The city is fairly sizeable for these parts with over 3400 citizens. Its recently completed recreational center has various kinds of exercise equipment and is available to the residents for a small yearly fee.
The Cherokee-Crawford Coal Fields provided the impetus around 1886 for the establishment of Frontenac. Most of its workforce was made up of European immigrants. The population of the city consisted of Italian, Irish, Scottish, Belgian, and German immigrants. Numerous ethnic grocery stores and social lodges were opened to cater to this diverse mix of etnic groups and their culture.