Industry

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Current Businesses

     After a railroad was built in 1888, The Donk Brothers mines were sunk, and the boom was on. Maryville became a thriving, coal-producing community, providing coal for market via the St. Louis, Troy and Eastern Railroad. In 1910, coal production at Donk's Mine reached 373,900 tons—worth $323,885—and tonnage ranked 23rd among 886Illinois pits. The mines employed 555 at Maryville in 1915 and continued to increase through World War I. The mine was closed in 1925 when operational costs pyramided because of the distance to the shaft from the diggings. Also, a suit by Madison Coal Co., operator of Glen Carbon mines, charged that the Maryville mine was encroaching on its territory.

(Edwardsville Intelegencer 1927)

    Even though, he Coal Mining industry once ruled Collinsville, Maryville, GlenCarbon, Troy and Livingston, there are no coal mines operating in Madison county anymore. Coal has a new emphasis now because of proposed air pollution regulations limiting its sulfur content. The importance of mining in Madison County has increased since the low sulfur requirement was established, and a geologist estimates millions of tons exist in the area. One veteran coal operator, however, estimated that there are about 50 million tons of extractable coal, low sulfur coal, in reserve in the Troy area, though he added that the coal mined at Collinsville and parts southeast was a relatively high sulfur coal. 

     In 1902, the Donk Brothers sank a shaft and around it grew the village of Maryville. Along with it closing in 1925, for leagal reasons, A fire made it dangerous. 

(Alton Evening Telagraph~ 1966)

     Maryville’s prosperity may have suffered from the coal mines closing down, which was around the time of the stock marcket crash of the great depression but the town survived. The local grocery stores, Piccolie and Lang, is what kept the town alive through the Deppresion era. 

     It currently maintains its small town feel  with the growth of many small business and its affinaty to healthcare. Anderson Hospital , and small owned buisness like Vintage 159 , Bobby's Custard Shop, and the Red Apple Family Reasturant. Keep the close nit commumity nestled nicely betwen the bigger busy towns of Edwardsville, Fairview, and the city of St Louis