Alton, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 The Clark Bridge, connecting Alton toWest Alton, Missouri | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Alton in Madison County, Illinois | |
  Alton  Alton | |
| Coordinates:38°54′2″N90°9′35″W / 38.90056°N 90.15972°W /38.90056; -90.15972 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Madison |
| Established | 1837 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | David Goins |
| Area | |
• Total | 16.95 sq mi (43.90 km2) |
| • Land | 15.67 sq mi (40.59 km2) |
| • Water | 1.28 sq mi (3.31 km2) |
| Elevation | 535 ft (163 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,676 |
| • Density | 1,638.5/sq mi (632.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 62002 |
| Area code | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-01114 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2393935[2] |
| Wikimedia Commons | Alton, Illinois |
| Website | www |
Alton (/ˈɔːltən/AWL-tən) is a city on theMississippi River inMadison County, Illinois, United States, about 18 miles (29 km) north ofSt. Louis, Missouri. The population was 25,676 at the2020 census. It is a part of theRiver Bend area in theMetro-East region of theGreater St. Louis metropolitan area.
It is well known for its limestone bluffs along the river north of the city. It's the former location of an historical state penitentiary, and played a significant role preceding and during theAmerican Civil War. It was the site of the lastAbraham Lincoln andStephen Douglas debate in October 1858. The former state penitentiary in Alton was used during the Civil War to hold up to 12,000 Confederate prisoners of war.
Although Alton once was growing faster than the nearby city of St. Louis, a coalition of St. Louis businessmen planned to build a competing town to stop Alton's expansion and bring business to St. Louis. The resulting town wasGrafton, Illinois.
Many blocks of housing in Alton were built in the VictorianQueen Anne style. They represent a prosperous period in the river city's history. At the top of the hill in the commercial area, several stone churches and a fine city hall also represent the city's wealth during its good times based on river traffic, manufacturing, and shipping. It was a commercial center for a large agricultural area. Numerous residences on hills have sweeping views of the Mississippi River.[citation needed]
The Alton area was home toNative Americans for thousands of years before the 19th-century founding by European Americans of the modern city. Historic accounts indicate occupation of this area by theIllinois Confederation at the time of European contact. Earlier native settlement is demonstrated byarchaeologicalartifacts and the famousprehistoricPiasa bird painted on a cliff face nearby. The image was described in 1673 by Frenchmissionary priest FatherJacques Marquette.[3]
Alton was developed as a river town in January 1818 byRufus Easton, who named it after his son. Easton ran a passenger ferry service across theMississippi River to the Missouri shore. Alton is located amid the confluence of three navigable rivers: theIllinois, the Mississippi, and theMissouri. Alton grew into a river trading town with an industrial character. The city rises steeply from the waterfront, where massive concrete grainsilos and railroad tracks were constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries to store and ship the area's grains and produce. Brick commercial buildings are spread throughout downtown. Once the site of several brick factories, Alton has an unusually high number of streets still paved in brick. The lower levels of Alton are subject to floods, many of which have inundated the historic downtown area. The dates of different flood levels are marked on the large grain silos, part of the Ardent Mills, near the Argosy Casino at the waterfront. Theflood of 1993 is considered the worst of the last century.[4][5]
