Alton Attractions

The bridge was named after William Clark, the explorer. It is a cable-stay bridge that links Missouri and Illinois over the Mississippi River. The Clark Bridge has four traffic lanes and two bike lanes.

The original Clark Bridge served the area from 1928 to 1994.

The Alton prison opened in 1833 and closed in 1860 when prisoners were moved to a new facility in Joliet. It was made into a military prison and the first prisoners arrived in February, 1862.