The Alton Young Men’s Christian Association began in 1883. The members used various meeting places until 1907, when an elaborate new facility was completed at the corner of Third and Market Streets. Fire… Continue reading
Right down the street from the Grand Theatre is the former home of the Green Lantern restaurant. It began as the Green Lantern Sandwich Shoppe in the 1920s. George “Red” Walker bought the… Continue reading
The Grand Theatre was built in 1920 and was the largest theater in downtown Alton, with an original seating capacity of 1,400. In the 1920s it screened silent films and offered vaudeville acts.… Continue reading
Our most recent program at the Hayner Genealogy & Local History Library was a talk by Wayne Hensley titled “Historical Sites of Alton.” Wayne’s presentation was excellent, and I am now embarking on… Continue reading