About Banterra Bank - Du Quoin, Illinois

Du Quoin has a population of 5,865 and is located in Perry County, on U.S. Route 51 and 20 minutes from I-57.  It is located in Southern Illinois, a beautiful area of the state that is sometimes referred to as “Little Egypt.”

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Banterra established a Du Quoin branch in 2002 and it is located in the heart of Du Quoin’s downtown at 124 W. Main St.  You will find popular eateries nearby including St. Nicholas Brewing Company – a restaurant that began in the historically renovated and former St. Nicholas Hotel of Du Quoin and now has three Southern Illinois locations and Alongi’s – an Italian restaurant established in 1933 by Guy Alongi, who came to the U.S. in 1908 to work in the coal mines and later opened this as a dry goods, then liquor store (that would later serve pizza) and then as an Italian restaurant.

The city of Du Quoin was named after Chief Jean Baptiste Du Quoin, a son of a Frenchman and Tamaroa Indian woman.  Prior to the naming, an area east of Du Quoin was known as “Old Du Quoin.” It was near the Lusk’s Ferry Road, an important early road that connected Kaskaskia (IL) with Lusk’s Ferry Road on the Ohio River.  Chief Du Quoin was part of the Kaskaskia tribe, one of a dozen tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation.  The Illiniwek people would be defeated by the Shawnee in 1802 near this area.

Around 1840, construction of a new railroad that would run from Chicago to New Orleans began and it would pass just west of Old Du Quoin.  A new town was laid out by the railroad depot, and dedicated later that year in 1853 and named, “Du Quoin.”

Coal mining would be an important industry for Du Quoin in the mid-1800s and for many years, however, it would become most known for a business that was established on reclaimed, former mine grounds by a group of Du Quoin business leaders.  In the 1920s, William R. Hayes purchased this land with the vision that it would become “the Du Quoin State Fair”, hosting horse racing and other activities that would be as nice as the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.  In its first few years of opening, crowd estimates were close to 60,000 people. It would later have auto racing and legendary performances by icons such as Sonny & Cher, Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, Liza Minnelli and Tammy Wynette.  The Du Quoin State Fair has been owned and operated by the State of Illinois since 1986.

Du Quoin Unit #300 Schools include Du Quoin Elementary School, Du Quoin Middle School and Du Quoin High School, home to the Du Quoin Indians.

Thank You for Choosing Banterra Bank in Du Quoin, Illinois 

Banterra Bank knows you have your choice of Du Quoin banks. Through attentive customer service and products that help you manage your finances well, we work hard to earn your business. Thank you for choosing Banterra Bank and the Du Quoin branch.