Fairfield, Illinois

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title: "Fairfield, Illinois" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-in-illinois", "cities-in-wayne-county,-illinois", "county-seats-in-illinois"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfield,_Illinois" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameFairfield
settlement_typeCity
image_skylineWayne County Courthouse in Fairfield.jpg
image_captionWayne County Courthouse
motto"Home of the Friendly People"
image_mapFile:Wayne County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fairfield Highlighted.svg
map_captionLocation of Fairfield in Wayne County, Illinois.
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameUnited States
subdivision_type1State
subdivision_name1Illinois
subdivision_type2County
subdivision_name2Wayne
subdivision_type3Township
established_titleFounded
leader_titleMayor
unit_prefImperial
area_footnotes
area_total_km210.52
area_total_sq_mi4.06
area_land_km210.43
area_land_sq_mi4.03
area_water_km20.09
area_water_sq_mi0.03
population_as_of2020
population_total4883
population_density_km2468.02
population_density_sq_mi1212.26
timezoneCST
utc_offset-6
timezone_DSTCDT
utc_offset_DST-5
elevation_footnotes
elevation_ft459
coordinates
coordinates_footnotes
postal_code_typeZIP code
postal_code62837
area_code618
blank_nameFIPS code
blank_info17–24816
blank1_nameGNIS feature ID
blank1_info2394732
website
::

| name = Fairfield | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = Wayne County Courthouse in Fairfield.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Wayne County Courthouse | motto = "Home of the Friendly People" | image_map = File:Wayne County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fairfield Highlighted.svg | mapsize = | map_caption = Location of Fairfield in Wayne County, Illinois. | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Illinois | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Wayne | subdivision_type3 = Township | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = | founder = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | governing_body = | leader_party = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 10.52 | area_total_sq_mi = 4.06 | area_land_km2 = 10.43 | area_land_sq_mi = 4.03 | area_water_km2 = 0.09 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.03 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 4883 | population_density_km2 = 468.02 | population_density_sq_mi = 1212.26 | timezone = CST | utc_offset = -6 | timezone_DST = CDT | utc_offset_DST = -5 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_ft = 459 | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 62837 | area_code = 618 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 17–24816 | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 2394732 | website = | footnotes =

Fairfield is a city in and the county seat of Wayne County, Illinois, United States, and the location of Frontier Community College. The population was 4,883 at the 2020 census.

History

Fairfield is most famous for being the hometown of the "friendly" people, and for the Shelton Brothers Gang, notorious bootleggers who fought it out with the Harrisburg, Illinois-based Birger Gang to control criminal activities in Southern Illinois. During the first half of the 20th century, gang leaders Carl, Earl and Bernie Shelton made Fairfield a household name. Based on testimony of Charlie Birger himself, the Shelton Brothers were convicted for a 1925 unsolved mail carrier robbery of $15,000 and were sentenced to 25 years. They were released a few years later. Birger dominated bootlegging in Southern Illinois until he himself was hanged in Benton for the murder of West City Mayor Joe Adams in 1928. After serving their time, the Shelton brothers built a new criminal empire. Based in East St Louis, one of the most prosperous cities of its day, they controlled all vice from Peoria and southward.

They met their demise at the hands of the Chicago mob and an insider Charles "Blackie" Harris. A land dispute led to Blackie joining forces with the Mob to kill off members of the Shelton gang. His most notable victim was Carl Shelton, the leader. He was ambushed several miles southeast of Fairfield, shot from his Jeep. Bernie was killed at his Peoria roadhouse. Earl moved to Jacksonville, Florida and became a successful land speculator.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Fairfield has a total area of 4.054 sqmi, of which 4.02 sqmi (or 99.16%) is land and 0.034 sqmi (or 0.84%) is water.{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1724816 |title=G001 – Geographic Identifiers – 2010 Census Summary File 1 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213082935/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1724816 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Climate

