History:

Around 1810, Francis Jordan, an early settler from Tennessee, with the help of his seven brothers, began construction of a fort atop a hill in present-day Franklin County. Completed in 1811, the fort was named "Frank's Fort", in Jordan's honor.

Since the Shawnee Trail, an important trading route linking Kaskaskia, Illinois and Old Shawneetown, Illinois ran along the high ground in the vicinity of the fort, the resulting settlement took the name of the nearby fort, which was subsequently shortened to "Frankfort". Frankfort grew quickly during this period, its population rivaling that of Chicago at that time.

After railroad tracks linking Chicago, Paducah, and Memphis were laid 4 miles west of Frankfort, many businesses and residents migrated to the new commercial center which formed near the tracks. This new community came to be known as West Frankfort for its location west of Frankfort. The two cities eventually merged and retained the name of West Frankfort. In November 11, 1905 the village made application to become a bonafied city. It was April 10, 1906 when the incorporation papers were signed and West Frankfort became an official city.

The area of West Frankfort formerly known as Frankfort is still sometimes referred to locally as Frankfort Heights or, more commonly, simply as "the Heights", due to its higher elevation relative to the rest of the city. A post office was maintained in Frankfort Heights until its destruction by fire in 2005, making West Frankfort one of the smallest cities in the United States to have two ZIP codes.

The city continued to grow over the years and with the coal mines offering a major economic boost, the population gradually grew to the peak of 20,000 residents. Four theatres and a minor league baseball team marked the downtown area. Today, city officials are trying to return to those West Frankfort roots by examining ways to renovate and restore the historic remnants of downtown.