I had never been to this library branch before, the Divoll Branch, but I came specifically to check…read moreout their Seed Library. This isn't located in the nicest part of town but once you walk in the doors, this library seems very welcoming. It is bright and hushed and when I was there it had several patrons quietly working or reading. The circulation desk guy was very friendly and showed me how the Seed Library works. I checked out an armload of books and was on my way.

quite possibly the most cutting edge library in america. more a biblio-tech center than the old…read morestyle stack of mouldy books. big emphasis here, almost like the library is the town activity center. super friendly staff.

Our library is very small, but the librarian can get you any book that you are requesting. I always…read morefind this place to be very peaceful. They always seem to have a book sale in progress.

Their new manager is so sweet and they are so helpful to anyone it's a little old but it serves its…read morepurpose well. The memberships are so cheap and almost all of the classes are free with membership. It's the perfect place to keep your kids occupied during the summer for sure!

I think the library is a well kept secret that everyone should know about. It's more than books!…read more The Fairview Heights library offers you to borrow books, Ebooks, music, movies and even video games! Depending on the popularity there maybe a waiting list. They also offer access to computers. Eight computers you can reserve and one express computer. The reserved ones can be used hours at a time while the express allows 30 minutes of access. A variety of classes for kids and adults all year round. I figured the money I spend on books I'm only going to read once is kinda a waste in my end. When I can borrow a book, read it and take it back. Now you do need to stay in the area to get a library card at this location. So proof of residency is required. The librarians are extremely helpful when it comes to locating certain items and they all always full of information. Like... How do you know all this?!? I especially like Ebooks. This way I can download them from my computer to my smartphone or tablet. No need to go to the library physically with the Ebooks; everything is done online! At the end of the day.... Of course I will be back, I have to return a book!

Pretty small town. The type you find with the sole Dairy Queen right smack in the middle of…read morethings. Most of the kids who attend the schools are from Scott so you have a lot of diversity in classes. Natives are usually friendly but sometimes you get a little bit of the standoffish feel when they know you're not from there. I think I'd be mad too if I only had one Dairy Queen in town.

I've lived in Mascoutah for a very long time and I love the small town feel it offers. If you want…read morechaos, move to Fairview Heights! You can't beat the parades, park events, and closeness the community offers.

It would be easy to walk past this building and miss the history so stop by and enjoy the early…read more1900's architecture. There's even a plaque! The plaque reads, "Cadillac-Chrysler Building. Built in 1919. This building, designed by Wm. A. Balsch, Architects, was built by Cadillac Automobile Company of Saint Louis when it outgrew its building at 2920-22 Locust Street. The dealership became Oliver Cadillac in 1927, and remained here through 1930." "During the time this building was a Cadillac dealership, Cadillac entered the "Classic Car" era and Cadillac sales doubled as its wheelbases grew, up to 152 inches in length on some models. Syncromesh transmissions and four wheel, vacuum assisted brakes were introduced and its V-8 motor grew to 353 cubic inches with 96 horsepower. By 1920, an optional, 452 cubic inch V-16 motor, producing 185 horsepower was available." "In 1927, Cadillac introduced the LaSalle, promoted as a "Companion Car to Cadillac". With Cadillac like quality, but slightly smaller , on a 125 inch wheelbase and with a smaller V-8 motor, the LaSalle was sold in Cadillac showrooms, until it was replaced by the Cadillac Model 61, in 1941." "From 1932 through 1948, this building houses the L.M. Stewart, Inc. Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. Chryslers ranged from upper middle price cars, to its Imperial model, which were direct competitors of Cadillac. In 1934, Chrysler introduced the Airflow, a marketing disappointment despite its revolutionary design and construction improvements, including the first American car with unitized construction." "This Plaque Dedicated By The Horseless Carriage Club of Missouri and Hilliker Corporation." [Review 14441 overall, 1767 of 2020, number 75 in Missouri.]

