Fairfield, Illinois is a sleepy town just south of Interstate 64 in southern Illinois. It's part of the area known as Little Egypt. It also happens to be the place where I was born and raised. Its residents are good-natured folk for the most part. Even the town’s slogan reflects this. It reads “Home of the Friendly People” I can’t disagree with that assertion. Much less happy I suppose is its claim to fame. The area is most famous for a bloody gang war in the first half of the last century fueled by prohibition. My new favorite piece of local lore though is a story that has been circulating in the past few years. Some time, early in his career, Joe DiMaggio visited the town. Some of the local boys saw Joltin’ Joe through a first floor window of the house he was staying in.
They should put that on the town sign instead.
Fairfield, Illinois
Pop. 5,500
Joe DiMaggio visited here once.