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CHRONOLOGY
1698 French missionaries, led by Francis Jolliet de Montigny arrive at Cahokia 1699 Father St. Cosmé and two Jesuits build a church at Cahokia 1764 Pierre Laclede Liguest and Col. Auguste Chouteau settle at St. Louis 1765 Cahokia passes in the hands of the British after French and Indian War 1770 (About) Richard McCarty establishes St. Ursule on site of East St. Louis 1770) 1772) Floods recorded at Cahokia 1784) 1790 St. Clair County organized by Governor St. Clair 1792 Captain Piggot erects a bridge over Cahokia Creek 1795 Captain Piggot establishes the first ferry 1800 Formation of Bloody Island 1810 First house of any pretention built in East St. Louis by Etienne Pensoneau 1817 Illinois Town founded 1817 Illinois City founded 1817 First duels fought on Bloody Island 1819 Samuel Wiggins succeeds to Captain Piggot’s ferry boat 1828 First steam ferry used by Wiggins 1832 First blooded stock brought into this part of the country by Joseph Boneau 1837 First railroad west of Alleghenies run from Illinois Town to bluffs 1842 American Bottom Gazette founded by Vital Jarrot 1844 Floods 1852 Ground broken for Ohio & Mississippi Railway 1858 Floods 1859 First incorporation of Illinois Town 1861 New charter for Illinois Town; name changed to East St. Louis 1865 January 17. City charter for East St. Louis; organization of city government; East St. Louis incorporated as a city 1865 March. Grading and paving of streets and alleys 1865 June 19. Public square laid out 1866 Epidemic of cholera 1867 June 3. Board of Health organized 1869 Filling of streets 1872 East St. Louis Public Library started 1872 St. Louis National Stockyards started 1872 Fire Department started 1873 Howe Institute started 1874 July 1. East St. Louis Gas Light & Coke Co. established 1874 July 18. East St. Louis Railway Co. organized 1874 March. Railroad Frog & Switch Co. established 1874 East St. Louis & Carondelet Railway started 1874 East St. Louis Foundry opened 1874 Eads Bridge opened 1874 June 1. Justice J.C. Brady drives the first horse over Eads Bridge 1875 Hyer Bros. Establish glucose works at head of island—present site of waterworks 1875 Illinois City becomes part of East St. Louis 1876 Cahokia citizens decide to sell ancient lands 1879 Western Live Stock Journal established by H. D. O’Brien 1881 First granitoid pavement 1885 January 30. Waterworks ordinance passed 1885 October 19. East St. Louis Live Stock Exchange organized at yards 1885 November 20. Ex-Mayor B. Bowman assassinated at Tenth and College 1886 February 14. New Brighton annexed to East St. Louis 1886 November 2. General election law adopted 1886 April 9. Riot on Cahokia Bridge. Six killed. 1887 November 5. Ordinance passed making Illinois City a part of East St. Louis 1889 January 20. East St. Louis Journal launched, with J.W. Kirk, editor and proprietor 1890 February 8. City lighted by electricity for first time 1890 April 19. Opening of the Merchants’ Bridge 1890 April 24. St. Clair County Centennial 1890 June 1. St. Mary’s Hospital dedicated 1891 February 14. First electric streetcar passes from the river up Broadway from Collinsville Ave. to stockyards 1892 August 3. New library opened at Eighth and Broadway 1893 July 1. Eads and Merchants’ Bridges consolidated 1894 June 13. Retail Clerks’ Association organized 1895 Rock High School dedicated 1896 May 27. Cyclone strikes East St. Louis, killing 108 and wounding several hundred persons 1898 October 22. Cornerstone of Henrietta Hospital laid 1900 January 19. City Hall dedicated 1901 April 16. New Relay Depot opened 1901 May 5. Illinois State Trust Co. organized 1901 June 4. East St. Louis Trust & Savings Bank organized 1901 June 21. Union Trust Co. organized 1901 July 9. Knights of Columbus organized 1901 November 13. Ground broken for new Armour packing plant 1902 February 18. Winstanley annexed to East St. Louis 1903 January 9. Railway Steel Spring Co. starts building 1903 January 12. Diehm-Fansler Grocery Co. locates first wholesale grocery 1904 October 3. Citizen’s Savings Bank & Trust Co. opened 1908 August 22. Park district established 1909 June 21. New Lincoln High School dedicated 1910 January 28. New Federal Building opened. Address by President Taft 1910 March 5. Cantine Township organized 1910 August 15. First dirt turned for big levee 1910 November 10. McKinley Bridge formally opened 1917 Race riot 1919 April. Change to commission form of government |
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