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The Beall Mansion
407 E. 12th Street
Alton, IL
618-474-9100 |
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Voted “Best of Illinois—Illinois Magazine Readers Poll. Tour the
mansion built as a wedding gift. Designed by world famous architect,
Lucas Pfeiffenberger, explore the history, architecture,
furnishings, and artwork of this historic property. Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. Narrated tours by appointment. |
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Mineral Springs
Haunted Tours
302 E. Broadway
Alton, IL
618-465-3200 |
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The only year-round haunted tour in Alton. Walking, dinner tours,
and haunted overnights. Private group tours (>12), group
discounts. Mineral Springs is the most haunted building in Alton, we
also go to other haunted locations. Includes séance and tarot card
reading. Visit www.mineralspringshauntedtours.com for information
and reservations. |
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Alton Little Theater
2450 Henry Street
Alton, IL
618-462-6562 |
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The Alton Little Theater has been entertaining audiences with
quality productions continuously, since 1934. This makes Alton
Little Theater one of the oldest community theaters in the state of
Illinois! This live community theater with talented, hard working
actors and volunteers are ready to entertain you! Each season the
audience can look forward to a variety of shows filled with comedy,
drama, and music. For more information visit the
Alton Little Theater
website. |
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Alton Museum
of History and Art
2809 College Avenue
Alton, IL
618-462-2763 |
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The Alton Museum of History and Art is dedicated
to preserving and interpreting the rich heritage of Alton’s past
through a variety exhibits. The Wadlow Room pays tribute to Alton’s
Gentle Giant, Robert Pershing Wadlow, the tallest man on record. The
Pioneer Room explores history from the Lewis and Clark Expedition to
the end of the Civil War. The 19th century found Alton at the center
of national events with the assassination of Elijah Lovejoy, the
final Lincoln-Douglas debate, and the establishment of the
Underground Railroad. Through the museum’s collection of art and
artifacts the visitor will feel the impact of this pivotal time in
American history. The Grace Monroe Classroom is dedicated to
education but is also used as an art gallery where fine art of
diverse media by local and regional artists is on display.
Additional exhibits include a riverboat memorabilia dedicated to the
local legend of the Piasa Bird. |
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Armed Forces Museum
#2 Cut Street
Alton, IL
618-462-5237 |
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The Armed Forces Museum is dedicated to the
preservation of items that portray military history from all eras
and nations. It has an extensive collection of tracked, wheeled and
armor vehicles including a DUKW, armored personnel carriers, armored
cars, fire trucks, field ambulances, jeeps and jeep prototypes.
The Museum also has a collection of memorabilia including uniforms,
weapons, personal items and literature. Hours by appointment only. |
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The Clark Bridge
Connects Illinois & Missouri
via Highway 367/67 |
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Often called the "Super Bridge," the Clark Bridge
crosses the Mississippi River at Alton, Illinois. The bridge, which
has four traffic lanes and two bike lanes, spans 4,260 feet across
the river. The Clark Bridge was named after William Clark who, with
Meriwether Lewis in 1804, commanded the two year 4,000 mile
exploration of the Louisiana Purchase territory up the Missouri
River into the Pacific Northwest. The Lewis and Clark Expedition set
off just a few miles south of the bridge near Hartford, Illinois. |
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Confederate Memorials
& Prison Site
Alton, IL |
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During the Civil War, the abandoned Alton Federal
Prison reopened as a military detention camp to house Confederate
prisoners of war. Many of the prisoners and some of their guards
died of smallpox during an epidemic in 1862. An interpretive exhibit
and the remnants of the prison are near the Visitors Center in
downtown Alton. Two memorials to the Confederate prisoners who died
of the smallpox epidemic are located in the Alton area. |
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Elijah P. Lovejoy
Monument
Alton Cemetery
at Monument Avenue
Alton, IL |
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Elijah Lovejoy was a champion for freedom of the
press, freedom of speech, and freedom from slavery. He was killed by
an Alton pro-slavery mob defending his printing press in 1837. Plans
for a Lovejoy monument began in the 1850's but work wasn’t begun in
earnest until the 1890s. The memorial centers on a 93-foot high
granite column topped by a 17-foot high winged statue of Victory.
The monument was dedicated November 7, 1897, the sixtieth
anniversary of Lovejoy's death. |
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Benjamin Godfrey
Memorial Chapel
5800 Godfrey Street
Godfrey, IL
618-468-3270 |
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The Godfrey Memorial Chapel was built in 1854.
The Illinois Department of Conservation reported in 1977 that
"compared to other surviving Greek Revival churches in Illinois, the
building certainly stands on its own. There is nothing like it in
the state. It is one of Illinois' impressive Civil War structures."
The chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in
Illinois in 1979 as "one of the six most authentic copies of New
England church architecture beyond the North Eastern United States." |
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Gordon Moore Park
Route 140
(College Avenue)
Alton, IL |
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This 702 acre park located on the east side of Alton is the home of
the Spencer T. Olin Golf Course, a native prairie grass area, a rose
garden among other things. |
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Haskell Playhouse
1211 Henry Street
Alton, IL |
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This unique miniature Queen Anne style playhouse
designed by prominent local architect, Lucas J. Pfeiffenberger and
built in 1885 has been designated a National Register Historic
Landmark. |
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Jacoby Arts Center
627 E. Broadway
Alton, IL
618-462-5222 |
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This facility in downtown Alton is located in the
renovated 1899 Jacoby furniture store. The Jacoby Arts Center
features an art gallery on the first floor with rotating exhibits by
local artists and offers classes for adults and children. |
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Koenig House
829 E. 4th Street
Alton, IL
618-463-1795 |
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The Alton Museum of History and Art maintains the
1887 Koenig House. The restored Victorian home’s first floor is
furnished as living quarters for a typical family with a 1890s
parlor, a 1910s sitting room, and a 1930s kitchen. Exhibits at the
Koenig House include the Alton Landing Room, the Elijah P. Lovejoy
Memorial Room, and the Lovejoy Print Shop. Tours by
appointment. |
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Lincoln Douglas
Square
Broadway & Market
Alton, IL |
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The
seventh and last debate between Senatorial candidates Abraham
Lincoln and Stephen Douglas was held on October 16, 1858. Over 6,000
people, including state and national figures, gathered for the event
which was held in front of the City Hall. Today Lincoln Douglas
Square, with life sized statues of the debaters, is a monument to
this historic event. |
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McPike Mansion
20th & Alby Street
Alton, IL
618-462-3348 |
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The
McPike Mansion was built in 1869 by architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger
for Henry Guest McPike, a horticulturist known for perfecting the
McPike Grape. The McPike used the house as their country home until
1936. Today the McPike Mansion is owned by Sharyn and George Luedke
who have been restoring this great house back to its original state
after being abandoned.
Tours of the mansion are available by appointment or
by attending the periodic haunted campouts. |
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Melvin Price Locks & Dam
2751 Berns Highway
East Alton, IL
877-462-6979 |
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Every year, millions of tons of commodities pass
through the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. Located just south of the
Clark Bridge near Alton, the Melvin Price Locks and Dam is the only
facility that in the Middle Mississippi River Valley that accessible
to the public. Visitors can watch river craft use the locks and free
tours are conducted daily. Picnic tables and bird watching platforms
are located along the entrance drive. The National Great Rivers
Museum is located on the property and
the Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area is just across the
river. |
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Nan Elliott
Memorial Rose Garden
South Side Rt. 140
at Gordon Moore Park
Alton, IL
618-463-3580 |
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This stunning 1 acre rose garden, a doctor's memorial to his wife,
contains more than 1,800 rose bushes and is an All-America Rose
Selections accredited garden.
For more on Gordon Moore Park. |
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National Great Rivers
Museum
Hwy 143 at Locks & Dam Way
East Alton, IL
877-462-6979 |
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The National Great Rivers Museum is located next
to
the Melvin Price Locks and Dam and features state of the art
interactive displays and exhibits that help visitors understand the
many aspects of the Mississippi River and how it affects our lives.
A large model of the bluffs provides information local flora and
fauna. An aquarium displays the various species of Mississippi River
fish. Exhibits display how humans have used the Mississippi as a
highway and chronicle the types of vessels used from canoes to
modern day barges. The Pilot House allows visitors to see what it's
like to guide a 1,000-foot tow of barges. A park is along the
entrance road has picnic facilities and bird watching platforms and
the Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area is just across the
river. |
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The Heartland Prairie
North Side Rt. 140
at Gordon Moore Park
Alton, IL
618-467-2254 |
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27 acres of tall-grass prairie located in Gordon Moore Park.
Visitors can find prairie wildflowers blooming from late March
through early October.
For more on Gordon Moore Park |
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Olin Nature Preserve
S. Levis Lane
Godfrey, IL
618-467-2254 |
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Although Illinois still is known as the "Prairie State," less than
0.01% of Illinois' original 21 million acres of prairie remains. One
area that is being preserved is the nearly 300-acre tract Olin
Nature Preserve, one of the largest privately owned nature preserves
in the state. The preserve harbors 374 native plant species and
provides habitat to nearly 150 species of birds at different times
of the year. Marked trails give the visitor splendid views of the
Mississippi River from the hill prairie, and a view of the
Mississippi flood plain. |
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Piasa Bird
1 mile north of the
Alton Visitors Center
on the Great River Road |
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On
their exploratory trip down the Mississippi River in 1673, Pere
Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet recorded seeing a Native American
petroglyph (a prehistoric carving, usually pictorial, gouged into a
rock surface). Legend has it that the Piasa (pronounced Pie-a-saw)
was a bird-like creature of such great size that it could easily
carry off humans and was killed by Ouatoga and his warriors. The
modern rendition is a 48-by-22 foot painting situated on a 100-by-75
section of the Mississippi bluffs just north of Alton. |
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Piasa Creek
Access Area
6 1/2 miles north of the
Alton Visitors Center
on the Great River Road |
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Piasa Island Wildlife Management Area consists of two islands, Piasa
and Eagles Nest, and includes the Piasa Creek Boat Access Area. This
access area was completely refurbished in 1992 and offers the only
free public boat access between Alton and Grafton. |
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Riverlands Environmental
Demonstration Area
301 Riverlands Way
West Alton, MO
636-899-2600 or
1-888-899-2602 |
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The Corps of Engineers manages this 1200 acre
wetland area that is located across Mississippi River from downtown
Alton near the Clark Bridge. The Riverlands Environmental
Demonstration attempts to recreate the bottomland wet prairie and
marshes that existed prior to the arrival of European settlers and
offers open space, walking trails, fresh air, and spectacular views.
