Alton Illinois & The Tallest Man in History

Anyone that knows Payton or has been around her for more than 5 minutes in the past year has heard about Robert Wadlow. There is no doubt that she is more than just fascinated by him, she is obsessed with him and his life as the world’s tallest man in history. And that is how we ended up visiting Alton Illinois.

It all started last year when she received The Guinness World Records 2018 book for her birthday. Within a couple of days she had memorized all of the facts presented there and wanted to learn more. She began searching the internet for him and reading every book she could get her hands on. She quickly learned every detail of his life and the lives of all of his family members. It soon became the topic that she discussed the most.

Disclaimer: We were hosted by Alton Visitors Bureau, however, as always, all opinions are my own.

Planning our trip to Alton

As the end of 2018 drew near, I began planning Payton’s birthday trip for April, 2019. Instead of birthday gifts, we choose to take her somewhere that she has never been before. I asked her where she would like to go and her answer was immediate: Alton, Illinois, to stand beside the life size statue of Robert Wadlow! Not Disney World, not a foreign country, not a cruise, without a doubt, it was Alton, Illinois. Honestly, until she discovered Robert Wadlow I had never even heard of the town much less thought of visiting it. I mean, it is not even a dot on most maps. Her birthday trips are usually a week long and I couldn’t imagine what we could possibly do there for a week. However, this was for her birthday wish, so I began planning.

Getting to Alton from Georgia

We never tell Payton where we are going because we like for these gifted trips be a surprise. However, as April drew near, some unexpected events happened that caused our trip to be pushed to May. We decided that we would play a trick on her. On her birthday, April 5th, we surprised her with a day trip to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not in St Augustine, Florida. They have a life size statue of Robert Wadlow there. So, in essence, we made her wish come true in Florida because she actually was able to stand by the statue, although a replica, on her birthday. She was ecstatic and it put Alton, Il off of her radar!

Fast forward to the first week of May when we were able to take her actual birthday trip. Upon arrival at the airport she discovered that our destination was St. Louis, MO and we would be renting a car there to drive to our final destination. After a cancelled flight, 2 delays, and difficulty finding the rental car, we arrived!

This was her reaction when we reached the city limits of Alton:

Alton’s Gentle Giant – Robert Pershing Wadlow

The Statue

Our first port of call was to the place that Payton had been dreaming of – the life size statue Robert Wadlow. Robert was known as Alton’s Gentle Giant. He grew to a staggering 8’11.1″ and is the tallest man in history (proven). He only lived 22 years, due to complications of infection. And doctors believe he would have kept growing had he survived.

Not only is Payton fascinated with Robert Wadlow, she also has great respect and admiration for the man he was. To have dealt with so much in just 22 years, he still remained the Gentle Giant of Alton for all of the world. So is her fascination with the man and the place he grew up, we visited again in the October of 2019 as part of our Fall Foliage road trip.

Robert Wadlow Chair & Home

Alongside the statue of Robert Wadlow, there is also a life size replica of the chair that was specially made for him. Just behind the statue sits the actual house that his family lived in when he was born. The house was recently moved to this area from its original location and will hopefully be restored in order to accommodate visitors. I really do think that we could have flown home from here and Payton would have been satisfied!

Alton Museum of History & Art

After spending time here and taking tons of pictures, we made our way over to the Alton Museum of History & Art.  The museum is located in the historic Loomis Hall across the street from the statue.  Loomis Hall is the oldest building in the state of Illinois continuously utilized for education and is absolutely fascinating.

Normally the museum is closed on Mondays, but thanks to the generosity and kindness of Brian Combs, we were able to visit and receive a private tour. There is an entire section that pays tribute to Wadlow along with other sections that explore the pioneer days, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Elijah Lovejoy, the “Alton Route” on the Underground Railroad, the legend of the piasa bird, the clothing exhibit, the Lincoln-Douglas Congressional debates, the Civil War, and much more. My eyes were truly opened to all of the history in this area.

So many famous people in history have ties to this area. It was a fascinating morning for us all. Payton also met Ms. Ruth E. Bell during our visit at the museum and the 2 of them instantly became friends. Payton later said that Ms Ruth was one of the nicest people that she had ever met because she talked to her and listened.

Payton’s contribution to the Robert Wadlow collection

After leaving the museum on that birthday trip, she told John and I that she wished she could add something to the museum. Considering that she loves to mold things out of modeling clay, John came up with the idea that she should create a Wadlow statue to give to the museum when we returned. She loved the idea and that is just what she did. On our second trip, her statue traveled with us to Alton, where she was able to dedicate it to the museum. She was so excited and we greatly appreciate Brian, Ruth, and Molly for accepting the statue and adding it to the museum.

The Masonic Lodge

After the museum, we made our way to the Masonic Lodge, just down the street. This is where the original Wadlow chair is housed, along with many other items from his life, including his Masonic ring. There is also a replica ring that you can “try on” to see how his ring would fit on your finger. It really is hard to imagine a person that stood 8ft 11in until you see his ring, sit in his chair, and put your shoe next to his. It is just unfathomable until you experience it!

Other things to do in Alton Illinois

Alton Visitor Bureau

We have to say a really big thanks to Stephanie and the Alton Visitor Bureau, who hosted both our visits to the area. They really do care about every single person that visits the area. With so many wonderful sights in the Alton and Grafton area, including the Great River Road, they love to promote their area to the world.

