A HISTORY of ALTON for ELEMENTARY CHILDREN IKevided Summer 1955 Triton L^ommunitu Lfnit School oLJistricl 11 ~s^rlton, Illinois ;-■ A HISTOHY OF ALTON A Social Studies Unit Grade V Summer 1?54 Re-eOitetf 1°55 Alton Community Unit School District Ho. 11 Alton, Illinois Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/historyofaltonsoOOalto 977,386 iih. rtfsr. ALTON HISTORY CURRICULUM C0 7 1HITTEE J. B. Johnson Superintendent of Schools E. M. Leamon Assistant Superintendent of Schools Macy Fruit t Admini s tr a t i ve Ass i s t ant in charge of Secondary Curriculum Raymond Ready Admini s trative As s i s t ant in charge of Elementary Curriculum Summer 1954 Bertha Burt, chairman Mary Lois Brooks Norma Court right Julia C. Foster Eva McDonald Pauline Myers Fayette Pivoda Joseph Rallo Wilmina Shade Alice Williamson IvlcKinley Milton Milton Alton Senior High Roosevelt McKinley Clifton Hill Alton Senior High Roosevelt Clara Barton Re -Edited 1955 Aaron Peterson, Chairman Clifford Elliott Rallo D. Sutherland Mary K, .v'elborn Robert Zeller Mary M, Newton Joseph Jewell McKinley Clara Barton We s t Jr . Lincoln Alton Senior High We s t Jr . East Jr. Acknowledgment For assistance and Guidance in the preparation of this material grateful acknowledgment is extended to Mrs. Anna C. Kranz, Mrs. Harry L, Meyer, Mrs. Frank Stobbs and .ir, Thomas Butler. For resource materials and library assistance grateful acknowledgment is extended to the Alton Evening, T e legraph and to Shurtleff College. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Marquette and Joliet on the Mississippi 3 Piasa Bird 4 Map of Indian Tribes in Illinois About 1765 7 Story of Loir's Leap 8 La Salle and Tonti 12 Map of Early Settlements in Illinois 15 Territory of Illinois 16 George Rogers Clark and the Illinois Country .... 16 Northwest Territory 16 Meriwether Lewis arid William Clark 17 History of Early Settlements . 22 French Settlements ..... 22 James Gillham Family . 22 First Settlement in Alton 24 Price's Death 24 Map of Historic Sites in Madison County 25 Wood River Massacre 26 Colonel Rufus Easton and Alton ... .26 Hunterstown 27 Upper Alton and Salu • .28 North Alton - Buck Inn 29 Fosterburg 30 Godfrey 31 Growth of Early Alton Settlement 32 Early Transportation 32 Steamboats ....... 33 Railroads 34 Early Commerce .36 The Alton State Bank 36 Early Newspapers •••......: 37 Alton Penitentiary 37 Early Hotels .38 Churches of Alton Area ..39 First Church in Alt^n Area 39 Early Churches of Upper Alton 39 Early Churches of Lower Alton 40 School History of Alton Area .45 Early Schools 45 Shurtleff College , 50 Monticello College ...» 50 Western Military Academy 51 » • • Political Events in Early History of Alton 52 Town Chartered ■••••« 52 Black Hawk War 52 Love joy Incident 53 Daniel Wetseter Visited Alton 55 Mexican War 55 Two Presidents Visited Alton 56 Lincoln-Douglas Debate . 56 Civil War 58 Suggested Tour of Alton 60 Places to Visit 60 Iviap of Tour 61 Industrial Growth 62 Hunting • • . 62 Early Industries ..... 62 Alton Boxboard and Paper Company . 63 Alton Brick Company . . . 64 American Smelting -and Refining Comrany .64 Duncan Foundry ....... 65 Flour Mils 66 Laclede Steel Company 66 Luer Packing Company 67 Mississippi Lime^and Material Co 68 Olin Industries 69 Owens-Illinois Glass Co . 70 Refineries ,70 Other Industries 71 Association of Commerce • . 71 Bibliography * * 4 HISTORY OF ALTON INTRODUCTION You are living in a age of opportunity and responsibility. Soon you will have the responsibility of carrying on the American tradition of a free democracy. The opportunities furnished by our schools, colleges, and industries are unlimited. We have many books, magazines, li- braries, and museums to help tell us the story of our country's growth. Radio and television carry the world into our homes. All these things have not just happened. Science has given us machines that save us ti^e and back-breaking labor. These many machines enable us to produce more than enough food, fuel, clothing, and shelter to satisfy our needs. It has taken the work of many men to give us the advantages we enjoy while living in the United States. It is our responsi- bility to maintain these benefits for our families. Each of you should recognize your inheritance of a wonderful home and city in which to live. You should be proud of the ad- vantages of living in the Alton community. You will be ungrate- ful heirs if you do not care to know who planned and built our homes, streets, schools, churches, and industries, and who have worked, so hard to give us what we now have. Would you like to know who first settled on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi? The opportunity is yours. In this story of Alton we go back to the first explorations of Joliet and Marquette. in 1673 and bring you to the present day development of our great city. 2. After the study of our *ity, we hope you will feel proud of the rich historical background in which we live. This is your Alton. Your plans for the future and your life's work will make you a citizen of some community. You should make it your duty to keep up the "community heritage" and to make such modern improvements that will increase its beauty and comforts. 3. MARQUETTE AND JOLIET ON THE MISSISSIPPI On June 1, 1675, Father Marquette and. Joliet arrived at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and made preparation for finding and enter- ing the Mississippi River. On June 10th, together with five French men and two Indian guides, they began their journey,. At the end of two weeks they discovered a trail which led westward to an Indian Village* Here they were cordially received by the mini (Il'-li-ni) and after a short stay resumed their journey,. The bluffs became a marked feature of the landscape after they had passed the mouth of the Illinois River, As Father Marquette and Joliet made their trip down the Mississippi, they found, many tribes of Indians in this section of Illinois the Illini Tribe (fro™ which we got our name Illinois), Big Osage (0-sage ), Little Osage, Crow, Fox, Sac, and Potawatami (Pot-a-wot-a-mi), After making a camp and spending the night on the banks of the river where Marquette Park is now located, they sailed down the river toward Alton, A cross located between Grafton and Marquette Park marks the camp site, Fhen they came to the bluffs above what is now Alton, thev were amazed to see a picture of a great and terrifying bird with horns, great tail, and scaly body; a monster such as no one had ever heard of or seen. Marquette, a highly educated man, made a drawing of this bird which has come down to us through periods of history. The story of the killing of this great bird bv Chief Quatoga (Wa-to-ga) and his one hundred expert bowmen has been handed down by the Indians, 1 / < r , , 4. KILLING OF THE PIASA BIRD Each morning the shrill screaks of the Piasa Bird as it flew down the river brought fear to the minds of the Illini and chilled the blood of the Indian youth. Dozens of Indian boys and girls had been carried away in the talons of the Piasa Birc) to be devoured in its great cave near Grafton. Quatoga was getting old and his chief concern was the destruction of this terrible killer. He called his braves into council on the hills near the river and told then he was going to pray to the Great Spirit, who would tell him what to do. Chief Quatoga went up into the hills and on the highest bluff he communed with the Great Spirit. He prayed that some plan for the destruction of this Piasa Bird be given him. The Great Spirit answered and told the Chief, "Dip your arrows deep and well into the poison of the Copperhead snake and fire them into the body of the Piasa Bird. They will cause its death." Quatoga returned to the Illini Camp, He told the braves what the Great Spirit had communicated to him. The plan was for someone to risk his life by standing on the ecige of the cliff at break of day. When the Piasa Bird swooped down to sink his talons into the victim, one hundred poisoned arrows would be shot by strong bowmen and sent through the scaly crust of the Piasa Bird. All the braves begged to take the place on the cliff, but the old Chief said, "I am old and I will make the sacrifice." The Indians went out in the hills to catch coDperhead snakes that they might draw their poison and. have plenty of this poison 5. in which to dip the arrows. Finally, all was arranged. The one hundred arrows had been dipped into the poison of the copperhead snakes many times. All the braves had practiced bringing their bowstrings back to the lobes of their ears. This was the strength needed to pierce a thick hide, tough as that of a buffalo. Quatoga communed with the Great Spirit all night. "Great Spirit think not of my life, but think of the sons and daughters of the Illini." All was arranged. Every brave was shown his place in the woods overlooking the cliff. Quatoga said to his braves, "Fear not. The Great Spirit will direct your poisoned arrows, but aim carefully." At last the first pink gleam of daylight came in the east, and Quatoga pulled his great red blanket about him and raised his head to commune with the Great Spirit. Soon could be heard the scream of the Piasa Bird. It was hungry and was seeking its breakfast. Down the center of the Mississippi River it flew, looking for victims on the banks. As the bird neared the cliff where the old Chief stood, it let out a terrific scream an d flew straight towards him. The bird circled and circled aroung its victim to make sure all was well. Finally the great bird set its wings and started down to pick up the Indian in the red blanket. Chief Quatoga did not move. He felt the Great Spirit was there with him as he clutched with all his strength the sturdy roots which grew there , I* n ! ,>•- ■■).-.. . • <~-.l:r J ,- t f ,->-.< 6. With a mighty scream the Piasa Bird was just readv to carry off its victim when the one hundred braves rose up and loosed one hundred poisoned arrows with such speed as only they could muster. Every arrow hit its mark and the Piasa Bird, with a great scream of terror, dropped into the Mississippi River anc 1 sank from view. The warriors very tenderly carried the bleeding and ^angled form of the old Quatoga down the bluff to his tepee. The medicine- man placed his ear over the old man's heart and found that it was beating weakly. They gave him loving care, and one morning they were rewarded by seeing the old man open his eyes to find himself safe with his people * There was great rejoicing in the tribe. A great feast was planned. The hunters brought him fowl, fish, and fresh meat from the hunt. The braves decked themselves in their beaded garments. That night a great feast was held around the fire that had burned since noon when the sun was high. Far into the night thev feasted and danced and beat their tom-toms. The next morning, old Terahionanaka (Tera-hi-on-a-na-ka), the arrow maker, carefully mixed his paints and carried them to the top of the great bluff and there, in flaming colors, painted the picture of the Piasa Bird. Everytime an Indian went up or down the river, he fired a poisoned arrow at the picture on the bluff in memory of the tribe T deliverance from the terrible Piasa Bird. ■• ! • •. :• .