Chester, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Chester is a city located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River
Valley
in Randolph County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 8,400 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Randolph County and is located 63 miles (101.4 km) south of St. Louis
, Missouri
.
system, and began the construction of a mill
in 1829. He is said to be the town's founder. It was his wife Jane Thomas, a native of Chester, England, who gave Chester its name as a tribute to her home town. The first business in Chester was a general store
that opened in 1830 along with a castor oil
press established by R. B. Servant, who furnished farmers with seed
and growing methods to later buy the beans they produced for oil extraction. This was a flourishing business until the petroleum industry
made it obsolete.
The first wedding in the town of Chester was held on February 4, 1834. Content Walker, the bride and Amzi Andrews, the groom held their wedding in a 16 feet square log cabin
. It was attended by the entire town.
In 1839 the H.C.Cole Milling Company began.
with a corn
-grinding attachment which encouraged the townspeople to plant grains
and in a short time the first Cole flour mill was built. The mill still exists in Chester but it is now known as Con Agra
Inc. Nathan Cole also brought the first electric generator to Chester and used the surplus of power from the mill to operate street lights. This was a modern convenience that was not even available in Chicago
at that point. The generator is now on display at the Ford Museum
in Dearborn, Michigan.
(WPA) a public works program to create employment during the Great Depression
. It was completed in 1941, although due to the delivery of the filtration system being delayed it did not officially open until May 30, 1942, under the management of William Weber. 250 swimmers visited the pool
in the first week and were charged 15 cents for weekdays and 25 cents for weekends. The pool is still in operation each summer.
the Sailor Man stands in the Elzie C. Segar Memorial Park, which also honors Popeye's creator, Elzie Segar. The park is located next to the Chester Bridge. Several of Mr. Segar's characters were created from experiences with people of Chester. Chester's big event is its annual Popeye Picnic and parade, held the weekend after Labor Day. Popeye fans travel from all over the United States and the world to partake in the weekend activities. Most of the events and entertainment are free and family friendly.
New statues honoring the other Thimble Theater characters are added each year. This character trail is spread throughout Chester and to date includes
Many people and businesses help sponsor the picnic and donate money and time to make it possible.
has a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi River. Down the hill from the park is the Pierre Menard Home, an unusually fine example of French Creole-style architecture, which was built around 1815 and was the home of the first lieutenant governor of Illinois. Across the river from the fort is Kaskaskia Island, the only part of Illinois west of the Mississippi River. The island was the site of the first state capital of Illinois. A historic church founded by French explorer Pere Jacques Marquette
still holds weekly mass on the island. Older than the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell of the West is located near the church on the island and was a gift from King Louis XV of France. Five miles northeast of Chester is the Randolph County State Recreation Area
, which has a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) lake for fishing as well as hiking and equestrian trails. South of Chester is the Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area
, which has many scenic overlooks and trails to spot its namesake turkeys. Part of the Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge, a division of the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex
, is located along the Mississippi River at Chester. Chester's Evergreen Cemetery is the burial site of the first governor of Illinois, Shadrach Bond, and U.S. Senator Elias Kent Kane, Illinois' first Secretary of State and architect of the state constitution. A monument to Bond is also located within the cemetery. Additionally, Cole Memorial Park is located within the city limits of Chester.
, and a covered bridge known as Mary's River Bridge. The Chester Bridge was first constructed on August 23, 1942, as a toll bridge. Sections of this bridge were destroyed by a storm in July 1944 but it was reopened in August 1946. As of January 1, 1989 the Chester Bridge is no longer a toll bridge.
Mary's River Bridge is the only covered bridge in Chester and one of three remaining in the state. At one time there were 132 covered bridges in the state of Illinois. Mary's River Bridge was built in 1854 and stayed open to traffic for 76 years. The bridge suffered extensive damage during the 1993 flood but has been repaired. This bridge is still a Chester attraction and picnic area.
Chester's newspaper is the Randolph County Herald Tribune and the radio station is KSGM
. Chester's on-line newspaper is SunTimesNews.com.
and Great Expectations
along with his wife, visited Chester. Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
, a pilot on the Mississippi River between 1857 and the civil war, supposedly on many of his trips stayed at Chester's Cliff House, a fine river hostelry. Twain also mentioned the blue windows of Chester's Cohen Home, visible from the Mississippi, in his book "Life on the Mississippi."
