Chicago wasn’t the only city in Illinois to host a Mafia Family. A mafioso by the name of Frank Zito headed a small borgata in Springfield, Illinois, a small city smack dab in the middle of the state.
The quiet, Midwestern city of Springfield, Illinois, is situated in the middle of the state and spans just over 67 miles. It is also the state capital. Although small relative to the City of Chicago, with a total population of approximately 117,000, it is the largest city in central Illinois. Springfield was also the place Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, called home.
Yet, despite its cozy small-town feel, rich history, and charm, Springfield had a seedier side for many years as well. Since at least the early 1920s, Springfield has been the headquarters of a small but vibrant Mafia family that considered the city its personal fiefdom and underworld turf.
