Why visit Godfrey
Townapedia lists 35 museums and landmarks, 35 parks and trails, 62 places to eat, 16 places to stay and 9 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Alton Bridge, Clark Bridge, McPike Mansion and Alton Chapter House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Godfrey
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Godfrey
Godfrey is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,825 at the 2020 census. Godfrey is located within the River Bend portion of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Godfrey, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do9
Alton Bridge
Bridge · 5.1 mi
Railroad bridge across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri, and Alton, Illinois, USA
Clark Bridge
Bridge · 5.4 mi
Cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois
Old Clark Bridge
Bridge · 5.2 mi
Former Illinois/Missouri Mississippi River crossing
Museums and landmarks35
McPike Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
2018 Alby Street, Alton
Alton Chapter House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Clubhouse in Alton, Illinois
Alton Military Prison
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Prison located in Alton, Illinois
Alton National Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.3 mi
United States National Cemetery located in the city of Alton, in Madison County, Illinois
Christian Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Guertler House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Haskell Playhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Hotel Stratford
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Hotel in Alton, Illinois, United States
Lyman Trumbull House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
Alton, Illinois, listed on the NRHP in Madison County
Middletown Historic District (Alton, Illinois)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
Post House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Principia College Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.7 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
23 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds35
23 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes62
Tony's Restaurant
Restaurant · Steak House · 4.3 mi
102 West 9th Street, Alton
Tu-Th 16:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 16:00-21:30; Su 16:00-21:00
50 more on the map.
History
The village is named for Captain Benjamin Godfrey, a native New Englander, who arrived in the area in 1832. 1838 saw the establishment of the Monticello Female Seminary, later renamed Monticello College. Captain Godfrey, the father of eight daughters, was an advocate of higher education for women and made a large donation of funds and land for the college. Monticello operated as a two-year college for women until the campus was sold in 1970 to establish Lewis and Clark Community College. Monticello's final class graduated in 1971.
The nearby mouth of the Missouri River was the starting point for the expedition of Lewis and Clark.
From the History section of Godfrey, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay16
Churches and places of worship36
Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Salem Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.4 mi
Shopping17
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries30
Healthcare3
Map of Godfrey
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 22°F | 2.5 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 25°F | 2.5 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 35°F | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 45°F | 4.9 in |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 5.5 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 66°F | 3.4 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 4.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 67°F | 3.3 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 60°F | 3.4 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 48°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 36°F | 3.4 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 27°F | 2.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Alton - Melvin Price L&D (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Madison County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for tornados.
- 2021-12-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-02-09: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Saint Louis Regional Airport (ALN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Alton 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Granite City 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Edwardsville 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Glen Carbon 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- St. Louis 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Collinsville 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- East St. Louis 24 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Cahokia Heights 26 mi south, about 43 min by car
- Fairview Heights 27 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Belleville 33 mi southeast, about 53 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Hop Hollow marker in Godfrey, Illinois, Coalfather, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hop Hollow marker in Godfrey Illinois (closeup), Coalfather, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barge on the Mississippi River near Godfrey, IL, on Aug 30, 2017 (20170829-OSEC-LSC-0003), USDAgov, Public domain
- Yakel House and Union Brewery complex, Nyttend, Public domain
- Alton Military Prison remains, Nyttend, Public domain
- Godfrey Memorial Chapel HABS, Joseph T. Golabowski, Public domain
- Evergreen north of College, Alton, Nyttend, Public domain
- Principia College (2152575562), stannate from St. Louis, MO, US, CC BY 2.0
- Hotel Stratford in Alton, Nyttend, Public domain
- Salem Baptist Church north of Alton, Nyttend, Public domain
- Alton National Cemetery, Nyttend, Public domain
- Lyman Trumbull House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Abbott Machine Co. building, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Lovejoy spire, Kazvorpal at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clark bridge west alton mo dec 2009, Illinois2011, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mister Donut, Kfree1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vadalabene Trail-20110924-054, Kbh3rd, CC BY 3.0
- Alton High School - Illinois - aerial, Tedder, CC BY 4.0
- Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Rte-20140421-047, Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0
- ISS046-E-21015 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS010-E-17991 - View of Illinois, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21021 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-242877 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21016 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21020 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21019 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21017 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21018 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS046-E-21014 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-242876 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Post House in Alton, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS056-E-153850 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS064-E-9741 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS062-E-70613 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS062-E-70612 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS064-E-9742 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Piasa-Bird-Alton-IL, Burfalcy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20180205 16 Alton, Illinois transit center, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Guertler House front, Nyttend, Public domain
- Alton Chapter House, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.