Belleville, Illinois

Belleville, Illinois, the "beautiful city," is a 19-square-mile city in St. Clair County. Historic Belleville is one of the oldest cities in the state of Illinois. It was first settled after the Revolutionary War by veterans who received land grants, and later by German immigrants. Belleville was chartered in 1814 and grew steadily through the years. Belleville has such a rich German heritage that its sister city is Paderborn, Germany. Belleville Sister Cities, Inc. is an organization which is dedicated to maintaining contact with Paderborn as well as hosting a yearly German dinner and dances, complete with German music.

From the late 1800s to the 1940s Belleville, IL was known as the "Stove Capital of the World." Stove casting for heating and cooking stoves was the major industry. Today, Belleville's Labor and Industry Museum preserves the city's industrial history.

There were 41,287 residents in Belleville, Illinois in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There were 18,000 households in the city with an average household size of 2.3 people. Families made up 58 percent of the households.

The Scott Air Force Base, home to the U.S. Transportation Command, is adjacent to Belleville. It is a major employer, with nearly 3,500 civilians who work at the base, making it an important part of Belleville's economy. The U.S. Air Force base is similar to a city, with 900 buildings and its own police and fire departments, hospital, department store, grocery store, movie theater and restaurants.

Belleville's public education is overseen by the St. Clair County Regional Office of Education. The total school enrollment in Belleville city was 11,000 from 2005-2007. Belleville, IL is also home to the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center, serving grades 7-12. Higher education is provided by Saint Louis University at its Belleville Campus, Lindenwood University in nearby St. Charles, and Southwestern Illinois College.

Local airports serving Belleville include the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, which offers international cargo services, and the St. Louis Lambert International Airport. The main roadways serving Belleville, Illinois are highways 15, 159, 177, 13 and 161, and interstates I-255 and I-64. These routes provide for an easy drive to bustling downtown St. Louis. The MetroLink system provides public transportation.

Belleville, Illinois is proud of its superior healthcare system. Two hospitals serve the city: the 313-bed acute care Memorial Hospital, and St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Healthcare is also the number-one civilian employer in the region, according to the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce. Scott Air Force Base is the top government employer, and Regions Bank and the St. Clair County offices round out the list of major economic contributors.

The Belleville Police Department provides law enforcement services. Belleville is home to the Southwestern Illinois Police Academy, located on the campus of Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois.

Belleville, the seat of St. Clair County's government, houses the St. Clair County Courthouse, Twentieth Judicial Court, at the St. Clair County Building, 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL, 62220.

The Circuit Court is divided into four main divisions: Civil, Family, Felony, and Traffic. The Civil Division deals with product liability, personal injury, eminent domain, probate, and more. The Felony Division is where criminal charges are filed and processed. The Family / Domestic Relations Division handles divorces, no-contact orders, orders of protection, child adoptions, and paternity suits. The Traffic Division handles traffic violations, DUIs, misdemeanors, and municipal ordinance violations. State, municipal and county law enforcement agencies deposit all traffic tickets, warrants and citations issued in St. Clair County with the Traffic Division.