Chester was also the filming location of scenes from the 1967 movie In the Heat of the Night, the 1993 movie The Fugitive
, and the 1994 film documentary Hoop Dreams
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.17% is water.
of 2000, there were 8,400 people, 2,018 households, and 1,283 families residing in the city. The population density
was 879.9 people per square mile (339.9/km²). There were 2,229 housing units at an average density of 378.3 per square mile (146.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.87% White, 3.59% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races
, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 2,018 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,079, and the median income for a family was $49,426. Males had a median income of $36,103 versus $22,239 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,190. About 5.4% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
is located in Chester. Prior to the January 11, 2003 commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Menard, Tamms
, and Pontiac
correctional centers. After that date, only Pontiac continued to host the male death row.
, the Chester Mental Health Center
, and the private label
food company Gilster-Mary Lee.
and Chester Grade School. The superintendent is Rebecca Keim. The principal of Chester High School is Keith Kittell with the vice principal being Danny Miller. The principal of Chester Grade School is Tim Lochhead with the dean of students being Deb Caraway.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
Valley
Mississippi embayment
The Mississippi Embayment is a physiographic feature in the south-central United States, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. It is essentially a northward continuation of the fluvial sediments of the Mississippi River Delta to its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. The embayment...
in Randolph County
Randolph County, Illinois
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 8,400 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Randolph County and is located 63 miles (101.4 km) south of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
History
Samuel Smith built the first home in Chester, established a ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
system, and began the construction of a mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
in 1829. He is said to be the town's founder. It was his wife Jane Thomas, a native of Chester, England, who gave Chester its name as a tribute to her home town. The first business in Chester was a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
that opened in 1830 along with a castor oil
Castor oil
Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean . Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with mild or no odor or taste. Its boiling point is and its density is 961 kg/m3...
press established by R. B. Servant, who furnished farmers with seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
and growing methods to later buy the beans they produced for oil extraction. This was a flourishing business until the petroleum industry
Petroleum industry
The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting , and marketing petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline...
made it obsolete.
The first wedding in the town of Chester was held on February 4, 1834. Content Walker, the bride and Amzi Andrews, the groom held their wedding in a 16 feet square log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
. It was attended by the entire town.
In 1839 the H.C.Cole Milling Company began.
Cole Milling Company
The Cole Milling Company was founded by Nathan Cole in 1839. It started out as a small sawmillSawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
with a corn
Corn
Corn is the name used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for the grain maize.In much of the English-speaking world, the term "corn" is a generic term for cereal crops, such as* Barley* Oats* Wheat* Rye- Places :...
-grinding attachment which encouraged the townspeople to plant grains
Food grain
thumb|150px|Barleythumb|150px|LentilGrains are small, hard, dry seeds harvested for human food or animal feed Agronomists also call the plants producing such seeds grains or grain crops....
and in a short time the first Cole flour mill was built. The mill still exists in Chester but it is now known as Con Agra
ConAgra Foods
ConAgra Foods, Inc. is an American packaged foods company. ConAgra's products are available in supermarkets, as well as restaurants and food service establishments. Its headquarters are located in Omaha, Nebraska...
Inc. Nathan Cole also brought the first electric generator to Chester and used the surplus of power from the mill to operate street lights. This was a modern convenience that was not even available in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
at that point. The generator is now on display at the Ford Museum
The Henry Ford
The Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark, , in the Metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, USA, is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex...
in Dearborn, Michigan.
International Shoe Company
In 1916 Mr. Bronson, Mr. Albert Gilster, Mr. Frank Wolff, and Mr. John Hershbach, developed the site for the International Shoe Company in the center of town whre the Gilster Mary Lee Corp. is today. In 1922 a second building was built, and the company had more than 1000 employees and was producing thousands of pairs of children's shoes. In 1953 payroll reached over $2,000,000. The factory was closed by the company in the early 1960s after 45 years of operation.Prim Hosiery Mill
In 1925 the Prim Hosiery Mill was a knitting mill that began operations under Joshua Richman with 50 employees. The mill grew employing more than 275 people and producing over 300,000 pairs of stockings a month with annual payroll exceeding $700,000. The knitting mill continued operations through the 1960s. The building still stands as one of the Gilster Mary Lee Corp. factory buildings.Chester Pool
Construction began for the Chester Pool in 1939 as part of Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) a public works program to create employment during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. It was completed in 1941, although due to the delivery of the filtration system being delayed it did not officially open until May 30, 1942, under the management of William Weber. 250 swimmers visited the pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
in the first week and were charged 15 cents for weekdays and 25 cents for weekends. The pool is still in operation each summer.