-J ' : i r Si : L ) i! i-T.:-v.L.' Indian Tribes in Illinois about 1?65 \ CO/ -^ ./•■ 8. THE STORY OF LOVER'S LEAP When the Illini lived in this area long before the time of the white man, Quatoga, their chief, was fighting with the Little Osage and the Big Osage Indians over the Missouri way. They were fighting to settle the right of their braves to hunt in that valley where there were deer, wild turkey, and otter. Quatoga had a sixteen year old daughter named Laughing Water. This girl got her name from the fact that her father, as he looked down into the Mississippi River, saw the little rinples along the surface and believed the river was laughing because he had a little daughter. Laughing Water was pretty and athletic; she rode well, went on the hunts, and was the great pride of all of the young braves of the Illini. But something was lacking in her life; she knew not what. She would go to the great rock at the edge of the bluff and sit there and think and wonder. She wondered where the river came from and where it went. She wondered what kind of people lived on the opposite bank. She longed for some greater excite- ment in her life; and she marvelled at the beauty of the sky, the bluffs, and the river. Life was sweet to Laughing Water for she was in accord with beauty all around her, but still something was lacking. One night Laughing Water was sitting on the rock dangling her feet over the precipice. The moon was in the west and made a golden path down the river. As she admired its beauty, she was surprised to see something swimming in the water. She was ' ; \ . 9. sure it was just a deer* Over in Missouri, up above St. Charles, lived the Big Osage Indians. In that tribe was a young brave, eighteen years old. He was called Black Otter because he was an expert swinger. BlacV Otter would swim many miles down the river in the cool of the evening. On one of these evenings he came down to a point across fron Alton. What a surprise! From the river he could see a young Indian maiden sitting on the great rock at the edge of the cliff. Black Otter made a quick decision. Ke decided to wait until nightfall, swim the river in the moon light, aid try to climb the cliff to that rock. Laughing Water watched the ob-ject in the water carefully anc" finally decided it was an Indian. But she thought, "He cannot get up here as all the trails to the top are guarded all night. I am surely safe." Black Otter, being an expert cliff climber, started to scale the cliff; and soon Laughing Water could hear little particles of rock falling. She marvelled that anyone would attempt to scale that cliff. Closer and closer came sounds of scratching and slipping, and finally two brown hands reached the top of the cliff. With a mighty swing Black Otter came to the top and sat beside Laughing Water, "I am Black Otter of the Big Osage Tribe, and I am the best swimmer on this whole river, I saw you on this rock this after- noon, and I have come over to see you." 10. Laughing Water noted he to re the yellow belt of the Big Osage Tribe, the hated enemy of the Illini. "You cannot cone here", she said. "Our people will k311 you if they know you are here." Black Otter rose and said, "All right, I'll go, but I will come again and again because I like you; and I want to know you." With this, Black Otter dived off the cliff into the Mississ- ippi some two hundred feet below. Laughing Water marvelled at his bravery. No Illini brave had ever performed such a daring feat,. The days went on, an d Laughing water was on the rock each night wondering if Black Otter would come again* He did.. He scaled the bluff again and again and sat beside her. He told her he loved her and that he would lose his life for her if need be* All went well until the young braves of the Illini saw Black Otter on the rock with Laughing Water. They told Quatoga and the old Chief cautioned Laughing WT ater that this must not be and that it must cease. But it did not cease ;Black Otter came again and again. Laughing Water admired his braverv and returned his love. Finally Quatoga, now getting old, told Laughing w ater he himself would kill the Big Osage Indian if he ca^e again. Laugh- ing Water told Black Otter of her father's plan. He laughed at such danger and told her again of his love. Old Quatoga 's love for his daughter was great, but his hatred for the Osage Tribe was greater. One night, placing his 11. arrow within his bow, he drew it vi th a trained but trembling ar^ Suddenly, little Laughing Water's eyes filled with fear. She heard a crackle of a twig in the bush; and, looking in the direction from which it had come, she saw the outline of Quatoga T bow. Instantly she threw herself in front of Black Otter, but the bow had been drawn and the arrow loosed.. Quickly it sped anc imbedded itself in the maiden's heart. The grim old warrior staggered. He was a master in the art of shooting an arrow, but the maiden had been too quick for him. His vision blurred as he saw Laughing water crumple and fall at the feet of her lover. A loud cry for help came from the lips of the old man. Instantly an angry horde appeared; it was the Illini braves who had followed the old man to the top of the bluff. With murderous threats they advanced, but there was no fear in Black Otter's eyes. Lifting the tiny little maiden in his arms, he cast a look of cold defiance and then leaped from the tall bluff into the darkening waters below. The old chieftain, Quatoga, turned remorsefully homeward. He realized his tragic mistake. With his own hand he had sent the poisoned arrow into the heart of his beloved child. The Indians named the bluff "Lover's Leap", and to this day the wind sighs and the pale moonbeams glide silently over high bluffs above the rippling waters of the Mississippi, 12. LA SALLE AND TONTI As Robert La Salle read a letter from his brother in Canada, he said to his father, "Father, I am taking passage on the next boat that sails for Canada. I want to see that wonderful country, where there is a great opportunity for a young man." La Salle arrived in Canada in 1666, and built a fort on the St. Lawrence River above Montreal. In 1669 he heard from the Indians about the beautiful country to the West, so he sold his fort and decided to explore. He went to Count Frontenac, the French governor of Canada, who said to him, "Have you heard about the trip down the Miss- issippi River that Marquette and Joliet made?" "No, I haven't," La Salle answered, "won't you tell me about it?" Then the governor told La Salle that Marquette and Joliet were sure that the Mississippi River flowed into the Gulf of Mexico, but they had not been able to sail that far because of Marquette ' s illness. "That is the most important discovery made in the New World I" La Salle said. "I would like to explore the river to its mouth, open all the country to French trade, and extend the French power from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico.," So La Salle went back to France to get money for the ex- pedition. When he returned he brought with him an Italian named Henry de Tonti. Tonti had lost one hand in battle and fastened to his , . ■' , 1... 13. arm was an iron hook so the Indians called him "the man with the iron hand." Tonti was bold and courageous, and he was eager to open the country for French trade. Late in September 1678, La Salle and Tonti with so^c mission- aries and traders left Green Bay, Wisconsin in four birch-bark canoes and started on a journey to the Illini country. Finally they reached the Illinois River; and, near what is now Peoria, they built a fort called Crevecoeur, the French ex- pression for "broken heart". This name was given to the Fort because the desertion of so many men in their party, and many other difficulties had almost broken their hearts. La Salle, who was known as the man with the iron will, with the men who remained, sailed out of the Illinois River into the Mississippi. They sailed past the site of Alton and built Fort St. Louis, which they named for the King of France. In April 1682, they reached the mouth of the "Father of Water* planted the flag of France , and claimed all the land drained bv th( great river for France. It is interesting to note that though La Salle had to spend much of his time making trips to Canada and France, many of his men lived along the Illinois River. Fnile the missionaries preached to the Indians, the other men brought furs and explored the country. La Salle met his death in 1678 near the Trinity River in the present state of Texas. Tonti was left in charge of the IllinJ Country, ... , . . , 14. The Indian Legend is that in 1718 Tonti T s canoe once more arrived at Fort St. Louis where the brave man with the "iron hand" died from yellow fever. 15 s\ Chicago 8 / Ft. Crevecoeur "' Springfield ^ 6< -.~rV 9 Vion ^ Marquette Park Alton \ \_j_ Alton v \ ^ ■' s ">Wood River -^ / Vandal i a St. Louisa / Y / .. Gahokia «»\ / >/* Carlyle Ft. Chartres/.* ^ a J- y Early Settlements in Illinois <>Ft. Kaskaskia * Joliot Shaw nee town *i W^v -Tt, Massac 16. TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS George Rogers Clark and the Illinois Country In the year 1609, a charter was granted by King Janes of England to the Virginia Company. This charter included much of the land east of the Mississippi River. Our present state and city were a part of the land granted to Virginia. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, George Rogers Clark asked Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia for an army of men to protect the early settlers from the British and the Indians. In 1778 he was granted his request and started down the Ohio Valley. He came in contact with a party of hunters who had been in Kaskaskia. Kaskaskia and Cahokia were French settlements along the east side of the Mississippi River south of the present city of East St. Louis. Clark impressed the people and won over their respect without bloodshed. He organized civil courts for the settlement of claims and disputes. The judges were elected by the citizens of each community. The people of Virginia were soon aware of Clark's success in securing this Illinois land from the British. On December 9, 1778, the Virginia legislature passed a law providing that all land in Virginia west of the Ohio River be included in a county named Illinois. Nor thwest Territory Settlers soon began to enter the region and the Continental Congress passed the famous Ordinance of 1787. This provided for 17. the establishment of the Northwest Territory, which included the present states : Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Ordinance provided for a governor and other civil officers. The first governor of the Northwest Territory was General Arthur St. Clair. The Governor was to be the Commander-in-Chief of the military and was to establish laws that were best suited for the people. In 1800 an act was passed by Congress dividing the North- west Territory into two sections. The western part, known as the Indiana Territory, included Illinois. The new capital was located at Vincennes, and the territorial Governor was William Henry Harrison. With the new area growing in population, there was a move to divide this new Indiana Territory. The purchase of the Louisiana Territory brought many new people into Illinois. The story of Lewis and Clark gives us an interesting account of some of the first to explore Louisiana Territory. Meriwe ther Lewis and William Clark Just south of present day Alton, at the mouth of Food River, Lewis and Clark built their first camp and spent the winter of 1803-1804 there, before starting their long trip toward the Pacific. It was a '.old 'Winter of heavy snow and chill blasts. For six months in the spring and summer of 1804 they sailed and rowed up the IvQ-Ssouri River with their group of American soldiers and woodsmen, French fur -traders and interpreters, and . .