Godfrey, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Godfrey, Illinois
Village
Flag Logo
Location in Madison County, Illinois
Godfrey, Illinois Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Madison
Area
• Total	36.35 sq mi (94.15 km2)
• Land	34.40 sq mi (89.08 km2)
• Water	1.96 sq mi (5.07 km2)
Elevation	591 ft (180 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,825
• Density	518.24/sq mi (200.10/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	62035
Area code(s)	618
FIPS code	17-30094
GNIS feature ID	2398984
Wikimedia Commons	Godfrey, Illinois

Godfrey is a village located in Madison County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 17,825 people lived there. Godfrey is part of the larger Greater St. Louis area, which is a big group of cities and towns around St. Louis.

History of Godfrey

Godfrey village is named after Captain Benjamin Godfrey. He was from New England and came to this area in 1832.

Monticello Female Seminary

In 1838, a school called Monticello Female Seminary was started. It was later renamed Monticello College. Captain Godfrey had eight daughters. He strongly believed that women should have the chance to get a good education. Because of this, he gave a lot of money and land to help start the college.

Monticello College taught women for two years. In 1970, the campus was sold. This sale helped create Lewis and Clark Community College. The last class from Monticello College graduated in 1971.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

The famous Lewis and Clark journey began near Godfrey. The mouth of the Missouri River, where it meets the Mississippi River, was their starting point.

Geography of Godfrey

Godfrey is in the northwest part of Madison County. It is next to the city of Alton to the southeast. To the south, the Mississippi River flows, and across it is West Alton, Missouri. Godfrey is about 32 miles (51 km) north of downtown St. Louis.

Land and Water

The village covers about 36.4 square miles (94.3 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 34.4 square miles (89.1 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.0 square miles (5.2 square kilometers), is water.

The southwestern edge of Godfrey has tall limestone cliffs, about 200 feet (61 meters) high, along the Mississippi River. The Illinois River joins the Mississippi about 12 miles (19 km) upstream. The Missouri River joins the Mississippi about 10 miles (16 km) downstream. Godfrey is a mix of small businesses, farms, and nice neighborhoods.

Major Roads and Highways

Several important roads run through Godfrey.

• U.S. Route 67 goes through the center of the village. It leads south to Alton and north to Jerseyville.
• Illinois Route 3 is in the southern part of Godfrey. It goes southeast into Alton and west to Grafton.
• Illinois Route 100 follows the Mississippi River along the southern edge. It goes east into Alton and west-northwest to Grafton.
• Illinois Route 267 branches off from US 67 north of the village center. It leads northeast to Brighton.
• Illinois Route 255 is a four-lane highway that starts in Godfrey. It goes southeast to connect with Interstates 255 and 270.

Godfrey Population

In 2000, there were 16,286 people living in Godfrey. There were 6,427 households, which are groups of people living together. About 29.7% of these households had children under 18 years old.

The average age of people in Godfrey in 2000 was 42 years old. About 22.6% of the population was under 18.

Notable People from Godfrey

• Zoe Akins: A poet and playwright who won a Pulitzer Prize. She went to school in Godfrey.
• Craig Hentrich: An NFL punter who played from 1994 to 2009.
• John Madson: A writer who focused on nature, especially tallgrass prairie ecosystems.
• Ellis Wainwright: A brewer, art collector, and socialite.

See also

In Spanish: Godfrey (Illinois) para niños