Carthage, the county seat of Hancock County, although only 12 miles from the Mississippi, lies in the Illinois River Basin. . Hamilton (1,627) is on the Mississippi directly west of Carthage and opposite Keokuk, Iowa. It lies at the Illinois end of the great water-power dam built across the Mississippi between Hamilton and Keokuk. Below Hamilton, Illinois lies opposite Missouri. Warsaw (2,254) is on the Mississippi 3 miles below Hamilton.
Quincy (36,589), the county seat of Adams County and sixth city of the state, is next to Peoria and East St. Louis in population among the river ports of Illinois. It contains 56 per cent of the population of Adams County. Stoves and furnaces are among its leading manufactures. It is the seat of the Illinois State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home.
Pittsfield (2,095) is the county scat of Pike County. It is the terminus of a branch line of railroad.
Cities between the Illinois and Kaskaskia rivers.—Of the numerous small streams flowing directly into the Mississippi between the Illinois and Kaskaskia, the most important is Cahokia Creek, whose basin includes portions of Macoupin, Madison, and St. Clair counties. In the upper part of its basin are three important mining centers of Macoupin County: Gillespie (2,241), Benld (1,912), and Staunton (5,048).
Edwardsville (5,014), the county seat of Madison County, is on the middle portion of Cahokia Creek. It was one of the most important settlements in the early history of the state.
Alton (17,528) is located on the Mississippi about midway between the mouth of the Illinois River and East St. Louis. It is the largest city of Madison County. It has numerous railroads and is an important manufacturing center. Upper Alton (2,918) is directly east of Alton, and was annexed to Alton in 1911. It is the seat of Shurtleff College and of the Western Military Academy. East Alton (684) adjoins Alton, and during the war built extensive munition works.
Wood River, about 3 miles below Alton, was a village of less than one hundred in 1910. The establishment of an oil refinery has increased its population to more than three thousand.
Granite City (9,903), Madison (5,046), and Venice (3,718) in Madison County form a compact industrial area. Collins ville (7,478) has zinc smelters. Highland
(2,676), in the eastern part of the county, is in the Kaskaskia Basin. Sixty per cent of the population of Madison County live in these eight cities having popu lations of 2,500 or more. East St. Louis (68,647) is in the northwest corner of St. Clair County, just opposite St. Louis, Mis souri (687,029). The transportation facilities of East St. Louis are so excellent that this city no longer serves only as a front door to St. Louis, but it has made rapid progress in developing important industries of its own. It stands second only to Chicago in its importance as a railroad center in Illinois. Its growth since 1910 has been marked. Cahokia Creek joins the Mississippi at East St. Louis.
Belleville (21,122), the county seat of St. Clair County, is located near the divide between the Mississippi and Kaskaskia rivers. It is an important coal-mining and manufacturing center. Scott Aviation Field, at which hundreds of aviators received their training during the world-war, is located at Belleville.
Western Military Academy. East Alton (684) adjoins Alton, and during the war built extensive munition works.
Wood River, about :3 miles below Alton, was a village of less than one hundred in 1910. The establishment of an oil refinery has increased its population to more than three thousand.
Granite City (9,903), Madison (5,046), and Venice (3,718) in Madison County form a compact industrial area. Collins ville (7,478) has zinc smelters. Highland (2,675), in the eastern part of the county, is in the Kaskaskia Basin. Sixty per cent of the population of Madison County live in these eight cities having popu lations of 2,500 or more. East St. Louis (58,547) is in the northwest corner of St. Clair County, just opposite St. Louis, Mis souri (6 87,02 9).. The transportation facilities of East St. Louis are so excellent that this city no longer serves only as a front door to St. Louis, but it has made rapid progress in developing important industries of its own. It stands second only to Chicago in its importance as a railroad center in Illinois. Its growth since 1910 has been marked. Cahokia Creek joins the Mississippi at East St. Louis.