-i ! ,'. , i .1 ... 18. a Negro servant named York. The party was headed for the Pacific Ocean to obtain infor- mation for President Jefferson about the territory of Louisiana, which we had just purchased from France for four cents an acre. They did not know what savages they would meet nor what dangers they would encounter. In 1804-1805 they wintered across the river from a Mandan Indian village. There they built cabins. While the white men were working, the Indians came to visit them aid brought presents of cornmeal, deer meat, and buffalo meat. That winter the tem- perature went down to 21, 38, and 47 degrees below zero. They huddled together in their cabins and were warmed by the fires they could build and all the- clothes they could wear. Several times it was warm enough so that they went outside and hunted buffalo and elk with the Indian hunters. Early in April ice broke on the river. Lewis and Clark said good-by to their friends and renewed their journey. They travelled in six canoes and two rowboats. A Frenchman and his Indian wife, the Bird Woman Sacajawea (Sa-ka-ja-wa-a), went with the expedition., She guided Lewis and Clark and their men through the wild and dangerous country on their route to the Pacific. More than once the whole party probably would have starved to death if Sacajawea had not obtained food for them from Indians who belonged to her tribe, the Shoshones. One day in June Lewis was walking along the Missouri River '.I*. '( ;i ■i; :..i 19 . near the edge of a cliff. He slipped and would have fallen 90 feet over the cliff if it had not been for his spontoon. The spontoon was a wooden staff, pointed with steel, which he pushed into the soil to save himself. The party reached a high point in the Rockies where the Shoshone Indians dwelt. At first they were hostile; but after meeting Sacajawea and receiving trinkets from the vhite men, they became friendly. They gave the expedition horses in re- turn for knives, guns, and paint. As they crossed the Rocky Mountains, great suffering came to the expedition. Game was scarce, and it was hard work tramp- ing across the rough ground. At last they reached a bank of' the Columbia River and went downstream in canoes. There were rapids to pass, but the party went down safely and happilv to the Pacific shore. The names of Lewis and Clark are very much with us today. In 1927 the construction of the Lewis and Clark Bridges was begun. The Clark Bridge spans the Mississippi River, the Lewis Bridge the Missouri River. The bridges were opened to traffic on July 16, 1928. They form a connecting link between Alton and the great metropolitan area of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1809 Congress passed an act which divided the Indiana Territory. The Territory of Illinois was then established, with Ninian Edwards of Maryland as governor. The first legislature of Illinois met at Kaskaskia. Madison County was one of the first counties in the new territory and was by far the largest in the 20. new Illinois Territory. Edwardsville was the center of govern- ment for the the county. Here people came to enter their land claims. Fort Russell, a short distance northwest of Edwardsville, was the strongest military post of the frontier. Colonel w illiam Russell was in command of ten companies of Rangers who were stationed there. On July 30, 1819, a treaty was made between the Indians and the government. The land purchased from the Indians comprised more than ten million acres of present day Illinois. Between the years 1812 and 1818, the population of the Ill- inois Territory increased raDidly, Many soldiers from Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky liked this territory so well that they sent for their families and established permanent homes. By the year 1818 the population of the Territory was almost 40,000. In 1818 Illinois became the twenty-first state to be admitted into the Union. The state history of Illinois began with the settlement of Kaskaskia as the capital. One of the first acts of the Legislature was to choose Vandalia as the new capital. This location was chosen with the understanding that it was to be a temporary site. A two story frame state house was erected in the center of the square. Three years later it was completely destroyed by fire» In its place was erected a large brick build- ing that served as the capitol. This building stands today and is owned by the state. It is partly furnished as it was in the days when it was the capitol building. '(■ < C : 21. In 1834 the legislature decided that Alton was to be the capital. Later, a group of political leaders from Springfield, including Abraham Lincoln, made a compromise with the people of Alton. In return for the location of the capital in Springfield, the state would provide funds for the establishment of Alton as the railroad center of Illinois. The panic of 1837 caused this plan to be set aside, except that Springfield became the per- manent capital. Central Avenue Sqiiare would, have been the site of the capitol building if Alton had been selected. 22. HISTORY OF EARLY SETTLEMENTS French Settlement s The exploration by Marquette and Joliet of the Mississippi River Valley opened the area to the early French missions. In 1693 Father Gravier began a mission in an Indian Village at Kaskaskia. Father Pivet had gathered with a group in another Indian Village at Cahokia. These men were not interested in the soil or colonization, but rather in the spiritual lives of the Indians. It was many years before white men became interested in settling what is now Illinois. In 1795 one hundred families set out from Virginia to estab- lish a new settlement. This settlement was established south of what is now East St. Louis. It was called New Design. In 1796 Reverend David Badgley organized a church in the settlement. This was the first Protestant church in Illinois, Today the settlement of New Design is no more; only a cemetery remains. James Gillham Family Members of the Gilham family were among the early settlers. Thomas Gillham came to Virginia from Ireland in 1730. He later moved to South Carolina* Here one of his sons, James, married Ann Barnett. At the close of the Revolutionary War, James Gillham moved to Kentucky. One day while in Kentucky, James Gillham was plowing corn in a field at some distance from his home. Corn was a precious food in that early day and every little plant had to be carefully 23. tended. His little son followed the plow and uncovered any little plants that were covered. At noon they went to their cabin hoi T e for lunch. In the cabin was a terrible sight. All was in dis- order; feathers covered everything and none of his family were to be seen. The Indians had taken Mrs. Gillham, the children, and many of their possessions. Mr. Gillham, hoping to overtake the party, started at once to follow the trail, but was unsuccessful. He returned to his farm and sold everything he owned. Hoping to get help, he and his son went to the white settlers at Vincennes, Indiana* He was determined to find his family, so he started on the long dangerous journey that brought him to Illinois. He was unable to find them* Always he seemed a little too late. After several years, he found that his wife had been sold to a Frenchman for one thousand dollars. The Frenchman returned his wife and loaned him enough money to buy the rest of his family. Later Mrs, Gillham told of her capture. The Indians did not want to harm her, because they wanted her to take the place of their medicine man. Mrs. Gillham was a fine "herb doctor", and the Indians thought her medicine better than any thev knew, Illinois had impressed Mr. Gillham so favorably that he did not return to his home in Kentucky. Together with his family he settled in the vicinity of the present city of wood River. •rl; 24. First Settlement in Alton The first settlement upon or near the Alton site may have been that of Jean Baptiste Cardinal in 1783. He was a Frenchman who came from Cahokia. Major Solomon Prewitt who came to this area in 1806 found what was probably the Cardinal house at Piasa. (The site of Alton was known as Piasa). It was a loose rock house and was located at what is now Broadway and Alby Streets. Price's Death In 1811 two men named Price and Ellis opened a farm on a piece of land at the foot of what is now Broadway and Spring Streets. The story of Price's murder tells of the trouble the early settlers had with the Indians. On the twentieth of June, 1811, Price was working with his son plowing the land, when they saw the Indians approaching. As the Indians came near the spring, the white man asked then if they came in peace. In reply, the leader, a man of great size and strength, laid down his gun and extended his hand to Price. When he was held fast in the Indian's grasp, he was immediately tomahawked by the other Indians. During the struggle, Price's son leaped upon the plow horse and made the animal jump the brush fence. At this instant the Indian shot at him. The ball stuck the middle of the horse's back, between the horse and the rider, and missed the boy entirely. The boy was successful in making his escape to the forks of the Food ^iver where he gave the alarm. HISTORIC SITES IN i.'IADISOU COUNTY 2S ^^Z I X ^s rY/V '//, 7 777. a / 7u-^> B @° C(\. -J iVr l^lr altok. i. 2. 3. 