St. Clair Co History

On Saturday, join us and the Lewis & Clark Chapter, Illinois Sons of the American Revolution, for a special Liberty Tree dedication honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States. See the flyer for details. Free and open to the public!

In 1910, Belleville pharmacist George Kissel advertised his pharmacy at W. Main & 14th Street. The photo of the building today shows “KISSEL” prominently displayed on the top of the cornice.

Adalbert and Olinda Reime took this picture of their brand new house in Belleville’s Edison Place subdivision in 1930. Edison Place, on Belleville’s east end, was a hot spot for new homes in the 1920s and 1930s.

On November 14th, join us and the Lewis & Clark Chapter, Illinois Sons of the American Revolution, for a special Liberty Tree dedication honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States. See the flyer for details. Free and open to the public!

This is a Victorian egg cup stand, also called an egg cruet stand. It dates from around 1860. The cups are used to serve individual soft-boiled, poached, or coddled eggs. Donated in 1984.

On December 13th, join us for the 31st edition of our beloved holiday tradition at the Candlelight House Tour. Information and tickets here: buytickets.at/stclaircountyh…

On Election Day, here’s a local artifact from the tumultuous elections in 1856. This slate of candidates represented the newly-formed Republican Party in Illinois. Two of the electors were partners in a Springfield law firm. We’ll let you find those.

On December 13th, join us for the 31st edition of our beloved holiday tradition at the Candlelight House Tour. Information and tickets here: buytickets.at/stclaircountyh…

On November 14th, join us and the Lewis & Clark Chapter, Illinois Sons of the American Revolution, for a special Liberty Tree dedication honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States. See the flyer for details.

This c. 1895 figural inkstand sits on the butler’s desk in our Victorian Home Museum. Our favorite feature? The stag’s antlers are used to hold the pens. Our research suggests that it was made by the famed Bradley & Hubbard Company of Meriden, Connecticut.

This week in 1947, Belleville moviegoers thrilled to a horror double feature at the Lincoln Theatre . Featuring Chamber of Horrors and The Human Monster (starring the legendary Bela Lugosi), it promised to “scare the YELL out of you!”

As you contemplate your year-end giving, consider a qualified charitable distribution directly from your IRA. It fulfills your RMD requirements and supports all that we do. Talk to your financial advisor about this great giving opportunity.

This detailed lithograph celebrated the completion of the Eads Bridge in 1874. Check out the details and the insets, which feature engineering diagrams, a portrait of James B. Eads, and facts about the bridge. Donated in 1945, this piece is on display at our Victorian Home.

Winking Bob is right, you know. Join us to support and protect our amazing local history. Join here: STCCHS.org/join

Middle and upper class Victorian women found a creative outlet in fancywork. This floral wreath from our collection is an example of Victorian fancywork. The flowers are wax and the leaves are silk. It dates from 1870-1890. Donated in 1968.

In this photo, we’re looking west towards the approach to the Municipal Free (now MacArthur) Bridge in East St. Louis. The date is August of 1917, a fact backed up by the poster for The Spy, a silent film released on August 19, 1917. The bridge was newly opened then.

In October of 1948, Belleville moviegoers surely beat a path to the Illinois Theater at 216 W. Main Street to catch the rerelease of The Walking Dead. Originally released in 1936, it starred horror film legend Boris Karloff.

Born in Lebanon in 1870, building contractor Jesse Gedney lived his entire eventful life in St. Clair County. He built hundreds of buildings in his long career, including many of East St. Louis’s schools. He died in 1935 and is buried in College Hill Cemetery in Lebanon.

Here’s another example of “Side Hustles of 19th Century Undertakers.” Livery stables rented and boarded horses and vehicles. In this 1886 ad, John Benner advertised his businesses on Collinsville Avenue in East St. Louis.

East St. Louis produced a little of everything during its industrial heyday. One of these many things was baking powder. Bon Bon Baking Powder was made by J.C. Grant Chemical Company at 12th and Walnut.