Lost Towns of Illinois - Papstown, Illinois.

Papstown, or New Brighton, was located on the high road to Belleville, just east of East Saint Louis city boundary and the seat of the National Stock Yards pens where the butchers of St. Louis draw their stock for local markets.

It was called the Papstown from the founder, an Englishman named Mr. Condit. People called him "Pap" and the place Papstown. Brighton was a noted cattle mart in England. The nickname New Brighton was appropriately applied to this great western cattle market. 

"Pap" Condit built his first house in Papstown of grub plank from old river rafts. Here he sold spruce beer which he made himself. Condit turned his first house into a tavern and sold spruce beer, which he made himself.

Condit was immensely wealthy. He had a farm in Morgan County, comprising thousands of acres, having many tenants upon it whom he employed to grow feed corn and grains for his stables and cattle ranch.

East Saint Louis, Illinois, annexed Papstown in the early 1870s.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.