Robert Wadlow Statue
2800 College Ave., Alton, IL 62002
Historic Sites
Visit the statue of the tallest man in the world, Alton's Gentle Giant.
In 1918, Alton became the famous birthplace of Robert Wadlow, "The Gentle Giant." Born a normal eight pounds in 1918, Wadlow suffered from a pituitary gland problem. He was almost nine feet tall and 500 pounds when he died of complications from a foot infection at age 22. He is noted in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest man alive. A life-sized statue on College Avenue lifts visitors' heads in amazement. The Alton Museum of History and Art has devoted an entire room to Wadlow, including his third-grade desk and oversized grade school ring.
What's happening nearby...
Alton Fireworks Spectacular
Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater • Jul 03 @ 5AM
Come enjoy the magnificent glow of the Alton Fireworks Spectacular at the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater!
Read more about Alton Fireworks Spectacular
Alton Night Market
Jacoby Arts Center • Jun 06 – Jul 25 @ 7PM
You never know what you might find at the Alton Night Market! Made for night owls, the Night Market isn't just your average farmer's market! Visitors…
Read more about Alton Night MarketYou might also be interested...
Haskell Playhouse
Alton
A Victorian-style playhouse built for the daughter of Dr. William A. Haskell, a physician and one of the wealthiest residents of Alton, as a present for…
Read more about Haskell Playhouse
Lincoln-Douglas Square
Alton
Stand the same ground once stood as Abraham Lincoln and Stephan A. Douglas near the Alton riverfront.
Read more about Lincoln-Douglas Square
McPike Mansion
Alton
When just about any native of the Alton area thinks of a haunted house, normally one name comes to mind - the infamous McPike Mansion.
Read more about McPike Mansion