|location = Fairfield, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896–present) |single line = Y |collapsed = Y |width = auto | Jan record high F = 77 | Feb record high F = 78 | Mar record high F = 91 | Apr record high F = 91 | May record high F = 98 | Jun record high F = 108 | Jul record high F = 113 | Aug record high F = 108 | Sep record high F = 105 | Oct record high F = 96 | Nov record high F = 86 | Dec record high F = 74 | year record high F = 113 | Jan high F = 41.1 | Feb high F = 46.5 | Mar high F = 57.0 | Apr high F = 69.0 | May high F = 78.1 | Jun high F = 86.9 | Jul high F = 89.6 | Aug high F = 88.8 | Sep high F = 82.6 | Oct high F = 70.5 | Nov high F = 56.1 | Dec high F = 45.0 | year high F = 67.6 | Jan mean F = 32.8 | Feb mean F = 37.2 | Mar mean F = 46.6 | Apr mean F = 57.7 | May mean F = 67.0 | Jun mean F = 75.6 | Jul mean F = 78.7 | Aug mean F = 77.2 | Sep mean F = 70.2 | Oct mean F = 58.8 | Nov mean F = 46.2 | Dec mean F = 36.9 | year mean F = 57.1 | Jan low F = 24.5 | Feb low F = 27.9 | Mar low F = 36.3 | Apr low F = 46.5 | May low F = 55.9 | Jun low F = 64.3 | Jul low F = 67.8 | Aug low F = 65.6 | Sep low F = 57.9 | Oct low F = 47.0 | Nov low F = 36.3 | Dec low F = 28.8 | year low F = 46.6 | Jan record low F = −23 | Feb record low F = −21 | Mar record low F = -8 | Apr record low F = 17 | May record low F = 29 | Jun record low F = 39 | Jul record low F = 45 | Aug record low F = 43 | Sep record low F = 25 | Oct record low F = 19 | Nov record low F = -3 | Dec record low F = −18 | year record low F = -23 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation inch = 3.33 | Feb precipitation inch = 2.68 | Mar precipitation inch = 4.22 | Apr precipitation inch = 5.00 | May precipitation inch = 4.98 | Jun precipitation inch = 4.70 | Jul precipitation inch = 3.83 | Aug precipitation inch = 3.51 | Sep precipitation inch = 2.90 | Oct precipitation inch = 3.73 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.82 | Dec precipitation inch = 3.30 | year precipitation inch = 46.00 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in | Jan precipitation days = 9.2 | Feb precipitation days = 8.4 | Mar precipitation days = 10.7 | Apr precipitation days = 11.2 | May precipitation days = 12.2 | Jun precipitation days = 10.1 | Jul precipitation days = 8.5 | Aug precipitation days = 7.4 | Sep precipitation days = 6.6 | Oct precipitation days = 8.1 | Nov precipitation days = 9.2 | Dec precipitation days = 9.7 | year precipitation days = 111.3 |source 1 = NOAA{{cite web | url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=pah | title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = July 26, 2021 | archive-date = August 3, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210803040334/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=pah | url-status = dead | url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00112931&format=pdf | title = Station: Fairfield Radio WFIW, IL | work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = July 26, 2021}}

Demographics

|1850= 195 |1860= 508 |1870= 719 |1880= 1391 |1890= 1881 |1900= 2338 |1910= 2479 |1920= 2754 |1930= 3280 |1940= 4008 |1950= 5576 |1960= 6362 |1970= 5897 |1980= 5944 |1990= 5439 |2000= 5421 |2010= 5154 |2020= 4883 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census As of the census of 2000, there were 5,421 people, 2,495 households, and 1,494 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,499.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,727 housing units at an average density of 754.0 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 98.40% White, 0.09% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 2,495 households, out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,797, and the median income for a family was $36,278. Males had a median income of $28,866 versus $19,985 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,791. About 8.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Notable people

References

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
  2. {{GNIS. 2394732
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
  4. (10 September 1949). "ANOTHER SHELTON MACHINE-GUNNED; 'Little Earl' of Illinois Clan of Gangsters Lay Attack to a Former Ally".
  5. (2012). "Fairfield and Wayne County". Arcadia Publishing.
  6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
  7. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
  8. "Schools".
  9. 'Illinois Blue Book 1973–1974.' Biographical Sketch of Ben C. Blades, pg. 175
  10. 'Illinois Blue Book 1941-1941,' Biographical Sketch of H. S. Burgess, pg. 242–243
  11. 'Illinois Blue Book 1943–1944,' Biographical Sketch of Charles W. Creighton, pg. 456–457
  12. 'Official Souvenir of the Illinois State Legislature of 1893,' J. L. Pickering-editor, Illinois State Journal Press, Springfield, Illinois: 1893, Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. Creighton, pg. 52
  13. "Medal of Honor: Kenneth Kays".
  14. "Alaska Legislator-Drue Pearce".
  15. 'Illinois Blue Book 1981–1982,' Biographical Sketch of Clyde W. Robbins, pg. 177

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