Effingham, Illinois
Effingham is a city of 12,342 people in Effingham County, Illinois, founded in 1814.
Why visit Effingham
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 63 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Effingham Performance Center, The Heart Theatre, Effingham County Courthouse and Effingham County Cultural Center and Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Effingham
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Effingham
Effingham is a city in Effingham County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. It is in South Central Illinois. Its population was 12,252 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Effingham micropolitan statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Effingham, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Effingham Performance Center
Cinema and theater · 1.8 mi
1325 Outer Belt West, Effingham
Tu-Fr 10:00-14:00
The Heart Theatre
Cinema and theater · 0.5 mi
Currently being restored.
133 East Jefferson Avenue, Effingham
Museums and landmarks3
Effingham County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Illinois, United States
Effingham County Cultural Center and Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
100 East Jefferson Avenue, Effingham
Tu,Sa 10:00-14:00
The Cross at the Crossroads
Monument and historic site · 1.4 mi
Monument in Effingham County, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes63
Buffalo Wild Wings
Restaurant · Wings · 1.4 mi
1001 Avenue of Mid-America, Effingham
Su-We 10:30-23:00; Th-Sa 10:30-00:00
Chili's
Restaurant · Tex-Mex · 1.5 mi
1300 Avenue of Mid America, Effingham
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00
China Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.5 mi
1500 West Fayette Avenue, Effingham
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00, 15:30-21:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 1.4 mi
1101 Avenue of Mid-America, Effingham
Su-Th 07:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-22:00
Firefly Grill
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.7 mi
1810 Avenue of Mid-America, Effingham
Mo 04:00-21:00; Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 10:00-14:00
Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.5 mi
1302 Avenue of Mid-America, Effingham
Mo-Th 11:00-14:30, 16:00-21:00; Fr 11:00-14:30, 16:00-21:30; Sa...
Gabby Goat American Pub & Grill
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
303 East Fayette Avenue, Effingham
Mo-We 10:30-01:00; Th-Su 07:30-01:00
Golden Corral
Restaurant · American, Buffet · 1.4 mi
1102 Avenue of Mid-America, Effingham
Mo-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa,Su 08:00-21:00
Joe Sippers Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich, American, Tea, Pastry, Soup · 0.5 mi
114 South 4th Street, Effingham
Mo-Fr 06:00-19:00; Sa 07:00-19:00
Joe's Pizza & Pasta
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
115 East Jefferson Avenue, Effingham
Tu-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa,Su 16:00-21:00
Los Amigos
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.4 mi
205 North Keller Drive, Effingham
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
51 more on the map.
History
Effingham was first settled in 1814, and was known from then until 1859 as Broughton. In 1859, it became the county seat with buildings relocated from nearby (now deserted) Ewington. The community was named after General E. Effingham, a local surveyor.
In the late 1880s, local citizens founded Austin College, which lasted for several decades, and ultimately was purchased to become the Illinois College of Photography, also known as Bissel College. That school closed due to the Great Depression in the 1930s.
On April 4, 1949, St. Anthony's Hospital caught fire and burned to the ground, killing 74 people. As a result, fire codes nationwide were improved. Due to extensive media coverage, including a Life magazine cover story, donations for rebuilding the hospital came from all 48 states and several foreign countries.
Effingham was a sundown town; daytime segregation was enforced until at least the mid-1960s.
29 tornadoes have hit the town, the most powerful tornado up to date happened on June 17, 2026, rated EF-3
The path was 26 miles from north of town to the nearby town of Teutopolis.
From the History section of Effingham, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Churches and places of worship15
Christ's Church of Effingham
Church · Nondenominational · 1.8 mi
2511 South Veterans Drive, Effingham
First Christian Church of Effingham
Church · Nondenominational · 0.7 mi
901 North Henrietta Street, Effingham
Centenary United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.7 mi
203 East Grove Avenue, Effingham
Southside Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.6 mi
2308 South Veterans Drive, Effingham
United Pentecostal Church
Church · Pentecostal · 0.5 mi
211 North 4th Street, Effingham
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare6
Sarah Bush Lincoln Southern Illinois Hand Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
901 Medical Park Drive, Effingham
Map of Effingham
150 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 20°F | 2.9 in | 5.3 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.4 in | 4.6 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 32°F | 3.3 in | 1.5 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 42°F | 4.8 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 56°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 44°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 3.7 in | 0.6 in |
| Dec | 42°F | 25°F | 2.8 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Effingham 3Sw (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Effingham County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for tornados.
- 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Teutopolis 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Watson 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Sigel 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Dieterich 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Altamont 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Stewardson 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Mason 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Charleston 32 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Centralia 52 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Decatur 55 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Effingham County Courthouse, Effingham, IL, Gerald Roll, Public domain
- Effingham Amtrak 1979, Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US, CC BY 2.0
- Effingham County Building and Jail, Nyttend, Public domain
- Heart Theatre, Effingham, Nyttend, Public domain
- Heart Theater in Effingham, Illinois - Flickr - Joe K Gage, Joseph Gage from Yorkville, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Effingham cross, Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brad Halbrook at Deployment 25-02-07 02, Spc. Mallory Sinkhorn of the Joint Force Headquarters - Illinois National Guard Public Affairs, Public domain
- Brad Halbrook at Deployment 25-02-07 03, Spc. Mallory Sinkhorn of the Joint Force Headquarters - Illinois National Guard Public Affairs, Public domain
- Brad Halbrook at Deployment 25-02-07 01, Spc. Mallory Sinkhorn of the Joint Force Headquarters - Illinois National Guard Public Affairs, Public domain
- ISS047-E-23901 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-86141 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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