CHRISTOPHER, Ill. (WJPF) – It’s 6/28/22 – zip code day in the town of Christopher.

Christopher was founded in 1879 as a stop on the Belleville, Eldorado, and Du Quoin Railroad. At that time, the area had one store and a few houses. The town reached its peak population of about 10,000 in 1928. Today, about 2,600 people call Christopher home.

Some of the most famous people to call Christopher home, at least for a short time, include NBA player, coach and broadcaster Doug Collins; the late Match Game host Gene Rayburn; and actor John Malkovich, who was born in Christopher, but raised a few miles away in Benton.