This post is from Greg and Sharon, who do a wonderful job of maintaining the History Portal display on the second floor.

Celebrating milestones is always exciting. When we reach a certain point in time and can look back to see how much we’ve grown since the beginning, we want to share that excitement with those who grew alongside us. It brings a great sense of pride and satisfaction when, as a family or as a community, we can come together and say, “Look at what we’ve accomplished!”  

This month, the History Portal is highlighting some special milestones O’Fallon is celebrating in 2024. This year marks the 170th birthday of the founding of O’Fallon, with the first lots in city limits being sold on May 13, 1854. Twenty years later, in 1874, O’Fallon was officially incorporated, making this year the 150th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. Let’s take a look at a couple of other important celebrations:

In 1954, O’Fallon celebrated its Centennial birthday. One hundred years of existence (and what a story to tell)! The celebration lasted five days, and many activities and fun events were held. One such event ran from March 1st through September 1st of that year. Men had to pay $2.00 for a permit to shave. If you were an unsuspecting out-of-towner in for a visit, the permit was only $1.00. Permits that were issued required a reason, such as: contrary, afraid, can’t grown a beard, health, wife objects, or employer’s request. Of course, it was all in good fun — and those beards sure came in handy for the Beard Contest during the celebration! Other events included parades, Wild West rodeos, and a historical pageant… and of course, plenty of good food! 

From 1954 to 2004,  O’Fallon experienced another period of growth in both the size and importance of our town. In 2004, O’Fallon celebrated its Sesquicentennial, celebrating 150 years of existence. There were four days of fun, complete with a laser light show, pageants, bands, tennis tournaments, parades, and an antique car show.

Our city continues to see exciting new growth and expansion.  In the twenty years my family has lived here, we have seen the addition of so many wonderful new things: a sports park, a splash pad, bike trails, walking paths, housing developments, schools, a gorgeous marketplace all our own… and that’s just to name a few! And we’re not slowing down. Right now, we’re watching the construction of a new pool and community center. O’Fallon is indeed a growing community. But throughout all our growth, we have maintained the “small town charm” that makes this a special place to live.