Granite City, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Granite City is a city in Madison County
, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East
and Southern Illinois, behind Alton
and Belleville
. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers who established it as a steel making company town
for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.
and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.
Since 1866, the brothers had been operating the St. Louis Stamping Company, an iron works company, that made kitchen utensils in St. Louis, Missouri
. In the 1870s, William discovered an enamelware process in Europe whereby metal utensils could be coated with enamel to make them lighter and more resistant to oxidation. At the time most enamelware was usually just one color as the additions of any colors to the process was inefficient. On June 1, 1878, William applied for Patent 207543 to improve the efficiency whereby a pattern could be applied to enamelware while the enamel was still wet simply by placing a thin piece of paper with an oxidized pattern on top of it. The paper would fall off in the drying process and the pattern was embedded. The brothers' pattern made the utensils resemble granite.
The resulting product was enormously popular.
The brothers opened the Granite Iron Rolling Mills in St. Louis to provide tin
(imported from Wales
) to its prospering kitchen supplies manufacturer. The imported tin had a $22 per ton tariff
.
Frederick ran for Congress in Missouri 1888. During his one term he successfully urged the passage of a new tariff of 50 percent of value on imported iron and tin.
With the increased tariff the U.S. steel industry (including their iron plant) took off.
As they planned expansion of their Bessemer process
steel works, they were blocked by the city of St. Louis which did not want the expansion. As well, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
planned to tax coal crossing the Mississippi River
into Missouri.
across the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
tracks for their new Granite City.
With the help of the St. Louis City Engineer, a street grid was laid out with streets listed in alphabetic order plus numbered streets, and the only exception being Niedringhaus Avenue.
The Niedringhaus family required that its employees live in the town. Houses were purchased with Niedinghaus mortgages. Unlike Pullman, however, they did not exert major control over the day-to-day lives of their employees and left the government of the city up to the residents.
African-Americans were not allowed in the community and instead congregated in Brooklyn, Illinois
.
The plant would later grow to occupy 1250000 square feet (116,128.8 m²) and employ more than 4,000 people. The plant prospered until the 1950s when aluminum, stainless steel
, and pyrex
replaced iron-based utensils.
The granite pattern in kitchen utensils, particularly in roasting pans, remains very popular.
, Precoat Metals, Capri-Sun, Kraft Foods
, Heidtman Steel, ADM
Packaged Oils, Prairie Farms, and American Steel. The clothing retailer Glik's
is also based in Granite City.
, bordering Horseshoe Lake
on its southeastern side. The city sits in the American Bottom
, a wide, flat and fertile plain. Although at risk during the Great Flood of 1993
, the city never flooded and is protected by a series of levees along both the Mississippi River
and Chain of Rocks Canal.
Granite City is located within a few miles of five interstate highways. Interstate 270
passes through the northern edge of the city and Interstates 255
, 70
, 55
, and 64
all pass just to the south and east of the city.
Route 3 is a major thoroughfare along the western edge of the city and provides access to downtown St. Louis across the recently renovated McKinley Bridge
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²), of which 16.7 square miles (43.3 km²) are land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (2.85%) is water.
The Wilson park area is home to the recently renovated Coolidge Middle School, Niedringhaus Elementary School, and Granite City High School as well as the city's crown jewel, Wilson Park. Wilson Park is sometimes called the "heart" of Granite City and is known for its nicely kept "turn of the century" homes.
East Granite is less defined, but is mostly modern residential subdivisions as well as both St. Elizabeth and Holy Family Catholic Schools. East Granite is north of the blast furnace at US Steel. US Steel's complex was formerly known as the Granite City Steel Co.
Downtown is at the southwestern part of the city and is home to much of the city's industry, including the Granite City Steel Works. Downtown Granite suffered a downturn in the 1970s, which vacated much of its commercial buildings and in turn, urban decay began. More recently, there have been revitalization efforts to revive the downtown area, although they are still in their early stages. These efforts are modeled on nearby cities such as Belleville, IL, Edwardsville, IL, and St. Charles, MO. Revitalization efforts include installing tree-filled medians on Niedringhaus Avenue, repaving streets, granting tax incentives, and new zoning restrictions. There is even a new three screen cinema built.
