Historical Markers and War Memorials in Columbia, Illinois
Waterloo is the county seat for Monroe County
Columbia is in Monroe County
Monroe County(163) ► ADJACENT TO MONROE COUNTY Randolph County(118) ► St. Clair County(231) ► Jefferson County, Missouri(38) ► St. Louis County, Missouri(607) ► Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri(13) ►
Touch name on this list to highlight map location. Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
Mauricio Alvarez, Sculptor
This place of rest is dedicated to the veterans of this community, as well as the rest of America, well-trained and fierce warriors, but also gentle and kind liberators and protectors of children, women and men, and . . . — — Map (db m143461) WM
On June 12, 1951, several hundred people gathered at the dedication by Mayor A. C. Metter of a round, bronze plaque to designate the center of Columbia's City Limits and new street and house numbering system. The plaque was placed on the sidewalk . . . — — Map (db m182374) HM
Originally one-story, this home was built in 1866 from brick made in Columbia. The Breidecker family, who immigrated from Germany and were early settlers here, owned the home and added a second story and front porch in 1910. The old St. Louis Hotel . . . — — Map (db m181502) HM
Original town of Columbia, Ill. laid out on historic Kaskaskia Trail was founded by Capt. George Rogers Clark's men year 1820.
Columbia municipal incorporations created under laws of State of Illinois:
Town - February 19, 1859 . . . — — Map (db m173484) HM
The building at 121 South Main was the first home of the Columbia Star Printing Company in time, it served as a location for three confectioneries before Steve Albert opened a floral shop on the first floor. The building was built in1878. The corner . . . — — Map (db m182270) HM
The Eichmuller-Rau building was built in the 1800s by John Eichmueller and was used as a tavern and feed store. The Living quarters was upstairs. The property was later acquired by Jacob Rau when he married one of the Eichmueller daughters. An . . . — — Map (db m171262) HM
Built in early 1900, this was the first location of the First National Bank in Columbia. It still has security bars on the windows and houses the original brick bank vault. Main Street and Legion Avenue was long recognized as the center of town and . . . — — Map (db m184617) HM
Fort Piggott
Revolutionary War Captain James Piggot (1735-1799) was a native of Connecticut who later moved to Pennsylvania and commanded a company of Pennsylvania troops in the battle of Brandywine and Saratoga, among others. After an . . . — — Map (db m244293) HM WM
At this site stood the Franklin Inn, later called the "Buck Tavern" because its sign was adorned with deer horns. Built in 1828 as a stagecoach stop, it was famous for its hospitality. The stagecoach would change horses here, and the passengers . . . — — Map (db m173522) HM
This engraved stone was presented to Sister City of Columbia, Il. By our Sister City Gedern, Germany in honor of the 25th anniversary of our partnership and friendship. The pedestal was donated by Luhr Bros, Inc. Dedicated in 2021 — — Map (db m173485) HM
Note the construction of this German style cottage. The small eyebrow windows were used to provide light and fresh air to the second floor occupants. Also important to note is that the house was built directly on the sidewalk. Why? Because German . . . — — Map (db m171264) HM
This greek revival home was built in 1857 for brothers John and Philip Peter Gundlach who ran the Monroe Brewery. John served as Columbia's third mayor. The house is a 12 story brick building; its corbeled brick frieze is representative . . . — — Map (db m184395) HM
This home was built in 1869 by Christian Reuter, and sold for $1,800 in 1871 to John Gundlach, owner of the Monroe Brewery. John's daughter, Anna Gundlach Wagner, lived here following his death until 1922, then the home changed hands many times . . . — — Map (db m184378) HM
Shoemaker School became a part of the Columbia School District in 1950. Since the school's directors had already contracted Marian Maag to teach for the 1950-51 term prior to this consolidation, the old school was kept open for one final year. In . . . — — Map (db m144933) HM
Historic Shoemaker School
In 1851, a leg school building was built by Hammond Shoemaker on his form south of Columbia for his children and the families of his neighbors. Shoemaker was the only doctor along the Kaskaskia Cahokia Trail, the . . . — — Map (db m204821) HM
Immaculate Conception Church was built in 1866 on land purchased for $600 from Henry Schumacher in 1863. The church was dedicated December 12, 1867by Bishop Juncker. The building was remodeled in 1904, and the improvement included the installation . . . — — Map (db m172805) HM
Columbia's Main Street began as the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail, a path created by Indians as long as 11,000 B.C. when the traveled from Old Kaskaskia [Kaskaskia Island] to Cahokia. The Trail played an integral part in French colonization, and remained . . . — — Map (db m171259) HM
This house was built in the 1870s by Mr. Fred Koch, a carpenter and builder, for his family. The two-story brick house remained in the family until the 1940s. Notice the German street names on the front corner of the house. The house was purchased . . . — — Map (db m184379) HM