Alton became an important town forabolitionists, as Illinois was a free state, separated from the slave state of Missouri only by the Mississippi River. Pro-slavery activists also lived there and slave catchers often raided the city. Escapedslaves would cross the river to seek shelter in Alton, and proceed to safer places through stations of theUnderground Railroad. During the years before theAmerican Civil War, several homes were equipped with tunnels and hiding places for stations on theUnderground Railroad to aid slaves escaping to theNorth. On November 7, 1837, the abolitionist printerReverendElijah P. Lovejoy was murdered by a pro-slavery mob while he tried to protect his Alton-based press from being destroyed for the third time. He had moved from St. Louis because of opposition there. He had printed many abolitionist tracts and distributed them throughout the area. When one of the mob made a move to set the old warehouse on fire, Lovejoy, armed with only a pistol, went outside to try to stop him. The pro-slavery man shot him dead (with a shotgun, five rounds through the midsection). The mob stormed the warehouse and threw Lovejoy's printing press into the Mississippi. Lovejoy thus became the firstmartyr of the abolition movement.[6]
Alton became the seat of adiocese of theCatholic Church in 1857. Its first bishop wasFrench-bornHenry Damian Juncker. The new diocese had 58 churches, 18 priests, and 50,000 Catholics. When he died, 11 years later, the churches were 125, the priests more than 100, and the Catholics 80,000. He was succeeded byPeter Joseph Baltes fromGermany (1869–1886) andJames Ryan (1888–1923). In 1923 the bishop's seat was moved toSpringfield, Illinois. The Diocese of Alton, no longer a residential bishopric, is today listed by the Catholic Church as atitular see.[7]Titular bishops appointed to the see have beenJohn Clayton Nienstedt, andJosu Iriondo.[8][9]
On October 15, 1858, Alton was the site of the seventhLincoln-Douglas debate. A memorial at the site in downtown Alton features oversized statues of Lincoln and Douglas, as they would have appeared during the debate. Congressional representatives came to Alton when they drafted theThirteenth Amendment of the Constitution, to permanently end slavery throughout the Union. Alton resident and US SenatorLyman Trumbull, chairman of theSenate Judiciary Committee, co-wrote the Thirteenth Amendment. His Alton home, theLyman Trumbull House, is a National Historic Monument.[10]
Just two weeks into theAmerican Civil War, Alton played a role in the infamousCamp Jackson Affair, which led to the eviction of Missouri GovernorClaiborne Fox Jackson from office. The State of Missouri's neutrality was tested in a conflict over theSt. Louis Arsenal. The Federal Government reinforced the Arsenal's tiny garrison with several detachments, including a force from the 2nd Infantry under CaptainNathaniel Lyon. Concerned by widespread reports that Governor Jackson intended to use theMissouri Volunteer Militia to attack the Arsenal and capture its 39,000 small arms, Secretary of WarSimon Cameron ordered Lyon (by that time in acting command) to evacuate the majority of the arms to Illinois. 21,000 guns were secretly evacuated to Alton on the evening of April 29, 1861.[citation needed]
The firstpenitentiary in Illinois was built in Alton. While onlya corner of it within a few blocks of the river remains, it once extended nearly to "Church Hill". During theAmerican Civil War,Union forces used it to hold prisoners of war, and some 12,000Confederates were held there. During thesmallpox epidemic of 1863–1864, an estimated 1500–2200 men died. A Confederate mass grave on the north side of Alton holds many of the dead from the epidemic and a memorial marks the site. Often when Confederate prisoners escaped, they tried to cross the Mississippi River back to the slave state ofMissouri.[citation needed]
Alton nativeRobert Pershing Wadlow, listed in theGuinness Book of Records as the world's tallest man at 8 feet 11.1 inches tall, 2.72 m, is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in the area known as Upper Alton. The earth over his grave was raised so visitors can compare its length to other graves. A memorial to him, including a life-sized statue and a replica of his chair, stands on College Avenue, across from theSouthern Illinois University Dental School (formerlyShurtleff College).
TheSisters of St Francis of the Martyr St George have their American provincemotherhouse in Alton.