Pierre Martin/Nicholas Boisrnenue House, East Carondelet, IL…read more I was allowed access to the inside the Martin-Boismenue House on October 10, 2015 for a photo-shoot. The house is now owned by the State of Illinois' Historic Preservation Agency. The Martin-Boismenue House used to hold two annual open-houses where the public was invited to view the interior of this late 18th century homestead and to interact with costumed interpreters to learn about French Colonial America. Traditionally these open houses were held during the Fete du Bons Vieux Temps in February and the St. Nicholas Tradition event in December, but they have not been held for over 10 years. The Pierre Martin Family. The Martin family was an old and large French Canadian family. Pierre Martin was born in La Rivenue Parish, Quebec, ca. 1745. He had arrived in the Illinois Country and was living in the village of Cahokia by 1770, the year he married Marie St. Yves. Pierre at age 42. He was listed in the 1787 census as the male head of a household living in Cahokia with two children. Pierre Martin was a Revolutionary War veteran. In the 1790 census, Pierre is listed as head of the household in the village of Prairie du Pont (East Carondelet), Illinois. He apparently acquired the property in this year as an improvement claim which require that he farm the land and built a house. It is therefore assumed that the Martini Boismenue House was constructed in 1790. In 1794, his Prairie du Pont property is described as consisting of a house, barn lot, garden, and other small outbuildings. The Martin-Boismenue House is a surviving example of the French Creole poteaux-sur-solle (post-on-sill) construction and one of the oldest structures of its kind in Illinois. This type of construction utilized upright hewn logs that were seated on a horizontal log sill and the spaces between the logs were filled with pierrotage chinking of mortar and rubble. The original building measures 20 x 35 ft and consisted of two rooms separated by a receiving hall and a one room or half basement with a separate rear entrance. The larger first floor room was the parlor, or salle, and was a multi-purpose living area. The smaller first floor room was the sleeping room, or chambre, and was a more private area. Limestone fireplaces were located at each end of the house including one in the half basement. There is a large attic which runs the entire length of the house. The house contained a stone cooking fireplace situated in a half basement, or souterrain, a rarity among similar structures that may reflect the prosperity of the owners. The basement likely functioned as a work space and living quarters as well. The original house is approximately 80% intact. A common feature of Creole architecture are the broad open porches, known as galeries, located on the front and back of the house. The galeries offered additional living space in fair weather as well as to keep the sun and rain off the whitewashed walls. At the end of the 18th century, the majority of European settlement in the middle Mississippi River Valley was confined to a sixty-mile strip between Cahokia and Kaskaskia (the Ste. Genevieve area). This fertile river bottomland, now known as the American Bottom, was the breadbasket for the Louisiana Territory. The principal crop grown was wheat but other commodities included corn, pumpkins, oats, barley, flax, cotton, and tobacco. Farmers in Pierre Martin's era would use a common field called the le grand champ. Martin would cultivate and harvest his crops with the help of his family, his one or two slaves, and hired day laborers. Once harvested, Martin would have transported his crops south to Kaskaskia where it would then be shipped to New Orleans. In 1806, Pierre Martin put up the two lots with a house and barn in Prairie du Pont and two common field tracts as collateral for a loan to Jean Francois Perrey. In the same year, his wife died, and his death at age 62 followed the next year. With Martin's debt unpaid, the probates indicate that Perrey was compensated out of the estate sale. The barn and lot were sold for $13. 00 and the house - described as "avec souterraint" (finished basement) - was sold for $96.00 to Baptiste Gendron. Throughout the early 19th century, several owners are indicated and during the late 19th century into the early 20th century it was owned by members of the Boismenue family. The Boismenue family of French Canadian descent appear in the records at Cahokia in the 18th century. It was not until 1980, when the Martin/Boismenue House was destined for demolition, that it became evident that the building was of vertical log construction. When workmen began to strip off the modern siding from the front of the structure, the distinctive vertical log timbers of the original building were exposed (Figure 5). Within 24 hours, a local group of citizens was organized with the intention of saving the structure for its historical significance.