old Franklin County Jail (now a museum). After the sensational downfall of the Birger gang and the repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933, West City earned much of its income from legitimate taverns and nightclubs. During the 1940s and '50s this proved to be a very lucrative business. Despite West City's notorious reputation during the 1920s, churches were established by the residents. Prospect, later called First Baptist, was the only organized church in the corporate limits of West City until 1921. Later Trinity Baptist and Harmony Freewill Baptist were established. Trinity Baptist is no longer in existence. At one time there were three schools in West City limits: Old Jordon, Washington School and New Jordon School, located on South Central Street across from the present West City Village Hall. On December 21, 1951, West City and all of Franklin County mourned 119 coal miners, who were killed in an underground explosion at C.W. & F. Orient #2 coal mine in West Frankfort. In 1963, Interstate 57 split the village of West City down the middle from north to south. Preliminary work of buying homes and clearing the right of way began for the construction of Interstate 57 from Chicago to Cairo. Actual highway construction began in 1964, and its completion took nearly 10 years. With the advent of I-57, Rend Lake Plaza was initiated in 1978. Wal-Mart and Big John's Supermarket were completed and in operation 1979. Many restaurants and various businesses soon followed, along with two big-city stoplights. In 1978 a new Village Hall was built and West City expanded their police department, street and water department and the volunteer fire department. Geography West City is located at (37.994564, -88.941639). It is bordered to the east and north by the city of Benton, the Franklin County seat. Interstate 57 passes through the center of West City, with access from Exit 71. I-57 leads north to Mount Vernon and south to Marion. According to the 2010 census, West City has a total area of , of which (or 98.96%) is land and (or 1.04%) is water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 716 people, 305 households, and 193 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 97.21% White, 0.56% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.14% Asian,