In July 1966, the Community Council received a $372,000 grant and a $248,000 loan from the Federal Government.
The industrial park gave birth to the boat building business in Southern Illinois.
Mark Twain was the first boat builder in West Frankfort, followed by Celebrity and the latest, Crownline Boats.
Franklin County is one of the top five boat producing counties in the entire nation.
Currently, the original Mark Twain building houses the innovative West Frankfort Small Business incubator.