Metro East Communities
- Collinsville
- Swansea
- Belleville
- Edwardsville
- Fairview Heights
- O’Fallon
- Freeburg
- Shiloh
- Lebanon
- Mascoutah
- New Baden
- Troy
- Okwaville
- Scott Air Force Base
- Caseyville
- Millstadt
- Smithton
- Glen Carbon
- St. Jacob
- Maryville
Collinsville
1810, John Cook of Shepherdstown, Virginia built the first permanent home in Collinsville. It was a log cabin located at Church and Orient Streets. In 1817, three Collins brothers (for whom the City got its name) came from the East and established residence. The Collins boys bought John Cook’s claim and the cabin in 1818. They were later joined by their father, mother, and sisters. The family first established a distillery store, ox-grist mill, sawmill, blacksmith, carpenter, and wagon shops. Originally the town was called Unionville, but after being advised that there was another in Illinois, a vote was taken and the name Collinsville was selected even though the Collinses did not promote the name.
Over the years, Collinsville has developed a number of coal mines, a zinc work, a lead work, a knitting mill, a cow bell factory, and canning plants. The bulk of these were gone by 1950 and Collinsville became a bedroom type community to St. Louis, Missouri.
Today’s Collinsville
The City of Collinsville has experienced considerable changes and growth since its coal mining days at the turn of the century. Collinsville is the fifth fastest growing community in the St. Louis metropolitan area with a population as of the 1998 Special Census of 23,289. Collinsville has become much more than a bedroom community for nearby St. Louis, Missouri. Collinsville is a haven for people who have grown weary of the hustle and bustle of urban living and desire a small-town atmosphere.
Rolling hills, large homes, and shaded streets add beauty and a sense of the past. Collinsville’s comprehensive plan for growth has a goal of improving the community while protecting property values and quality of life. The City of Collinsville boasts a growing hospitality district with over 1,300 hotel/motel rooms and the Gateway Center, Southwestern Illinois’ premiere convention and visitors center. The City is also home to the District 11 Illinois State Police and Illinois Department of Transportation Headquarters, Fairmount Park Racetrack and headquarters to Bridal Originals.
The three top priorities for the City of Collinsville as we enter the new millennium are to improve the City’s streets, construct a new water tower, and revitalize the downtown area.
Belleville
One of the oldest communities in the St. Louis metropolitan area, was founded in 1818. George Blair laid out the town and named the city after his wife, Belle. This city of approximately 45,000 is the county seat with the Veteran’s Memorial Fountain at the public square its most famed attraction.
Belleville is noted for its fine schools emphasizing basic skills and positive learning experiences. Belleville East and West High Schools and Althoff Catholic High School provide quality education along with two junior high and ten elementary schools. Southwestern Illinois College is just outside the city limits. Belleville, county seat of St. Clair County, is located seven miles southwest of Scott AFB and is one of the oldest communities in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Belleville enjoys a steady, healthy growth that leaves barely a twinge of growing pains. History Back in 1814, Belleville came into being as a small community in the heart of Mid-America. It was chartered a city in 1850 with a population of 3,500 and grew steadily through the years to more than 42,785 by the 1990 census. The first circulating library in the state of Illinois was organized in Belleville in 1836. This library has functioned continuously for more than 100 years, giving Belleville the distinction of having the oldest library in Illinois. The rich farmlands of the Belleville Illinois area have consistently throughout the years provided economic stability and today play a vital part in the state, which leads the nation in agricultural exports. Attractions An invitation is extended to Belleville residents in a virtual kaleidoscope of cultural enjoyment. Belleville is justly proud of its Philharmonic Society, founded in 1866 — second only to the New York Philharmonic in length of continuous activity. Belleville has 13 city parks with more than 150 acres. Citizens Park in west Belleville is the largest. In addition to facilities, various recreational and educational programs are offered. The community has four private county clubs, 11 movie screens, five golf courses, a public swimming pool, a skating center and five bowling centers. Community concerts and outstanding religious pageantry of the nation’s largest outdoor Catholic Shrine, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, complement the wide choice of recreational opportunities in and around the community. Summary Included in the Belleville school district are 24 public parochial elementary schools, a private school, two junior high and four high schools. Belleville Area College is a community college with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students. Progressive government, quality education, outstanding health care and community participation continue to attract discerning people who choose to live in Belleville — not just for its close proximity to the metropolitan facilities, but for a more important reason: They come to enjoy that special feeling of belonging and a feeling of community pride and participation that expands the lives of Belleville families.
