Glen Carbon

The village of Glen Carbon is tucked into river bluffs in southwestern Illinois. European immigrants working at a brickyard and coal mines incorporated the village in 1892 and elected some of their peers to organize protection and services. In the 1900 US Census, the village’s population reached 1,200; in the 1930s, it dropped to 300. Families stayed together by buying company houses for $50 per room, and neighborhood and government programs helped them survive. As the economy improved, Gle...