Coal Mines and Miners Defined Coal Country
Our Macoupin Street Story traces the growth of a community powered by the coal-mining boom.
This modest half-mile stretch of a small-town main street embodies the heart of Coal Country and the legacy of those who shaped it.
Our Macoupin Street Story traces the growth of a community powered by the coal-mining boom.
This modest half-mile stretch of a small-town main street embodies the heart of Coal Country and the legacy of those who shaped it.
This is the Behrens home located on the 100 block of N. Macoupin Street Henry H. and Herman W. Behrens came to Gillespie in 1867 and were two of the leading pioneer Gillespie merchants. Henry erected one of the first brick buildings at 200 N. Macoupin Street and Herman bought and operated the National Hotel next door. Three generations of the Behrens family, as merchants, doctors, dentists, and bankers maintained a presence on Macoupin Street for 100 years. The family home was demolished in 1911 and the property was donated to build the Maple Street Elementary School. Illinois Traction System
The City of Gillespie was a railroad town. Macoupin Street was designed to coexist with railroad tracks. For over 70 years electric trolly and freight trains ran through downtown. 
The Illinois Terminal System track heading North on Macoupin Street. The spur branching to the right is at the depot located at S. Macoupin and Spruce Street.
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At the center of this photograph is The Frederickson home in the 500 block of S. Macoupin Street
Maude Wilcox migrated to Gillespie in 1903 from the coal fields of Iowa and would marry Edward Clarence Frederickson. Their is home would anchor the south end of the Macoupin Street Business District.
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THE STAGE IS SET
Gillespie stands on the edge of transformation. The community is poised for growth, and the Coal Boom has begun in full force. Immigration and migration are accelerating, bringing new families, new cultures, and new energy into the town.
Gillespie stands on the edge of transformation. The community is poised for growth, and the Coal Boom has begun in full force. Immigration and migration are accelerating, bringing new families, new cultures, and new energy into the town.
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1899
Sixteen‑year‑old John Rolando arrived in Gillespie with an accordion on his back and little else to his name. He found work as a coal miner at the Dorsey Mine, at Old Clyde, and later at Superior No. 1, becoming part of the immigrant workforce that powered the region’s early industrial growth. In 1929, John and his wife Mary (Bertagnolli) Rolando purchased the Hamilton Hotel at 104 S. Macoupin Street. They renamed it the Rolando Hotel, transforming it into a welcoming stop for travelers along the busy corridor. With Mary’s renowned cooking and John’s steady hospitality, the hotel offered first‑class accommodations and quickly became a local landmark. Like other Gillespie hotels of the era, the Rolando Hotel hosted a colorful mix of long‑term boarders—characters who spent their days on the wide front porch, keeping watch over Macoupin Street and adding their own personality to the town’s daily rhythm. |
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1901
Dominic Grandone immigrated to Gillespie, from Italy, in 1901 and was employed at Superior Mine #1. But not for long. Grandone partnered with John Redolfi in several tavern businesses and in 1911 the brick building at 208 South Macoupin was constructed. Currently that address houses Lumpy's Bar and Grill which would make it the only building on Macoupin Street sitll operating within the parameters of the origional purpose. This, of course, is discounting the Prohibition Era claims of "Soft Drink Parlor" and "Grandone's Clothing Store". |
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1903
Maude Wilcox Frederickson: A Young Professional Who Helped Shape Gillespie Maude Wilcox (1881–1967) emerged early as a capable and ambitious young professional. After attending business school, she was appointed clerk of the Iowa State Mine Inspector’s Office at just 19, an unusually high‑responsibility role for a woman in the early 1900s. Her career in coal administration brought her from Buxton, Iowa, a racially integrated and nationally notable company town owned by the Consolidation Coal Company, to Gillespie in 1903, where she became clerk of the Superior Coal Company. At that time, both the Superior Coal Company of Gillespie and the Consolidation Coal Company of Buxton were owned by the Chicago & North Western Railway, linking Maude’s professional life directly to the region’s booming coal economy. Shortly after arriving, Maude married Edward Clarence Frederickson, and together they established their home on the 500 block of South Macoupin Street, anchoring the south end of Gillespie’s business district. Community Leadership and Civic InfluenceMaude quickly became one of Gillespie’s most active civic leaders:
