Editing Alton, Illinois (section)

==Arts and culture==
===Arts===
Alton is home to the Jacoby Arts Center (JAC) (formerly the Madison County Arts Council), a not-for-profit organization that supports local arts and art education and is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council.  The JAC is a regional arts center, serving 17 counties throughout south central Illinois, providing a public art gallery, art classes in a variety of media for adults and children, strong performing arts programming including a monthly live music performance, and an outlet to the literary arts, through such programs as the "Poetry Out Loud" high school-level competition and support of the Alton Writers Guild.

Alton is also home to the Alton Symphony Orchestra (ASO). As of 2011, the ASO was in its 66th season, and is considered one of the premier community orchestras in the Midwest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.altonsymphony.org/ |title=Alton Symphony Orchestra Website |website=Altonsymphony.org |access-date=August 30, 2013}}</ref> Musicians range from young adults in their teens to senior citizens. It holds four regular season concerts, a stylish pops concert, and a children's concert; the symphony offers performances to entertain and educate diverse sectors of the community.

===Theater===
Founded in 1934 as a community theater, the [[Alton Little Theater]] continues to produce a full season of dramatic and comedic plays and musicals. Its all-volunteer members bring quality theater productions to Alton in an intimate setting. The Alton high schools all offer theatrical productions throughout the school year as well.

Alton Children's Theater, founded in 1958 by Solveig Sullivan, has provided live theater for children through the years. The plays are now held at [[Lewis and Clark Community College]]'s Hatheway Hall. For many years, the company has performed for up to 10,000 children annually. This all-volunteer membership hires a professional director, who works with the members for the annual week of performances.

===Landmarks===
[[File:Lovejoy monument panorama.jpg|thumb|The massive Lovejoy monument, dedicated to free speech and the abolition of slavery]]
[[File:Piasa-Bird-Alton-IL.jpg|thumb|The cliffside reproduction of the American Indian mural, the [[Piasa Bird]]]]
* The [[Piasa Bird]] painting, reproduction of original on the face of a cliff north-west of the city.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Geary<!--from page source--> |first1=Pat |last2=Clarke |first2=Tina |year=2015<!--from page source--> |title=Piasa Bird |url=https://madison.illinoisgenweb.org/native_american/piasa_bird.html |access-date=12 September 2022 |website=Madison County ILGenWeb}}</ref>
* [[Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument]], a 110-foot-tall memorial to the famous abolitionist and free speech advocate who was murdered by a pro-slavery mob. The monument is in Alton Cemetery on the bluffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elijah Parrish Lovejoy Shaft, (Sculpture) |url=http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=ariall&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!8322~!0#focus |access-date=12 September 2022 |website=Art Inventories Catalog |publisher=[[Smithsonian American Art Museum]]}}</ref>
* A monument to 1354 Confederate soldiers who died in the Alton prison, at the North Alton Confederate Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/lots/north_alton.asp |title=North Alton Confederate Cemetery |publisher=United States Department of Veterans Affairs |access-date=July 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724181152/http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/lots/north_alton.asp |archive-date=July 24, 2009  |url-status=live}}</ref>
* The Franklin House, later known as the Lincoln Hotel,<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 October 1908 |title=Semi-Centennial Lincoln Douglas Debate Opens |pages=2 |work=[[Alton Evening Telegraph]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109457718/franklin-house-now-lincoln-house/ |access-date=12 September 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and now the Lincoln Lofts. Lincoln dined here and may have stayed overnight when in Alton for his seventh debate with Stephen Douglas on October 15, 1858. Statues of Lincoln and Douglas mark [[Lincoln Douglas Square]], at the corner of Landmarks and Broadway. This was the site of their last debate before the 1858 Illinois Senatorial Election.
* The Beall Mansion, designed by notable architect [[Lucas Pfeiffenberger]] and built in 1902 and 1903. It has been the private residence of [[Edmond Beall]], four-time mayor of Alton and state senator.
* St. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church; more than 150 years old, it served as the Cathedral of the [[Diocese]] of Alton under three bishops (1857 to 1923). In 1923 the cathedral seat of the diocese was moved from Alton to [[Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Springfield, Illinois)|Springfield]].<ref>[http://www.ssppalton.com/html/history.html "History"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425020952/http://www.ssppalton.com/html/history.html |date=April 25, 2010 }}, Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Alton. Retrieved October 30, 2009</ref>
* First Unitarian Church located at 110 E. Third Street, was built upon the foundation of St. Matthew's Catholic Church which had previously burned in the 1850s, is one of Alton's most popular ghost hunting sites in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thetelegraph.com/opinion/article/Their-view-Inconclusive-tour-of-haunted-First-12601019.php|title=Their view: Inconclusive tour of haunted First Unitarian Church|date=November 10, 2015|work=Alton Telegraph|access-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref> The church is supposedly haunted by former pastor Philip Mercer who committed suicide on November 20, 1934, within the church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ghostresearch.org/Investigations/firstu.html|title=First Unitarian Church Investigation|website=GhostSearch.org|access-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref> It was also a popular stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hauntedillinois.com/realhauntedplaces/altons-haunted-hill.php |title=Alton's Haunted Hill |publisher=Haunted Illinois |access-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref>
* The Mineral Springs Hotel, located at 301 East Broadway, was opened in 1914 due to the natural spring located on the property. During its heyday, in 1918, Hollywood actress [[Marie Dressler]] spoke at the hotel on behalf of the Liberty Loan committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prairieghosts.com/min_springs.html|title=The Mineral Springs Hotel|publisher=Ghosts of the Prairie|access-date=January 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017205856/http://www.prairieghosts.com/min_springs.html|archive-date=October 17, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The hotel closed in 1971 and became an outlet mall in 1978 and has been in operation ever since. It is also considered to be one of the most haunted places in the city, drawing ghosts hunters from all around the U.S.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Landis|first=Kelsey|url=https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/New-Mineral-Springs-owner-has-big-plans-12603255.php|title=New Mineral Springs owner has big plans|date=February 17, 2016|work=The Alton Telegraph|access-date=April 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/the-ghosts-of-alton-pt-1-mineral-springs-mall-23982.cfm|title=The Ghosts of Alton, Part 1:Mineral Springs Hotel|website=Riverbender.com|access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bumpinthenight.net/night-at-the-mineral-springs-hotel/|title=Night at the Mineral Springs Hotel|publisher=American Hauntings Ghost Hunts|access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref>
* A statue of [[Robert Pershing Wadlow]], the tallest fully documented man in the recorded history of the world.
* The cable-stayed [[Clark Bridge]] (1994).
* [[Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route|Meeting of the Rivers National Scenic Byway]], runs through the city adjacent to its Riverfront Park.
* Argosy Casino Alton, owned by [[Penn National Gaming]].
* National Great Rivers Museum includes daily tours of [[Melvin Price Locks and Dam]], the newest and busiest lock and dam complex on the main channel of the Mississippi River.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtrf.org/|title=Home|website=Mtrf.com|access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref>
* Audubon Center at Riverlands on the south side of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam, includes a small museum and is a well-known spot for birding enthusiasts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://riverlands.audubon.org/|title=Audubon Center at Riverlands|website=Riverlands.auidubon.org|access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref>
* Alton Riverfront Amphitheater in Alton's Riverfront Park, has views of the Mississippi River, Clark Bridge and Alton Marina.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://altonriverfrontamphitheater.com/|title=Alton Amphitheater &#124; Riverfront Park, Alton, Illinois|website=Altonriverfrontamphitheater.com|access-date=October 1, 2023}}</ref>