In 1937 two commercial fishermen from Alton caught abull shark in the Mississippi River.[11][12] Late that summer they had realized something was troubling their wood and mesh traps. Concluding that it was a fish, they built a strong wire trap and baited it with chicken guts. The next morning, they caught the 5-foot 84-pound shark, which they displayed in the Calhoun Fish Market, where it attracted crowds for days.[citation needed]
World War II saw a group of seven brothers join the military and variously became decorated veterans.[13] Among these were Millard Glen Gray, who was decorated byDouglas MacArthur, and Neil Gray, who received theSilver Star.[13]
In 1954, the city of Alton was named as one of three finalists for the location of the newUnited States Air Force Academy. Alton lost to the winning site ofColorado Springs, Colorado.[14]
Because of Alton's location at the Mississippi River, theGreat Flood of 1993 with its high water levels caused severe damage to the city. Alton's water supply was cut off due to flooding, and townspeople had to be supplied with bottled water for more than three weeks. Many local businesses, includingAnheuser-Busch of St. Louis, donated funds to help the people of Alton.[15]
The original bridge connecting Alton withWest Alton, Missouri, was a two-lane (one in each direction) bridge that had become a hazard for motorists and a hindrance for emergency vehicles. The northernmost bridge in the St. Louis metropolitan area, it was torn down in the 1990s. The currentClark Bridge, with two lanes of divided traffic in each direction, plus two bike lanes, opened in 1994. Work had proceeded during the Great Flood of 1993. The award-winning cable-stayed design was done by Hanson Engineers ofSpringfield, Illinois. Pieces of cables identical to those of the bridge were handed out in educational settings all over the city to allow the city's children to "take home a piece of the bridge". The complex work of construction of the bridge, in which engineers had to deal with the strong river current, barge traffic and the 1993 flood, was featured in the documentarySuper Bridge onNova.[16]
In 2021, voters in the city electedDavid Goins as Alton's first black mayor.[17][18]
Alton is located on theMississippi River above the mouth of theMissouri River. Most of Alton is located on bluffs overlooking the river valley. TheMeeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway runs along the Alton riverfront. A monument and observatory tower,Confluence Tower, located next to the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in neighboringHartford, IL, has been constructed to provide an overview of the Great Rivers area. This point also marks the beginning of the famousLewis and Clark Expedition. Also on the river at Alton isLock and Dam 26, the newest and busiest lock and dam complex on the main channel of the Mississippi River. Adjacent to it on the Illinois side is theNational Great Rivers Museum [Wikidata], which features tours of the dam itself several times per day. On the Missouri side is theAudubon Center at Riverlands, which is one of the best places in the world to view birds, as it lies near where theMississippi Flyway merges the flight paths of the Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri rivers. Also adjacent to the Audubon Center is theJones-Confluence Point State Park, where one can stand at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
According to the 2010 census, Alton has a total area of 16.736 square miles (43.35 km2), of which 15.47 square miles (40.07 km2) (or 92.44%) is land and 1.266 square miles (3.28 km2) (or 7.56%) is water.[19]
The National Great Rivers Museum is located at the new Lock and Dam No. 26, orMelvin Price Locks and Dam. The lock and dam are open for tours. The lock is a favorite spot to watchbald eagles, which feed on fish coming up in waters below the dam. A large birdsanctuary is located in an area of floodplain and wetlands on the west side of the river.
The River Road goes right next to the river north toGrafton. Above that, it is often routed inland of the floodplain. It provides views of the dramatic contrast between the high cliffs of the Illinois side to the broad, flat, green agricultural countryside ofPortage des Sioux, Missouri. TheGreat River Road is a popularbicycle touring route. Hidden in a notch of the cliff is the tiny village ofElsah, once a down-and-dirty, liquor-soaked tugboaters' retreat, now with renovated properties and antique shops in historic houses.[citation needed]