5. Site of Fort Russell V^. Site of Wood River Massacre I.iassacre Victims buried at Vaughn Cemetery Early Milton Settlement and Cemetery Campsite of Lewis-Clark Expedition X/Sa il /I 26. After the Price murder there was open war between the settlers and the Indians. The fighting which followed was Illinois f part in the War of 1812. The people of Madison County found it necessary to build block house forts and organize a company of militia called Rangers . Wood River Massacre On July 10, 1814, the Indians massacred a woman and six children. They were from the Wood River Forks settlement which was two miles east of Upper Alton. The victims were the wife and two children of Reason Reagon, two children of William Moore, and two children of Able Moore. A messenger was sent to Fort Russell to give the alarm. Fort Russell, which was northwest of present day Eclwardsville, was the headquarters of the Rangers. The Indians were followed north by the Rangers to the region of present day Springfield. All but one of the Indians was killed. The bodies of the victims of the massacre were taken to Vaughn Cemetery south of Bethalto. A monument to these victims of Indian warfare stands today on Fosterbury road across- fro^ Alton State Hospital ground. Colonel Rufus East on and Alton With the purchase of the Louisiana Territory fro^ France in 1803, the Alton and St. Louis area was opened to new settlers who came from the eastern states. Among these early settlers was Colonel Rufus Easton. He came to St. Louis in 1804. There he was appointed federal judge and later postmaster. As the settlers streamed westward through St. Louis into the Louisiana Territory, Easton thought of the idea of establishing a new town nearer the junction of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. -. f ) 27. In 1815 Rufus Easton obtained possession of the lane's In this vicinity and laid out a town, which he called Alton, in honor of one of his sons. His claim of land included the land from the river to Ninthe Street and from Piasa to Henry. In 1818 he made a contract for the building of four log houses on Broadway between Piasa and Market Streets, Colonel Easton' s first business in the new town was the establishment of a ferry to compete with Smeltzer's Ferry two miles farther up the river. The old Smeltzer's Ferry was located on the present day river road. The ferry service was used to transport supplies and early settlers into the New West. The name of the founder of our city, Colonel Rufus Easton, is very much a part of our city today. We have Rufus Easton School named in his honor. The Easton Memorial Fountain was erected in his honor at Third and Easton Streets. The present day streets known as Easton, George, Alby, Alton, and Langdon are named after other members of his family. Hunt erst own In 1820 a Major Charles W. Hunter purchased land ad ioining Henry Street. He laid out a town which he called Huntersto^n, which later became a part of Alton, In 1840 Hunter built a two story brick building on the corner of Central and Broadwav. It was first used as a hotel. This building changed ownership many times. It was used once by the Alton Marine and Fire Insurance Company. In later years it was used by the Catholic Sisters of *■• :-k,:< 28. Charity, the forerunner of present day St. Joseph's Hospital. In 1893 the hospital outgrew the building, and it was sold to a Julius Haas, who used it as an apartment house. Recently the building was torn down. Upper Alton and Salu In 1816 Joseph Meachan laid out Upper Alton. It had an advantage over Eas ton's Alton because of the high ground and therefore was more healthful. Upper Alton had the further ad- vantage of being located on the roads from Edwardsville and Vandalia over Oakwood Avenue to present day North Alton and then down Hop Hollow to Smeltzer's Perry. Pioneers going into the Louisiana Territory by land took this route. For a time Upper Alton had the largest population of the settlements, but both Upper Alton and Alton suffered from the fact that land titles were not clear. This caused a decline in the population. Because of this Bennett Maxey and other men laid out a town north of early Upper Alton which they called Salu. This town was planned in 1820, and Salu Park was set aside by Maxey and his friends as a public square. The early industrv of this Salu addition was a pottery and brick works. The natural deposits of clay account for this early business. According to the records and stories told by the old residents, the products from the pottery and brick factories were shipped by land and water in all directions. The first post office established in Upper Alton was in 1818. 29. The office received once a week a mail delivery made by horseback. The Upper Alton post office was put on the route between Carlyle, Illinois, and. St. Charles, Missouri. The mail route crossed the Mississippi River at Alton by ferryboat. H. N. Kendall and John Bostwick Sr. were men who played, an important part in early day development of Upper Alton. The Bostwicks came to Alton from St. Louis in a houseboat in 1837, They tied their boat below the foot of Henry Street where they lived for a short time. John Bostwick Jr. used to tell about the children of his family carrying fresh water from, a spring in town. The spring was located at the corner of Broadway aid Spring Streets. It is said this spring runs under the paved street today. John Bostwick Sr. bought eight acres of ground in Ui^per Alton. This ground included the area around present day Western Military Academy. He planned to erect a large house for his family on the west side of Seminary Street. He started the big building, but it was destroyed by fire. He started his second house across the street. In 1838 Edward Wyman visited Alton on a business trip. He saw the house and liked it very much. Years later he traded land in St. Louis for the eight acre tract and founded a school. H. N, Kendall laid out Evergreen, Park, and worden Avenues, but it was many years before houses were built. North Alton - Buck Inn James Strong, in 1837, erected an inn called Buck Inn. It was located at State and Delrar. From this inn the whole North Alton settlement was given the name Buck Inn. 30. In 1839 a town called Altonia was laid out, but the lots did not sell. Twenty years later Janes Tibbit laid out the town of Greenwood, The name Buck Inn still outlived all the rest, for in 1868 a post office was established under that name. Meantime a settlement had been made farther east of the coal mines. This area was called Coal Branch. Not until 1875 did North Alton come into existence. The original Buck Inn was replaced in 1855 by a second one, which still stands near the corner of State and Delmar next door to Stanka's Garage. Fosterbur g In 1819 Oliver Foster came to this country and settled for a few years in Upper Alton, He moved in 1825 one mile north of the present village of Fosterburg. He obtained this land direct- ly from the government. Mr. Foster, a skilled workman, erected the Foster Inn, the finest residence in the township. It was located on the regular stage route from Alton to Springfield, known as the Springfield Road. It was a popular stopping place for travelers. The inn was used as a relay station. The stage arrived in the evening, remained over night, and resumed its journey on the following morning. After the railroad was built, the stage was taken off, and the inn was no longer used as a relay station. The village of Fosterburg was laid out in 1857, The first home was built by Ransom Chandler, 31. Godfrey The village of Godfrey Is named for Captain Benjamin Godfrey, He was one of the early settlers and one of the largest land owners. Captain Godfrey acquired a fortune of ^200,000 by enter- prises in Mexico. In 1835 he spent ^53,000 to build a college for girls, called Monticello Seminary, It was opened for classes in 1838. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1888. Captain Godfrey was prominent in building the first railroad from Alton to Springfield in 1852. 32, GROWTH OF EARLY ALTON SETTLEMENT Present day Alton, as we have seen , consists of many separate areas. Easton's Alton, Hunterstown, Upper Alton, Salu, and North Alton started as coriEnerical settlements and remained so for many years. Here the early pioneers stopped to get supplies enroute to the West. Ear ly T ransportation The early settlers in our community used Indian trails to find their way through the forest and over the prairies. They often traced these trails "by marking the hark of trees in the forest, and by using land marks on the open prairie. In Alton the high grounds were used by the Indians as trails to the river's edge. Washington Avenue and State Street follow two of the most popular Indian trails. The first roads in the new country were those which followed the most direct routes between new settlements. In the early days, the rivers were the main approach to new territory, Many of the early trails and roads were built from the boat landings to the interior. The early settlers came in great covered wagons, drawn by horses or oxen. At all times the men watched for the Indians. At night they would gather around the camp fire and join in singing and story telling. Buffalo, bear, and deer provided the pioneers with meat. The women baked "Johnny Cake" before the 33. fire to complete the meals. The women and children slept in the wagons, while the men and boys, wrapped in their blankets, lay down about the camp fire. The journey from the South and East to the Illinois Country took many months e The pioneers faced many dangers. These men and their families had great force of character and became leaders in the early frontier settlements. Steamboats In the early part of the nineteenth century, the rivers were the main means of transportation. When steamboats replaced the keel boats and barges, a great advance was given to trade and commerce . The beginning of steamboat trade was in 1818. Colonel James Johnson was one of the first to ship supplies from Alton to the Missouri Territory, By 1834 a steamer named "Tiskilwa" began to make regular trips between Alton and St. Louis. The years of 1840 to 1860 were the golden age of steamboating on the mighty .Mississippi. Joseph Brown was one of the most successful steamboat captains on the river in the aarly days. He ran a mill in Alton and ship- ped flour to New Orleans. One of his boats was the "Little Eagle". She was only ninety feet long and could make the trip fron St. Louis to Alton in seven hours. Competition between the boat lines brought about the begin- ning of racing by the captains. The first boat to come into port 34. was given first chance to unload and be the first to get away to pick up freight at the next stop. This made it necessary to build faster boats. Houses with lookouts on top were built. This type of arch- itecture made it possible for the people to view the racing steam- ers coming into port. The boats were loaded with freight and crowded with passengers who felt lucky to be aboard during the race. The townspeople came to the river front and cheered as the speeding boats enterd the ports. The prize for the winning boat was a set of gilt covered antlers. They were placed in the pilot house until some other boat defeated the champion. The boat racing continued until a tragic accident occurred. On February 16,1854, the steamer "Kate Kearney'' blew up as she was pulling away from the crowded wharf at St. Louis. Fifty people were killed and twenty-five were badly injured. Some of the passengers and crew were blown into the river and lost. Newspaper criticism of the races and government action brought about an end to the reckless speed contest on the Mississippi. The commercial power of the steamboat era gave way to the railroads in later years. Early Railroads The first railroad in Illinois was a coal mine road. It Yias built by Governor John Reynolds in 1837, and ran from East St. Louis to the bluffs near the line of Madison and St. Clair Counties. 