later became the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad). Herrin convinced the developers to take their line between Carbondale and Johnston City through Herrin. Soon after it opened, the line was sold to the Chicago and Texas Railroad in the fall of 1895. The following spring on May 8 1896, the post office changed to Herrin post office. Cousins Harrison and Herrin, great-grandsons of Isaac Herring, made plans for a new town. They platted a 40-acre site divided by the line between Sections 19 and 30 of the township. They filed the plat 4 December 1896. The community incorporated as a village on March 21 1898, and as a city two years later on April 17 1900. Herrin was the site of the 1922 Herrin massacre, resulting in the deaths of 23 miners and guards. When mining made the town prosperous, Herrin had a recreational park known as White City Park. It opened on Memorial Day 1924 with 5000 in attendance. It had a salt water swimming pool, rides, and a theater. Touring big bands played here. The Dorsey Brothers and Frank Sinatra played bocce ball and performed there. President Harry S Truman came to Herrin in September 1948. Three future presidents came to Herrin during campaigns: Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Gerald Ford came to the Herrin-Marion airport in the 1970s. At one time Herrin had 10 hotels, many clothing stores, grocery stores as well as department stores. Of the grocery stores Herrin has had over the years, not including national chains, Louie's P&R is the only local store to remain open. Geography Herrin is located at (37.802412, -89.028093). According to the 2010 census, Herrin has a total area of , of which (or 97.56%) is land and (or 2.44%) is water. Demographics 2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 11,298 people, 4,831 households, and 3,014 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,202 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.72% White, 0.92% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population. There were 4,831 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 11.1%