ALTON, Ill. — The 5 On Your Side drone flew over Alton this week, capturing some of the city’s most prominent landmarks and sites.
The drone flew over the statue of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in the world. Wadlow was born in 1918 and suffered from a pituitary gland problem. He grew to be 9 feet tall and 500 pounds. A life-size statue of Wadlow is on College Avenue and visitors can come take photos alongside it.
The drone also flew over downtown Alton, which is a hub for shopping, dining and nightlife.
In 2018, Alton won $500,000 to redevelop its downtown. The city entered a competition for the Hulu show "Small Business Revolution" and won. About 30,000 other cities around the country also competed in the show. The funds will go toward projects, renovations, marketing campaigns and other improvements.
The Argosy Casino sits along the Mississippi River. The casino is inside the Alton Belle, which used to cruise for one hour as required under Illinois gaming laws. The casino has been permanently moored since 1999. The casino was forced to close last year due to flooding.
The drone also captured video of the Piasa Bird, which is another Alton landmark. It is an elaborate painting of a bird on the bluffs along the Mississippi. There are many stories about its origin.
Today in St. Louis will soon feature Alton in its #TISLTown series.