Belleville, IL

Located in southern Illinois, Belleville lies just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. French settler George Blair founded this picturesque city in 1814 ("Belleville" is French for "beautiful city"). Blair parceled off his own land to create the town square, which remains a popular destination today for its bustling downtown businesses and historic charm. When adjoining land was developed as the site of the new St. Clair County seat, Belleville became the new regional hub. Today, because of its industrial growth and proximity to several major interstate highways, Belleville is often called the capital of southern Illinois.

COMMUNITIES

Belleville's population of 41,000 is relatively young, with a median age of 37, and moderately diverse, with African Americans and other ethnicities composing 17 percent of the total population. Adult females slightly outnumber adult males 1.17 to 1. Residents are better educated than the national average, with nearly one-fifth of adults holding a bachelor's degree.

FUN FACTS

Famous former Belleville residents include Jeff Tweedy, singer/songwriter in the band Wilco; Neal Doughty, keyboardist for '70s rock band REO Speedwagon; actor Buddy Ebsen, best known as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies; tennis pro Jimmy Connors; and astronaut Sandra Magnus.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Even with its progressive growth and modern facilities, Belleville retains the hallmarks of a quaint small town, with classic brick homes lining quiet streets. The downtown Historic District is well preserved and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Though there are a few stops for the St. Louis MetroLink, the public transportation system within Belleville is not comprehensive. Residents visit the downtown area Main Street for its wide array of shops (from large chain retailers to antique and specialty stores), numerous restaurants, fresh produce markets, and live music venues.

Belleville neighborhoods reflect the city's diverse population:

• Ogles/Imbs: Quiet and suburban, this upper middle-class neighborhood has a mix of college students, families and seniors.
• Summit: This upper-middle-class district is artsy and urban, with young professionals and college students.
• Signal Hill: An older, very walkable urban neighborhood, Signal Hill is home to well-educated and upper-middle-class residents, including seniors and young professionals.
• McKinley Street/Charles Street: This neighborhood is both urban and historic, with middle-class residents spread across a wide range of ages.
• Foley Drive/74th Street: This is an established suburban neighborhood that is comparatively wealthy. Residents span a wide range of ages, including many young professionals.
• Church Street/B Street: An older, walkable urban neighborhood, this diverse area is artsy and funky. Residents are middle-class and mostly blue-collar, with mixed ages and many college students.
• Dutch Hollow/Birkner: Quiet and suburban, this upper-middle-class district is home mostly to seniors and executive professionals.
• Route 13/11th Street: This is an older, suburban neighborhood with smaller homes. It is a mostly walkable, middle-class area, with many seniors living alone and single young professionals.
• Royal Heights/Gartside: This artsy, urban, older neighborhood is quiet and upper-middle-class, with mixed ages and many seniors and young professionals.
• Main Street/Belt: This urban, older neighborhood is a very diverse, middle-income district with smaller homes.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

With its proximity to St. Louis and its status as the government and financial center of the region, Belleville offers many opportunities. Belleville's number one industry is health care and health-related services, provided by its two large, highly ranked hospitals, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital and Memorial Hospital. Nearby MidAmerica/Saint Louis Airport and Scott Air Force Base also employ a significant number, as does Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Co., the nation's oldest and largest manufacturer of U.S. military boots. Finance, sales, and administrative jobs are common, as are food service positions, due to the city's many restaurants.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Belleville boasts a wide array of attractions, many with historical significance:

• Belle Clair Speedway: This oval clay track hosts stock car racing events.
• Belleville Philharmonic Society: The second-oldest philharmonic orchestra in the country calls Belleville home.
• Eckert's Country Store & Farms: Visitors pick their own fruit at these family-owned orchards; there's also a restaurant/bakery on site.
• Emma Kunz House: This fully furnished 1830s residence depicts early settlers' living quarters.
• Gustave Koerner House: This is the restored home of Abraham Lincoln's close friend, who was an anti-slavery pioneer and co-founder of the Republican Party.
• Lincoln Theatre: A former 1920s silent-movie theater, this venue has been restored and updated for modern-day audiences.
• Rowdies Rugby Football Club: This Division III champion rugby union trains and plays at North End Park, a rugby-only field in the St. Louis metro area.
• National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows: This site is home to 200 landscaped acres featuring gardens, a grotto, and an amphitheater for religious reflection.

Other regional attractions include the Mississippi River and natural caverns, as well as Native American burial grounds.

EVENTS

Belleville holds frequent celebrations throughout the year, including Art on the Square, which has been called the nation's best small-town fine art festival. Other celebrations and festival's include

• Strawberry Festival (May)
• Deutschfest (June)
• Labor Day Parade (September)
• Oktoberfest (September)
• Apple Knock'en Day (September)
• Pumpkin Pick'en Days (October)
• Santa Claus Parade (November)

LOCAL MEDIA

The Belleville News-Democrat is the area's daily newspaper with a circulation of about 54,000.