newly purchased property.
In 1958 after hearing the advertisement of the Royal Lakes development on the radio, Mrs. Rosetta Gee, who in 1922 had moved with her husband from Alabama to St. Louis, thought it was great. Along with some friends, they formed the Royal Lakes Club after buying most of the lake front lots. When her husbaand died in 1959, Mrs Gee decided to make a permanent move to Royal Lakes. In 1961, a storm destroyed her first home. Not discouraged, she commissioned a contractor to build her second home while she continued to commute each day to her job in St. Louis.
Willie Thomas was a middle aged steel worker, living with his wife Adeller, in a crowded black neighborhood in Venice, IL. In 1957 they were told that they would have to move to make way for a government housing project. Willie found a newspaper ad offering a place in the country with fresh air, no crime and land for a garden. It was 60 miles from St. Louis, and the price was right. They could buy a lot for $90.00, paying $10.00 down, and $10.00 a month. To Willie and Adeller it sounded fit for a king. The place was Royal Lakes. Willie bought eight lots.
Royal Lakes is located 60 miles south-southwest of Springfiled, IL. and 35 miles north-northeast of St. Louis, MO.. Illinois highway 16 borders the community on the north, and Illinois highway 159 borders on the east. There are few businesses or industry in the community and those residents who have been able able to secure employment, commute to Carlinville, or the Alton IL. areas. The climate of the area is characterized by cold winters and warm, humid summers. The average winter temperature is 29 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average summer temperature is 74 degrees Fahrenheit. The annual precipitation is approximately 37 inches with 65% in the form of rainfall, occuring April through September. Royal Lakes watershed encompasses approximately 2,640 acres located in the south-central portion of Macoupin County, IL.. The watershed is in the Illinois River Basin #07130012, watershed #020, and has been identified as hydrolic unit (sub watershed) #028. The three lakes were created in 1952 by the damming of Coop Branch, a tributary of Macoupin Creek. Shad Lake was originally constructed with a surface area of approximately sixteen acres. Shadrach has three surface acres, and Meshach has six surface acres. Land use in the watershed is primarily cropland. Areas of woodland and grassland are generally located along sloping areas adjacent to drainage ways. The predominant crops are corn, soybean and wheat. Forage crops are also produced on pasture and hay land. Approximately 88% of the watershed is in farm units. USDA certified farm sizes average 108 acres. Farmland values in this watershed currently range from $500 to $2,000.00 per acre. Royal Lakes was originally platted as a resort community in 1956.
Land developer Seymore Goodman went to the East St. Louis, IL. Area to adverise retirement and vacation sites for $90 to $100.00 per lot. Classified as a resort area, Macoupin County had no zoning regulations for lot size or water and sewage disposal. In some cases, raw sewage was allowed to flow directly into the lakes. With no infrastructure for road maintenance, water supply or sewage disposal, the community quickly deteriorated. Health and safety concerns became a high priority due to several reasons. Shad Lake has a pool area of approximately 1.5 acres with a maximum depth of 2 feet. These conditions are favorable for breeding mosquitos which could be the vectors of disease. The open hole in the dam of Shad Lake is approximately 35 feet wide and 20 feet deep. There are no barricades around it and it poses a safety hazard to the residents. The bridge on the upper end of Shad Lake (on Julian Ave) has been damaged by floodwater. It was condemmed in 1976, but repairs completed by the community keeps the bridge open, with weight restrictions. Roadways, road ditches and road culverts are filled with sediment and debris. Many community roads are impassible during storm events due to the poor drainage and reduced ditch capacity. There are also many abandoned homes or structures which could be considered unsafe, and need to be repaired or razed. A 1976 study by the Macoupin County Rural Development Council reported "No sewage system exists and all homes have septic systems. There is a good possibility that the three lakes are polluted to the extend that a person could walk across them."
In 1961, the First Baptist Church of Royal Lakes was organized by several members. They held church services in a converted chicken house for several years. Under the leadership of Reverend Wallace, a new church building was erected. The first service was held May 24, 1968, and the church was renamed the First Community Baptist Church. In 1969 Joseph Simmons became the first black to graduate from Southwestern High School. The following year, 1970, Gerald Phoenix and Velma Oatis Caver were the first blacks to graduate from Bunker Hill High School.
Frustrated with such crippling problems, local leaders decided to incorporate. Assistance from Macoupin County was minimal, and residents agreed that becoming a village was the only way to obtain the funds and support needed to make improvements. By a overwhelming vote of 89-9, the citizens approved the proposal to incorporate. In October 1972, after 12 years of struggles and hardships, Royal Lakes which was home to about 300 residents including 80 children, formally became the Village of Royal Lakes.