West Granite is located west of downtown across the railroad lines. West Granite contains both industrial and lower income residential areas and has been struggling to fight its above average crime rate. Lincoln Place
(which in 1907, was named Hungary Hollow) became inhabited by about 10,000 immigrants from Macedonia
, Hungary
, Mexico
and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In 1910, many Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia migrated to Hungary Hollow.
Popular dining establishments include Applebees, El Torerro, Si Señor, Apple Tree Family Restaurant, Great Wall, Vin Hoa, Lam's Garden, Imo's Pizza, Jerry's Cafeteria, Petri Cafe, Pizza World, and Ravanelli's Restaurant. The city also has several fast food chains such as McDonald's, Jack-in-the-Box, and Arby's.
Over the last couple of years several retailers have moved into the city. Fashion stores, sports stores, and electronics retailers can be found throughout the new Nameoki Commons complex. Wal*Mart, K-Mart, and Big Lots are the three largest retailers in town, however a Lowe's was completed in late 2009. A number of grocery stores including Schnucks, Shop n' Save, Save-a-Lot, Farm Fresh, Cionko's Meat Market, Aldi's and the Farmer's Market are located within the city.
For racing fans, there is the Tri-City Speedway
, one of the area's dirt tracks. Formerly known for its 1/2 mile and 1/4 mile, it was recently renovated in 2007 as a 3/8 mile dirt oval with 10 degrees of banking in the corners. Former NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, his brothers Mike and Kenny, and Kenny Shrader and Tony Stewart, are some of the NASCAR drivers who have raced there.
Almost every year there is a Day Out With Thomas
event held at Americas Central Port (Former Army Base). This event allows you to take a train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine
, you get to do activities and coloring pages, listen to music, go to the imagination station (a place where you can see and play with model train exhibits and train sets), gift shop, and much more.
There is a three-screen movie theater located in downtown.
The Granite City Park District owns 13 parks. Wilson Park is the most notable. A 1.4 miles (2.3 km) paved trail encircles the 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) park which contains a pool, ice rink, park office, skate park, food and beverage stand ,tennis courts, several pavilions, baseball fields, and a wedding area. The Park District offers baseball, flag football, tennis, soccer, basketball, and hockey programs for the youth.
Every summer around July 4, Wilson Park hosts the Patriots in the Park program. The program includes live entertainment, carriage rides, carnival rides, food & beverage stands, and the second largest fireworks display in the St. Louis area.
Madison County Transit provides an outstanding 85 miles (136.8 km) network of newly paved, well maintained bikeways throughout the county as well as Granite City.
The new YMCA
, part of the River's Edge Development was recently completed. The complex includes aquatics programs, a youth center, weightlifting, batting cages, basketball/tennis courts, and a child care center.
For those who golf, there are two golf courses near Granite City. The Legacy Golf Course and the Arlington Golf Course both offer eighteen hole championship courses.
Horseshoe Lake State Park wraps around Horseshoe Lake
, a 2400 acres (9.7 km²) natural lake, the largest lake in the St. Louis area. The park provides a wonderful place for picnicking, cycling, fishing, wildlife viewing, and small boating. Hunting is allowed during hunting season and a small primitive campground is located on Walker's Island.
Two private Catholic K-8 schools are located in the city, Holy Family and St. Elizabeth.
The Southwestern Illinois College
Campus (SWIC) is located at the northern end of the city. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
(SIUE) in Edwardsville, Illinois
just miles away.
was 1,876.2 people per square mile (724.5/km²). There were 14,022 housing units at an average density of 840.5 per square mile (324.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.73% White, 1.99% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races
, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.86% of the population.
There were 12,773 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,615, and the median income for a family was $42,130. Males had a median income of $34,226 versus $23,510 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,691. About 8.8% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Madison County, Illinois
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Madison County is part of the Metro-East region of the St. Louis Metro Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 269,282, which is an increase of 4.0% from 258,941 in 2000. The county seat is Edwardsville, home to...
, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East
Metro-East
Metro East is a region in Illinois that comprises the eastern suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It encompasses five Southern Illinois counties in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region's most populated city is Belleville at 45,000 residents...
and Southern Illinois, behind Alton
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
and Belleville
Belleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers who established it as a steel making company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.
Six Mile
The area was settled much earlier than Granite City's official founding. In the early 19th century, settlers began to farm the rich fertile grounds to the east of St. Louis. The 1830s saw the establishment of Six Mile, a farming area that occupied the area of present-day Granite City, six miles (10 km) from St. Louis. Soon after, the national road was constructed through the area and by 1865, the first railroad was built. Granite City is the 15th-most populous city in Illinois, outisde of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.Granite ware
Granite City was founded in 1896 to be a planned company city similar to Pullman, Illinois, by German immigrant brothers Frederick G.Frederick G. Niedringhaus
Frederick Gottlieb Niedringhaus was a U.S. Representative from Missouri, uncle of Henry Frederick Niedringhaus.Born in Lübbecke, Westphalia, North Germany, Niedringhaus attended the common schools....
and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.
Since 1866, the brothers had been operating the St. Louis Stamping Company, an iron works company, that made kitchen utensils in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. In the 1870s, William discovered an enamelware process in Europe whereby metal utensils could be coated with enamel to make them lighter and more resistant to oxidation. At the time most enamelware was usually just one color as the additions of any colors to the process was inefficient. On June 1, 1878, William applied for Patent 207543 to improve the efficiency whereby a pattern could be applied to enamelware while the enamel was still wet simply by placing a thin piece of paper with an oxidized pattern on top of it. The paper would fall off in the drying process and the pattern was embedded. The brothers' pattern made the utensils resemble granite.
The resulting product was enormously popular.
The brothers opened the Granite Iron Rolling Mills in St. Louis to provide tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
(imported from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) to its prospering kitchen supplies manufacturer. The imported tin had a $22 per ton tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
.
Frederick ran for Congress in Missouri 1888. During his one term he successfully urged the passage of a new tariff of 50 percent of value on imported iron and tin.
With the increased tariff the U.S. steel industry (including their iron plant) took off.
As they planned expansion of their Bessemer process
Bessemer process
The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass-production of steel from molten pig iron. The process is named after its inventor, Henry Bessemer, who took out a patent on the process in 1855. The process was independently discovered in 1851 by William Kelly...
steel works, they were blocked by the city of St. Louis which did not want the expansion. As well, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis is a terminal railroad owned by railroads in St. Louis, Missouri which handles traffic through its metropolitan area.-Components:It was founded in 1889 in a deal orchestrated by Jay Gould by:...
planned to tax coal crossing the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
into Missouri.
Company town
In 1891, the brothers bought 3500 acres (14.2 km²) from the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
across the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
tracks for their new Granite City.
With the help of the St. Louis City Engineer, a street grid was laid out with streets listed in alphabetic order plus numbered streets, and the only exception being Niedringhaus Avenue.
The Niedringhaus family required that its employees live in the town. Houses were purchased with Niedinghaus mortgages. Unlike Pullman, however, they did not exert major control over the day-to-day lives of their employees and left the government of the city up to the residents.
African-Americans were not allowed in the community and instead congregated in Brooklyn, Illinois
Brooklyn, Illinois
Brooklyn , is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. Located just 2 miles north of East St. Louis, Illinois and 3 miles northeast of Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, it is the oldest town incorporated by African Americans in the United States...
.
The plant would later grow to occupy 1250000 square feet (116,128.8 m²) and employ more than 4,000 people. The plant prospered until the 1950s when aluminum, stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
, and pyrex
Pyrex
Pyrex is a brand name for glassware, introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915.Originally, Pyrex was made from borosilicate glass. In the 1940s the composition was changed for some products to tempered soda-lime glass, which is the most common form of glass used in glass bakeware in the US and has...
replaced iron-based utensils.
The granite pattern in kitchen utensils, particularly in roasting pans, remains very popular.
