=Explosion at United Coal Company Mine No. 1|last=Hinton|first=Wayne|website=History of Illinois Coal Mine Disasters 1911 to 1920|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref> The mine was sold to the Old Ben Coal Corporation, and renamed Old Ben Coal Mine No. 1 in 1916. The mine closed in 1929.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hinton-gen.com/coal/franklin_mines.html|title=Old Ben Coal Mine No. 12|last=Hinton|first=Wayne|date=2018|website=Coal Mines of Franklin County, Illinois|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005191308/http://hinton-gen.com/coal/franklin_mines.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

On November 29, 1917, an explosion at Old Ben Coal Corporation's Mine No. 11 killed 17 men.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/old_ben_1917.htm|title=Old Ben No. 11 Mine Explosion|last=United States Mine Rescue Association|website=Mine Disasters in the United States|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hinton-gen.com/coal/disasters3.html#nov1917exp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224031141/http://hinton-gen.com/coal/disasters3.html#nov1917exp|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 24, 2022|title=Explosion in Old Ben Coal Corporation's Mine No. 11|last=Jones|first=John E|website=History of Illinois Coal Mine Disasters 1911 to 1920|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-not-one-miner-brought-out-alive-after-explosion-at-old-ben-mine-christopher-illinois/|title=Hellraisers Journal: Not One Miner Brought Out Alive after Explosion at Old Ben Mine, Christopher, Illinois|last=Raye|first=Janet|date=December 8, 2017|website=We Never Forget|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref>

===Mob vigilantism during World War I===
On March 22, 1918, five men who were accused of being "pro-German" became victims of a mob numbering more than 300 people. They were:<ref>"Four Disloyalists are Tarred and Feathered," ''[[Lebanon, Indiana|Lebanon]] Daily Reporter'', Mar. 23, 1918.</ref>

* Theodore Kunger, a grocer, had been judged by a local court of being disloyal, and ordered to pay a $100 fine. Having no money, he was put in jail. Later his cell was broken into by a vigilance committee. Kunger was carried by the mob to the city square where he was made to kiss the U.S. flag before he was [[tarred and feathered]]. He was then returned to jail.
* W. R. Jones, Kunger's attorney, was abducted five miles outside Christopher on his way home to [[Benton, Illinois]]. He was brought to the square and compelled to kiss the flag and praise president [[Woodrow Wilson]], but was spared tar and feathers. He was told to leave town.
* Henry Timbrock and Henry Wheeler were also suspected of pro-German sympathies. They too were taken to the square, made to kiss the flag and tarred and feathered.
* The Polish pastor of the local Catholic church, Rev. John Kovalsky, had been accused of making disloyal remarks. He was taken to the square where he was stripped to the waist and coated with tar and feathers.<ref>"Use Tar in Illinois, Too," ''Kansas City Times'', Mar. 23, 1918.</ref><ref>"Tar and Feathers for Four Men," ''Logansport Pharos Reporter'', Mar. 23, 1918.</ref>

==Geography==
Christopher is located 20 miles northeast of [[Carbondale, Illinois|Carbondale]], [[Illinois]] at {{coord|37|58|20|N|89|3|10|W}} (37.972099, -89.052911).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Christopher has a total area of {{convert|1.64|sqmi|km2|2}}, of which {{convert|1.62|sqmi|km2|2}} (or 99.08%) is land and {{convert|0.02|sqmi|km2|2}} (or 0.92%) is water.<ref name="gaz2021">{{Cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Census.gov}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 1825
|1920= 3830
|1930= 4244
|1940= 3833
|1950= 3545
|1960= 2854
|1970= 2910
|1980= 3086
|1990= 2774
|2000= 2836
|2010= 2382
|2020= 2697
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1714286 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 2,697 people, 1,181 households, and 616 families residing in the city. The population density was {{Convert|1,647.53|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 1,351 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|825.29|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.66% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.52% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.04% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.00% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.15% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 1,181 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.28% were married couples living together, 12.19% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.84% were non-families. 42.85% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.17% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 2.20.

The city's age distribution consisted of 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,184, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $28,194 versus $17,475 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $20,279. About 25.3% of families and 29.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 26.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
*[[Rend Lake College]]
*[[John A. Logan College]]
*[[Southern Illinois University Carbondale]]

== Notable people ==
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* [[Doug Collins (basketball)|Doug Collins]], former [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] player and coach
* [[Al Glossop]], second baseman for the [[San Francisco Giants|New York Giants]], [[Boston Bees]], [[Philadelphia Phillies]], [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] and [[Chicago Cubs]]
* [[Louie E. Lewis]], Illinois state treasurer and speaker of the [[Illinois House of Representatives]]
* [[John Malkovich]], actor, producer, and director
* [[Gene Rayburn]] (1917–99), radio and television personality, known for hosting the ''[[Match Game]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord|37|58|20|N|89|3|10|W|type:city|display=title}}
{{Commons category|Christopher, Illinois}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Christopher, Illinois
|Northwest=[[North City, Illinois|North City (Coello)]]
|North=[[Sesser, Illinois|Sesser]]
|Northeast=[[Valier, Illinois|Valier]]
|East=[[Buckner, Illinois|Buckner]]
|Southwest=[[Royalton, Illinois|Royalton]]
|West=[[Mulkeytown, Illinois|Mulkeytown]]
|South=[[Zeigler, Illinois|Zeigler]]
|Southeast=[[Orient, Illinois|Orient]] & [[West Frankfort, Illinois|West Frankfort]]
}}
{{Franklin County, Illinois}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Franklin County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places in Southern Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:Tarring and feathering in the United States]]