Alton History and Art Museum

2809 College Avenue
Alton, IL 62002
618-462-2763

Admission is $5 for adults; $1 for children; and $2.50 for Senior citizens on Wednesdays; parking is free

http://www.altonmuseum.com/ 

Opened in 1971

The Alton History and Art Museum is located in the Mississippi River town of Alton just east of St. Louis County. The museum is housed in this old brick building. 

The building, Loomis Hall, was erected in 1832 as part of the first college in the state of Illinois. In 1836 the college was renamed Shurtleff College and remained open until 1957. 

Upon entering the building we waited in the entrance for the tour to begin and quickly realized that this place, walls and all, was filled with history.  

Each of the different rooms of the museum has one or more areas of Alton area history that the room covers. The first room has a new display on Katherine Dunham, who made the neighboring town of East St. Louis her home in 1964.  

In the same area a smaller display exists about Elijah Parish Lovejoy, often referred to as a leading abolitionist but perhaps more accurately described as one of the first known for standing up for the First Amendment. He was a Presbyterian minister and newspaper editor that moved his newspaper from St. Louis to Alton in 1836 and was murdered the following year by a pro-slavery mob in Alton. 

The Western Military Academy was a private military preparatory school in Alton,1879-1971, acknowledged with this small display. 

At one time the music teacher there was Composer William Dawson Armstrong.  There is also a display to honor him as well as some instruments including this pump organ. 

This section also is partially devoted to historical costuming. 

Historical handbags...

and fans. 

The upper floor of the museum is devoted to different modes of transportation found historically in Alton. 

There is an area devoted to trains.  

This display includes an old sink from a train restroom. 

There is also a section on travel by riverboat including a model wheelhouse where one can ring the LOUD bell! 

One of several riverboat displays...

When you enter the main floor the hallways are covered with pictures and articles about the Piasa Bird. Its founding goes back to 1673 when Father Jacques Marquette first described the painting high on the bluffs of the Mississippi where the City of Alton now stands. This 1930's local calendar is one of several items on display that show the painting which has since been restored.

One of the museum main draws is the section about Robert Pershing Wadlow, Alton's Gentle Giant. 

He grew to just under 9 feet tall and became famous as the tallest person ever in recorded history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He was born in Alton and lived his entire life there. 

He was still growing when he died at age 22 in 1940. 

In 1938 he did a promotional tour with the International Shoe Company.  These specially made shoes were sent ahead to communities he visited in order to to drum up interest. 

A half-dollar coin easily fits through his Masonic ring which is not surprising when you look at this life-size model of his hand. 

The last section of the tour was the room about pioneer history beginning with a small section about the native Americans.  

Lewis and Clark began their journey approximately ten miles south of Alton so it is only fitting that there is a display about these two pioneers and their expedition. 

There are several artifact displays in The Pioneer Room. 

There is also a display about the Underground Railroad including this large beautiful quilt. Located in the free state of Illinois, Alton's riverfront location along the Mississippi River played a vital role in helping slaves make connections to the freedom of the northern U.S. 

And of course, every museum needs a gift shop! 

Next to the museum is another remnant of Shurtleff College, the building that today houses part of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.  

Across the street from the museum is a small park that surrounds a life-size statue of Robert Wadlow. 

He was quite a bit taller than our group! 

There is also a replica of one of his chairs! 

No trip to Alton is complete without a visit to Fast Eddie's Bon-Air which may or may not be, as one of its brochures boasts, the "#1 volume bar in the world."  The establishment is 80 years old and seats 400. 

The menu has a total of seven items (see hanging menu) with everything under $3; you are required to buy a drink. 

The shrimp are 39 cents each.  They accept only cash. 

And of course they have a gift shop!

And this appropriate sign greets you at the door.  

Comments:
This is the first museum that we have visited that is dedicated to the history of a town or even area as opposed to the history of an item (telephone) or a happening (Holocaust or Civil War). Needless to say it is somewhat overwhelming, but also interesting, with all the different eras, people, and events that are covered there. 
The museum has many artifacts. In addition all of the walls are covered with either framed pictures or information so there is a tremendous amount of material to read and absorb.  First when we arrived I was surprised to learn that apparently the museum is only visited via tours.  We arrived shortly after it opened and after a second small group (for a total of ten visitors) the tour began.  The docent shared generously about certain displays but in other exhibits he merely gave us time to look at everything with no explanation. Consequently, I am sure that we missed a lot of what the museum has to share. The tour took about one hour. 
This is one of the oldest museums that we have visited and from that I assume that some of the displays are on the older side. There is no technology in the museum and practically no interactive displays, two things that are prevalent in the more modern museums. 
There was one room that is currently closed off to visitors and I assume it is the "Art" part of the museum which we never did see. We saw only the history rooms. 
All in all, there are some interesting displays and we are glad that we went to see this museum. 
The website has not been updated since 2012 as they are currently using their Facebook page to promote the museum but the website is helpful in learning of the limited hours the museum is open and other general information. 
As for lunch, what can one say about Fast Eddie's? It is the go-to place for St. Louis West County residents turning 21 -which was not us - but we still enjoyed our inexpensive simple meal (with free popcorn) and are glad we can all say now that we have been to Fast Eddie's!