OFallon
Conveniently located just four miles northwest of Scott AFB and situated on Interstate 64, O’Fallon Illinois provides quick access to downtown St. Louis (just 15 minutes), to MidAmerica Airport (5 minutes) and to all the city has to offer in the way of entertainment and employment.
Interstate 64 also connects nearby with Interstate 55/70 and 255 for intra-state access. Recognized as the fastest growing city in Southern Illinois, the population tripled in the past twenty years
A special census completed in 1995 showed the city’s population at 18,519. A citywide special census taken early in 1998 showed 19,945 people call O’Fallon home — an increase of nearly 8% in just three years. The 1998 census also showed an increase of 28% in housing units from 6,326 in 1995 to 8,126. A census in late 1998 placed over 20,000 residents in O’Fallon mandating an increase from 5 voting wards to 7 and from 10 elected aldermen to 14.
Attractions
Outstanding schools are the hallmark of O’Fallon Illinois. Every year O’Fallon schools boast several National Merit Scholars and many more than the average number of appointments to the service academies. A member of the Southwestern Conference since Fall 2000, O’Fallon Township High School (OTHS) joins the largest schools in the local area for top notch sports competition.
Churches representing every denomination are located in or near O’Fallon. Restaurants as well as ‘fast food’ facilities are plentiful and conveniently located.
Centrally lodated just west of our new Post Office, a new city-supported library containing more than 20,000 volumes, with access to the entire Lewis and Clark library system’s resources, holds many award winning children’s programs throughout the year.
Several fine parks are located within O’Fallon, including a 36 acre community park. Facilities include a swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts, baseball, softball, and T-ball diamonds, soccer and football fields, along with several outdoor pavilions.
Sports enthusiasts will find golf, bowling, indoor tennis, fitness facilities, indoor softball, gymnastics, soccer and indoor batting cages, available nearby. A community center recently completed its renovation with the help of volunteer community efforts.
Fairview Heights
Only 12 minutes from Downtown St. Louis and a short drive from the area’s major entertainment and recreational attractions, Fairview Heights has a perfect location which makes it easy to enjoy the good life in Southwest Illinois! Only eight minutes northwest of Scott Air Force Base, Fairview Heights has grown in population from 7,500 to nearly 15,000 in its 26-year history.
Very appropriately called the “Crossroads of Prosperity,” Fairview Heights was incorporated in 1969 and has gone from what was once a quiet area surrounded by farms and coal mines to become the retail shopping hub of the Metro East region.
Fairview Heights is established as a progressive leader among municipalities in Southwest Illinois. Our unique city’s balanced mix of residential and business development has kept median family income and property values among the highest in the region for several years. It’s easy to understand why Fairview Heights is near the top of the list for anyone considering a home in the area.
Attractions
Fairview Heights is home to the St. Clair Square Mall. This shopping mall with 135 stores has provided the stimulus for additional growth in all directions including the Crossroads Centre Mall, Fairview Heights Plaza, Market Place, Pontiac Plaza, St. Clair Plaza, Winchester Plaza, over 60 restaurants to satisfy every taste, a ten screen movie theater, and an ever-growing executive office park to the north. In 1994 the city welcomed its first new car dealership.
Fairview Heights has become well-known as a haven for tourists with an array of choices for dining and entertainment, eight motels that provide convenient, quick access to downtown St. Louis and numerous other attractions throughout the area.
Fairview Heights provides much for its out-of-town visitors who come to shop, eat or stay overnight, but its additionally responsible for offering its residents a full range of services designed to make it an ideal place to live — all with no city property tax.
Longacre Park is the site of several major regional baseball tournaments and other special events throughout the year on its 80 acres of land. It features picnic pavilions, a 1.5-mile fitness trail, a large lake, tennis courts and plenty of parking spaces. The city also features the 93-acre Pleasant Ridge Park, which is designed for more passive recreation. A variety of mini-parks are scattered throughout various residential neighborhoods.