35. The first railroad built in Madison County was the Chicago and Alton, then known as the Alton and Sangamon. This railroad was built under the leadership of Captain Benjamin Godfrey, "e lived in a railroad car and followed the work as it progressed. The railroad to Springfield was completed in 1852. The second road built was the Terre Haute and Alton. Captain Simeon Ryder of Alton was the president of the railroad. It con- nected Alton with Terre Haute, Indiana, Later it was extended from Alton to East St. Louis. The Alton and St. Louis railroad was built in 1864, by John J. Mitchell, of Alton, under agreement vita the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company. The Upper Alton division of this railroad was built in 1881. The rails for these first railroads came from Pittsburgh, The railroad ties were made fro- 1 local timber. The early engines used wood for fuel. The farmers of the area piled wood along the railroads for use by the companies. Some of the early German farmers who ca^e to the Brighton area, ten miles northeast of Alton, furnished wood for the rail- road companies. When the railroad companies failed to pay the farmers for this wood, the farmers piled the wood right on the tracks. The railroads and farmers disagreed, until their case came before the courts. The case was held in Springfield. Abraham Lincoln was the lawyer who represented the farmers. Lincoln took the stand that the farmers should be paid for their wood and won his case. The farmers took up a collection to pay his fee, but he refused to take any pay. 36. Early Commerce From a city of commerce and trade, early Alton began to grow into an industrial center. Lime quarrying, pottery making, end brick making were carried on as early as 1820, Lumber mills were built to provide lumber for the building of homes, boats, and covered wagons. In 1831 the Alton Manufacturing Company started a steam flour mill in the present flour milling area. Farmers brought grain to be milled from as far as Springfield. By 1937 there was also a slaughter house. The arrival of the first steamboat in 1818 gave Alton another important early business. The river traffic increased very rapid- ly. By 1839 over a thousand steamboats docked at Alton in one year. The list of goods carried by these boats included corn, oats, wheat, flour, butter, hides, pork, bacon, lard, beef, and lead. Many of the townspeople enjoyed observing the docking of the large steamboats. They enjoyed seeing the passengers coming off the boats. Many of these early river boat captains made their homes in Alton. The Alton State Bank The merchants in Alton were interested in building Alton into a great industrial center. An effort was made to out grow early St. Louis. The Alton State Bank was established in order to make loans to companies. The bank made large loans to Godfrey, Gilman and Company. - This ■ company was in the lead business. 37. The company failed because the competition raised the price of lead and left Alton companies holding over-priced lead. The large losses by these early merchants caused the bank to fail. Early Newspapers A list of early Alton newspapers, with the date of their beginning includes the following: Alton Spectator. 1832; Alton American . 1833; Alton T elegraph , 1836; Alton Observer . 1836; Illinois Temperance Herald . 1836; and the Alton Co u rier . 1855. Of all these newspapers, only the Alton Tele g raph has survived. The Telegraph 1 s birthplace was across the street from the present home of the newspaper. Richard Treadway and his partner, Lawson Parks, moved into the printing office. On January 15, 1836, an old handpress was used to print the first issue of the paper. John A. Cousley began to work for the Tel egraph in 1860. By 1890 he became managing editor, and three years later he became its owner. Another important man in the paper's history was John D. McAdams. He joined the newspaper in 1905, and served as busines manager. Today, members of the Cousley and McAdams family are still owners of the Alton Evening Telegr aph, Alton Penitentiary Alton became the site of the first State Penitentiary in 1833. The State sold land to raise money to pay for the building. By 1857 the penitentiary had 256 cells. The prisoners were leased to private parties for use as laborers. They worked in the indus- tries and performed work in the community. This system was a 38. profitable business for the state. In 1857 a new prison was built at Joliet, and by 1860 all the prisoners were :^oved there. The empty prison was used by the North as a military prison during the Civil War. During the small- pox epidemic, many Confederate prisoners died in this prison. A monument in their memory stands in North Alton just west of State Street. The few remaining stones of the old prison may be seen in the Merchants' parking lot downtown. A historical marker also marks the location of the Alton Penitentiary. Early Hotels The best known of the early Alton hotels ?;as the Alton House. It was built in 1852 and stood at the corner of Front anri Alby Streets. Stephen A. Douglas used this hotel as his headquarters during the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The Franklin Hotel was Abraham Lincoln's stopping place and is still in operation as the Lincoln Hotel at 208 State Street. The Piasa House was located on the corner of Fourth and Piasa Streets. It was close to the river landings; therefore, many of the river boat passengers became its guests. The Mansion Hotel on State Street Hill was another of the early hotels. It was erected in 1834 and regains a rooming house today. 39. Early Churches of th e Alton Area First Church in Alton Area The first church in the Alton area was organized at Wood River in 1807 by Reverend David Badgley and Reverend William Jones. The meetings were held in a cabin at the forks of the Wood River. This church served a large area before there was a town where Alton and Upper Alton now stand. Feople came as far as 20 miles on horseback to attend the Saturday church meeting. In 1809 under the leadership of Revrend William Jones, the congregation built a log cabin meeting house on Vaughn's Hill, The church had puncheon seats and no floor. In 1816, an acre and one half of land was a^ded to the church grounds, Mr. Vaughn gave them another half acre so that a cemetery could be added to the church grounds. The victipis of the wood River massacre were buried here. It is know as Vaughn Cemetery today. Reverend William Jones took an active part in the civic life of this area. During the war of 1812 he ioined a company of Rangers. He was twice elected to the Territorial Legislature. He and his wife are buried in the Vaughn Cemetery. Early Churches of Upper Alton The oldest church organization in Alton was the Methodist of Upper Alton, In 1817 a group of five or six people met in a log cabin home of Ebenezer Hodge. The pcoDle met in private homes until 1835 when a church was built. In 1849 a new brick church was built. It was called w e slev Chapel, In 1923 the Wesley 40. Methodist Church and the Washington Avenue Methodist Church united to form the present Main Street Methodist Church located at the corner of Main Street and Benbow Avenue. After the norger of the two churches, the Wesley Church was purchased by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and is still used by that denomination. The Upper Alton Baptist Church was organized by Dr. John Mason Peck on March 25, 1830. At first meetings were held in a log cabin and then in the old brick school house. Later the meet- ings were held in the Lvceu^ Building in Lower Alton, When Shurtleff College was established in Upper Alton, the church meet- ings were held in Loomis Hall on the campus. In 1837 the first church building was dedicated. It was a rock building with a tall steeple.. This church stood on the north- east corner of Seminary and College Avenues, just across Seminary Street from where the church now stands. The present Upper Alton Baptist Church was dedicated on May 30, 1869. The Upper Alton Presbyturian Church was organized January 8, 1837. Its first minister was Reverend Elijah P. Love joy. The first church building was erected in 1837 and occupied the same site as the present one. The lot on which it stands was donated by a Deacon Enoch Long. The first church burned and was replaced by a frame church in 1865. In 1927 the present College Avenue Presbyterian Church was Dedicated , Early Churches of Low er Alton Many of the churches in both Upper Alton and Lower Alton held their first meetings in homes. Later the Lyceum Hall served as a 41. meeting place for many of the church services. In 1832 Captain Benjamin Godfrey erected a church at the pre- sent site of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The orginal walls are part of today's building. This was the first church building in the city. In 1833 the Baptists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians joined in using the Godfrey Church for a house of worship, and preachers of the three denominations conducted services. During the week, mass meetings and public gatherings were held here. It was in this building that Elijah P. Love joy made his final plea for freedom of speech and of the press. St. Paul's Episcopal Church was organized in 1836. In 1843 the building and grounds, at the corner of Third and Market Streets were purchased from Benjamin Godfrey. In 1850 the building was razed, and the present Episcopal Church was erected on the same site. In 1840 the Baptists left the group church building to occup^r their own house of worship, a large stone building at the corner of Broadway and Easton Streets. In 1860 this building was destroye by fire, and the First Baptist Church was erected at the corner of Fifth and Market Streets. In 1900 under the pastorate of Reverend M. W, Twing, a new church was erected. The church maintained several missions; the most important of which developed into the Cherry Street Baptist Church. The First Baptist Church is proud of its new building and grounds at College Avenue and Johnson Street. These were dedi- cated in the spring of 1954. 