The Village of Fults, Illinois

The Village of Fults, Illinois. . The Village of Fults, formerly known as Brownsburg, had its beginnings in the early 1900's with the construction of the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad line through the Monroe County Bottoms. In 1902, the Nanson Commission Co. erected an elevator here, one of many built along the railroad line throughout the County. At the same time William Limestall built a general store, and operated it with his partner, George Bradshaw for many years. Due to the similarity of the names with other Illinois towns, in 1903 Brownsburg changed its name to Fults after Jacob Fults, who homesteaded nearby. William Limestall became the first Fults Postmaster in 1903. Casper Jost operated a tavern in Fults for many years known as "Jost's Retreat,” and it was a first-class saloon and hall noted for its hospitality. Construction of the Evangelical Church began in 1906, and the congregation was officially organized in 1907. Pastoral service was shared with the church at St. Joe, and that arrangement continued for many years .Fults was officially incorporated in June, 1937 making it the youngest organized municipality in Monroe County. William Asselmeier was the first Mayor. For many years after that the town had an annual homecoming and picnic. , Just north of Fults on the upper face of the bluff is Saltpeter Cave. During the early history of Monroe County, saltpeter was collected here for the manufacture of gun powder. Hoppers were arranged inside the cave to collect drippings from the rock formations, and the saltpeter was then extracted from that sediment. This cave was also used as a place of shelter by the native American population that was moved through this area as they traveled the "Trail of Tears." , In 1956, the Valmeyer School District opened an attendance center in Fults known as Cedar Bluff School. Students attended grades 1-6 at this facility before heading to Valmeyer to complete grades 7-12. For many years Fults featured multiple grocery taverns and garages, and a grain elevator has always been a busy Village enterprise. Baseball teams played an important role in the social life in Fults, including a competitive baseball team in the local Mon-Clair League. Many softball games were also played in the town, including a softball tournament that was held on the grounds of the former elementary school. On several occasions the local pickup football game-"The Toilet Bowl” was also held in Fults. , Following the Flood of 1993, many of the homes in Fults were bought and demolished by FEMA, but the few remaining residents have fought valiantly to continue to function as an organized government. A park was developed on the south end of town on the site of the former Cedar Bluff School. The concrete foundation of the School was retained, and a pavilion was built to cover it. The original outline and layout of the classrooms can still be seen in the concrete. Because of the 1993 Flood, the congregation of St. John Church decided to disband. Merrill Prange, a resident of Fults, purchased the church and with his wife, Sheryl, restored it to be used for weddings and the annual Fults Christmas church service.