Enhanced quality of life in Fairview Heights comes in many forms including the annual Midwest Salute to the Masters Festival of Fine Arts and a modern, upscale library. A variety of active clubs and organizations call Fairview Heights their home, offering many opportunities for the civic minded volunteer and for diverse year round entertainment.
Public Saftey
Highly effective law enforcement through innovative programs and community outreach efforts are keeping up with rapid growth and an influx of visitors. This has made our city safe and pleasant. An abundance of special services for residents of all ages is available.
Property owners enjoy reduced insurance rates because of the high state ranking of the city’s fire departments which respond from three strategic locations. Summer day camp, quarterly bulk trash pick up and animal control are some of the many services provided at minimal or no cost.
Summary
Fairview Heights is a special, unique city that offers numerous free services including senior shuttle transportation, motel guest shuttle transportation, the only municipal animal control program in St. Clair County, summer day camp for children, various public safety educational programs and much more.
A fully complemented curriculum can be found in the public school systems in Fairview Heights, which also features a pair of parochial schools and serves as a feeder to Belleville Township High School East. Affordable housing in clean, safe neighborhoods can be easily found by prospective homeowners in this city with NO municipal real estate tax! A walk or short drive will take you to churches of all major denominations.
All The Advantages of Metropolitan Living Without The Headaches Of The Big City!
Shiloh
Located just two miles northwest of Scott AFB, the village of Shiloh offers the simple pleasures of life. The more than 6,000 residents enjoy both small-town living and quick and easy access to metropolitan St. Louis. Located on the crest of a picturesque, unspoiled valley, Shiloh is encircl
ed by several larger neighbors, including Belleville, Fairview Heights, O’Fallon and Scott Air Force Base. Its water tower stands at 145 feet and is one of the tallest landmarks in St. Clair County.
Attractions
The village offers a number of educational and recreational activities throughout the year, including arts and craft fairs, community dances and an annual summer picnic. Many of these events take place in Shiloh’s beautiful community park or in Klucker Hall, a community center located on the park grounds.
Summary
Shiloh School District 85 maintains an elementary school offering classes from kindergarten through eighth grade. Older students attend nearby O’Fallon Township High School, which educators have rated as one of the top schools in the nation.
Lebanon
Lebanon is a quiet residential community seven miles northeast of Scott AFB. Many of the residents, both military and civilian, work at the base. Downtown St. Louis is only 30 minutes away via I-64 or I-70.
History
Settled in the early 1800s, this town of 3,300 is noted for its old, well-established homes, many of which have been given the St. Clair County Historical Society’s Landmark Award. The oldest surviving structure is the Mermaid Inn, built in 1830.
A large portion of the city was designated a historic district and placed on the National Register in 1978. Many of the city’s antique and specialty shops and restaurants reflect the Mid-Victorian architecture and support an unhurried living and shopping atmosphere for residents and visitors alike.
Attractions
Lebanon is widely known as the site of McKendree College, the oldest college in Illinois, founded in 1828. It is a four-year liberal arts institution offering 30 major programs. The campus has old and new buildings, among which are eight stately buildings of Federal and Georgian architecture. “Old Main” and “Bothwell Chapel” have been awarded Landmark plaques.
Lebanon is also the hometown of Craig Virgin, World Cross Country Champion in 1980-81, who is often seen training on town streets.
Recreational facilities in Lebanon include Horner Park and Lake, a bowling alley, public library, and an 18-hole golf course. The Looking Glass Playhouse Community Theater is very active in town and includes many members from Scott AFB.
Summary
Lebanon School District No. 9 offers traditional courses and operates three education centers: Lebanon Grade School, Summerfield Grade School and Lebanon High School. A comprehensive curriculum is offered at the ultra-modern high school, which was built in 1984-85. The student population is small and allows the faculty and staff to know and help each individual, which contributes to its being one of the best schools in the area. The district also has a learning-disability program and can accommodate handicapped students.
Mascoutah
Mascoutah, a community of more than 5,000 residents, is four miles southeast of Scott AFB.