42. The Presbyterian Church in Lower Alton was organized under the leadership of Reverend Thomas Lippincott on June 9, 1831 » Lyceum Hall and Benjamin Godfrey's Church served as its early meeting place. In 1846 a brick church on the corner of Second and Market Streets was completed and used for over fifty years. The corner stone was laid for their new stone church at the corner of Fourth and Alby Streets on July 8, 1897. This is the present site of the First Presbyterian Church. The first Catholic service in this area was held in a small frame building in Uppur Alton in 1840. This mission was estab- lished by Father George Hamilton. In 1842 a stone church was erected at the corner of Third and Alby Streets. This building was destroyed by fire in 1853. Property was then purchased on State Street, on which the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul was erected in 1856, Saint Mary's Church was erected in 1858 at the corner of Third and Henry Streets. It was destroyed by the great tornado of June. 1860. Soon afterwards the present church building was erected on the corner of East Fourth and Henry Streets Saint Patrick's Church, on the corner of East Fourth and Central, was the third Catholic Church of Alton, Saint Matthew's and Saint Ambrose are the latest Catholic Churches built in the area. Church records indicate that other denominations were repre- sented in Alton's early history. The Alton Evangelical Church dates back to 1851, with the Reverend G.A. Detharding as the first pastor. The Church of the Redeemer was organized in the ho^e of Captain F. l. Iijwis in 1870. 43. The Unitarian denomination was represented as early as 1836, holding occasional services in private hones. In 1853 Reverend W. D, Haley came to Alton from St. Louis and established their first church. The Negro people of Alton maintained two churches in Alton's early fristory. The Union Baptist Church dates back to 1836. This church was organized at the home of Charles Edwards in Upper Alton by Reverand E. Rogers. The congregation met in various houses in Alton for several years, and then built a church on the corner of George and Seventh Streets. The Alton A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) was organized in 1839 by William Paul Quinn. In 1867 the society purchased land between Henry and Ridge Streets and erected a brick church. It was built under the pastorate of Reverend H. dePugh. The greater number of Alton churches is of fairly recent origin. Only about a dozen were organized before 1860. The in- creased number of churches in recent years is accounted for by the growth in population. The movement of families to the outskirts of the city has influenced the growth of churches. Many people who attended the larger churches are attending smaller churches near their homes. This has helped to account for more than doubl- ing the number of churches since 1918. There are many churches in Alton at the present time. Tr e are truly a church community. Many leading religious denominations have established churches in the Alton community since the days of the early church founders. 44. Some of the leading church groups are: Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Scientist, Episcopal, Evangelical, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Lutheran, Methodist, Nazerene, Presbyterian, and Unitarian. This list is not intended to be a complete Directory of Churches. Each student might be encouraged to gather historical information relative to the particular church of his choice. 45. Early School History of Alton The first school in Alton was a pay school open to the DUblic. It was opened in November 1831, by l!r. H. Davis on Broadway be- tween Market and Alby Streets. A second school was opened by Mr. Abel R. Coffin in 1833 in a log cabin. As early as 1834 a brick school house was established in Upper Alton. By 1839 the population of Upper Alton and Salu areas was over 1000 and three schools were established. In 1837 the State Legislature of Illinois granted the city of Alton a charter which provided for the establishment of free public schools. It was not until July of 1843 that any action was taken by the city council. At that time $100.00 was appropriated to pur- chase land in Pope's addition. In 1846 a brick school costing $580.70 was built on this site, thus bringing the total cost of Alton's first public school to $680,70, This was a two room building. The number of pupils soon outgrew this building and a one room frame building was added. This building was located where Lincoln School is now. Reverend L, S. Williams was appointed teacher of the school. He was Alton's first public school teacher. Within seven years two more buildings were built in the east and west parts of town. One was erected on the corner of Fifth and Langdon Streets in 1851, and the other on State Street in 1853, In 1856 two more buildings were erected. The first was located on Common Street. It was later called Washington SchooX 46. Present day Washington School is on a different site. The second building, erected in 1856, was located on Central near Fifth Street and was later known as Humboldt School. The "advanced school", as it was called, was opened in the basement of the Unitarian Church in 1858. Mr. James Newman was the first principal. In 1866 a Board of Education was established apart from the City Council. Mr. M. G. Atwood was president of the board, and Mr. Isaac Scarritt was acting Superintendent of Schools. Soon the five public school buildings in the city, with the total of eight rooms, were not sufficient. The building now known as the Lincoln School was erected on Alton Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Streets in 1866. This building contained twelve class rooms. At the time of construction it was considered one of the finest public school buildings in the state. In 1870 the Board of Education secured the services of E. A. Haight as superintendent of schools. Mr. Haight served as superintendent of the Alton schools for ten and one-half years. At the close of his administration in 1881, the school enrollment was about 1200, and twenty -three teachers were employed, Mr. R. A. Haight, brother of the out- going superintendent was selected as the next superintendent. During the years that followed, with Alton fast becoming an industrial center, the Alton school system found it hard to keep pace with the growing population. The Humbolt building was erected in 1879, and in March 1883 47. Irving School was completed. Garfield School was erected in 1891. In 1895 Douglas School on the corner of Market and Tenth Streets, and Love joy School on the corner of Union and Silver Streets were completed and added to the Alton School District. In 1896 the vicinity then known as Highland Park was added to the city of Alton. When the annexation was made, the people of that community were planning to build a new school. The Alton School Board took up the work where they found it and built Washington School on Curdle Avenue. By the year 1900, the Alton city schools had 2000 pupils. That year Lowell School was built on Joesting Avenue. The high school had. 175 pupils crowded into the rooms on the third floor of Lincoln School. A special election was held that year for the purpose of building a new high school. The cornerstone of this building, now Roosevelt School, was laid with great ceremony on June 11, 1902, When the construction was finished, people came from miles around to see the new school with its large assembly hall. In 1907 North Alton was annexed to the city of Alton. There were two small school buildings in this area. The North Alton area was prepared to construct a new building when the annexation occurred. The Alton School Board took up the plans and built McKinley School on Elm Street that same year* When the Yeager Park area, east of Alton, was added to the ■city, Gillham School, a two-room frame building was brought into the Alton School District. This building on Main Street was torn down, and in 1921 Clara Barton School was erected. 48. The school system of Upper Alton began as early as 1825, The early settlers built a log school at the end of present Leverett Street, The logs cane fro^ the saw rills at Milton settlement. In the Salu settlement a frame school house was built by the early settlers. In the early 1860 ! s Upper Alton boasted of a high school. Classes were held in a private home. In 1886 Horace Mann School on Edwards Street was completed. Dunbar School in Upper Alton was built in 1895 on the upper end of Washington Avenue, In April of 1911, Upper Alton was annexed to the city of Alton, Thus two more school buildings, Horace Mann and Dunbar, were placed under the control of the Alton Board of Education. Milton Heights School was added to the Alton District in 1922, This school was originally built in 1905, At first it had only four rooms, Delmar School was erected in 1913, but did not come into the Alton School District until 1922. By 1925 conditions in the schools became so crowded that the people of the city were compelled to make provision for the increased enrollment. A new high school building was to be built in Upper Alton, In 1925 work began on this building located on College Avenue, The Alton Senior High School building was first occupied in the fall of 1928. Today it is still considered one of the finest high school buildings in the state. if 49. In 1940 East Junior High School was erected opposite the high school building. Central Junior High School, located on Johnson Street, was completed in 1949. West Junior High School, located on State Street, was com- pleted in 1951. In 1952 the F. W. Olin Vocational School, a gift from the Olin Foundation, was dedicated. It is one of the finest vocation- al schools in the United States. This building is operated as part of the Alton Senior High School, In 1952 the people of Alton voted a bond issue to erect school buildings to meet the needs of the community. The people voted to erect the following new buildings: Thomas Jefferson on North Rodgers; Mark Twain on Milton Road;East Junior High on Washington Avenue ;Horace Mann on Edwards Street; Irving on State Street; North Junior High School in Godfrey; Roosevelt School; and Alton Public Schools Stadium on State Street. The bond issue also provided for additiors to McKinlev, Clara Barton, West Junior, Godfrey, and Fosterburg schools. With Joyful anticipation of the completion of these schools, the people of Alton have not forgotten the contribution of the past. In June 1955 former Horace Mann students and teachers held a farewell ceremony in the old building. The first brick was removed and the famous bell was rung for the last time. This old bell, a symbol of the past, will be placed in some designated place. By January 1956 a new Horace Ivlann School will have com- pletely replaced the old building. 