place

Upper Alton Historic District

Greek Revival architecture in IllinoisHistoric districts on the National Register of Historic Places in IllinoisNRHP infobox with nocatNational Register of Historic Places in Madison County, IllinoisNeoclassical architecture in Illinois
Queen Anne architecture in IllinoisSouthern Illinois Registered Historic Place stubsTudor Revival architecture in IllinoisUse mdy dates from August 2023
Evergreen north of College, Alton
Evergreen north of College, Alton

The Upper Alton Historic District is a historic district located in northeast Alton, Illinois, in what was once the separate town of Upper Alton. The district includes the campuses of Shurtleff College and the Western Military Academy as well as the surrounding residential areas. Upper Alton was platted in 1817, but it did not grow significantly until the 1830s, when Shurtleff College opened; the college dominated the town for decades, and most of the houses around it were built for the school or its professors. The college's buildings were mainly designed in the Classical Revival and Greek Revival style, while the houses were designed in the Classical Revival and Queen Anne styles. In 1879, the Western Military Academy opened in the John Bostwick House; while the house burned in 1903, the academy rebuilt immediately and continued operations. The academy's campus is mainly designed in the Tudor Revival style. Shurtleff College closed in 1957 and is now the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine; the Western Military Academy also closed in 1971.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1978.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Upper Alton Historic District (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Upper Alton Historic District
Evergreen Avenue,

Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address Nearby Places
placeShow on map

Wikipedia: Upper Alton Historic DistrictContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 38.904722222222 ° E -90.142777777778 °
placeShow on map

Address

Evergreen Avenue 1824
62002
Illinois, United States
mapOpen on Google Maps

Evergreen north of College, Alton
Evergreen north of College, Alton
Share experience

Nearby Places

Alton Museum of History and Art
Alton Museum of History and Art

The Alton Museum of History and Art, sometimes known as the Robert Wadlow Museum, in Alton, Illinois was founded in 1971 as a not for profit organization. It is located in Loomis Hall, named for Rev. Hubbel Loomis, on the grounds of the former Rock Spring Alton Baptist Seminary established by missionary John Mason Peck, later renamed Shurtleff College, and presently the home of the Southern IL University School of Dental Medicine. The building, which has Underground Railroad history, was constructed as the original chapel/classroom of the seminary c.1820 and the sanctuary was modified in the early 1900s to be a two-story building with a rear classroom and laboratory addition. The building is the state's second oldest remaining college building.Although most known for its collection related to Robert Wadlow (the Alton Giant), it also has exhibits on Lewis & Clark, the Alton Confederate Prison and the Lincoln–Douglas debates as well as that of the region's Native American populations. It serves to help preserve the history and heritage of its community; it continues to demonstrate the artistic interests and achievement of its residents.The museum also owns two homes in the town, the Koenig House and the Wilhelm House, which were donated to the museum by Corida Koenig Hanna in 1987. The Koenig House was repaired in 1990, but both homes present challenges for the museum despite their uses for programming. The museum temporarily closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remains closed as of 2023.

Old Rock House (Alton, Illinois)

The Old Rock House was the home of Reverend Thaddeus Beman Hurlbut, who was the pastor of the Upper Alton Presbyterian Church (also known as the College Avenue Presbyterian Church) and a friend of Elijah Parish Lovejoy. It is located at 2705 College Avenue in Alton, Illinois. It was built in 1834–1835 by Henry Caswell and John Higham. It was a double-dwelling building, with John Higham on the east side. In 1927, the house was owned by Dr. Isaac Moore.The first meeting to organize the Illinois Anti-Slavery Society was held on October 26, 1837. From meeting notes, the meeting started at the church, but due to "disorderly elements", the meeting ended. It was rescheduled for the following day at the Rock House, where the society was organized. This happened just before the pro-slavery riots in Alton on October 28.It was a station on the Underground Railroad. Located along the Mississippi River, it was a refuge for freedom seekers from Missouri and Southern slave states. Abolitionists and free blacks helped former enslaved people make it from one station to the next location on the Underground Railroad. Tunnels underneath the Lewis and Clark Community College campus were used to help people gain their freedom. Lyman Trumbull of Alton wrote the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which abolished slavery in America.College Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Rock House are across College Avenue from each other. A historical marker for both buildings is located at College Avenue and Clawson Street.