East Saint Louis, IL

East Saint Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,853. It is the county seat of St. Clair County and home to East Saint Louis University. The city is also known for its steel mills and manufacturing plants that have closed in recent years.

East Saint Louis was founded in 1853 by settlers from New York City who were looking for new land to farm and develop businesses. The city was named after the French town of Lille, which was near where some of the original settlers came from. At its peak, East Saint Louis had a population of over 100,000 people and was one of the most prosperous cities in Illinois. However, since the early 1990s, East Saint Louis has been struggling with economic decline due to plant closures and job losses related to globalization and technological advances. In recent years, however, there has been some redevelopment activity in downtown East Saint Louis as well as along the riverfront area near Tower Grove Park.