50. The people who live in the Alton School District are very proud of their schools. The Alton Community Unit School District Number 11 has grown into one of the finest school districts in the mid-west. This expansion and increase has been due to in- creased revenue through increase in taxes, new leadership on the Board of Education, and new leadership in the administration. Shurtleff College Reverend John Mason Peck, who helped organize the Upper Alton Baptist Church, was also the founder of Shurtleff College. The school was started in 1827 near present day Collinsville. The school was moved to Alton in 1831 and was then know as Alton Seminary. The name was changed to Shurtleff College in 1836 in honor of Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff , of "Boston, who donated ten thous- and dollars to the college Shurtleff was the first college to be established west of the Alleghenies. This accounts for the fact that it is known as the "Pioneer School". Graduates of Shurtleff College hold leading positions in our community. Monticello Col lege Captain Benjamin Godfrey was the founder of Fonticello College, Godfrey was a wealthy man, who with W, S. Gilman, founded the commerical house of Godfrey, Gilman and Company, He conceived the idea of a seminary for girls and largely financed it. Erection of the orginal building began in 1835, The school opened for classes in 1839. 51. No seminary in the West has a nobler record of continued achievement. In its long history as a seminary, then later as a college, Monticello has guided the education of hundreds of young women, who have become leaders of our community and nation. Western Military Academy Western Military Academy was founded in 1879 by Edward Wyman. After his death in 1888, Colonel Albert M. Jackson became principal In 1892 Colonel Jackson and Major George D. Eaton forced the pre- sent Western Military Academy, The new school was given military recognition by both the state and federal governments. The students of the school prenare for college and military service. Many of the graduates of Western have been our military leaders. Western Military Academy is noted as one of the leading military schools in the entire country. 52, Politi c al Even ts In Early Histor y of Alton Town Ch artere d The ambitious citizens of Alton procurer), a town charter from the State Legislature in 1821. This first charter was repealed, and a second was granted in the winter of 1832-33. This act of the State Legislature was approved on February 6, 1833. The town board vras formed under provisions of the charter, with Dr. B. K, Hart as president. On July 31, 1837, Alton was incorporated as a city by the act of the Legislature.. City officers were elected on the last Monday of August in 1837, On September 2 John M. Krum took office as the first mayor of Alton. Three aldermen were elected from each of the four wards. City Growth After the Blad e H awk War Alton had a part in the Black Hawk War. Two com-oanies of men were organized; one, under Captain David Smith and another, under Captain Josiah Little, After the close of the Indian troubles in 1832, Alton in- creased rapidly in business and population, A fine class of people came into the city, mainly from the Eastern States, They were men of education, business, and the professions. Among these men were lawyers, physicians, newspaper men, and ministers of the gospel. They played an important part in the establishment of the early churches, schools, societies and newspapers. V » 53. Love joy Incident Among these early men who cane to Alton from the Eastern States was Elijah Parish Love joy. He first came to St. Louis in 1830 and began the printing of the St. Louis Observer , a weekly newspaper. ■ Through the use of newspaper editorials he attacked slavery. His stand forced mob violence. His press and equipment were destroyed, so he moved to Alton in 1836, He brought another press to replace the one destroyed. The enemies of Love joy followed him to Alton and found people of the same opinion. His newspaper was called the Alton Observer . The old cry of "Abolitionist" was raised against him; and on August 22, 1837, his office was wrecked and the press destroyed. This action brought Love joy to the front as an avowed ABOLITIONIST. A meeting was held August 30, 1837 in the store of Alexander and Company, Here, Love joy was advised to re-estab- lish the newspaper. He at once issued a call for a convention to organized an Anti-Slavery Society. This convention met in Upper Alton, October 26, 1837; and the next day it organized the "State Anti-Slavery Society of Illinois". The sixty members organized the society in the home of Reverend T. B. Kurlbut. This rock house stands today at the corner of College Avenue and Clawson Street: Later, in an address before a meeting of both anti-slavery and pro-slavery groups, Love joy spoke in defense of his course . In his address he said, '"I dare not flee away from Alton. Should I attempt it I should feel that the angel of the Lord with his flaming sword was pursuing me wherever I went. It is because I . f'X 54. fear God that I am not afraid of all who oppose ne in this city. No, Sir, the contest has commenced here and here it must he ended.. Before God and you all, I here pledge myself to continue it, if need be till death. If I fall my grave shall he made in Alton. n In the meantime events moved rapidly. Three times the opposition destroyed his press, but he refused to give up. On November 6, 1837, a press arrived from St. Louis by boat. The press arrived at night and was moved from the boat to the fourth story of a warehouse belonging to Godfrey, Gilman and Co^.nany. The next morning, November 7, all was quiet in the city. The press was in safe keeping of responsible men. Twenty men remained in the building to protect the warehouse and the press. Among these men were Mr. Gilman, one of the owners of the ware- house, and Love joy. Early in the night, a mob gathered outside. The mob came for the press and made it clear that they would destroy the ware- house if necessary. The mayor came to see if he could break up the mob, but he could do nothing.. The mob approached the building with a long ladder. A man went up the ladder with material to set the roof on fire. When volunteers were called to go out and shoot the man off the ladder, Love joy, Amos B. Roff, and Royal We Her stepped out. As they stepped clear of the door five bullets were shot into the body of Love joy. He walked into the building and upstairs to the office, saying as he went, "I am shot I I am shot! I am dead J 11 He was met at the door of the office by some of the other defenders and died without a struggle. 55. The mob called for Mr. Gilman. The building was on fire. The men promised to put it out if he would give up the Dress. That was all they wanted. With the promise that nothing else would be destroyed or anyone hurt, Mr. Gilman gave the™ the -press. The next morning Love joy's friends came back to the building. His dead body lay where it had fallen the night before. His friends procured a hearse and removed the body to his late residence He was buried the following day. On the sixtieth anniversary of the death of Love joy, a stately monument in his honor was dedicated in the Alton City Cemetery. It was erected by the State of Illinois and citizens of Alton. Daniel Webster Visited Alton In 1840 Daniel Webster visited Alton. He was then a candidate for the Whig nomination for president of the United States. He was honored at the Alton House on Front Street. Afterwards he made a speech from the porch of the hotel. Mexican War In 1846 war broke out between the United States and Mexico. Alton was made the meeting place for all the troops from Illinois. A large body of the soldiers encamped at Rock Spring Park. While they were there, the ladles of Upper Alton baked large quanities of pies which they gave to the troops. From then on the troops called Upper Alton "Pietown". To this day many of the older people of the city still refer to Upper Alton as "Pietown". r 4 p 5 jr> V rl •< 56. Four Alton men were killed at Buena Vista. After the war their bodies were brought home for burial. Their graves are side by side in the Alton City Cemetery. On the arrival of the remains from Mexico there was a great funeral demonstration. Two Presidents Visited Alton Two presidents visited Alton during their ter^s of office. President Millard Fillmore visited in 1852. He arrived by river and went to Springfield by train. President Andrew Johnson also visited Alton. He made a short speech at a stand on the corner of Front and Piasa Streets. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, also spoke. General Grant was in the party but did not speak; yet as he was introduced he received the greatest applause. The Presidential party was met by a fleet of twenty-eight steamers which escorted the President to St. Louis. Lincoln-Douglas De bate The most important political meeting held in Alton was the Lincoln-Douglas Debate on Friday, October 15, 1858. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A, Douglas, who were rival can- idates for the United States Senate, had debated in various communities throughout the state. The debate in Alton was to be the seventh and last. They came to Alton from Q.uincy on the river steamer "City of Louisiana" the day before the debate was to be held. The steamer docked about daybreak and both ^en had break- fast at the Alton House on Front Street. After breakfast a 57. committee of Republicans escorted Lincoln to the Franklin House on State Street, where he received his friends. Douglas held a reception at the same time at the Democratic Headquarters in the Alton House. The city was thronged with visistors. Many delegates arrived by train and river steamer. The delegations from the State Capital were escorted by the Springfield Cadets, a fine military company and band. Many of the buildings were gayly decorated vlth flags and bunting. Many mottoes were also displayed on flags and ban- ners. The speakers' platform was erected at the northeast corner of the City Hall at Broadway and Market Streets. At two o'clock when the debate opened, a crowd of some 6000 people surrounded the platform, Judge H V' T . Billings introduced the speakers. Douglas spoke first and was received with loud applause.' He was physically at the point of collapse. His voice was almost gone and the crowd had difficulty hearing what he had to say. After Douglas had spoken an hour, Lincoln was introduced. He spoke for and hour and a half. Many newspaper men were present to report the debate. Corre- spondents of the S t. L ouis Republican, St. Louis Eve nin g News, Boston Tr aveler, New York Eveni ng Post ,, Chic ago Times , an^ the Chicago T ribune were re presented c A tablet commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the debate between Lincoln and Douglas was placed on the City Hall, October 15, 1908 . After the City Hall burned April 22, 1924, the tablet was placed in the vault of the E vening Telegraph . Today through 58. the generosity of the citizens of Alton and the Madison County Historical Society, it has been placed on the Lincoln and Douglas Square, near the exact spot where the famous debate occurred. Civil War At the outbreak of the Civil Far, Alton was a strategic citv on the border. Missouri was on the side of the