Prior to incorporation, at 66 years of age, widow Mrs. Rosetta Gee is considering running for mayor to improve the streets, and build a sewage system. The community have no tax base, no water connection, and no paved streets. Many residents work as domestics, service personnel, or in the mines. Despite high unemployment, the residents through the Royal Lakes Community Improvement Association, headed by Mrs. Gee, and some of the students, faculty and staff, at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE), commenced the building of a community center. This volunteer group met every Tuesday night at Royal Lakes, or other locations. "We’re presently involved in a referendum vote to make Royal Lakes a town or village" said Thomas Shea, SIUE associate professor of special education. We’re also planning a testimonial dinner for Mrs. Rosetta Gee, one of the unrecognized community leaders and the first person the SIUE group met with. We are planning a Holloween party in the new Royal Lakes community center. The center is not complete, but is far enough along, that in early October, the group was able to meet there for the first time. When funds for the center ran out earlier this year, Mrs. Gee told the group of students and teachers she needed money to finish the community building. The SIUE group held a series of bake sales, and concerts. "The Old Guys" a Dixieland jazz band composed of SIUE professors gave a free performance as a fund raiser, and soon the money was raised. "If the kids hadn’t come, I would have just folded up" said Mrs. Gee referring to the help of the SIUE students. Thomas Shea said " the center is more than just a building, it’s going to be one of the focal points of the community." The residents are interested in starting a regular recreation program, and doing lots of other things in the center that they have never been able to do before. SIUE special education department members have been working with Royal Lakes residents for several years through the Student Council for Exceptional Children. Pat Long, a pre-school teacher at the university’s Special Education Center, first learned of the problems in Royal Lakes when she was teaching school in Macoupin County. "I was teaching Jr. High in Staunton and there was one black boy in my class from Royal Lakes" she remembers. One day I went to visit his family, and that was my first contact with Royal Lakes. "I was fascinated" she stated. She has been one of the mainstays of the SIUE informal organization of volunteers.
When the St. Louis Post Dispatch contacted developer Seymore Goodman in 1973, he acknowledge that he had made plenty of money on the Royal Lakes development by selling the land with only minimum improvements. He found the formula so successful, he started other Royal Lakes resorts, all about an hour’s drive from St. Louis. They are located in Bond, Clinton, and Marion Counties. He denied that he had done anything illegal which he probably hadn’t because the county had no subdivision ordinances. He also denied that the sales were intentionally directed towards blacks. The Royal Lakes roads are too narrow, and most are dirt based without even gravel on some of them,When the weather is dry, they are rough and dusty. In wet seasons they are quamires. Many are impassible. On some of the coldest winter days, school children have to walk to the highway to wait for the school bus because it couldn’t travel on Royal Lakes roads. Senior citizens stay indoors for days at a time hoping there will be no emergency. At the First Baptist Community Church last week, the congregation prayed for better roads. It could cost an estimate $1.5 million to put in permanent streets on the 9.5 miles of roadway. U.S. Rep. Paul Finley sought the money from the Farmer Home Administration (FHA), but was turned down. Macoupin County might have been expected to give some help if Royal Lakes were unincorporated. But, thinking they would qualify for more government aid town officials pushed for, and Royal Lakes was incorporated in October 1972. The move to incorporate backfired. It brought very little government aid and allowed the county to absolve itself of any responsibility for improving Royal Lakes roads. U.S. Rep. Paul Finley sought help from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Transportation Secretary John Kramer replied: "Our Central Bureau of Local Roads and our SpringfieldOffice is aware of the situation in Royal Lakes, but their motor fuel allotments are not sufficient to undertake the desired projects, nor are there any special funding available at the state level.