Attractions
The community has three parks and a Community Center: Scheve Park, Maple Park, Reservoir Park and Leu Civic Center. Scheve Park has a swimming pool, several baseball diamonds, two lighted tennis courts, a lighted sand volleyball court, lighted horseshoe pits, two soccer fields, six family-sized and four larger pavilions and several playground areas. Maple Park is equipped with outdoor basketball facilities, a ball-playing area, playground equipment and a family-sized pavilion. Reservoir Park has two fishing lakes and a pavilion.
Winter recreational activities are held annually at Leu Civic Center, a United Way Agency, from October 1st to May 30th. This community center houses a gymnasium, large auditorium with stage and kitchen, indoor horseshoe pits and meeting rooms. The center is open for physical fitness, meeting, social and fund-raising activities.
Community
With 21 organizations in town, many volunteers help with local civic projects. Organizations range from scouting programs and civic groups to women’s clubs and conservation groups. The Mascoutah Improvement Association sponsors the annual three-day Homecoming and August Fest the first weekend of August. At this affair, many of the local organizations work together for the benefit of the city’s park system.
Churches include the Bethel United Methodist Church, First Assembly of God, First Baptist Church, Holy Childhood of Jesus, St. John United Church of Christ, Zion Lutheran and St. Martin of Tours Lutheran Church, Free Will Baptist and Harvest Tabernacle Church.
Summary
This community is probably more directly influenced by Scott AFB than any other nearby town because the base is included in the Mascoutah School District.
The Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19 has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Two elementary schools located adjacent to the base and one elementary school in Mascoutah have more than 1,800 students. A junior high and high school make up the bulk of the remaining enrollment. The Holy Childhood of Jesus School also offers academic and religious instruction up to the eighth grade.
New Baden
New Baden, a town of 2,700, is located 11 miles east of Scott AFB on Route 161. With Interstate 64 at its doorstep, it’s about 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Many of the residents are employed at the base, and an increasing number of military families are taking up residence in New Baden.
Attractions
Recreational and activity centers include the O.W. Billhartz Civic Center, which houses the New Baden Public Library, a gymnasium and cafeteria. The center is open to the public for physical fitness, meetings and social and fund-raising activities.
The 41-acre New Baden Community Park has a swimming pool, tennis courts, ball diamonds, soccer and picnic facilities.
New Baden is served by four fine churches: St. George Catholic, New Baden United Methodist, First Baptist of New Baden and the Zion United Church of Christ.
Summary
Students from New Baden enroll in Wesclin Community School District No. 3. St. George Elementary School is for grades one through six, and the recently-built New Baden Elementary School handles kindergarten trough sixth grade. The Wesclin Junior-Senior High School, located between New Baden and Trenton, has an enrollment of 650 students.
The school district also has a special education learning disability program in the elementary and secondary schools.
Troy
Troy’s setting is one of the most unique in the St. Louis MetroEast area being located at the crossroads of two interstate highways (I-55 and I-70). While only 20 minutes to all the St. Louis big city attractions — professional sports, theaters, museums, fine restaurants — Troy itself retains its small-town atmosphere.
Troy is located 12 miles north of the main gate of Scott AFB. The commute is a very pleasant one, with no traffic problems.
History
Troy is one of the oldest communities in Madison County, having been entered in the U.S. Land Office in 1814. Its location has been right in the path of America’s transportation routes, and Troy’s growth started in the second half of the 19th century upon the arrival of a stagecoach route running through the city. The stagecoach line was eventually replaced by the St. Louis and Vandalia Railroad.
However, Troy’s biggest growth occurred between 1970 and 1980 due to the latest development in land transportation, the interstate highway.
Attractions
Troy offers affordable homes in every price range, from neat two-bedroom homes in downtown Troy, to five-bedroom homes on a lake front lot, to homes on tracts of various sizes.
The town park offers lighted softball, baseball and soccer fields, lighted tennis courts and a fishing lake. The park is also the home of Troy Soccer League as well as boys and girls baseball and softball. Almost every group and activity are available in Troy for both young and old. A Senior Citizens’ Center was completed in 1980 with a complete program, including noon lunches.