Originally built for Columbia Masonic Lodge No. 474, this 1882 building had three stories. The Masons used the two upper floors for meetings, and the first floor
as a refreshment parlor until the 1930s and 40s. It then housed the Columbia Grill . . . — — Map (db m184618) HM
1775 1918
Memorial
in honor of
our sons and daughters
who served their nation
in freedom's cause and in memory
of who gave their those of our number
who gave their last full measure
of devotion in
the six great wars . . . — — Map (db m143598) WM
In 1850, Peter Wilheim Miller constructed this vernacular German cottage. It was his home adjacent to his blacksmith shop that provided shoes for horses and repaired farm equipment in the 1850s and 1860s. The blacksmith shop eventually became an . . . — — Map (db m140338) HM
John Gundlach built this building in 1856. He and
several relatives were partners in the business until the Reconstruction era. In 1883 the brewery was operated by Klausmann Brewery Co. of South St. Louis. Its annual capacity was 6,000 barrels of . . . — — Map (db m185013) HM
The old Engine House, City Jail and Meeting Hall were located at the corner of South Rapp and Cherry, the present site of Columbia's City Hall. It was built in 1875 at a cost of $1,075. It housed prisoners in what was commonly called, "The . . . — — Map (db m182261) HM
Revolutionary War
War of 1812 Civil War WW I WW II
Laid out in the late 1700s on acreage donated by the Ogles,its elevated grounds afford a view of lands settled by the pioneersthe Piggotts, Ogles, Biggs, Wilson and others. It was named . . . — — Map (db m143369) HM WM
Palmier Cemetery was established in 1783, laid out on ground donated by Benjamin and Joseph Ogle-part of the Ogle Estate on Palmier
Hill, for what would become the oldest cemetery in the Columbia precinct. Flooding in the area caused the cemetery . . . — — Map (db m203961) HM WM
This large frame building was the location of the Emil Pfeffer Mercantile Store. An open porch extended across the entire front of the building and wrapped around the north side. The Weilbacher family acquired this building in the 1920s and called . . . — — Map (db m172804) HM
This building was built in the late 1800s and purchased in 1915 by the late George Roessler Sr. It was originally the Millstadt Brewery Company Saloon, managed by Mr. Roessler, and was also used as an ice house and trucking business. The family . . . — — Map (db m182298) HM
The ground for this home was purchased in 1851 by James Nolan who platted the original Town of Columbia in 1820. The home was built shortly thereafter for the Conrad-Rohm family. Gustav Rohm married Katie Schneider and they had eight children. . . . — — Map (db m171261) HM
This building was the location of the John J. Schauffert Drug Store from 1896 until 1899 when Mr. Herman Rose bought the business and renamed it Rose's Drug Store. The store boasted Columbia's first soda fountain. Althoughthe drug store had changed . . . — — Map (db m184404) HM
This home was built in 1880 and was the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Theo Schaefer. Mr. Schaefer operated as a blacksmith in the building on the corner. He was the town trustee from 1901-1903. the home was designated a local landmark in 2013 by members . . . — — Map (db m173524) HM
The beer cave was used to store beer that was brewed at Schmidt Brewery (521 S. Main Street) in the early 1800s. The barrels of beer were later delivered to local saloons. The brewery closed in the 1860s, but the cave was used in later year store . . . — — Map (db m170533) HM
This two story brick home was built in 1818 by Philip and Peter Schmidt. The building functioned partly as a brewery (Schmidt Brewery) with offices and a sales department. The second floor provided living quarters for the families. An arched, stone . . . — — Map (db m206579) HM
This house, originally belonging to the Charles Schneider family, was built in approximately 1864. Mr. Schneider was one of Columbia's early citizens who operated a livery stable and undertaking parlor at this location. Note the German architecture . . . — — Map (db m182301) HM
This two story building on the corner of Main and Locust was the location of Louis Tunze Pool, Billiards and Saloon and doubled as Gus Tunze's residence. Mr. Gus Tunze was a town trustee from 19031904. It was built by the Tunze brothers in the . . . — — Map (db m199233) HM
The Vogt Store building was built in 1893 by William Vogt. It was one of Columbia's first department stores where one could buy anything from a needle to a
threshing machine. It consisted of a grocery, meat market, dry goods, hardware and farm . . . — — Map (db m184620) HM
Leo A. Weilbacher Sr. began his business career with the Columbia Mercantile Co. at another location on Main Street in 1909. To this business, an ice cream parlor was added in 1914 and later, groceries, dry goods, hardware, paints and household . . . — — Map (db m184401) HM
In the early 1800s, August F. Weinel established a lumber yard and livery stable across the street from where you are standing. Years later, their son, Ernst
A. Weinel, started the Weinel Hardware store in this building. Built in the mid-1850s, the . . . — — Map (db m184394) HM
William Whiteside built Whiteside station as a fort to protect his family, pioneers and travelers from Indian raids, along the Kaskaskia-Cahokia trail.
Whiteside was a patriot of North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War and is . . . — — Map (db m140339) HM
