Alton (/ˈɔːltən/ AWL-tən) is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 18 miles (29 km) north of St. Louis, Missouri.

It's the former location of an historical state penitentiary, and played a significant role preceding and during the American Civil War.

Earlier native settlement is demonstrated by archaeological artifacts and the famous prehistoric Piasa bird painted on a cliff face nearby.

The dates of different flood levels are marked on the large grain silos, part of the Ardent Mills, near the Argosy Casino at the waterfront.

Escaped slaves would cross the river to seek shelter in Alton, and proceed to safer places through stations of the Underground Railroad.

During the years before the American Civil War, several homes were equipped with tunnels and hiding places for stations on the Underground Railroad to aid slaves escaping to the North.

On November 7, 1837, the abolitionist printer Reverend Elijah P. Lovejoy was murdered by a pro-slavery mob while he tried to protect his Alton-based press from being destroyed for the third time.

A memorial at the site in downtown Alton features oversized statues of Lincoln and Douglas, as they would have appeared during the debate.

Congressional representatives came to Alton when they drafted the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution, to permanently end slavery throughout the Union.

The Federal Government reinforced the Arsenal's tiny garrison with several detachments, including a force from the 2nd Infantry under Captain Nathaniel Lyon.

Concerned by widespread reports that Governor Jackson intended to use the Missouri Volunteer Militia to attack the Arsenal and capture its 39,000 small arms, Secretary of War Simon Cameron ordered Lyon (by that time in acting command) to evacuate the majority of the arms to Illinois.

A Confederate mass grave on the north side of Alton holds many of the dead from the epidemic and a memorial marks the site.

Often when Confederate prisoners escaped, they tried to cross the Mississippi River back to the slave state of Missouri.

[citation needed] World War II saw a group of seven brothers join the military and variously became decorated veterans.

[14] Because of Alton's location at the Mississippi River, the Great Flood of 1993 with its high water levels caused severe damage to the city.

Adjacent to it on the Illinois side is the National Great Rivers Museum  [Wikidata], which features tours of the dam itself several times per day.

Also adjacent to the Audubon Center is the Jones-Confluence Point State Park, where one can stand at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

The lock is a favorite spot to watch bald eagles, which feed on fish coming up in waters below the dam.

A large bird sanctuary is located in an area of floodplain and wetlands on the west side of the river.

It provides views of the dramatic contrast between the high cliffs of the Illinois side to the broad, flat, green agricultural countryside of Portage des Sioux, Missouri.

Hidden in a notch of the cliff is the tiny village of Elsah, once a down-and-dirty, liquor-soaked tugboaters' retreat, now with renovated properties and antique shops in historic houses.

Other Greater Alton attractions include Alton Marina; nine golf courses, including Spencer T. Olin, the only Arnold Palmer-designed and -managed course in Illinois or the St. Louis Metropolitan area; fine dining and night life; and a large selection of bed-and-breakfasts and guest houses.

[33] A designated bikeway extends for miles north of town along the Mississippi River and below the limestone bluffs; its relatively flat grade and passage through tree-shaded areas makes it an easy ride for families.

[33] During the migration seasons, Alton is a destination for birdwatchers along the Mississippi Flyway; winter visitors come to see the bald eagles that roost on the Illinois limestone bluffs and feed on fish in the river.

A few miles to the north is Père Marquette State Park, with a WPA-era lodge and attractions including trails for hikers and riders, and horses for hire.

Alton has been selected as a station stop on a line running from St. Louis to Chicago, and opened on September 13, 2017.

Trains travel north to Chicago Union Station, and south to Gateway Transportation Center in St. Louis.

Madison County Transit provides bus service in the city with hubs downtown and at the Amtrak station.

The 1979 feature film Dreamer, starring Tim Matheson, Susan Blakely and Jack Warden, was primarily shot on location in Alton.

[55] The McPike Mansion and Mineral Springs Hotel were featured on the Travel Channel series, Ghost Adventures.