2000s history
As of 2008, several large manufacturing corporations operate in the city, including U.S. SteelU.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
, Precoat Metals, Capri-Sun, Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
, Heidtman Steel, ADM
Archer Daniels Midland
The Archer Daniels Midland Company is a conglomerate headquartered in Decatur, Illinois. ADM operates more than 270 plants worldwide, where cereal grains and oilseeds are processed into products used in food, beverage, nutraceutical, industrial and animal feed markets worldwide.ADM was named the...
Packaged Oils, Prairie Farms, and American Steel. The clothing retailer Glik's
Glik's
Glik's is an American retail clothing chain based in Granite City, Illinois. It was founded in 1897 by Joseph Glik. The chain operates more than 50 locations in the Midwestern United States, primarily in Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota.-History:...
is also based in Granite City.
Geography
Granite City is located at 38°43′4"N 90°7′46"W (38.717849, -90.129529), adjacent to the Chain of Rocks Canal on the Upper Mississippi RiverUpper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
, bordering Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake
-in Canada:*Horseshoe Lake, in Seguin Township, Ontario*Horseshoe Lake , on the Pipestone River in Kenora District, Ontario*Horseshoe Lake, in Jasper National Park-in the United States:*Horseshoe Lake, Arizona...
on its southeastern side. The city sits in the American Bottom
American Bottom
The American Bottom is the flood plain of the Mississippi River in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois, extending from Alton, Illinois, to the Kaskaskia River. It is also sometimes called "American Bottoms". The area is about , mostly protected from flooding by a levee and drainage canal...
, a wide, flat and fertile plain. Although at risk during the Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, the city never flooded and is protected by a series of levees along both the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and Chain of Rocks Canal.
Granite City is located within a few miles of five interstate highways. Interstate 270
Interstate 270
Interstate 270 is the designation for several Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to Interstate 70:*Interstate 270 , a connection in Denver*Interstate 270 , a partial beltway around St. Louis...
passes through the northern edge of the city and Interstates 255
Interstate 255
Interstate 255 is a bypass route of Interstate 55 near St. Louis, Missouri and with Interstate 270, it forms a loop around the city. Even though St. Louis is in Missouri, a majority of the route runs through Illinois. It shares its southern terminus with 270 at the junction with Interstate 55, 270...
, 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
, and 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
all pass just to the south and east of the city.
Route 3 is a major thoroughfare along the western edge of the city and provides access to downtown St. Louis across the recently renovated McKinley Bridge
McKinley Bridge
The McKinley Bridge is a steel truss bridge across the Mississippi River. It connects northern portions of the city of St. Louis, Missouri with Venice, Illinois. It opened in 1910 and was taken out of service on October 30, 2001. The bridge was reopened for pedestrian and bicyclists on November 17,...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²), of which 16.7 square miles (43.3 km²) are land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (2.85%) is water.
Cityscape
Granite City can be divided into eight areas: Downtown, East Granite, West Granite, North Granite, Nameoki Strip, Bellemore Area and the Wilson Park Area. Most retailers and dining facilities are located on the Nameoki Strip, surrounding Nameoki Road.The Wilson park area is home to the recently renovated Coolidge Middle School, Niedringhaus Elementary School, and Granite City High School as well as the city's crown jewel, Wilson Park. Wilson Park is sometimes called the "heart" of Granite City and is known for its nicely kept "turn of the century" homes.
East Granite is less defined, but is mostly modern residential subdivisions as well as both St. Elizabeth and Holy Family Catholic Schools. East Granite is north of the blast furnace at US Steel. US Steel's complex was formerly known as the Granite City Steel Co.
Downtown is at the southwestern part of the city and is home to much of the city's industry, including the Granite City Steel Works. Downtown Granite suffered a downturn in the 1970s, which vacated much of its commercial buildings and in turn, urban decay began. More recently, there have been revitalization efforts to revive the downtown area, although they are still in their early stages. These efforts are modeled on nearby cities such as Belleville, IL, Edwardsville, IL, and St. Charles, MO. Revitalization efforts include installing tree-filled medians on Niedringhaus Avenue, repaving streets, granting tax incentives, and new zoning restrictions. There is even a new three screen cinema built.
West Granite is located west of downtown across the railroad lines. West Granite contains both industrial and lower income residential areas and has been struggling to fight its above average crime rate. Lincoln Place
Lincoln Place (Granite City)
Lincoln Place is a neighborhood in Granite City, Illinois. It is located west of downtown Granite City, near the Mississippi River.-History:...