| Climate data for Alton, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1943–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) | 76 (24) | 89 (32) | 102 (39) | 98 (37) | 107 (42) | 116 (47) | 106 (41) | 103 (39) | 98 (37) | 88 (31) | 74 (23) | 116 (47) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39.5 (4.2) | 43.7 (6.5) | 53.5 (11.9) | 66.1 (18.9) | 75.0 (23.9) | 83.7 (28.7) | 87.3 (30.7) | 86.0 (30.0) | 80.1 (26.7) | 67.9 (19.9) | 54.3 (12.4) | 43.5 (6.4) | 65.0 (18.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 30.3 (−0.9) | 34.5 (1.4) | 44.1 (6.7) | 55.6 (13.1) | 65.6 (18.7) | 74.6 (23.7) | 78.3 (25.7) | 76.6 (24.8) | 70.0 (21.1) | 57.9 (14.4) | 45.4 (7.4) | 35.3 (1.8) | 55.7 (13.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21.7 (−5.7) | 25.2 (−3.8) | 34.7 (1.5) | 45.2 (7.3) | 56.1 (13.4) | 65.6 (18.7) | 69.3 (20.7) | 67.3 (19.6) | 59.8 (15.4) | 48.0 (8.9) | 36.5 (2.5) | 27.1 (−2.7) | 46.4 (8.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) | −15 (−26) | −1 (−18) | 20 (−7) | 32 (0) | 44 (7) | 50 (10) | 46 (8) | 37 (3) | 25 (−4) | 4 (−16) | −16 (−27) | −16 (−27) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.53 (64) | 2.52 (64) | 3.46 (88) | 4.92 (125) | 5.46 (139) | 3.40 (86) | 3.95 (100) | 3.30 (84) | 3.38 (86) | 2.93 (74) | 3.43 (87) | 2.59 (66) | 41.87 (1,063) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 7.2 | 7.8 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 11.3 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 99.3 |
| Source:NOAA[20][21] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 2,340 | — | |
| 1850 | 3,585 | 53.2% | |
| 1860 | 6,332 | 76.6% | |
| 1870 | 8,665 | 36.8% | |
| 1880 | 8,975 | 3.6% | |
| 1890 | 10,294 | 14.7% | |
| 1900 | 14,210 | 38.0% | |
| 1910 | 17,528 | 23.3% | |
| 1920 | 24,682 | 40.8% | |
| 1930 | 30,151 | 22.2% | |
| 1940 | 31,255 | 3.7% | |
| 1950 | 32,550 | 4.1% | |
| 1960 | 43,047 | 32.2% | |
| 1970 | 39,700 | −7.8% | |
| 1980 | 34,171 | −13.9% | |
| 1990 | 32,905 | −3.7% | |
| 2000 | 30,496 | −7.3% | |
| 2010 | 27,865 | −8.6% | |
| 2020 | 25,676 | −7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[22] 2020[23] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[24] | Pop 2010[25] | Pop 2020[26] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 21,825 | 18,785 | 16,210 | 71.57% | 67.41% | 63.13% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 7,504 | 7,375 | 6,849 | 24.61% | 26.47% | 26.67% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 53 | 53 | 101 | 0.17% | 0.19% | 0.39% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 112 | 138 | 170 | 0.37% | 0.50% | 0.66% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 3 | 10 | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 79 | 26 | 135 | 0.26% | 0.09% | 0.53% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 467 | 949 | 1,524 | 1.53% | 3.41% | 5.94% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 454 | 536 | 677 | 1.49% | 1.92% | 2.64% |
| Total | 30,496 | 27,865 | 25,676 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, Alton became a town of heavy industry and manufacturing.Laclede Steel established major steel manufacturing operations in the town.[27] Local industry also includes Cope Plastics[28][29] and Hanley Industries.[30][31] Alton was home to once-thriving, now defunct, industries such as the Owens-Illinois Glass Bottle Works and Alton Box Board Company (a maker of all types of cardboard boxes for all types of uses).
Restructuring in the industry in the mid-20th century led Alton to create a new future. It has facilities for corporate and vacation retreats and it has transitioned into a popular tourist destination.[citation needed] Alton's location and historical heritage make it a popular destination for antique shopping, touring historic areas, and gambling aboard the Argosy Casino. Other Greater Alton attractions include Alton Marina; nine golf courses, including Spencer T. Olin, the only Arnold Palmer-designed and -managed course in Illinois or the St. Louis Metropolitan area; fine dining and night life; and a large selection of bed-and-breakfasts and guest houses.[citation needed]
Some visitors come to explore the natural environment of the area.[32] A designated bikeway extends for miles north of town along the Mississippi River and below the limestone bluffs; its relatively flat grade and passage through tree-shaded areas makes it an easy ride for families.[32] During themigration seasons, Alton is a destination for birdwatchers along theMississippi Flyway; winter visitors come to see thebald eagles that roost on the Illinoislimestone bluffs and feed on fish in the river. It is the area of the Meeting of the Great RiversNational Scenic Byway. A few miles to the north isPère Marquette State Park, with aWPA-era lodge and attractions including trails for hikers and riders, and horses for hire.
On January 28, 2010, Illinois was selected for a $1.2 billion federal award to bring high-speed passenger rail service to Illinois by 2015–2017. Alton has been selected as a station stop on a line running from St. Louis to Chicago, and opened on September 13, 2017.[33][34][needs update]
Alton won the Small Business Revolution: Main Street[35] contest[when?] and got a $100,000 boost to its community.