Summary
The Triad School District consists of grade schools and junior and senior high, offering bus service to outlying areas and a complete curriculum including industrial arts and agricultural programs, with all major sports.
Edwardsville
Edwardsville is about 20 miles northwest of Scott AFB.
History
Edwardsville had its beginnings in 1805 when Thomas Kirkpatrick, a North Carolinian, came into the Illinois Territory looking for a place to settle. He selected a ridge along a bluff overlooking Cahokia Creek and built a two-room log cabin.
By 1820, Edwardsville was a flourishing prairie town of some 60-70 houses and was the center of government for the area. The town’s industry was geared toward agriculture and included saw and carding mills, tanneries, blacksmith shops and brickyards.
Attractions
This town of 14,000 boasts eight public schools, one alternative school and nine parochial schools. Lewis and Clark, a two-year vocational school, and Belleville Area College classes are available, as well as the four-year Southern Illinois University.
There are 41 churches, offering every denomination. Four major shopping areas, including Cottonwood Mall, provide residents with plenty of choices for purchasing any number of goods.
Edwardsville has two public golf courses and a recently-renovated YMCA with a very strong program for families and singles.
Okawville
Okawville is a rural community of 1,300 located only 20 minutes east of Scott. Interstate 64 provides a quick link to the base. Okawville is alive with historic and cultural events and provides the ideal place to raise children, retire or just enjoy life.
Attractions
The village is widely recognized for the Original Mineral Springs Hotel, known as the “Little Hot Springs in Illinois.”
The Heritage House Museum in Okawville is also gaining notoriety. The Museum includes several properties and many original antique furnishings.
The Victorian furnished home of the late Dr. Robert C. Poos [above] and a simple German-style 1860’s brick home [right], are part of the Museum.
The 1908 Schlosser home [left] was purchased intact with original antique furnishings in 1982. Along with the original hotel, the Schlosser home is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The village’s German heritage is reflected in its well-kept homes with their neatly-trimmed lawns. Its residents have a strong sense of civic pride, reflected in organizations such as the Lions Club, V.F.W., Community Club, American Legion, Legion Auxiliary, Boy and Girl Scouts and 4-H.
Recreation activities include softball, baseball, soccer and basketball for children and softball and golf leagues for men and women.
Summary
Okawville offers six churches, a junior/senior high school, public and parochial grade schools, pre-school, day care center, Senior Center, library, golf course, new subdivision and mobile home park. The village is served by the Kaskaskia Junio
r College and is a half-hour from McKendree College in Lebanon and one hour from SIUE.
Okawville is the perfect place to spend some time — or a lifetime.
Glen Carbon
The Spirit of ’76 was evident in 1892 when 76 residents of a fairly well established settlement petitioned the Madison County Court for permission to incorporate as a village. It was only natural that the settlement’s major resource (bituminous coal) and it’s location (on the bluffs and along side the valley which opens onto the fertile lands of the Great American Bottoms) would influence the naming of the village. Thus, a part of the “Goshen Settlement”, the Valley of Coal, became Glen Carbon. Sometimes the area is affectionately referred to as the “Land of Goshen”
Glen Carbon has some of the finest subdivisions to be found in the entire metro- east and offers housing styles to fit most budgets and tastes.
Glen Carbon and Edwardsville students both attend District #7 schools which consist of 8 elementary schools, one middle school with another under construction, a recently built high school and an alternative high school.
Today Glen Carbon continues to thrive because of its favorable location, approximately 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis via interstates, and the availability of land suitable for development. A committed Village Board of Trustees helps guide the community to orderly development and growth.
Swansea
Swansea is primarily a residential and professional business community of approximately 10,000 residents, strategically located close to state and interstate highways. Commercial and new office construction has been growing at a frantic pace in Swansea. At the same time, single family, new construction has also been enjoying steady growth.
A multitude of services and activities are just minutes away from Swansea. St. Clair Square, one of the largest shopping malls in the area is located just north of Swansea in Fairview Heights. St. Louis, Missouri is only a 15-20 minute drive away. Melvin Price Memorial Park, in the 1500 block of Caseyville Avenue, comprises 24 acres.