(which in 1907, was named Hungary Hollow) became inhabited by about 10,000 immigrants from Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In 1910, many Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia migrated to Hungary Hollow.
Dining, shopping, & attractions
Most dining and shopping establishments in Granite City are located along Nameoki Road, Madison Avenue, and Johnson Road.Popular dining establishments include Applebees, El Torerro, Si Señor, Apple Tree Family Restaurant, Great Wall, Vin Hoa, Lam's Garden, Imo's Pizza, Jerry's Cafeteria, Petri Cafe, Pizza World, and Ravanelli's Restaurant. The city also has several fast food chains such as McDonald's, Jack-in-the-Box, and Arby's.
Over the last couple of years several retailers have moved into the city. Fashion stores, sports stores, and electronics retailers can be found throughout the new Nameoki Commons complex. Wal*Mart, K-Mart, and Big Lots are the three largest retailers in town, however a Lowe's was completed in late 2009. A number of grocery stores including Schnucks, Shop n' Save, Save-a-Lot, Farm Fresh, Cionko's Meat Market, Aldi's and the Farmer's Market are located within the city.
For racing fans, there is the Tri-City Speedway
Tri-City Speedway
Tri-City Speedway is a 1/2-mile auto racing oval track located in Oakland Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, near the city of Franklin to the southwest. It lies even closer to the Borough of Sugarcreek, which lies in between. Also lying at about the same distance as Franklin is Oil City to the...
, one of the area's dirt tracks. Formerly known for its 1/2 mile and 1/4 mile, it was recently renovated in 2007 as a 3/8 mile dirt oval with 10 degrees of banking in the corners. Former NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, his brothers Mike and Kenny, and Kenny Shrader and Tony Stewart, are some of the NASCAR drivers who have raced there.
Almost every year there is a Day Out With Thomas
Day out with Thomas
Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licensed by HiT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage railways and feature one or more trains decorated to look like characters from the children's TV series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends....
event held at Americas Central Port (Former Army Base). This event allows you to take a train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
, you get to do activities and coloring pages, listen to music, go to the imagination station (a place where you can see and play with model train exhibits and train sets), gift shop, and much more.
There is a three-screen movie theater located in downtown.
Recreation
The Granite City Park District owns 13 parks. Wilson Park is the most notable. A 1.4 miles (2.3 km) paved trail encircles the 74 acres (299,467.6 m²) park which contains a pool, ice rink, park office, skate park, food and beverage stand ,tennis courts, several pavilions, baseball fields, and a wedding area. The Park District offers baseball, flag football, tennis, soccer, basketball, and hockey programs for the youth.
Every summer around July 4, Wilson Park hosts the Patriots in the Park program. The program includes live entertainment, carriage rides, carnival rides, food & beverage stands, and the second largest fireworks display in the St. Louis area.
Madison County Transit provides an outstanding 85 miles (136.8 km) network of newly paved, well maintained bikeways throughout the county as well as Granite City.
The new YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, part of the River's Edge Development was recently completed. The complex includes aquatics programs, a youth center, weightlifting, batting cages, basketball/tennis courts, and a child care center.
For those who golf, there are two golf courses near Granite City. The Legacy Golf Course and the Arlington Golf Course both offer eighteen hole championship courses.
Horseshoe Lake State Park wraps around Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake
-in Canada:*Horseshoe Lake, in Seguin Township, Ontario*Horseshoe Lake , on the Pipestone River in Kenora District, Ontario*Horseshoe Lake, in Jasper National Park-in the United States:*Horseshoe Lake, Arizona...
, a 2400 acres (9.7 km²) natural lake, the largest lake in the St. Louis area. The park provides a wonderful place for picnicking, cycling, fishing, wildlife viewing, and small boating. Hunting is allowed during hunting season and a small primitive campground is located on Walker's Island.
