History:

Three words sum up the early history of Bethalto: grain, coal and trains. The first settlers in the area arrived in the early 19th century and found a land blessed with rich soil and various outcroppings of coal. The construction of the Alton-Terre Haute Railroad in the mid 1850s ensured Bethalto's destiny as a farming and mining center.

It was around 1809 when large numbers of settlers who arrived in this area -- many of them Dutch and German settlers who came to farm. Indians were also found in the area, so numerous at one time along Indian Creek that there were Kickapoo villages, and that creek became named after the Indians. Many Indian relics have been found in that vicinity. Block houses were built in case protection might be needed, but there were few problems and only one recorded massacre in 1814.

Bethalto was favored in many ways to become an early settlement. It had good soil for growing grain and all needed food. There was a good vein of coal which had outcroppings that were discovered at an early date. There was a healthy growth of timber, especially on the west, north and south sides of the site which included oak, hickory, walnut and other trees suitable for making building materials. The roads were also better than usual in a time when trails were the roads and ferries were the bridges. Game was plentiful, there being an abundance of squirrels, rabbits, turkey, prairie hens and other game. About the time that the railroad was being constructed in the 1840s and 1850s, the population had grown to the point that it was necessary to plat further development. The first plat was laid out by Joe Starkey and was recorded on June 23, 1854. This is considered to be the humble beginning for Bethalto.

While Bethalto has moved forward, the Village has not forgotten its past. The old Village Hall. built in 1873, is a two story brick Victorian/Italianate town hall. It is the oldest governmental building still in use in Madison County. Recognizing its historical significance, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and serves as our Bethalto Museum. It stands as a reminder of our humble beginnings.