Chautauqua, Illinois

Coordinates: 38°57′52″N 90°23′08″W / 38.96444°N 90.38556°W / 38.96444; -90.38556
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Chautauqua
CDT)
Postal code
62028
Area code618
GNIS feature ID428371[1]

Chautauqua is a populated place in Jersey County, Illinois.

Great River Road (Illinois Route 100). It has functioned as a private non-denominational Christian summer resort for over a century.[citation needed
]

History

Founded in 1885 by

Sunny Jim," reputed to be one of the Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.[citation needed
]

The physical situation of the settlement added to its appeal as the hottest summer days had cool valley breezes and some evenings might require a jacket. Before the days of air-conditioning, this offered a welcome relief from the heat of the city. An early swimming pool, that used to be filled with cold spring water, remains a popular attraction.[citation needed]

A 1912 brochure described the area:

"Piasa Chautauqua is located less than 40 miles from St. Louis in a beautiful valley between high, massive bluffs with the great Mississippi serving as a guard in front and almost unexplored forest at back, one of nature’s most picturesque spots, unknown to thousands but dear to those who have enjoyed its beauties and regained health from its wonderful springs and its clear, pure air, delightful cool nights, beautiful scenery and outdoor amusements, boating, swimming, fishing, bathing, lawn tennis, croquet, baseball..."[citation needed]

In an Illinois tourists' guide in 1932, the author celebrates the region's "grandeur... [surpassing] that of the Palisades on the Hudson."[2]

The New Piasa Chautauqua Historical Society, founded in 1983,[3] is working to integrate the Chautauqua history with that of the surrounding area.[citation needed] It has been designated as the New Piasa Chautauqua Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Today, there are over two hundred cottages and substantial homes at Chautauqua. Many are occupied by the descendants of earlier owners.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chautauqua, Illinois
  2. ^ "Illinois Tourists' Guide" (PDF). Illinois State Chamber of Commerce. 1932. p. 48. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2023. Alt URL
  3. ^ "Home". chautauquahistory.org.
  4. ^ "The New Piasa Chautauqua in Alton, IL | The Chautauqua Trail". www.chautauquatrail.com. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
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