Education
Granite City Community District #9 enrolls 7100 students from throughout the Granite City area. The District operates seven elementary schools (Mitchell, Niedringhaus, Wilson, Worthen, Frohardt, Prather, and Maryville), two middle schools (Grigsby and Coolidge), and one high school (Granite City High School (GCHS)) and the Granite City Early Childhood Center. Recently the high school underwent a 14 million dollar renovation. The district is notable for its wide array of sports, clubs, and technical programs that students may participate in cost free. Recently the track, baseball field, and high school gymnasium were renovated. The High School has achieved a 96.3% graduation rate, nearly ten percent higher than the Illinois state average.Two private Catholic K-8 schools are located in the city, Holy Family and St. Elizabeth.
The Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College is the sixth largest community college in Illinois with campuses in Belleville, Granite City, and Red Bud, plus 20 off-campus sites throughout the district, including Scott Air Force Base and East St. Louis Community College Center...
Campus (SWIC) is located at the northern end of the city. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, commonly abbreviated SIUE, is a four-year coed public university in Edwardsville, Illinois about from St. Louis, Missouri. SIUE was established in 1957 as an extension of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and is the younger of the two largest...
(SIUE) in Edwardsville, Illinois
Edwardsville, Illinois
Edwardsville is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 24,293. It is the county seat of Madison County and is the third oldest city in the State of Illinois. The city was named in honor of Ninian Edwards, then Governor of the Illinois...
just miles away.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,301 people, 12,773 households, and 8,455 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,876.2 people per square mile (724.5/km²). There were 14,022 housing units at an average density of 840.5 per square mile (324.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.73% White, 1.99% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.86% of the population.
There were 12,773 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,615, and the median income for a family was $42,130. Males had a median income of $34,226 versus $23,510 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,691. About 8.8% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Robert Olen ButlerRobert Olen ButlerRobert Olen Butler is an American fiction writer. His short-story collection A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1993.-Early life:...
, Pulitzer Prize-winning fiction writer - Owen FriendOwen FriendOwen Lacey Friend was a Major League Baseball second baseman for five different teams between 1949 and 1956. Listed at 6'1, 180 lb., Friend batted and threw right-handed. Nicknamed "Red," he was born in Granite City, Illinois.Strictly a line drive hitter, Friend entered the majors with the St...
, former Major League Baseball player - Andrew GoodpasterAndrew GoodpasterAndrew Jackson Goodpaster was an American Army General. He served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe from July 1, 1969 and Commander in Chief of the United States European Command from May 5, 1969 until his retirement December 17, 1974...
, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and Four Star U.S. Army General - Kevin GreeneKevin GreeneKevin Darwin Greene is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League for 15 years and who retired after the 1999 NFL season...
, former National Football League linebacker - Matt HughesMatt Hughes (fighter)Matthew Allen Hughes is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer, and former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion. Hughes put together two separate six-fight winning streaks in the UFC, won the welterweight title on two occasions, defended the belt a record seven times, and holds the...
, former UFCUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
Welterweight Champion - Robbie LawlerRobbie LawlerRobert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
, former Elite XC Middleweight champion - Dal MaxvillDal MaxvillCharles Dallan Maxvill is a former shortstop, coach and general manager in Major League Baseball. A graduate of St. Louis' Washington University, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering, Maxvill signed a professional baseball contract in 1960 with the hometown St...
, former MLB shortstop, Gold Glove winner, and Cardinals General Manager - Ruben MendozaRuben MendozaRuben Mendoza was an American soccer forward who was a dominant player in the St. Louis leagues during the 1950s and 1960s. He earned four caps with the U.S. national team and was a member of both the 1952 U.S. Olympic and 1956 U.S. Olympic teams.-Youth:Although he was born in St...
, soccer player, two time US Olympian, two time US World Cup Team member. - Ralph T. Smith, former U.S. Senator
- Andy Phillip, Basketball Hall of Fame, led Granite City's 1940 basketball team to state championship
- Jason RobertsonJason RobertsonJason Robertson was an AIDS activist. His battle to attend school as a boy with AIDS in the 1980s helped other children with the same condition to overcome the hurdle....
, AIDS activist
External links
- City of Granite City Web Site
- http://park.granitecity.com/wfapp/park?ACTION=About
- http://www.gcsd9.net/