Antiques/Collectibles/Gifts/Home Accessories
Spinach Can Collectibles 1001 State St.
618-826-4567
Jodi’s Farm House639 State St.
618-826-1870
Treasured Memories918 State St.
618-826-2513
Carol’s Cottage1511 Swanwick St.
618-615-1870
573-270-8941
Auto Repair & Parts Stores
Andy’s Auto Body Shop1207 Opdyke St.
618-826-4512
Lochhead’s916 Lehmen Dr.
618-826-3125
Bert’s Auto Service822 Lehmen Dr.
618-826-4156
Napa Auto Tire & Parks802 Lehmen Dr.
618-826-2305
Chester Chrysler/Plymouth803 Lehmen Dr.
618-826-3213
Randy’s Service1630 High St.
618-826-2132
1sst Class Auto823 State St.
618-826-2849
O’Reilly Auto Parts2230 State St.
618-826-1525
R&R Automotive2404 State St.
618-615-4491
Grocery Store, Bakery & Deli
Rozier’s Country Mart800 Chester Center
618-826-4564
Pinky’s Sugarland (cake pops)618-713-5098
Jodi’s Farm House Café’/Bakery639 State St.
618-826-1870
Barb’s Bounty Jams & Jellies832 Lehmen Dr.
618-826-7600
Bait Shops
Casey’s 1226 State St.
618-826-9815
Banks
Buena Vista National Bank1309 Swanwick St.
Branch & ATM inside618-826-2331
Rozier’s Chester Center618-826-2332
(Banks Continued)
Chester National Bank1112 State St.
618-826-5038
First Bank2231 State St.
618-826-2334
Beauty & Barber Shops & Tanning Salons
Charlotte’s Beauty Shop, 610 Solomon St…….618-826-2929
Fashion Flair, 106 W. Stacey St. ……………….618-826-3181
Ronnie’s Barber Shop, 1203 High St….…….....618-826-4745
Laura Vasquez, 805 Opdyke St…………………618-826-3731
Split Decisions, 601 Erskine St………………….618-826-2625
Color’s Edge, 1406 Reichman St……….……….618-826-2651
The Final Cut, 1206 Swanwick St..……..…...... 618-317-7980
Color Xpressions, 1209 Swnawick St……...... 618-826-1505
Uptown Barbers 104 W. Stacy St. …………….618-615-0569
Car Washes
Chester Car Wash State & Church St.
Quality Car Wash2441 State St.
Churches
Chester's First Baptist Church719 State St.
Sunday Service 7:30 & 10:30 AM & 6:30 PM
Free Breakfast Sunday8:00 AM
Sunday School for all ages9:00 AM
Dr. Michael Fogerson, Pastor618-826-3918
First Christian Church of Chester Located behind Courthouse
Sunday Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:30 AM
618-826-3117
Family Worship Center Assembly of God1004 Opdyke St
Sunday Worship 10:00 AM
Sunday School for all ages9:00 AM
Tuesday Worship & Intercession 6:30 PM
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 PM
618-826-4644
First Presbyterian Church1750 State St.
Sunday Service 10:15 AM
Sunday School9:00 AM
618-826-2235
First Apostolic Pentecostal Church1701 High St.
Sunday Service 9:30 AM & 6:00 PM
Wednesday Service 6:00 PM
Phillip Keeton, Pastor618-826-3092
(Churches Continued)
First United Methodist Church871 State St.
Sunday Morning Worship 10:00 AM
Sunday School for all ages 9:00 AM
618-826-2549
St. Mary Help of Christians Church 911 Swanwick St.
Saturday Service 5:00 PM
Sunday Services 8:00 AM&10:30 AM
Rev. Eugene Wojcik, Pastor 618-826-2444
Grace Church Ministries2100 State St.
Sunday Service9:30 AM
Wednesday Service7:00 PM
Ron & Connie ColemanCo-Pastors618-826-4734
St. John Lutheran Church LCMS 302 W. Holmes St.
Pastor Sims
Saturday Service 6:30 PM
Sunday Services 7:45 AM & 10:00 AM
Sunday School & Bible Class 9:00 AM
Phone Meditation 618-826-2135
Sunday 10 AM worship broadcast KBDZ 93.1 & KSGM 980 AM
Peace Lutheran Church ELCA 125 Opdyke St
Sunday Service 10:30 AM
618-826-3140
Clothing
EDITboutique (online only)
Studio Salon Boutique 1218 Swanwick St.
618-826-2600
Convenience Stores
Casey’s General Store 1226 State St.
618-826-9815
Casey’s General Store 2431 State St.
618-826-1501
Moto Mart 435 W. Holmes St.
618-826-4223
Dry Cleaners / Laundromats
Rub-A-Dub Laundromat &100 Opdyke St.
Dry Cleaning618-826-4044
Treasured Memories918 State St.
618-826-2513
Electronics
Chester Video 1217 Swanwick St.
618-826-3222
Bening Communications Chester Center
618-826-2595
Discount Stores
Wal-Mart 2206 State St.
618-826-5041
Dollar General 612 Chester Center
618-826-5627
Hardware/Construction
Stallman’s 1300 Swanwick St.
618-826-5061
Ace Hardware 950 Chester Center
618-826-3000
Construction Supply Company2229 State St.
618-826-4502
Florists
Chester Greenhouse 1309 Allendale Blvd.
