O'Fallon Township High School - Panther Yearbook (O'Fallon, IL)

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Hoodbmbbehsmeebq'Monae Etraonn ESEBaEQQEQEQonnBfaQQaaaanQBnQflQQQaQMOOE jjj CORNER OF LINCOLN AVENUE AND MADISON STREET Our Home Town O’Fallon is a beautiful little city of about 2500 inhabitants. It is situated on the Midland Trail, 18 miles east of St. Louis, in one of the most desirable parts of St. Clair county. While much of the land east of St. Louis is low, the altitude of O’Fallon is 551 feet above sea level. This gives excellent drainage to the entire district and increases sanitation. Because of the rising ground and the excellent situation some of the most desirable residence locations of St. Clair county lie in the city. The city proper lies in the widst of a wonderful farming and dairying com- munity, in fact the famous Shiloh Valley District, which borders O’Fal- lon on the south, is known as “The Garden Spot of Illinois.” Splendid hard roads lead away from O’Fallon to the East, West, and South. By means of these, the residents of O’Fallon have easy access to the indus- trial centers of Belleville, East St. Louis, and St. Louis. It requires thir- ty-five minutes to reach the heart of St. Louis from O’Fallon. Bus lines are operated to St. Louis and Belleville, and because of this it is possible for many people who are employed in other cities to live in O’Fallon. O’Fallon is served by three railroads, the Baltimore and Ohio, Louisville and Nashville, and the Illinois Terminal. The Baltimore and Ohio and the Louisville and Nashville give access to the main trunk lines of these railroads. The Terminal, only recently completed, forms a perfect belt line for the town, entering East St. Louis and St. Louis and connects with the main trunk lines running from Chicago and points East. This splen- did railroad service promises wonderful facilities for new factories and other industries. Six

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g K s — B ' ''''’h. - - LOOKING EAST ON STATE STREET O’FALLON. ILLINOIS

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The chief industries in and around O’Fallon, besides the farming and dairying previously mentioned, are mining and manufacturing. The largest industrial plant of the city is the Eureka Steel Range Company, makers of the Eureka steel ranges and stoves. This company is one of the largest manufacturers of steel ranges in the United States. It em- ploys approximately five-hundred people and manufactures both steel and enamel ranges and cook stoves for gas, electricity, and coal. There are five large coal mines close by. It is interesting to know that one of these mines, the Taylor Mine, is the oldest active coal mine in the State of Illinois. In addition to the industries mentioned above, our town also contains a flour and feed mill, tw'o bakeries, and a creamery, all of which are w'ell-equipped and whose products are known far beyond the boundaries of O’Fallon. Conveniences within the city are on a par with those of cities boast- ing a much larger population than ours. The city is supplied with “twen- ty-four hour” electric service by the Illinois Power and Light Corpora- tion. A sanitary sewer system, which abutts every lot in the city and offers possibilities for connection, makes the city a healthful place in which to live. An efficient motorized fire department, which owns two well-equipped motor trucks, has reduced fire loss to a very negligible amount. The city contains approximately three miles of paved streets. One of the well-known features of the tow-n is the large community building. This building is located on a twenty acre tract of ground which is to be landscaped and formed into a community park. Bonds have already been issued and the contract let for the laying of a water main from the limits of East St. Louis to O’Fallon. This work will be completed during the summer and then O’Fallon will enjoy the same kind of water service as that of East St. Louis and Belleville. One of the most pleasing features about our city is the fact that not less than eighty percent of the people of O’Fallon live in their own homes. This has made it a solid substantial town and not a “boom- tow'n”. At the beginning of 1930 the two banks of the city showed bank resources exceeding $1,636,000.00. Our city has four w'ell supported and well maintained churches, an active Business Men’s Association, and a Rotary Club, which ranks among the best in Rotary International. At the present time, this club holds second place in the world for perfect attendance. O’Fallon’s growth has not been of the mushroom type, but the city has had a healthy and steady increase in new modern homes each year. During the past five y°ars, no less than one hundred modern homes have been constructed within the city. In the light of all the above, is it any wonder that we, the class of 1930, are justified in boost- ing our home town? a Seven KS KM