Long before the Gateway Geyser erupted in the shadow of the Gateway Arch, East St. Louis had a rich and compelling history.
On April 1, 1861, the people in the village known as Illinois Town went to the polls to choose a new name. On that day, with 183 votes for and 89 votes against, the map had a new place—a bustling town called East St. Louis. This wonderful collection of photographs and memorabilia (some published for the first time) shows the exciting history of this once-mighty industrial town, as well as the people who made it work and shaped its destiny.
Join Bill Nunes, award-winning author of fifteen books on the history of St. Louis, East St. Louis, and Illinois, as he takes the reader through the streets of East St. Louis.