The area offers visitors the opportunity to view large numbers of
resident and migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as other
wildlife that live in the wetlands. The area is noted for bald
eagles in the winter and the American Pelican in the spring and fall. |
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Robert P. Wadlow
World's Tallest Man
Memorial Statue
Across from Loomis Hall
2809 College Avenue
Alton, IL |
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Alton's "Gentle Giant," Robert P. Wadlow, grew to
an enormous height due to an overactive pituitary gland. At the time
of his death in 1940 he was 8', 11.1" tall making him the world’s
tallest person in history, according to the Guinness Book of
Records. A life-size bronze statue of Wadlow was unveiled in 1985 on
the grounds of SIUE’s Dental School across the street from the
Alton Museum of History and Art. |
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The Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail
The
Vadalabene Trail is approximately 20 miles of level paved trail that
parallels the Great River Road and the center portion of the Meeting
of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway. The trail is named after Sam M.
Vadalabene, an Illinois State Senator and proponent of the trail and
begins in Alton, travels through the river towns of Elsah and
Grafton, and ends at Pere Marquette State Park. Riders, walkers, and
joggers will see prairie wildflowers along the trail as well as
flowering trees during the spring. Brilliant reds, yellows and
oranges compliment the scenery in the fall. For those willing to
brave the elements in the winter months should be able to see Bald
Eagles soaring over the river and bluffs, or floating down the river
on chunks of ice. |
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West Alton Bike Trail
West Alton, MO |
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Two mile long paved trail links Missouri's KATY trail with Illinois
biking routes. |
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Argosy Casino
Alton, IL |
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#1 Front Street
1-800-711--4263 |
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Alton Marina
Alton, IL |
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1 Henry Street
618-462-9860 |
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Antoinette's
Haunted History Tours
Alton, IL |
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PO Box 10
618-462-4009 |
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Bluff City Tours
Alton, IL |
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3002 Godfrey Road
618-466-8693 |
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J.E. Robinson Tours
Alton, IL |
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618-462-5590 |
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| Nearby
Attractions |
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Wood River Area |
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Southeast of Alton, along the Great River Road, is Lewis & Clark
country. These great explorers made camp in the Wood River/Hartford
area in the winter of 1803-1804. There are numerous projects
scheduled for completion before the expedition's Bicentennial.
Before you get to Wood River and Hartford is the town of East Alton,
home of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam and the National Great Rivers
Museum. Visitors will also find several local history museums
telling the tales of their communities. |
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Elsah
and Grafton |
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Northwest of Alton, the Scenic
Byway travels to the river towns of Elsah and Grafton. The entire town
of Elsah has been designated a historic district and is home to a number
of Bed and Breakfasts. Grafton is situated at the confluence of the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers and is known as "The Winter Home of
The Bald Eagle" due to the number of good eagle watching sites in
its proximity. Just west of Grafton is Pere Marquette State Park. |
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 For Travelers Heading Across the River |
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Meeting
the Missouri River
The two longest rivers of the United States, the Missouri and the
Mississippi, meet at St. Charles County, Missouri. The Historic
St. Charles downtown area offers visitors a variety of attractions
including the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Nature Center, The Foundry
Art Centre, and Missouri’s First State Capitol. Nearby is Confluence
State Park and the Daniel Boone Home. |
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St. Louis Area
Metropolitan St. Louis has a lot to offer its visitors. The area's
most prominent attraction is the Gateway Arch, which is part of the
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial complex that also includes the
Museum of Westward Expansion. St. Louis has a number of outstanding
public institutions that are free to visit including the Zoo, Art
Museum, History Museum, and the Science Center. The St. Louis region
has a number of green spaces for nature and outdoor enthusiasts.
Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States.
Faust County Park, in St. Louis County, is home to many historical
and cultural attractions including the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly
House, a historical village, and the St. Louis Carousel. The county
is also home to Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park, Columbia
Bottom Conservation Area, the Powder Valley Conservation Area.. |
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