Many residents and supporters of the all black community of Royal Lakes have become dismayed as recent incorporation have failed to begin solving long standing problems. "The big problem is that the community is divided" says Illinois State Rep. Ken Boyle who has had a 10 year interest in getting Royal Lakes on its feet. He handled the legal work for incorporation of the village in October 1972, and has been acting as the village attorney. Operation of the village has been at a virtual stalemate because of differences between two factions. A leader of each faction has served as village board president as a result of disputed elections. The first election held between Samuel Brown, 68, and Thomas J. Stoddard, 79, resulted in a court challenged vote of a 51-51 tie. Both are natives of Arkansas, who came to St. Louis as young men. Brown recently retired after 30 years with the St. Louis Sanitation Department. Stoddard, who says he has been in about every kind of business you can name, formerly headed the Royal Lakes Corp., a not for profit subdivision type organization of residents. Pending a second election, court officials appointed Brown as acting president of the board, which included 5 trustees who had run on a slate with Brown, and one from Stoddard’s slate. On April 17, 1973, at age 79, Thomas J. Stoddard became Mayor, and village board president of Royal Lakes, IL.. When the results of the second election were contested in court, a Macoupin County Judge declared it a draw, Stoddard became mayor by drawing the longer slip of paper out of a box, supervised by the court. "It was that or go through another election, and we have been held up long enough" Brown said. The controversy has delayed the village applications for revenue sharing funds and other tax shares from the state. Now, the trustees figure the village will have no money until late spring or summer. The village is plagued by inadequate streets, virtually impassible during recent snowstorms. The lakes are threatened with pollution because of the lack of village wide water and sewage. A severe rubbish problem exists. The stalemate in village operations continued. "We’ve had five meetings and haven’t done a single thing" said Mrs. Rosetta Gee, a widow who is a trustee and head of the Royal Lakes Improvement Association. A few trustees have had experience in government. One is Earl Keltz, the village only storekeeper, who formerly was a precinct committeeman and alderman in Venice, IL. Mr. Keltz moved with his family to Royal Lakes in 1968. The new mayor, Thomas J. Stoddard, and Mr. Earl Keltz contributed $100.00 each for village clerical expenses until tax money arrives.
Mr. Thomas J. Stoddard
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
04-17-1973 to 08-10-1975
At the age of 79, Thomas J. Stoddard is probably one of the oldest elected municipal officials in the nation, and one beset with the most problems. "You name anything that another town has, and we need it" said Stoddard, summing up the village problems. "We don’t have but one little store and they don’t have everything we need so we have to go to Bunker Hill or someplace else." But, he feels up to the job. "What’s being done now is the same thing I’ve been doing for seven years" he said. At that time he formed the non-municipal Royal Lakes Corp, and organization of residents of the community. A rival group of women of the community formed the Royal Lakes Improvement Association and succeeded in building a community hall and attracting volunteer aid. Stoddard was the son of a school teacher an was born in Carlyle Arkansas. At age 15, he came to St. Louis and worked long hours as a checker in a foundry. Later he operated an excavating company, a taxi service, a theater and parking lot among other business dealings. He moved to Royal Lakes as one of the first permanent residents in 1958, after obtaining 40 small lots from the Chicago land promoter who advertised heavily to attract blacks seeking resort property. Despite his age, Stoddard has many interests. He has been a Macoupin County special deputy sheriff for 12 years, sells used cars, and with his second wife, has raised foster children for more than 10 years, for which he receives state compensation. After two years in office, Thomas J. Stoddard resigned as mayor of Royal Lakes. " I just couldn’t get the support I needed from the Village Board" he stated. His successor was Mr. James Thomas who was appointed and took over as mayor August 12, 1975. "This town is going to grow" said the optimistic new mayor.
In March, 1977 the Royal Lakes Food Center is about the only healthy business in the village. It is operated by Earl Keltz and his wife Kathleen. The pool hall across from the store is now closed, as is the beauty shop next door. The only gas station in the village no longer pumps gas; the price on the pumps register "$0.00." Scattered among the frame houses and mobile homes that line the roads are two used car dealers— each with only a few worn cars for sale, and a used tire dealer. There are no neon lights in Royal Lakes, only hand painted signs. There is no downtown or business district. The few businesses are scattered among the frame houses and mobile homes lining the narrow roads. Since most of the village residents are retired, the per capita income of Royal Lakes is about $2,000.00.
Mr. James Thomas
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
08-12-1975 to 04-11-1977 &
11-30-1981 to 04-16-1983
Despite the many problems, Mayor James Thomas who took office almost two years earlier was still optimistic. Incorporation had made the village eligible for a $500,000.00 community development grant, and a $205,000.00 state manpower and human development program. The grants which were approved are being used for job training, employment opportunities, road and bridge repairs, and a new water system. At the request of Mayor Thomas and the Village Board, who were in earnest to get a municipal water system installed in Royal Lakes, the Illinois Department of Public Health’s regional office in Springfield, surveyed health conditions there in January, 1976. The subsequent report noted that the wells and cisterns from which Royal Lakes residents got their drinking water were poorly constructed, and were all located too close to possible sources of pollution. Many of the septic tanks were poorly constructed and malfunctioning. Test of the water samples confirmed that the water was contaminated and unsafe to drink. Dick Petrella, of the Health Department found it amazing that apparently the residents were drinking the water without getting sick. Soon after the water test, village officials with the assistance of the state Department of Local Government Affairs, sent a grant application off to Washington. U.S. Congressman Paul Findley, R-Pittsfield, wrote to Carla Hill, then Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, asking that she give the grant request her personal attention. In March, 1976, the grant was approved. For Mayor Thomas, the municipal water system would be the key to the village’s future. "When the system is installed, we should have twice the population we have now" he said. Most of the property has been bought by prospective homeowners he added, but lack of water has slowed development. "In addition a larger population will attract more business," he said. Mr. Thomas would be out of office before the municipal water began to flow.
