United Coal Mine No. 2 opened in 1911 in Buckner under the ownership of the United Coal Mining Company (later the United Coal Corporation).
- CountyFranklin County
- Population409 (2020 U.S. Census)
United Coal Mine No. 2 opened in 1911 in Buckner under the ownership of the United Coal Mining Company (later the United Coal Corporation).
Buckner, Illinois gifts and souvenirs: 17 designs made from Buckner's own map, landmarks and history, from $16 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Buckner Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Buckner Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Buckner Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Buckner Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Buckner Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 3 styles
The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
The village was named after American Civil War Union veteran Moses Buckner (b. February 11, 1827, d. April 17, 1882), who served in the 15th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry.
United Coal Mine No. 2 opened in 1911 in Buckner under the ownership of the United Coal Mining Company (later the United Coal Corporation). The mine was sold to the Old Ben Coal Corporation in 1960, and renamed Old Ben Coal Mine No. 14. Eight men were killed in an explosion in 1915, and one man was killed in a gas explosion in 1931. The mine was idle in 1933. Its last production was 1960.
The opening of the mines attracted immigrant workers. A large number of miners arrived, many of them from Austria-Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and many of Lemko and Rusyn origin. Many early immigrants trace their roots to the village of Myscowa in Poland.
The mining community built a Russian Orthodox Church in 1913, which burned down in 1918. A second church was constructed. This church, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, still stands today. It was built to mimic the construction of St. Ioasaph's in Muddy.
Along with the still standing Holy Protection Church in Royalton, and St Mary's Orthodox Church in Madison, this church in Buckner was among the first of several Orthodox churches built to serve immigrant mining communities in southern Illinois. Others included the towns of Benld, Grand Tower, and Dowell.
This village had a number of taverns and nightclubs and was known as one of the biggest entertainment areas of Franklin County from the 1950s to the early 1980s. in 2023 the last restaurant closed leaving only the liquor store left. In 2025 the restaurant reopened under a new name & company.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Buckner, Illinois, revision 1379964596 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Buckner sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
Buckner's population was 409 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 462 in 2010.