Alton (ôlˈtən) [key], city (1990 pop. 32,905), Madison co., SW
Ill., on bluffs of the Mississippi River 5 mi (8.1 km) above its
confluence with the Missouri; inc. 1837. Alton is a shipping and
industrial center, and there are oil refineries nearby. Food
products, lime, crushed stone, lumber, crystal, paperboard,
maechinery, and steel are produced. Riverboat gambling, a
redeveloped riverfront, and antique stores attract tourists. The
Clark Bridge across the Mississippi connects Alton with West
Alton, Mo., and the St. Louis metropolitan area. Of interest are
a monument to the abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy, who was killed by
a mob in Alton; a tablet marking the site of the last Lincoln-
Douglas debate (1858); and a cemetery where many captured
Confederate soldiers are buried. Alton suffered extensive flood
damage in 1993. More on Alton from Fact Monster: See more
Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography