Франкфорт: Тарихы мен қалыптасуы

the Chicago area community
Frankfort’s historic downtown area contains the Frankfort Grainery, Breidert Green, and a portion of the Old Plank Road Trail, a 22 mile long paved recreation trail. The village also contains Commissioners Park and multiple schools, including Lincoln Way East High School, Hickory Creek Middle School, and Dr. Julian Rogus School.

The name "Frankfort" was taken from Frankfort Township 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. It also has some reference to the major German city of Frankfurt.

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 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, but when the village was incorporated, the "station" was dropped from the name. 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 plans 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.

Frankfort is located at (41.498133, 87.849549). According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Frankfort has a total area of 15.79 square miles (41 km2), all land. Frankfort is located in the Chicago Metropolitan area, and is approximately 28 miles south of Chicago. An unincorporated area north of the village of Frankfort (in Frankfort Township) is a census designated place known as Frankfort Square. The village is bordered by Richton Park to the east, Tinley Park, Frankfort Square and Matteson to the northeast, Mokena and New Lenox to the west and Monee and University Park to the southeast.

Frankfort is divided between two congressional districts. Most of the village is in Illinois's 1st congressional district, while the small portion in Cook County is in the 2nd district.

(La Grange Road) major north south thoroughfare passes through the middle of Frankfort, and shares an intersection with Lincoln Highway. (Lincoln Highway) major east west thoroughfare passes through the middle of Frankfort. (Laraway Road) east west county highway passes through the southern portion of Frankfort.

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).