Alton is home to the Jacoby Arts Center (JAC) (formerly the Madison County Arts Council), a not-for-profit organization that supports local arts and art education and is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council. The JAC is a regional arts center, serving 17 counties throughout south central Illinois, providing a public art gallery, art classes in a variety of media for adults and children, strong performing arts programming including a monthly live music performance, and an outlet to the literary arts, through such programs as the "Poetry Out Loud" high school-level competition and support of the Alton Writers Guild.
Alton is also home to the Alton Symphony Orchestra (ASO). As of 2011, the ASO was in its 66th season, and is considered one of the premier community orchestras in the Midwest.[36] Musicians range from young adults in their teens to senior citizens. It holds four regular season concerts, a stylish pops concert, and a children's concert; the symphony offers performances to entertain and educate diverse sectors of the community.
Founded in 1934 as a community theater, theAlton Little Theater continues to produce a full season of dramatic and comedic plays and musicals. Its all-volunteer members bring quality theater productions to Alton in an intimate setting. The Alton high schools all offer theatrical productions throughout the school year as well.
Alton Children's Theater, founded in 1958 by Solveig Sullivan, has provided live theater for children through the years. The plays are now held atLewis and Clark Community College's Hatheway Hall. For many years, the company has performed for up to 10,000 children annually. This all-volunteer membership hires a professional director, who works with the members for the annual week of performances.
Alton Community Unit School District 11 covers the vast majority of the city, while a small section in the east is in theBethalto Consolidated Unit School District 8.[52]
Based on 2006 district data,[citation needed] Alton SD 11 enrollment stood at 6,480; the average number of teaching years in the district is 13.5; the high school graduation rate is 97.7%; the elementary pupil-teacher ratio is 18.9; and the secondary pupil-teacher ratio is 22.3. The Alton High School has an award-winning math team and music program. Alton High School offers an honors program.
Alton High School is the new public school, complete with a three-court gymnasium and six tennis courts.
The Alton Middle School is housed in the old Alton High School complex. Alton Middle School serves grades 6–8. The school is made up of three buildings: the main building, annex, and Olin Building. The Main building is the oldest. It is of architectural interest for itsRomanesque design. Alton Middle School is the largest middle school in Illinois, with approximately 1,500 students.
The school system has a student program for 1st through 8th grades, covering the Middle School. This program gives participating students access to wider knowledge as well as special projects.[citation needed]
Marquette Catholic High School, named after the French explorer, FatherJacques Marquette, serves the area as well. Its sports teams are called the Explorers.
Alton was home toShurtleff College from 1827 to 1957 and prominent military prep schoolWestern Military Academy from 1879 to 1971. The Shurtleff campus is now the site of theSouthern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.
Alton station providesAmtrak intercity rail service along theLincoln Service route. Trains travel north toChicago Union Station, and south toGateway Transportation Center in St. Louis.Madison County Transit provides bus service in the city with hubs downtown and at the Amtrak station.[53]
Alton has one daily newspaper,The Telegraph, formerly theAlton Evening Telegraph. TheTelegraph provides coverage of local news, as well as sports and relevant national news.
Locally owned Big Z Media operates Radio Station WBGZ 1570AM and 107.1FM and Music Radio Station 94.3FM. In 2022, Big Z Media acquiredAdVantage News, a free online (daily) and print newspaper, focusing on community features and hyperlocal news.
Alton also has internet-based resource, Riverbender.com.[54] Named for the local bend in the Mississippi River, Riverbender is a portal serving local and national news, sports, obits, classifieds, and events. In 2007 it was the first company to broadcast theAlton High School's sports games live online.
The 1979 feature filmDreamer, starringTim Matheson,Susan Blakely andJack Warden, was primarily shot on location in Alton.[55] TheMcPike Mansion and Mineral Springs Hotel were featured on theTravel Channel seriesGhost Adventures.[56] Alton was featured on the third season of the Hulu[57] seriesSmall Business Revolution.[58]
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