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Chester ________________
Driving Directions
Take I-172 south about 20 miles to US-36. Take US-36 west to Hannibal
for 7 miles. Take the US-61 ramp towards New London/Palmyra going south.
Stay on US-61 for about 100 miles. Merge onto I-270 South and follow I-270
South signs for 13 miles. I-270 becomes I-255 East and continue for 5
miles and take IL-3 south for 50 miles. Approximately 195 miles.
Calendar of Events
Visit this site
for a listing of local events in Chester.
History
Chester is located on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River
in Historic Randolph County. For nearly a century, the late 1600's to 1763,
this area was under French occupation thus creating the rich French history
found in Chester. This area of the Mississippi River Valley provided an
ideal center for the French explorers with its fertile land, abundant wildlife,
and access to the mighty Mississippi. The century of French control ended
with the French & Indian War. France was forced to relinquish most of
their stakes in North America and Great Britain took control of the Illinois
Country. British occupation lasted through 1778 when the area was claimed
by the United States. After a series of name and boundary changes, Illinois
became a state in 1818 with Kaskaskia as its first capital. Chester provided
the first governor, Shadrach Bond, and the lieutenant governor, Pierre Menard.
This explains Randolph County’s motto, “Where Illinois Began.”
Chester offers an abundance of early American history as well as a scenic
view of the Mississippi River.