You may never have heard of Dallas City, Illinois, but to the folks who grew up there, Dallas City was idyllic. The town had a small but diverse business community. Crime was rare and mostly petty stuff. The local streams, creeks, and woods fed a child’s curiosity. And the biggest playground, the Mississippi, challenged
John A. Logan grew up in a well-to-do household in Murphysboro, Illinois, in the years before the Civil War. He had political ambitions early, maybe even from the moment he took his first breath, but the trajectory of his career took some remarkable turns. In this episode, I talk with Betsy Brown and Laura
This year marks a major milestone, not just along the Mississippi but for conservation efforts across the United States. In June, the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge will celebrate its 100th anniversary. In this episode, I talk with Sabrina Chandler, Refuge Manager and Hallie Shulz, Visitor Services Manager about the past, present
Population (2010) 6,301 Introduction East Alton became a community primarily because of railroads and a large ammunition plant. The railroad tracks still carve up the city (which side of the tracks did you grow up on?), and that ammunition plant is still around, too. History
Population (2010) 10,657 Introduction Located along Refinery Row, Wood River is also near the location where the Lewis and Clark expedition wintered in 1803-04 before ascending the Missouri River. History Before Europeans began moving into the area, this part of Illinois was home to a
Population (2010) 1,429 Introduction Hartford is another community that sprang up largely because of a single industry, but it also has a couple of good reasons to stop in for a visit. History The place where the village of Hartford is today had few residents