Swansea
Swansea is primarily a residential and professional business community of approximately 10,000 residents, strategically located close to state and interstate highways. Commercial and new office construction has been growing at a frantic pace in Swansea. At the same time, single family, new construction has also been enjoying steady growth.
A multitude of services and activities are just minutes away from Swansea. St. Clair Square, one of the largest shopping malls in the area is located just north of Swansea in Fairview Heights. St. Louis, Missouri is only a 15-20 minute drive away. Melvin Price Memorial Park, in the 1500 block of Caseyville Avenue, comprises 24 acres. It includes a community center, athletic fields, pavilions, a walking trail, roller hockey rink and playground equipment.
Residents who live in Swansea are served by one of four elementary school districts. Those on the extreme southern edge of the village attend District 118 schools in Belleville, those in the northern area of the village attend Wolf Branch District 113 in Swansea, and those in between attend High Mount District 116 in Swansea. Those who reside in Creekside Estates and Lake Lorraine attend either Wolf Branch 113 in Swansea or Whiteside District 115 in Belleville. High school students attend either Belleville East or Belleville West. There are also several parochial schools in the surrounding area.
The residents of Swansea have developed a strong sense of community, enabling the village to grow and prosper into one of the fastest growing areas in the metro-east.
Freeburg
Freeburg lies in the fertile and rolling Southern Illinois plains between the Kaskaskia River and the mighty Mississippi River. It was platted in 1836 as the town of Urbana by John Tolin Lemen whose father had immigrated to this area from Virginia around 1800. Apparently, the first settlers of Freeburg were of English and Irish ancestry if we discount the American Indians who lived here for hundreds of years as evidenced by the presence of the Mound Builder’s culture in the vicinity.
There were five migratory Indian tribes that crisscrossed each other in Illinois; the Peorias, Cahokias, Kaskaskias, Tamaroas, and Michiganics. It is said that Turkey Hill north of town was a popular Indian campground that also attracted many early settlers because of the view it provided of the surrounding countryside. The last Indian tribes left this area by 1820.
The big German migrations to this area started around 1830 and continued quite strong for the rest of the century. Obviously, the abundance of coal, the availability of cheap fertile farm land, as well as the proximity to the frontier city of St. Louis, only 20 miles to the northwest, are what attracted settlers to Freeburg.
The old “Plank Road” was built in the 1850’s and for 35 cents you could ride from Belleville to Freeburg in “comfort” without potholes on what is now known as the old Freeburg Road. Abe Lincoln is said to have utilized this road on at least one occasion.
In 1851, the post office came, and when it was found that there was another town of Urbana in Illinois, the city fathers changed the name in 1859 to Freeburg after the beautiful city of Freiburg in the state of Baden, Germany, from which some of the early settlers had come.
The town was incorporated in 1867 with 808 residents. The railroad came in 1869 and exchanged owners several times before being sold to the Illinois Central.
In the heyday of independent coal mines, as many as 1500 miners lived here, and in 1874, there were 10 hotels for them to choose from if they could not find more permanent lodging. With the closing of the Peabody River King Mine just cast of Freeburg in 1989, coal no longer played a dominant role in the local economy.
Today, Freeburg remains a conservative, mostly German community with a highly diversified business economy that also serves as a bedroom community for Belleville and the St. Louis metroplex, while still providing essential services needed in any small community.
On clear days, downtown St. Louis is visible from Turkey Hill. Several small factories are in business within the township. These include – E.M. Wiegmann & Co., Inc.; Tower’s Fire Apparatus Co., Inc.; Siemen’s Mfg., Co., Inc.; and several small construction, trucking, and engineering firms. Three commercial orchards are also located in the area; Eckert’s Orchards, Schlueter’s Orchard, and Braeutigam’s Orchard.
Maryville
Maryville offers an excellent quality of life, peaceful surroundings, and neighbors who care. A growing community with a dedicated village board overseeing essential public services, a vigilant police force, and a fast-reacting fire department including ambulance services.
Visit Fireman’s Park, site of our annual “Homecoming” festivities during which we offer games, rides, food, and entertainment for all. Come on out to the 59-acre Drost Park, location of our multi-purpose Senior Citizen’s Center, home to our Khoury League baseball and softball, facilities for soccer/basketball, and fishing in our 7-acre Drost Lake.
