Illinois Route 14 runs just south of North City, leading east 7.5 miles (12.1 km) to Benton, the Franklin County seat, and west 12 miles (19 km) to Du Quoin.
In Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Tibet Turquoise represents purity. Because of its color, it is an ancient symbol of the sky. The ancients of the Native Indian Americans believe that Turquoise was such a strong symbol of prosperity and possitivity that it would scare away demons.
The name Turquoise is derived from the French, pierre turquoise, meaning âTurkish stone,â because the trade routes that brought Turquoise to Europe from the mines in central Asia went through Turkey, and Venetian merchants often purchased the stone in Turkish bazaars. [Simmons, 419]