Confederacy while Illinois joined the Union forces. Troops of the Seventh Illinois Infantry Regiment, under the commaid of Colonel John Cook, were the first to arrive in Alton. Later other troops came here be- fore going to the South. During the war Alton was a center of commerce . Supplies were gathered here before being shipped to the battle areas. Many of the troops assembled in Alton to receive final instructions and to secure supplies before going to the South. This movement of troops and supplies brought prosperity to our community. Governor Yates of Illinois gave the Union forces permission to use the old penitentiary as a military prison. On February 9, 1862, the first Confederates, having come up the river by steamer, arrived from the South. Not all of these were soldiers; they included spies, bridge burners, train wreckers, and southern sympathizers. As the war progressed, fresh prisoners were con- stantly arriving. As many as 2,000 inmates were held in the prison at one time. The exact number of enlistments of soldiers from Madison 59. County will probably never be known. Sons followed fathers; and young boys, their older brothers as the war progressed. It was a wonderful exhibit of patriotism. It would take a book to record simply their names, regiments, and battle fields. After peace was declared in 1865, the prosperity that Alton enjoyed during the war was no more. Real estate could hardly be given away. This slump in business and commerce lasted until the establishment of the city's first industires in 1873 and 1874. I I 60. Suggested Tour of Alton 1. Milton Settlement and Cemetery 2. Love joy Monument 3. Hunt erst own 4. Clark Bridge 5. Lincoln-Douglas Square 6. Penitentiary 7. Marker of Love joy's Death 8. Lover's Leap 9. Piasa Bird 10. Buck Inn 11. Central Avenue Square 12. Rock Spring 13. Upper Alton 14. First Anti-Slavery Society Meeting Place 15. Shurtleff College 16. Western Military Academy 17. Salu Note: The map on the following page outlines this tour. I I 1 I p p / /■/ /.■/ c,tr.e.e_t. 61 ////an I Hi V)^'\^ sH \& :- \> % I JU~Z^n // > \\ (10) /> 'r Ji CO', £7 7 7 » II I I I I I I I 62. INDUSTRIAL GROWTH Hunting Hunting was one of the chief sports of the early settlers as well as a means of obtaining food. Often as many as a hundred men would meet after a hunting expedition for a big barbecue and dinner with the members of their families and many others of the community. In 1855 the legislature passed some game laws which provided rules for hunters. In the new laws it was made unlawful to Kill, trap or ensnare any deer, fawn, wild turkey, grouse, prairie hen, or quail during the closed season. If it had not been for these strict rules for hunters as early as 1855, many types of wild life might now be extinct. Early Industries It is interesting to know that many of our present industries were begun by men of the Alton community. These ™en had ingenuity, courage, integrity, and resourcefulness. The natural resources of a community are the basis of its wealth and development. The first of these brought into use by the early settlers was the abundant timber. Next to food, shelter was a necessity. Timber was first used as material for the log cabins that were the first homes of the pioneers. As the settlers progressed, they wanted better homes; crude sawmills were erected to convert the timber into boards, sills, and rafters. At first the settlers made meal from corn by using a strip of 1 I p I I I p p 63. tin pierced with holes and rubbing an ear of corn on the rough surface so the meal sifted through. An improvement on this was the hand mill made of two mill stones, one made to revolve over the other, while the corn was fed in small quantities through an opening in the upper stone. The hand mill run by horses or oxen came next; and as the settlement in Alton grew, steam flouring mills were created. Farmers brought their wheat to the mills to be made into flour, which was shipped as far south as New Orleans. Since barrels were needed for the flour, the cooperage ind- ustry (barrel making) started. In 1840 coal was found one-half mile north of the present limits of Alton, Drift mines were opened, and coal was mined an hau]e d to the levee in Alton for use in steamboats. As other industries started in Alton, coal mining became less important. Alton Boxboard and Paper Company In 1910 Crawford Fairbanks from Indiana, and a group of associates, built a boxboard factory at the eastern extremity of Alton. The company formed was called the Alton Boxboard and Pape? Company. Paper board, which thev manufacture, is used in the fabricationg of paper boxes and shipping cartons. It is made fr waste paper and straw. The straw is supplied by local farmers and most of the waste paper comes from this area. Every day a ribbon of paper 270 miles long and 31 feet wic- ular that scon more salesmen were hired to sell the meat. Their output became great enough that they became meat packers. The business was built on the theory that they gave the people of Alton the very best and the freshest product possible. The Luer Brothers also built Mineral Springs Hotel, They later became prominent bankers and have contributed very much to this community, Mississippi Lime and Material Company Lime was being made in Alton about the same time the city was founded. This material was used in making mortar for holding together the stones of the first houses. The abundance of lime- stone in the Alton area has contributed greatly to the growth of this industry. The Mississippi Lime and Material Company produces lime, stone, and sand products. Lime is manufactured to be use^ for construction, chemical, and. agricultural purposes. Alton lime is crushed from the purest limestone and is whiter and stronger than any other lime used in the West. Much of our crushed stone for roads comes from this plant. ••f 1 1 I I I p I I p 69. Olin Industries In 1892 Franklin Olin care to the Middle West and selected the site of East Alton for the location of the Equitable Powder Company. He chose this site because it was near the Illinois coal fields. In 1898 Mr, Olin perfected a loading machine to speed up the making of shells. The directors of the company voted to organize the Western Cartridge Company for the making of shotgun shells, target traps, and clay targets. In 1914 Western received its first contract with an Allied. Power to supply ammunition. Western had 26 war contracts in World War I and many more during World War II, It was necessary for Western to supply its own brass, so they built their own brass mill. The present dav brass mill is one of the largest in the Middle West. In 1931 the Cartridge Company purchased the Winchester Arms Company of New Kaven, Connecticut. Mr. Olin's two sons have continued the business, which a few years ago became the Olin Industries. In 1954 the Olin Industries merged with the Mathieson Chemical Company of Wilmington, Delaware; and it is now know as the Olin- Mathieson Chemical Company. The local plant employs about 6,000 people . The East Alton plant of the Olin-Mathieson Chemical produces many brass and copper products. Other products include shotgun shells, high explosives, blasting caps, traps, kiln guns, and clay targets. I I I I 70. Owens-Illinois Glass Company Tracing the Owens-Illinois Glass Company from its beginning is like tracing a family tree. In 1873 William Elliott S^ith and Edward Levis erected a five pot glass furnace and called their small operation, the Illinois Glass Company, In 1876 a larger plant was built near the present factory. Early in the twentieth century Mr. Levis and Mr, Smith died. The seven sons of Mr. Levis, who had all worked in the plant, took over the manager ant. Today the third generation of the Levis family is associated with the plant. In 1910 the first bottle machine was installed in Alton. This was the work of Michael J. Owens of Toledo, Ohio. In 1929 the Illinois Glass Company merged with the Owens Bottle Company and formed the present Owens-Illinois Glass Company. All types of glass containers, corrugated cartons, and wood cases are manufactured in the present Alton Plant. The Alton factory is the largest of the eleven Owens-Illinois factories, with over 4000 employees. Oil Refineries Several oil refineries have located in the Wood River area because of the abundant water supply. Millions of gallons of water are used in these refineries daily. Standard Oil Company, Shell Oil Company, and Sinclair Refin- ing Company have located in the Wood River-Roxana -Hartford Area. These companies chose their sites because of the central location, existing pipe lines, and the nearness to river transportation. ■ .; ■•'. i : ' I I I I P I I f 71, These refineries have extensive testing facilities and are constantly doing research to improve their products. From the basic crude oil a varity of products is made. These include fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline, naphtha, motor oil, greases, and many others. Much of the oil and gasoline is transported from the area by barge and pipe lines. All of these plants are in a process of expansion and in- creased production. Together the three refineries employ more than 5000 people. Other Industries Other industries in the Greater Alton include; Alton Tent and Awning Company, Alton Vinegar Company, Alton Water Company, Beall Tool and Die Company, Blaske Barge Linos, Hutchinson Foundry Works, Illinois Bell Telephone Company, Illinois Power Company, Illinois Terminal Railroad, Piasa Tool and Die Company, and Union Electric Company, Association of Commerce The Greater Alton Association of Commerce was chartered by the Secretary of State of Illinois on April 24, 1946, after several months of organizational work among the commerical and professional people of the Greater Alton area. The purpose of the Association is to better coordinate, pro- tect and promote the interests of the community wherein, indus- trial, retailing, professional, and civic-minded people can help worthwhile projects for community betterment. 1 1 1 » ■ ■ 1 i J ',l 1 ).jqp v - ; f: P .;: ; .;-..--^- ; -'" — 1 ;.."-'' 1 p rv Bibliography Newspapers - Periodicals Alton Evening Telegraph , Centennial Edition of Alton, J an ua ry 15, 1936 A lton Eveni n g Telegraph , Centennial .Edition of the Telegraph, July 20j 1937 General Bibliography B ogge s s , Arthur C . , The Settlement of Illi n ois Brink - History of Madison Co unt y" Carlson - A Great City and Stat_e Clifford, Georgia - " 'in cl a n Legends of the P iasa Country Cray, James - The Illinois Hansen, Harry - The Chicago Humphrey, Grace - Illinois Mason, Edward - C hapters from Illinois Hi story Mather, Irwin - The "Ma king 'of" Illinois Nida, William - The Sto ry of lTIinols"and Its People Norton 2 IV. I. T. TBd."")"* -T entenni al History o f Madison County, 1812 - 1912," Vols. 1 & II Parrish, Randall - History of Ill i nois Pease, Theodore - The Story^of Illinois Smith, George - A Student ' s History of~Illinois