618-826-2014
Locksmith
Schuchert's Lock Shop1400 Swanwick
618-826-3391
Medical
Family Pharmacy of Chester2323 Old Plank Rd.
(Victor Drugs)618-826-2511
Wal-Mart Pharmacy2206 State St.
618-826-4898
Chester Clinic2319 Old Plank Rd
Drs. Krieg, Platt, Lowry-Rohlfing,618-826-2388
& Molnar
Memorial Hospital1900 State St.
618-826-4581
Chester Animal Hospital1616 State St
618-826-5332
Thrift Stores
Etc. Thrift & Craft Shop100 W. Stacey St.
T-Sat 9:00 AM 618-826-2660
Church Thrift Shop3669 State Rt. 150
618-826-2106
Video Gaming
Lucy’s Place510 Chester Center
618-826-1440
Misc.
S.I. Vapor 106. W. Stacey St.
618-826-7182
Whisper Vapes 2449 State St.
618-826-7141
Stephanie Rinehart Photography 1206 Swanwick St.
618-559-5179
Welcome
The City of Chester welcomes you! We trust you will find this brochure helpful. Chester is a small town (pop 8,400 including Menard Correctional Center) but offers many services to our citizens and neighboring communities. Please do not hesitate to contact our Chamber of Commerce or City Hall for any information.
Mayor Tom Page
City Services
Chester City Hall/City Clerk’s Office 618-826-2326
Chester Mayor’s Office618-826-5114
Water Treatment Plant618-826-3315
Sewer Treatment Plant618-826-2414
Gas Utility Department618-826-1849
Water Utility Department618-826-1849
Maintenance Department618-826-3712
Police Department618-826-5454
Fire Department618-826-2211
Evergreen Cemetery618-826-2666
911
Park/Recreation
Patti Carter, Rec. Director618-826-1430
Breezy Hill Model Airplane Club
Cohen Recreational Complex
Cole Memorial Park
Cohen Memorial Home618-615-1548
Chester Riverfront/Smith’s Landing
City Steps (located behind Court House)
Chester Square Gazebo
Farmers Market (located near Welcome Center)
Other Services
Chester Public Library618-826-3711
Chester Municipal Band618-826-4275
Chester Post Office618-826-2233
J.U.L.I.E. (Call before digging) 811 or 1-800-892-0123
Visit for more info
History
Sitting on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, Chester is rich in history and beauty. It is located in beautiful Southern Illinois 65 miles south of St. Louis and 30 miles north of the Shawnee National Forest.
Chester was named after the founder, Samuel Smith’s wife, Jane Thomas’, hometown of Chester, England, which is now Chester’s sister city.
Chester's early chief commodity was castor oil which was used as a lubricant. It lost its importance as the petroleum industry was developed and flourished. There were castor bean presses in other area towns; however, Chester had the advantage due to river transportation shipments to St. Louis, New Orleans, and as far away as England. By 1830, the settlement increased and along the river front were an iron foundry, machine shop and several large stores. The old wood-burning steamboats did a brisk business at Chester.
Chester was a favorite stopping place for the river men and boat passengers. Charles Dickens and his wife stayed here onApril 11, 1842. Mark Twain was a pilot on the Mississippi from 1857 to the Civil War and, supposedly, on several occasions stopped at the Cliff House, which was a fine river hostelry.
In 1832-33, a cholera epidemic took many lives. South of the present site of the Con Agra Mill a few stones on the hillside mark the graveyard of those who died on steamboats and were buried there.
Today Chester’s primary employers are Ardent Mills (flour), Menard Correctional Center (860), Chester Mental Health Center (530) and Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. headquarters and manufacturing (food processor) (450).
The Chester Bridge (built 1942) is the only one crossing the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. A major storm destroyed a large center portion of the bridge in 1944; it was re-dedicated in 1946. The Mississippi River at Chester is the narrowest from shore to shore between St. Louis and New Orleans.
Restaurants/Eateries
Bernasek’s 501 Buena Vista St.
Pizza, wings, apps 618-826-3155
Tequila's MexicanRestaurantChester Center
618-826-1343
Reid's Harvest House Smorgasbord 2440 State St.
Closed Mondays618-826-4933
Jodi’s Farm House Café & Bakery639 State St
Closed Tuesday 618-826-1870
Subway Sandwiches1027 State St.
618-826-3191
Al’s (5:15 AM-8:30 PM)McBride, MO
Closed Sunday573-547-5656
Knights of Columbus Hall209 Church St.
Lunch Monday618-826-3316
Eagles Club402 Hacker St.
Lunch & Dinner Mon-Fri618-826-3933
Saturday - Chicken
McDonald’s 2208 State St
618-826-2898
Hardee’s / Red Burrito217 W. Holmes St.
618-826-4020
V.F.W. Hall 939 State St.
Lunch on Wednesdays618-826-3411
Limited menu Mon - Thurs/Friday - Fish
Domino’s PizzaChester Center
618-826-2020
Asia GardenChester Center
618-826-3333
Barb’s Bounty Jams & Jellies832 Lehmen Dr.
(meals to go, lunches, dinners)618-826-7600
Mon-Fri
Sweet Pea’s (Seasonal)125 E. Stacey St.
Open daily (Ice Cream only) 618-559-4152
Benson’s Win Bar (Snacks)1308 Swanwick St.
Thur, Fri & Sat 618-826-1000
Salty Dawg 2005 State St.
618-826-5900
Rough House1217 Swanwick St.
Open Daily Lunch/Dinner618-826-4687