Maryville is a growing community. Since 1990, our population has increased by over 900 residents with more residential subdivisions planned. Maryville also hosts the beautiful Stonebridge golf course. Receive quality medical care within minutes at our 160 bed Oliver Anderson Hospital, actively serving the village and surrounding communities for over 20 years. Superb businesses are located here, including lawyers, doctors, restaurateurs, insurance agents; but we still maintain that friendly “Mom and Pop” mentality where service is paramount. Prime location of major employers including Illinois Department of Transportation, Ameritech, Illinois Power, Southwestern Electrical Cooperative, and Charter Communications (Cable TV).
Worship at our many fine churches of all denominations, attend our superb schools (public and private), and above all participate in our community organizations and groups. You are cordially invited.
The Village of Maryville takes pride in its most important resource, its citizens. Volunteers from all walks of life are all working towards the one common goal of making Maryville the best it can be. Welcome to America’s heartland.
Glen Carbon
In 1799, David Bagley, a Virginia Baptist minister passed through the Glen Carbon area and determined that it was a land of such expanse and luxuriant vegetation that he compared it to the Biblical “Land of Goshen.” References to this Land of Goshen have persisted since that time. In 1801, Colonel Samuel Judy received a military grant for 100 acres of land near the base of the bluffs, just north of Judy’s Creek and became the first permanent settler of Madison County. The area became known as the Goshen Settlement, and while its boundaries were never clearly outlined, it was centered on the Judy property at the junction of Judy Creek and present day Route 157.
In 1808, the Goshen Road trail was built as a wagon road from the Goshen settlement to the Ohio salt works. The trail crossed the state diagonally following a route from Peter’s Station to the north and west of Glen Carbon, east to Troy, and then in a southeasterly direction eventually ending at Shawneetown on the Ohio River. The existing Goshen Road running from Illinois Route 159 to the intersection of Route 143 is part of the original road.
A territorial government was formed in 1812 and Samuel Judy was elected to serve in the first legislature which convened at Kaskaskia. Madison County was organized in 1812 with its northern border reaching to Canada. Judy was one of the first county commissioners. Goshen Township was established soon after Madison County and Samuel Judy and Henry Cook were appointed overseers of the Township in 1818. The 1820 census reported 13,550 citizens in Madison County (which included present day Sangamon and Macoupin Counties) with 200 “heads of families” in Goshen Township. Between 1820 and 1830 the township was subdivided into five smaller townships with Edwardsville Township encompassing approximately one third of the original area (including Glen Carbon), and the remaining area divided among Silver Creek, Big Prairie, Six Mile Prairie and Wood River Townships
Mascoutah
Located 25 miles east of St. Louis at the intersection of Interstate-64 and Illinois Route 4, adjacent to Scott Air Force Base and home to St Louis MidAmerica Airport, Mascoutah is well positioned for growth. The community has closer ties to Scott Air Force Base than any other local community because the base is a part of the Mascoutah School District. The Mascoutah Community Unit School district 19 has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Two elementary schools located adjacent to the base and one elementary school in Mascoutah have more than 1,800 students. A junior high and high school make up the bulk of the remaining enrollment. The Holy Childhood of Jesus School also offers academic and religious instructions up to the eighth grade.
The community has three parks and a Community Center: Scheve Park, Maple Park, Reservoir Park and Leu Civic Center. Scheve Park has a swimming pool, several baseball diamonds, two lighted tennis courts, a lighted sand volleyball court, lighted horseshoe pits, two soccer fields, six family-sized and four larger pavilions and several playground areas. Maple Park is equipped with outdoor basketball facilities, a ball-playing area, playground equipment and a family-sized pavilion. Reservoir Park has two fishing lakes and a pavilion.
Winter recreational activities are held annually at Leu Civic Center, a United Way Agency, from October 1st to May 30th. This community center houses a gymnasium, large auditorium with stage and kitchen, indoor horseshoe pits and meeting rooms. The center is open for physical fitness, meeting, social and fund-raising activities.
