Tall Orders For Summer Fun in Alton

Story and photos by Nichole Richardson

   You know you’re in a good spot if the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration registers it as a National Scenic Byway. The qualifying Great River Road runs just north of the equally beautiful and historic Alton, Illinois. Nestled within this remarkable town are hidden treasures galore. From the haunted to the legendary, from folklore to fantasy, one thing’s for sure: There’s plenty of summer (and year-long!) fun to be had in Alton.

For those wanting to dig deep into Alton’s integral, “king-pin” history, it’s worth a trip to the Alton Museum of History and Art, located at 2890 College Ave., on the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine campus. This quaint and charming little museum opened its doors in 1971 and holds hundreds of fascinating facts about the area. Every room has a different theme and something to teach any age. The exhibits run the gamut from early explorers and the legend of the Piasa Bird, Lincoln and Civil War history, Alton’s trains and steamboat era, to Alton pioneers and African American history, Alton’s educational story, and the Lost Alton Collection.

Here, visitors can also find the largest collection of Robert Wadlow- the World’s Tallest Man, memorabilia. The artifacts are rare and include many photos, correspondences, Wadlow’s actual third grade desk that had to be raised onto wooden blocks to accommodate his colossal size, and a casting of his hand. Next to it is his size 25 Masonic ring, large enough to hold a half-dollar coin inside it.

Conveniently found across the street from the museum is the life-size Robert Wadlow statue and a replica of his exact sitting chair. Folks can get a shock from standing next to the iconic monuments along with great photo ops. Even Wadlow’s childhood home was moved and now sits behind the statue.

Along with a plethora of history to keep you learning over the summer break, Alton is home to many entertainment avenues. At Alton Room Escape, located at 319 Ridge St., patrons can enjoy team-building skills while having a good time. An escape room is a live action adventure played out in a themed room where your team will work together, search for clues, and solve puzzles that ultimately lead to a way to “escape” in 60 minutes or less. All ages can delight in one of two themes: currently Captain’s Quarters or Trail’s End. It is important to note you will never be locked in the room and are free to leave at any time throughout the game.

Another fun spot to visit is the Haskell Playhouse at 1211 Henry Street. This playhouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and was built by Dr. and Mrs. William Haskell for their five-year-old daughter Lucy. The incredible structure is a rare architectural prize containing many Queen Anne style characteristics such as cartwheels, brackets, spires, diagonal sticking, fish scale shingles and stained glass windows.

The playhouse, along with six acres of land, and the Haskell mansion was willed to the City of Alton stipulating that the land never be subdivided and always be called Haskell Park. The playhouse is open for special occasions but there is a kiosk next to it that depicts pictures of the inside. For fifteen years now, the City has celebrated Lucy’s birthday with a community party, complete with pony rides, ice cream, cake and even a young actress portraying the late Lucy. There will be an open house on Sat., Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Touching upon these few places doesn’t do justice to all this area has to offer. Quite a few nautical activities subsist like river cruises, the Spirit of Peoria paddleboat, ferries, and canoe trips. Seeing the splendor of the region from the influential Mississippi River is a joy unto itself. Land or waterway, this town has something to interest everyone.

INTERESTING ALTON FACTS:

• Some people got the impression Alton was a “racist” town, first because abolitionist martyr Elijah Lovejoy was murdered there while defending his (fourth!) Alton Observer free speech printing press, and then the equally legendary James Earl Ray, who shot and killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was born from the town. This perception is ironic considering it was Alton resident and US Senator, Lyman Trumbull, who authored the 13th amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States.
• The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route National Scenic Byway is 33 miles while the Great River Road National Scenic Byway is a sprawling 2069 miles, spanning ten states; Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. To be classified as a National Scenic Byway, a road must possess one or more “intrinsic qualities” such as archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational or scenic.
• 6,250 dimes, one bank found was the answer to “How many dimes can fit in Robert Wadlow’s size 37 (at that time-it actually grew to be 44.5) shoe?” Alton’s “Gentle Giant” grew to be a towering (and record-breaking) 8 foot 11.1 inches tall. Respectively, one would argue that after death (at the young age of 22), Wadlow deserved the record for “tallest tombstone” but it went to dentist Thomas Wiltberger Evans, who died in 1897, before Wadlow’s birth. The 150-foot, 15-story marker is located in Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia.
• Alton’s 1984 rendition of it’s famous “Piasa Bird” was painted on steel and once it rusted down in 1995, the 9,000 pound, 23 x 40 foot, pictograph was taken from Norman’s Landing and stored under the Clark Bridge until it found it’s way home to Southwestern High School in Piasa, Ill., where it was restored in September of 2002 and rests as the namesake mascot for the “Southwestern Piasa Birds.”

  

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