Ledford, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Ledford is an unincorporated community in the Harrisburg Township
, Saline County
, Illinois
, United States
situated between Carrier Mills
and Harrisburg
, Illinois. It was named after a well known Ledford family in the area. In the late 19th century, and early 20th century at the peak of the coal boom in Saline County, it was a thriving mining center home to more than 1000 people.
Three miles South of Harrisburg
on US 45. At one time it had a thriving population of 1,100 people; some writers have reported a population of 1,400. According to an early addition of the Harrisburg Daily Register, there was a time during the first 10 years of the 20th century that the population of Ledford was larger than that of Harrisburg
, the county seat. But then coal was king and Saline County was booming. Saline County in 1905 had numerous small slope mines, and 15 major shaft mines. Thirteen of these larger mines were along the Big Four Railroad that traveled through Ledford. A lot of coal came out of these mines, and a lot of miners worked in them.
Around these mines were small communities of company houses that were called "patches". In Ledford alone there was a "2 patch, "5 patch" and a "14 patch", all named for the mine number that provided the "Company" housing. Just south of Ledford was another patch of housing built by the Hungarians, slangly called by the locals "Hunky Row."
In the early 20th century, a collection of these coal mine settlements were largely the population of Ledford. Prior to the opening of the coal mines, that began around 1870, the families that were scattered around Saline County
were pioneer stock. Most coming from New England
. Around 1900 and 1910 1,536 immigrants came to Saline County. Most came to work in the coal mines. Most had come from Hungary
, Poland
, Russia
, and Lithuania
.
The town was known for its lavish gambling, partying, and night life. Notorious gangster Charlie Birger, who lived in Ledford, shot and murdered "Crip" Yates on December 4, 1917.
At one time Ledford had a jail, and could boast of a Post Office, two catholic Churches, a parish school, a Baptist church, East and West Ledford Schools, several grocery stores, a restaurant, a boarding house, and a pool room. Some say that there was a roller skating rink and a movie house. Ledford even had its very own movie star by the stage name of Frances McIntyre a local actress. Her real name was actually Stella Stevers. Ledford also boasted large mining factories and industries that left a distinct fog throughout the town.
Ledford holds a cemetery, a historic and rumored haunted Hungarian Cemetery, and the Ledford Baptist Church. Ledford spreads across a 4 mile stretch of land along Rt. 45 between Carrier Mills and Harrisburg with several roads shooting off to the left and right of the highway. It is all considered part of Ledford.
Almost all signs of the mining industry are gone. The mines' air shafts and fans are gone as well as the many coal
tipples, and mine ponds that dotted the area. The smoke stacks are missing and the air is clean now. Gone are the sounds of the tipples hoisting coal, the steam whistles signaling the men, and the occasional snorts of a steam locomotive
or the groaning of a streetcar motor. Ledford is a very quiet community with a population of only 100 people.
Today, Ledford is in the school district of Harrisburg, Illinois
.
Harrisburg Township, Saline County, Illinois
Harrisburg Township is located in Saline County, Illinois. The population was 10,790 at the 2010 census.- External links :***...
, Saline County
Saline County, Illinois
Saline County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 24,913, which is a decrease of 6.8% from 26,733 in 2000. Its county seat is Harrisburg. Saline County is home to the smallest post office and the largest KFC in the United States....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
situated between Carrier Mills
Carrier Mills, Illinois
Carrier Mills, formerly Carriers Mills and Morrilsville, also known as Catskin, is a village in Saline County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,886 at the 2000 census. Carrier Mills was named after George Washington Carrier and his saw and grist mill, and was one of the early Cairo...
and Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg is a city and township in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It is located about southwest of Evansville, Indiana, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2010 population was 9,017, with a township population of 10,790. It is the county seat of Saline County...
, Illinois. It was named after a well known Ledford family in the area. In the late 19th century, and early 20th century at the peak of the coal boom in Saline County, it was a thriving mining center home to more than 1000 people.
Three miles South of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg is a city and township in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It is located about southwest of Evansville, Indiana, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2010 population was 9,017, with a township population of 10,790. It is the county seat of Saline County...
on US 45. At one time it had a thriving population of 1,100 people; some writers have reported a population of 1,400. According to an early addition of the Harrisburg Daily Register, there was a time during the first 10 years of the 20th century that the population of Ledford was larger than that of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg is a city and township in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It is located about southwest of Evansville, Indiana, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2010 population was 9,017, with a township population of 10,790. It is the county seat of Saline County...
, the county seat. But then coal was king and Saline County was booming. Saline County in 1905 had numerous small slope mines, and 15 major shaft mines. Thirteen of these larger mines were along the Big Four Railroad that traveled through Ledford. A lot of coal came out of these mines, and a lot of miners worked in them.
Around these mines were small communities of company houses that were called "patches". In Ledford alone there was a "2 patch, "5 patch" and a "14 patch", all named for the mine number that provided the "Company" housing. Just south of Ledford was another patch of housing built by the Hungarians, slangly called by the locals "Hunky Row."
In the early 20th century, a collection of these coal mine settlements were largely the population of Ledford. Prior to the opening of the coal mines, that began around 1870, the families that were scattered around Saline County
Saline County, Illinois
Saline County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 24,913, which is a decrease of 6.8% from 26,733 in 2000. Its county seat is Harrisburg. Saline County is home to the smallest post office and the largest KFC in the United States....
were pioneer stock. Most coming from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Around 1900 and 1910 1,536 immigrants came to Saline County. Most came to work in the coal mines. Most had come from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
The town was known for its lavish gambling, partying, and night life. Notorious gangster Charlie Birger, who lived in Ledford, shot and murdered "Crip" Yates on December 4, 1917.
At one time Ledford had a jail, and could boast of a Post Office, two catholic Churches, a parish school, a Baptist church, East and West Ledford Schools, several grocery stores, a restaurant, a boarding house, and a pool room. Some say that there was a roller skating rink and a movie house. Ledford even had its very own movie star by the stage name of Frances McIntyre a local actress. Her real name was actually Stella Stevers. Ledford also boasted large mining factories and industries that left a distinct fog throughout the town.
Ledford holds a cemetery, a historic and rumored haunted Hungarian Cemetery, and the Ledford Baptist Church. Ledford spreads across a 4 mile stretch of land along Rt. 45 between Carrier Mills and Harrisburg with several roads shooting off to the left and right of the highway. It is all considered part of Ledford.
Almost all signs of the mining industry are gone. The mines' air shafts and fans are gone as well as the many coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
tipples, and mine ponds that dotted the area. The smoke stacks are missing and the air is clean now. Gone are the sounds of the tipples hoisting coal, the steam whistles signaling the men, and the occasional snorts of a steam locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
or the groaning of a streetcar motor. Ledford is a very quiet community with a population of only 100 people.
Today, Ledford is in the school district of Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg, Illinois
Harrisburg is a city and township in Saline County, Illinois, United States. It is located about southwest of Evansville, Indiana, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2010 population was 9,017, with a township population of 10,790. It is the county seat of Saline County...
.