Home of "Popeye"
Chester is the "Home of Popeye," where a six-foot, 900 lb. bronze statue of PopeyePopeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
the Sailor Man stands in the Elzie C. Segar Memorial Park, which also honors Popeye's creator, Elzie Segar. The park is located next to the Chester Bridge. Several of Mr. Segar's characters were created from experiences with people of Chester. Chester's big event is its annual Popeye Picnic and parade, held the weekend after Labor Day. Popeye fans travel from all over the United States and the world to partake in the weekend activities. Most of the events and entertainment are free and family friendly.
New statues honoring the other Thimble Theater characters are added each year. This character trail is spread throughout Chester and to date includes
- Popeye the Sailor Man
- J. Wellington Wimpy (2006)
- "Olive Oyl, Swee' Pea, and Jeep" (2007)
- "Bluto" (2008)
- "Castor Oyl and Whiffle Hen" (2009)
- "Sea Hag" (2010)
Popeye's Picnic and Parade
Popeye's Picnic is an event that takes place in Chester for three days out of the year. It takes place in the month of September. Popeye's Picnic consists of rides, food stands, music, amateur wrestling matches, fireworks, in the past there were talent shows and ghost tours, an airplane show, a bazaar at St. John's Lutheran School, a small petting zoo, horseback rides for children, a sand sculpture is made representing the theme of that year's picnic, and more. The Popeye Parade is held on a Saturday morning. Before the parade there is a walk and run for anyone who wants to participate in it. Medals and trophies are awarded for the top runners and walkers in each age category. A Popeye t-shirt is included with each entry. Many people from different towns participate in this parade. The parade consists of local school bands, band fronts, such as dance teams and cheerleaders, floats from various businesses, fire departments, veterans representing the United States, politicians marching, clowns passing out stickers and candy, and finally horses trail the parade.Many people and businesses help sponsor the picnic and donate money and time to make it possible.
Parks and historic sites
The Chester area includes a number of state parks and historic sites. The Fort Kaskaskia State Historic SiteFort Kaskaskia State Historic Site
Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site is a 200-acre park near Chester, Illinois, on a blufftop overlooking the Mississippi River. It commemorates the vanished frontier town of Old Kaskaskia and the support it gave to George Rogers Clark in the American Revolution.-An earthen redoubt:The village of...
has a beautiful overlook of the Mississippi River. Down the hill from the park is the Pierre Menard Home, an unusually fine example of French Creole-style architecture, which was built around 1815 and was the home of the first lieutenant governor of Illinois. Across the river from the fort is Kaskaskia Island, the only part of Illinois west of the Mississippi River. The island was the site of the first state capital of Illinois. A historic church founded by French explorer Pere Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
still holds weekly mass on the island. Older than the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell of the West is located near the church on the island and was a gift from King Louis XV of France. Five miles northeast of Chester is the Randolph County State Recreation Area
Randolph County State Recreation Area
Randolph County State Recreation Area is an Illinois state park on in Randolph County, Illinois, United States....
, which has a 65 acres (263,045.9 m²) lake for fishing as well as hiking and equestrian trails. South of Chester is the Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park on in Randolph County, Illinois, United States....
, which has many scenic overlooks and trails to spot its namesake turkeys. Part of the Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge, a division of the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex
The Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge Complex was established for the protection of migratory birds including waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. It is located along the Mississippi Flyway, one of the major routes for migrating waterfowl...
, is located along the Mississippi River at Chester. Chester's Evergreen Cemetery is the burial site of the first governor of Illinois, Shadrach Bond, and U.S. Senator Elias Kent Kane, Illinois' first Secretary of State and architect of the state constitution. A monument to Bond is also located within the cemetery. Additionally, Cole Memorial Park is located within the city limits of Chester.
Bridges
Chester has two bridges, a river bridge known as the Chester BridgeChester Bridge
The Chester Bridge is a truss bridge connecting Missouri's Route 51 with Illinois Route 150 across the Mississippi River between Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois...
, and a covered bridge known as Mary's River Bridge. The Chester Bridge was first constructed on August 23, 1942, as a toll bridge. Sections of this bridge were destroyed by a storm in July 1944 but it was reopened in August 1946. As of January 1, 1989 the Chester Bridge is no longer a toll bridge.
Mary's River Bridge is the only covered bridge in Chester and one of three remaining in the state. At one time there were 132 covered bridges in the state of Illinois. Mary's River Bridge was built in 1854 and stayed open to traffic for 76 years. The bridge suffered extensive damage during the 1993 flood but has been repaired. This bridge is still a Chester attraction and picnic area.
