Skip to main content
Frank Lloyd Wright House and Studio - Oak Park

Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument

Alton Cemetery at Monument Ave., Alton, IL 62002

Historic Sites

Visit the monument of an amazingly persistent and inspirational freedom fighter, Elijah P. Lovejoy.

This monument memorializes Elijah P. Lovejoy, whose work and death in Alton gave him a place in history for the abolition of slavery. During the slavery era, Elijah Lovejoy was a pastor who wrote anti-slavery editorials so controversial he became an object of hatred by slaveholders. Despite threats to his life, he continued his anti-slavery writings in the Alton Observer, even after three of his printing presses were thrown into the Mississippi River. It was this persistence that led an angry pro-slavery mob to attack and kill him in 1837.

You might also be interested...

Alton's National Cemetery

Alton

Fought on American soil, the Civil War was the deadliest war in American history.

Read more about Alton's National Cemetery

Underground Railroad Shuttle Tours

Alton

Discover the story of the Underground Railroad throughout Alton, IL.

Read more about Underground Railroad Shuttle Tours

Mysterious Mineral Springs

Alton

Overnight paranormal retreats, ghost hunting, you name it! If you're ready to be spooked in Alton, IL, visit the Mineral Springs Mall.

Read more about Mysterious Mineral Springs

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.