Glen Carbon: The Early Years

Glen Carbon was incorporated as a village in 1892, but there were people there far earlier, beginning with Native Americans. One of the first settlers from the East was William Yanda, who built a cabin along what is Main Street today. The cabin was covered for many years, but has now been restored and is open to visitors. The chief industries of Glen Carbon in the early years were coal mining and brick making. The Madison Coal Company and St. Louis Pressed Brick Company both arrived in 1891. Around these industries a village grew with homes, businesses and other services to accommodate the needs of the hundreds of immigrant workers who came here to find employment.