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.
Turquoise is a blue-green mineral, a copper aluminum phosphate, valued for its rarity and unique hue, and widely used as an ornamental stone. Popular in the 16th century to adorn places of worship in Turkey, it was eventually traded in Turkish bazaars and brought to Europe by merchants and travelers.