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Monroe
County, Illinois
 Monroe
County is situated along the banks of the Mississippi
River. It’s considered part of the St. Louis metropolitan
area because its western edge is parallel to the Gateway Arch.
In addition, a new highway and the Jefferson Barracks Bridge
connect Illinois and Missouri, making Monroe County an
attractive option for those seeking a mix of rural and
bit-city living.
The county is named for James Monroe, the fifth president of
the United States. It was organized in 1816, and today has a
population of 27,000. There are six towns in Monroe County:
Columbia, Fults, Hecker, Maeystown, Renault, Valmeyer and
Waterloo, the county seat.
The county is part of the Southwestern Illinois German
Heritage Area and is also a French Colonial Heritage Region.
Area attractions include golfing at Acorns Golf Links,
Annbriar Golf Course and The Ridge Golf & Country Club, as
well as natural wonders such as Mammouth Cave.
The area also has several wineries and historic sites. The
French were the first to explore in the area about 1673, with
the first permanent settlements established about 20 years
later. The English, Irish and Germans later came to the
region. In Waterloo, the Peterstown
House was built in the 1830s, and was once a stagecoach
stop along the 60-mile Kaskaskia Trail. The Bellefontaine
House was restored as the site of the earliest settlement
made by American colonists in Illinois.
Monroe County’s population is almost evenly distributed
between the incorporated areas and the prairie lands. The
local economy is sustained by agriculture and agribusiness,
with corn, soybeans and wheat being the principal products.
Fruits, vegetables and nursery stock are grown locally and
sold at local stores and roadside stands during their harvest
seasons.
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