Community
With 21 organizations in town, many volunteers help with local civic projects. Organizations range from scouting programs and civic groups to women’s clubs and conservation groups. The Mascoutah Improvement Association sponsors the annual three-day Homecoming and August Fest the first weekend of August. At this affair, many of the local organizations work together for the benefit of the city’s park system.
Churches include the Bethel United Methodist Church, First Assembly of God, First Baptist Church, Holy Childhood of Jesus, St. John United Church of Christ, Zion Lutheran and St. Martin of Tours Lutheran Church, Free Will Baptist and Harvest Tabernacle Church.
Summary
This community is probably more directly influenced by Scott AFB than any other nearby town because the base is included in the Mascoutah School District.
Mascoutah, a community of more than 5,000 residents, is four miles southeast of Scott AFB.
Scott Air Force Base
Mission
Scott Air Force Base’s primary missions are managing a domestic aeromedical evacuation system, commanding and supervising all operational support airlift within the USA, providing initial qualification training for C-9 and C-21 pilots, and providing base support services for multiple tenant units. Scott AFB is also home to a reserve aeromedical airlift wing and six headquarters. In addition there are several tenant units, some directly supporting the base, and others carrying out their own missions using Scott facilities.
Location
Scott AFB is about 20 miles east of St. Louis near Belleville, Illinois. The Shiloh Gate entrance is 2.5 miles southeast of O’Fallon and 1.5 miles southeast of Interstate 64 (exit 19A) at Illinois 158.
Weather
Located in the Central Time Zone, Scott AFB weather includes four definite seasons. Temperatures typically range from the low 90s in the summer to winter nights when temperatures drop into the mid-teens. However, triple digit and single digit temperatures can be experienced at least a couple of times per year. The wettest months, May and June, average four inches of rainfall each. The average annual precipitation is 38 inches.
Economic Impact
Well over $1.1 billion came out of Scott AFB in 1998. This amount represents wages and salaries of all military and civilian employees, local contracts and construction expenditures, educational aid, health payments, temporary duty expenses and commissary/base exchange vendor contracts. Much of this money goes into the local economy. In March of 1997, Scott AFB released its FY 1996 Economic Impact Analysis which revealed its impact exceeded $1.1 billion making Scott AFB the fourth largest employer in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Population
The Scott AFB community is made up of more than 21,000 military and civilian personnel and their families living on and off base including approximately 7,000 military and 3,000 civilian employees. A total of nearly 35,000 personnel, including retirees and their families, are connected with the base.
Community Involvement
Scott enjoys a close relationship with the surrounding communities. The Belle-Scott Committee, made up of base and Belleville community leaders, has met monthly since 1942. A day of picnicking and family fun is held annually during both the Scott-Mascoutah Day and the Scott-O’Fallon Day. Additionally, our tour program is extremely strong, hosting more than 6,000 people annually to see our aircraft and facilities. Military members as well as civilians can often be seen in the local area doing everything from giving a speech to a local organization, to serving as grand marshall in a parade.
The future of Scott AFB is bright as the base continues to expand. Construction is complete at MidAmerica Airport, a joint use airport for St. Clair County. The $300 million project was dedicated in November 1997 and opened in May 1998. As part of the project, the Cardinal Creek housing area was relocated to the southeast end of the base and is known as Patriots Landing. Voters in the county approved plans to extend the St. Louis light rail MetroLink to Belleville Area College and then to MidAmerica Airport. The Belleville Area College extension is now complete. MetroLink now offers convenient transportation from Scott AFB to Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, with many stops in the MetroEast and greater St. Louis area. Grand reopening of the Scott AFB Commissary took place July 14, 1998. Remodeling and construction work, underway for two years, is complete. The state-of-the-art facility increased in size from 31,000 square feet to 51,000 square feet and now includes an expanded sales area with several new checkout lanes and electronic scanners, new equipment, a new deli, and a new bakery. Look for a brand new Base Exchange near the Commissary in the next few years. Other recent additions include a dining facility, additional dormitories, a maintenance facility and a child care center. These and other construction projects, such as the combined Officer-Enlisted Club, will continue to improve the quality of life for Team Scott people.