Media
Chester now has Channel 10 through Cable TV. It broadcasts events, post announcements and upcoming community events, relays emergency notices and much more to the citizens of Chester. Students from the Chester Grade School contribute daily broadcasts from the school.Chester's newspaper is the Randolph County Herald Tribune and the radio station is KSGM
KSGM
KSGM is a radio station broadcasting a Country Music and Talk format. Licensed to Chester, Illinois, USA. The station is currently owned by Donze Communications....
. Chester's on-line newspaper is SunTimesNews.com.
Claims to fame
It is said that on April 11, 1842, Charles Dickens, the author of A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
and Great Expectations
Great Expectations
Great Expectations is a novel by Charles Dickens. It was first published in serial form in the publication All the Year Round from 1 December 1860 to August 1861. It has been adapted for stage and screen over 250 times....
along with his wife, visited Chester. Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is an 1876 novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the Town of "St...
, a pilot on the Mississippi River between 1857 and the civil war, supposedly on many of his trips stayed at Chester's Cliff House, a fine river hostelry. Twain also mentioned the blue windows of Chester's Cohen Home, visible from the Mississippi, in his book "Life on the Mississippi."
Chester was also the filming location of scenes from the 1967 movie In the Heat of the Night, the 1993 movie The Fugitive
The Fugitive (1993 film)
The Fugitive is a 1993 American thriller film based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The film was one of the few movies associated with a television series to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best...
, and the 1994 film documentary Hoop Dreams
Hoop Dreams
Hoop Dreams is a 1994 documentary film directed by Steve James, with Kartemquin Films. It follows the story of two African-American high school students in Chicago and their dream of becoming professional basketball players....
.
Geography
Chester is located at 37°54′50"N 89°49′23"W (37.913947, -89.823140).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.17% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,400 people, 2,018 households, and 1,283 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 879.9 people per square mile (339.9/km²). There were 2,229 housing units at an average density of 378.3 per square mile (146.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.87% White, 3.59% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 2,018 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,079, and the median income for a family was $49,426. Males had a median income of $36,103 versus $22,239 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $22,190. About 5.4% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Illinois Department of Corrections Menard Correctional CenterMenard Correctional Center
Menard Correctional Center, known prior to 1970 as Southern Illinois Penitentiary, is located in the town of Chester in Randolph County, Illinois. It is a state prison housing maximum-security and high medium-security adult males.The average daily population as of 2007 is 3,410. Menard Correctional...
is located in Chester. Prior to the January 11, 2003 commutation of death row sentences, male death row inmates were housed in Menard, Tamms
Tamms Correctional Center
The Tamms Correctional Center is a Illinois Department of Corrections prison located in Tamms, Illinois. The prison has two sections, a 200-bed minimum security facility opened in 1995, and a 500-bed maximum security facility known as the Closed Maximum Security Unit opened in 1998...
, and Pontiac
Pontiac Correctional Center
Pontiac Correctional Center, established in June 1871, is a Illinois Department of Corrections maximum security prison for adult males in Pontiac, Illinois. The prison also has a medium security unit that houses medium to minimum security inmates and is classified as Level 3...
correctional centers. After that date, only Pontiac continued to host the male death row.
Economy
Large employers include the Menard Correctional CenterMenard Correctional Center
Menard Correctional Center, known prior to 1970 as Southern Illinois Penitentiary, is located in the town of Chester in Randolph County, Illinois. It is a state prison housing maximum-security and high medium-security adult males.The average daily population as of 2007 is 3,410. Menard Correctional...
, the Chester Mental Health Center
Chester Mental Health Center
The Chester Mental Health Center is a mental health facility for criminals operated by the State of Illinois in Chester, Illinois. It is adjacent to the Menard State Prison.-History:...
, and the private label
Private label
Private label products or services are typically those manufactured or provided by one company for offer under another company's brand. Private label goods and services are available in a wide range of industries from food to cosmetics to web hosting...
food company Gilster-Mary Lee.
Public
Chester Community Unit School District No. 139 consists of two schools; Chester High SchoolChester High School (Chester, Illinois)
Chester High School is a public high school in Chester, Illinois, United States.- References :Chester High School Summit Yearbook 2009www.chester139.com/chs- Dance and Drill :...
and Chester Grade School. The superintendent is Rebecca Keim. The principal of Chester High School is Keith Kittell with the vice principal being Danny Miller. The principal of Chester Grade School is Tim Lochhead with the dean of students being Deb Caraway.