Founded in: 1837
Best Known for: Home town of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever. (8 Ft 11in)
Size of City: ~28,000 Residents
Alton, IL: Twenty five miles north of St Louis on the Mississippi River, located near the confluence of the Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers, Alton relies heavily on these waterways. Alton became a River trading town and has the concrete grain silos and railroad tracks to prove it. On one of the silos, there are the marking of the floods over the past 100 years reminding the Alton’s citizens of the dangers of living so close to three powerful rivers. The flood of 1993 alone caused so much damage that the town was unable to get fresh water for a few weeks. Luckily, and generously, bottled water was supplied to the residents by local businesses, including Anheuser-Busch in St Louis.
Alton is home to Southern Illinois University School of Dentistry, and has its own public school district. Additionally, its lower than average cost of living make it a great place to raise a family.
Alton’s main economy used to be manufacturing steel, but due to a reconstruction of the economy in the mid 20th century Alton changed its industry to tourism and antique shopping. There is also a casino (with online casino bonuses for digital players) nine golf courses, and half dozen picturesque bed and breakfasts to make a wonderful vacation spot to stop and visit the Mississippi River. During migration seasons, Alton is a spectacular destination for birdwatchers to watch as birds make their annual trip. So if you love casinos and nature, you will be onto a winner here. Even if your other half is the birdwatcher, you can always stay in your room playing baccarat juego casino online! With a bird sanctuary just across the River, there are many places to enjoy the wildlife of the Mississippi River.
Located in Alton is the National Great Rivers Museum, at the Melvin Price Lock and Dam. The museum tells the stories of the Mississippi River’s history, the people that rely on the River and its many ecosystems.
You don’t need to go to New Orleans to go on ghost tour! Alton is labeled as one of the country’s most haunted towns. Alton has frequent guided tours and ghost hunts to search for evidence of the afterlife. But if you aren’t into haunted tours Alton has something for you! Alton is the self-proclaimed, wedding capital of the Midwest, with over 70 outdoor and indoor venues any type of wedding can be celebrated here.
One of our Network members is in Alton! Sierra Club, Piasa Palisades Group, they are a major force in Alton, working toward making a sustainable future for the Greater St Louis area. Working toward protecting the landscape from urban sprawl and wetland destruction, this group is a leader in the downstate Illinois region.
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, another network member, in nearby Godfrey, IL, is a leader in river research and has been a major part in 12 environmental projects. A current project is the RiverWatch Project, which safeguards the future of Illinois rivers through stewardship, education and science. They train volunteers to help monitor and collect data on the rivers. Getting involved with this program is fun and educational.
Alton has many tourist activities and top rated bed and breakfast inns, so make this a stop during your next Mississippi River vacation.