National City, Illinois facts for kids

National City was a small town near East St. Louis, Illinois. It started in 1907 as a special kind of town called a company town. This meant that one company, the St. Louis National Stockyards Company, owned almost everything there.

In 1996, the company asked everyone living in National City to leave. The next year, because no one lived there anymore, a court officially closed the town. Its land then became part of nearby Fairmont City, Illinois.

A Town Built for Animals and Meat

How Big Markets Grew

After the American Civil War, the way America did business changed a lot. Small local markets started to become big, central ones. This happened mostly because of railroads. Trains could quickly move goods and animals across the country.

This change greatly affected the livestock (farm animals) business. Trains meant that farmers no longer had to herd cattle long distances. Instead, animals could be shipped by train to large markets. St. Louis, Missouri was a perfect spot for one of these big markets.

St. Louis was already a major transportation hub. It was located where the Missouri River and Mississippi River meet. It also had many important railroad lines. Most of the U.S. population lived east of the Mississippi River. But most farm animals were raised west of it. This made St. Louis a key place to connect supply and demand.

At first, the Mississippi River was a problem. Animals had to be unloaded in St. Louis. Then they were ferried across the river to East St. Louis, Illinois. From there, they went by train to eastern cities. This was slow and costly. These problems led a group of investors to build a huge stockyard complex in East St. Louis.

The Stockyards Company Begins

National City began as a business idea in the early 1870s. East St. Louis mayor John Bowman wanted a new stockyard. He hoped it would be as famous as the one in Chicago. He talked to wealthy investors from the East Coast.

The main investor was Archibald M. Allerton. He and his partners had conditions for building in East St. Louis. They wanted to build on land not part of any city. This would help them avoid strict rules. They also wanted to build their own roads and water systems. Mayor Bowman agreed to these terms.

The investors bought about 656 acres of land. Construction started in May 1871. They spent $1.5 million to build the complex. It included 100 acres for animal pens. It also had the Allerton House, a fancy hotel, and a new Exchange Building.

On November 4, 1873, the St. Louis National Stockyards Company was officially formed. It opened for business on November 19, 1873.

Early Years and Growth

Becoming a National Leader

The St. Louis National Stockyards quickly became very important. The first cattle arrived in June 1873. The yards were built to hold many animals. They could handle 15,000 cattle, 10,000 sheep, and 20,000 hogs.

Meatpacking companies soon built plants near the stockyards. This helped them save money on shipping. They could process the meat in one place. The first packinghouse, White House Provision Company, opened in 1873. Others followed, including big names like Nelson Morris, Gustavus Swift, and Philip Armour.

By the early 1900s, the St. Louis National Stockyards was a top meatpacking center. It employed 1,200 workers. It processed about 50,000 animals each week. Sales were over $2 million every year.

Other Businesses and Services

The stockyards also led to other businesses. The National Stock Yards National Bank opened in 1873. It became a major bank in the St. Louis area. Meatpacking companies also found ways to use animal by-products. This led to new industries.

Other services grew too. The St. Louis Live Stock Exchange was created in 1885. The stockyards had its own United States Post Office and telegraph offices. It even had paved roads and its own clean water system. It was like a small city all by itself.

National City Becomes a Town

As the stockyards grew, they faced new challenges. The U.S. government started to create food safety rules. This was partly because of a book called The Jungle, which showed problems in the meat industry. Also, East St. Louis tried to take over the stockyards' land.

To deal with these issues, the St. Louis National Stockyards and its businesses formed their own town. In July 1907, they officially became National City, Illinois.

National City was a true company town. The St. Louis National Stockyards Company owned all the property. The town had two streets with about 40 houses. It also had a church/school, a police/fire station, and a store. At its peak, about 300 people lived there. All of them worked for the stockyards.

The company controlled everything in the town. This helped them run their business without much outside government interference. National City was the first industrial suburb near East St. Louis. It set an example for other company towns in the area.

Growth and Changes (1907-1947)

Continued Success

After becoming National City, the stockyards kept growing. World War I especially boosted its growth. The stockyards had many government contracts. They supplied meat and provided horses and mules for the war.

By 1920, 14,000 people worked in National City. The St. Louis National Stockyards had the world's largest horse and mule market. It was also third in cattle markets and second in hog markets in America.

New Rules and Trucks

After World War I, prices went up. Farmers felt they were not getting fair profits. They asked the government for help. In response, the government passed the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. This law gave the U.S. Department of Agriculture power to regulate the industry. It also forced meatpacking companies to sell their shares in stockyard companies. This was a big step towards breaking up the industry.

Another major change was the rise of trucks. The first truckload of hogs arrived in National City in 1921. Over the next 20 years, trucks became the main way animals were shipped. By 1952, most animals arrived by truck, not by train. The stockyards had to change to handle truck traffic.

Workers Organize

In the early 1900s, many immigrants came to National City to work in the packinghouses. They often worked long hours for low pay. Over time, workers began to form unions. They wanted better wages and working conditions.

Meatpacking companies tried to stop unions. They hired workers from many different backgrounds to make it harder for them to organize. They also brought in African-American workers from the South. This sometimes caused tension, like during the East St. Louis Race Riots of 1917. But by the 1950s, most workers in National City were part of unions. This led to better pay and shorter workdays. But it also meant strikes, which sometimes made companies move away.

The Decline of National City

Industry Changes

The St. Louis National Stockyards reached its busiest year in 1947. But changes were coming. Trucks and the new interstate highway system made it easier to ship goods. Also, union wages were rising. Old factories were becoming outdated.

The meatpacking industry started to move away from central markets like National City. They went to rural areas. There, they could find cheaper workers who were not in unions. They could also build new factories closer to the farms. This cut costs by removing the need for stockyards as middlemen.

In 1959, the Armour packinghouse in National City closed. This meant 1,400 people lost their jobs. Other plants followed. By 1986, the last meatpacking plant in National City had closed. The stockyards themselves also became less important. By 1963, National City was no longer a top stockyard.

Stockyards Try to Adapt

The St. Louis National Stockyards Company tried to save itself. They started new types of auctions. They also made the yards more friendly for trucks. But it was too late.

Farming had changed. There were fewer small farms and more large corporate farms. These big farms could raise animals and sell them directly to meatpackers. Refrigerated trucks meant meatpackers could build plants anywhere. They no longer needed to be near railroads or big stockyards. This also helped them avoid costly union labor in cities.

Many other big stockyards across the country were closing. The famous Chicago Union Stock Yards closed in 1971. By then, the St. Louis National Stockyards Company was one of only 11 left in the U.S.

As the decline continued, many things changed in National City. The number of businesses helping with livestock sales dropped. The National Hotel, no longer needed, was torn down in 1986. That same year, a fire destroyed the Exchange building. Other related industries also left as the meatpacking business disappeared.

The 1996 Fire

On March 22, 1996, the National City Village Hall, police, and fire station were destroyed by fire. The damage was estimated at over $1 million. Firefighters from nearby towns helped, but they could not save the building. The Village Hall was over 70 years old and had once been a mule barn. Several fire trucks were also destroyed in the fire.

Closing Down for Good

In April 1996, the St. Louis National Stockyards Company, which owned all the homes, told the remaining 50 residents to leave. The county government then asked for a special count of residents. They found that no one lived in National City anymore.

Because there were no residents, a court ordered the town to be dissolved. This happened in 1997. National City officially stopped existing as an incorporated town.

Even though it was much smaller, the stockyards continued to hold some auctions until 1997. But because of the big changes in the livestock market, the company closed its livestock division by the end of that year.

In 1999, the land where National City once stood became part of Fairmont City, Illinois. National City's story shows how much American industry changed from the late 1800s to the late 1900s. It started because of railroads. It ended when trucks and highways took over.

What's There Now

After it closed, National City was mostly a ghost town. There were no residents. Many old factory buildings were left empty and falling apart. They were a reminder of the stockyards' past greatness.

But the area was not completely abandoned. Several new businesses moved in. These included a major rendering company, a recycling plant, and food manufacturers. There are also warehouses and trucking operations.

New construction projects have started in the area. The Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge, which opened in 2014, also helped. This new bridge carries Interstate 70 over the Mississippi River. Its first Illinois exit is near the old National City site. This made the area attractive for new industries. In 2012, a new grain terminal opened there. Leaders hope the bridge will bring even more growth to the area. World Wide Technology Raceway is also located on the former community.

Images for kids

• St. Louis National Stockyards Company.jpg

  The St. Louis National Stockyards Company in its early days.

• National Stock Yards National Bank.jpg

  The National Stock Yards National Bank, a major financial institution.

• National Hotel, National City, Illinois.jpg

  The National Hotel, also known as the Allerton House.

• St. Louis National Stockyards, 1907.jpg

  The St. Louis National Stockyards in 1907, the year National City was formed.

• St. Louis National Stockyards, 1920s.jpg

  The St. Louis National Stockyards in the 1920s, a busy time for the yards.

• National City, Illinois Fire Department.jpg

  The National City Fire Department building before the 1996 fire.