| O'Fallon Historical Society O'Fallon, Illinois |
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| O'Fallon Historical Society Museum 101 W State St, PO Box 344 O'Fallon, IL 62269-0344 |
| Office Phone: 618-624-8409 Hours: Wed, Sat 1 - 4 pm and by appointment |
| Email |
Founded in 1988, the O'Fallon Historical Society is dedicated to the preservation of the history of O'Fallon,
Illinois and the surrounding area. O'Fallon is located in St. Clair County on I-64 just east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Since 1996, the Society has operated a museum at 101 W. State St. in downtown O'Fallon. Located in the
historic First National Bank building (erected in 1904 and remodeled to its current exterior appearance in
1922), the museum is staffed exclusively by dedicated volunteers and boasts two floors of exhibit and
storage space. The Society also operates a satellite museum, the Scale House, at 216 E. First St. and
oversees the maintenance of historic Rock Spring Cemetery. Admission to both museums is always free.
Tour groups are welcome but advance notice is appreciated.
The main museum features permanent exhibits on local schools, railroads, coal mining, industry, sports
and military service. Two famous native sons, illustrator Bernie Fuchs and Academy Award winning
actor William Holden, are celebrated in permanent exhibits, as well.
The Society meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm at the main museum at 101 W State.
Interesting programs are often featured and the public is always welcome.
The Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation and is 501(c)3 tax exempt. It is a member of the
American Association for State and Local History.
We welcome you and invite you to learn more about our town by exploring our selection of online resources.
Illinois and the surrounding area. O'Fallon is located in St. Clair County on I-64 just east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Since 1996, the Society has operated a museum at 101 W. State St. in downtown O'Fallon. Located in the
historic First National Bank building (erected in 1904 and remodeled to its current exterior appearance in
1922), the museum is staffed exclusively by dedicated volunteers and boasts two floors of exhibit and
storage space. The Society also operates a satellite museum, the Scale House, at 216 E. First St. and
oversees the maintenance of historic Rock Spring Cemetery. Admission to both museums is always free.
Tour groups are welcome but advance notice is appreciated.
The main museum features permanent exhibits on local schools, railroads, coal mining, industry, sports
and military service. Two famous native sons, illustrator Bernie Fuchs and Academy Award winning
actor William Holden, are celebrated in permanent exhibits, as well.
The Society meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm at the main museum at 101 W State.
Interesting programs are often featured and the public is always welcome.
The Society is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation and is 501(c)3 tax exempt. It is a member of the
American Association for State and Local History.
We welcome you and invite you to learn more about our town by exploring our selection of online resources.
| Would you like to become a member of the O'Fallon Historical Society? Dues are only $15 per year for individuals, $20 for families. Email us for an application. |
| updated 01/10/2021 |
| Copyright 2021 O'Fallon Historical Society, Inc. All rights reserved. Click here for copyright information. |
| Visitors since 10/16/2007 |
| Preserving the history of the O'Fallon area since 1988 |
| Celebrating our 33rd Year |
| A very brief history of O'Fallon Though Native American settlement dates back centuries, O’Fallon’s first modern-day settlement was made in 1802 by Revolutionary War veteran Capt. Joseph Ogle. Others soon followed, lured by rich land well suited to agriculture. It was here that John Mason Peck founded Rock Spring Seminary in 1827, the first college in Illinois. Within 25 years, coal mining had begun and the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad was built. The town began as O’Fallon Station, a depot of the O & M Railroad, named for railroad president Col. John O’Fallon of St. Louis, a nephew of George Rogers Clark and William Clark. The first lots were sold at public auction on May 13, 1854. The first public school was built in 1861. O’Fallon was incorporated as a village in 1874 and converted to city government in 1905. The Community Park was established in 1924 and a public library in 1930. Scott Air Force Base, founded in 1917, contributed to much of O’Fallon’s growth and I-64 fueled its rise as a commercial center. O’Fallon is the birthplace of actor William Holden and illustrator Bernie Fuchs. Today, at over 29,000, O’Fallon is one of the fastest growing cities in the St. Louis area. |
| O'Fallon, Illinois Time |
| Meetings Society meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month year round (except June) at 7 pm at the History Museum, 101 W. State Street in historic downtown O'Fallon, Illinois. June is the month of our annual picnic at a different location and time but same date. There is generally a program following the business meeting. The monthly meetings are open to the public and there is no admission charge. Free parking is available in front of the museum on State Street or on the city lot directly south of the building across the railroad tracks. There are no parking meters in O'Fallon -- parking is always free. For more information about programs, see the Society News page on this website. NOTICE: Effective Sat. Jan. 23, 2021, the museum will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m. Other times are possible by appointment. Masks and social distancing in the building are required and we reserve the right to limit the number of visitors at any given time. In person meetings and programs are still suspended. In case of inclement weather, please call ahead before visiting the museum to make sure we're open. For current info and events, please check out our Facebook page using the link under our email address at the top of the page. News and Upcoming Events School Photo Project -- The Society is now posting photos online of O'Fallon area grade school classes with students identified, to the extent that they are known. Eventually, O'Fallon High School photos as well as other school related items will be posted. Click on the "Photos" link at the top of this page to check them out. News from Other Local Historical Groups Interested in the work of the O'Fallon Historic Preservation Commission? They meet the first Tuesday of each month (except July) at 6:30 pm at O'Fallon City Hall. The Commission is a city advisory board appointed by the mayor. Meetings are open to the public. |
| About Us |
| Bulletin Board |
| The museum building was named a St. Clair County Historic Site by the St. Clair County Historical Society on Oct. 19, 2008. |
| Built in 1904, the building was originally home to the First National Bank until 1960. It was the site of the O’Fallon Public Library from 1930 to 1945 (second floor) and 1962 to 1995. Since 1996, it has been the home of the O’Fallon Historical Society Museum and is owned by the City of O’Fallon. The second floor originally housed the Smiley Brothers Telephone Exchange as well as a wide variety of businesses and professionals including city offices. |
| Want to know about our sister city, O'Fallon, Missouri? Check out the website of their historical society here. www.ofallonmohistory.org |
| Free Admission |