National Great Rivers Museum / Melvin Price Locks & Dam

Next on our list was the National Great Rivers Museum/Melvin Price Locks & Dam. This 12,000 square foot museum is dedicated to telling the story of the people, nature, and wildlife that have shaped the river throughout history. The museum is packed with 20 highly interactive and computer animated exhibits that illustrate the impact of the Mississippi River on the people and the region as a whole! Again, so much history in this area where the Illinois River, the Mississippi River, and the Missouri River come together! The dam itself is massive, and thanks to Janet Meredith, we were given a private tour to the top to learn more about how it works. The greatest benefit of homeschooling, in my opinion, is learning hands on.

Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower

After leaving the dam, we headed over to the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower just a couple of miles down the road. This tower rises 180 feet above the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and has 3 viewing platforms located at 50, 100, and 150 feet.  Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Bernie Caldwell, we once again received a private tour all the way to the top.

The views from the top highlight the surrounding area including the Village of Hartford, the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway, the Lewis and Clark journey, and, of course, the two great rivers!

At the base of the tower you will find a garden representing plants collected by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their westward journey, an outdoor amphitheater, and an indoor visitors center that includes interactive exhibits!

Lewis and Clark Historic Site

We continued our history lesson a mile down the road at the Lewis and Clark Historic Site. I think this was John’s favorite from the trip. You literally take a step back in time here and walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they plan their journey to explore the western United States in 1804. As National Trail Site #1 on the Lewis and Clark trail, the site houses a museum dedicated to the planning and journey of the two explorers and their Corps of Discovery.

The site showcases how common men became soldiers and then embarked on a military expedition to explore uncharted territory west of St. Louis. It was near this site that the group began their journey on May 14, 1804. Included here are 5 exhibit rooms, the film “At Journey’s Edge” and a 55 foot full scale “cutaway” keelboat. It was fascinating and we all learned so much, including John, who is our family’s personal history buff. We really appreciate the time Mr. Ben Pollard spent with us during our visit making our time here much more personal and educational.

Cahokia Mounds

The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Interpretive Center is located in Collinsville, just south of Alton. The remains of the most civilized prehistoric civilization north of Mexico are preserved here. Within this 2,000 acre tract lies the archeological remains of the Mississippians and their ancient civilization known today as Cahokia. The Mississipians built over 80 man-made mounds, of which 70 still exist. These mounds were used for purposes including ceremonial grounds and burial grounds. The city was vibrant with people doing everyday activities such as communicating, trading, and living a simple life. What was even more amazing was that Payton had learned about this civilization in history just 2 weeks prior to our visit. We appreciate Mr. Matt Migalla and Ms. Lori Belknap for the tour and the time they spent with us!

The views from the top were worth every step even in the heat. From here you can see for miles, including the Gateway Arch just over the river!

Brook’s Catsup Bottle Water Tower

When you’re in the area, look out for the Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower. At 170 feet tall, the largest water tower in the world is the Brooks Catsup Bottle in Collinsville. It was built in 1949 to supply water to the catsup plant below. The water tower was later refurbished and is now a beautiful, historic attraction off Route 66 and is famous worldwide.

Old Herald Brewery & Distillery

You’ll be fixin’ for a beverage at this point, so head over to the Old Herald Brewery & Distillery. This former site of the Collinsville Herald newspaper has been transformed into a full service restaurant, production brewery, and craft distillery. I love the way they reinvented the building and yet retained so much of the history.

Pop over to St Louis to see the Gateway Arch

The massive size of the Arch is really hard to imagine until you stand under it and look up. It truly is one of those moments that you have to experience in person.

There is so much to do in St Louis, so we will have to return for a longer visit next time!

I am not going to lie, I was very nervous about the ride to the top. I am not afraid of heights in any way, but I am severely claustrophobic. To the point I choose stairs over elevators when possible. The cars to the top are small, but luckily it was just the 3 of us in ours. I probably would not have done as well if we had been packed in there. Once we made it to the top, the views made it worth every second of the eyes closed slow deep breathing ride.

Where to eat in Alton Illinois

My Just Desserts

The name says it all! The food is made fresh every day by Ms. Yvonne and her staff, and it is phenomenal. Homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, breads, and of course, desserts.

Sherry’s Snacks

Payton was in heaven – there was candy everywhere. And Sherry, the owner, was as sweet as the candy in the store. We enjoyed our visit and left with lots of treats for later. You can’t visit the area without stopping in to say hi and grab some sweet treats.

Morrison’s Irish Pub

Authentic is the only way I can describe the food and the atmosphere at Morrison’s. Fish and chips are one of my absolute favorites and their’s was outstanding.

Where to stay in Alton

At the upper end of the scale, the elegant Beall Mansion B&B is a great option for those looking for a refined home from home. The Hampton Inn & Suites and Best Western Premier offer clean and comfortable mid-range options. With the Super 8 and Comfort Inn covering your budget accommodation offerings in Alton.

Alton Illinois & The Tallest Man in History

If you remember back to the beginning of this story, I had my doubts about visiting Alton. Needless to say, my eyes have been opened to all that there is to see and do and experience in this area. Not only is it paradise for every homeschooling family with all of the history, it is also beautiful and inviting in every way. If you have not visited this region, I highly recommend you make plans to do so.

Lastly, the one thing we learned about the world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow, was that the biggest part of him was his heart. Everyone we met on our journey to Alton, Illinois obviously shares this same trait. Until we meet again Alton, it was our pleasure!

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