Why Maude Matters Maude Wilcox Frederickson represents the kind of figure who often goes under‑recognized in local history: a young woman whose professional skill, civic commitment, and communication work helped shape the identity of a coal‑boom town at a pivotal moment. She bridged two major coal communities — Buxton and Gillespie — and brought administrative expertise, public‑minded leadership, and a journalist’s eye for detail. Her contributions helped define Gillespie’s early 20th‑century civic landscape and preserved its voice in the wider region. |
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1904
W.E. (Larry) Cavanaugh (1885–1968) At just 19 years old, W.E. “Larry” Cavanaugh left St. Louis, Missouri and headed for the booming coal town of Gillespie, determined to make his fortune in a community on the rise. He quickly became woven into the fabric of local civic life, working first as a coal company clerk and later as the cashier for the Peoples State Bank , positions that placed him at the center of the town’s economic activity. Cavanaugh’s influence extended far beyond clerical work. He became deeply involved in local and county politics, ultimately serving an impressive 23 years as Gillespie City Clerk. His tenure spanned two important municipal locations: the Chestnut Street City Hall and the interim City Hall housed in the newly vacated Illinois Traction System (ITS) building, reflecting the evolving infrastructure of Gillespie during the coal boom era. Larry Cavanaugh’s long public service career helped shape the administrative backbone of Gillespie during decades of growth, transition, and modernization. |
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1928
Macoupin Street has been bricked since 1918 and two story brick buildings line the business district. The first blocks, both east and west, of Spruce, Chestnut, and Walnunt were also lined with businesses. The second floor often housed doctor offices, insurance companies, shop owner residences, and meeting rooms.
Macoupin Street has been bricked since 1918 and two story brick buildings line the business district. The first blocks, both east and west, of Spruce, Chestnut, and Walnunt were also lined with businesses. The second floor often housed doctor offices, insurance companies, shop owner residences, and meeting rooms.
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George Lacy — A Century in Coal Country
George Lacy was born in Buxton, Iowa, home of the Chicago & North Western Railway coal mines. His family later relocated to Benld, where George recalled carrying gasoline cans to refuel Charles Lindbergh’s U.S. Mail airplane and witnessing the sordid underbelly of Prohibition‑era Benld. In 1945, the Lacy brothers opened Lacy’s Electric, a small General Electric franchise on East Chestnut Street, next to City Hall. It was the first G.E. franchise issued outside the St. Louis district after World War II, marking a significant milestone for the region’s postwar commercial growth. In 1953, Lacy’s Electric moved to 222 South Macoupin Street, occupying the former Eilers Grocery building. More than a successful businessman, George Lacy lived—and generously shared—one hundred years of Coal Country history, preserving stories that connect Buxton, Benld, Gillespie, and the people who built them. |
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Johnny Bernhardt
Opened Bill and Johnnies Tavern in Hank Loves pool hall 1962 Moved to S. Macoupin and opened Bernhardt's Restaurant |
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John Hicks
Grew up in Sawyerville next to Superior Mine #2. After serving in the United States Army, John joined his father in the Maytag Appliance business. As the business grew 3 different buildings on S. Macoupin were used. Mayor of Gillespie |
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Dan Fisher began his working life as a pump jockey, back when a gallon of gasoline cost 25.9 cents and every fill‑up came with an oil check, tire pressure check, and a freshly cleaned windshield. That early commitment to service carried forward into decades of public leadership.
As the Gillespie mayor, city treasurer, and worked with the City Engineer. Dan played an essential role in the growth and modernization of this community. His leadership helped drive major projects including the complete upgrade of Gillespie’s 100‑year‑old water system, the encouragement and early support of the Illinois Coal Museum, and the full shepherding of the Downtown Streetscape Project from its first concept through final completion. And he wasn’t finished. Dan went on to create Grow Gillespie, a civic group dedicated to sustaining momentum and guiding community progress into the future. His work continues to shape Gillespie’s identity, resilience, and pride. |
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Layne Knoche
Performed in the last GHS musical at the Canna A chance museum visit that led to the Edwards Trace display and the streetscape design |
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End with streetscape story finale