History of South Roxana, Illinois
Madison County ILGenWeb Coordinator - Beverly Bauser
Territory was laid out in about 1920 just
south of the Roxana Refinery (Shell Oil) by the Gonterman
interests of St. Louis. About 50 houses were constructed in the
area by June 1923. The Roxana Refinery had plans to build 150
more homes - mostly for their workers. The village of Roxana had
already been platted and incorporated just to the north.
In 1920, forty acres of the Hugh Poag farmland were sold at $800
an acre. This land was divided into lots for homes and
businesses. By 1923 the town of South Roxana was booming with
construction of new homes and sidewalks. The new Shubert Grocery
Store opened in May 1923, and the Roxana refinery began
expanding on their property. In July 1926, the Bley-Blain Hotel
was opened for business.
By 1927, South Roxana had constructed a two-room elementary
school. In 1935 a new building was constructed for sixth-grade
pupils.
Reverend E. Sims took option in 1927 on a
100-foot lot in South Roxana for the construction of a new
Baptist Church.
Discussion began as early as 1923 on incorporating South
Roxana as a village, or annexing into Roxana. Most favored
incorporating as a village of their own. It was not until March
1967 that South Roxana was finally incorporated. Some 676 voters
braved thunder storms and heavy rains to cast ballots in the
referendum, which was twice defeated in the past, that resulted
in a new village being added to Madison County. By more than 200
votes, the referendum passed. Supporters emphasized that village
status would not give immediate solutions to problems such as
streets and police protection. Boundaries of South Roxana at the
time included Madison Avenue on the north, Hedge Road on the
east, Rt. 111 on the west, and the cemetery, lagoon and a strip
of land along Rt. 111 to Wagon Wheel Road on the south. Lawrence
Cunningham served as the first mayor.