Mr. Ed Dorsey Jr.
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
04-12-1977 to 04-12-1981 &
04-19-1983 to 04-18-1985
On April 12, 1977, Mr. Ed Dorsey Jr. became the third mayor of the Village of Royal Lakes. He won out in the election over Mr. James Thomas, who had been appointed to the position when Mr. Thomas J. Stoddard resigned. Ed Dorsey Jr. was born in Natchez Mississippi to parents Ed and Alma (Jenkins) Dorsey. In 1973, upon retirement, and being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, he arrived in Royal Lakes, joining his parents who had moved to Royal Lakes in 1961. When interviewed in 1979 Mr. Dorsey stated "I turned down a GS-13 position with the government, I thought the people here needed all of the help they could get." Dorsey considers himself a full time mayor. He has a military pension, and makes some money from painting portraits and signs. "I have a tight budget" he said. With only about $200.00 a month in state Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) revenue coming in, the village can’t afford good streets, Dorsey said. On the MFT we receive, its almost impossible to do any major road work---just a little rock patching here and there, he said. General Fund revenues total about $130.00 a month and the village receive about $2,500.00 a year from property taxes, if all are collected. The mayor, the village six trustees, the village clerk, treasurer, environmental commissioner, water commissioner, three policemen, and other village employees are not paid. "The village can’t afford to pay anyone" Dorsey said. A serious problem is the lack of a municipal water system, but Dorsey proudly points out that a solution is at hand. Planning and funding for the public water system was underway before he took office, but the push for its installation has been during his administration. The project is being financed with a grant of $120,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a $198,200.00 grant and a $65,000.00 loan from the Farmers Home Administration, and $7,500.00 to come from tap on fees, paid by water users. Dorsey said the FHA loan will be paid back over a 40 year period from users charges. A water tower had been completely installed last month. Another problem Dorsey said is the possibility of the failure of a dam on one of the lakes. He stated that the dam on Shad Lake was repaired under a $196,000.00 federal grant in 1976, but a spillway constructed as part of the program washed out in less than a month. He stated further that residents whose property fronts on Routes 16 and 159 are angry because the state will not allow them access to their property from the highway because the state deems lot sizes as too narrow. In 1980 Bishop Joseph Mc Nicholas presented Mayor Dorsey a $5,000.00 check to help in the purchase of the first fire truck in the village’s 25 year existence. In accepting the check Mayor Dorsey said " I am very happy to receive from the Bishop and the Springfield Diocese this check which will certainly be put to good use, and is appreciated by all of the people of Royal Lakes, who are now without fire protection. Most of the rest of the $1,100.00 needed for the purchase, came in a chicken dinner sponsored by the village and the Helpers of Christ in Gillespie, IL. about 8 miles to the east. A used fire truck was eventually purchased, with the help of the Rev, Father Peter Mascari of Sherman, IL., a small town near Springfield. A post office is another hope of Mayor Dorsey. Presently, the community have a rural Shipman address. Plainview and Dorchester are smaller communities, but both have their own post offices, he said. Royal Lakes is growing despite its many problems Dorsey said. It won’t be in the immediate future, but I think in time our tax base will improve greatly. A Village Hall is needed, he said. A site on village property near the water tower has been chosen, but we don’t have the money now, he stated. The village board now meets in a community center built in 1972 by the Royal Lakes Community Improvement Association, with the aid of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville students. Mayor Dorsey would also like to see low income housing for senior citizens. As for sewers, Dorsey is not too optimistic. "That is something in the distant future" he said. In April, 1981, Dorsey lost his seat as mayor to Mr. Samuel Brown. He would become the mayor again thorough popular election, with a win over Mr. James Thomas, and serve from April 19, 1983 to April 18, 1985. He lost in the election of 1985 to Mr. Alvin Good. On June 17, 2006, Ed Dorsey Jr. died at the Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Gillespie, Macoupin County, IL.
One of the issues in 1979 is whether liquor should be sold in Royal Lakes? The village is dry and some residents want it to be wet. "I’m tired of going to Bunker Hill to buy my liquor," said Mrs. Mary Carter, a 30 year old mother of three. "That’s five miles from here." Another of those who want Royal Lakes to go wet is George Griffin, an enterprising man of 46, and one of the village leading entrepreneurs. Griffin, originally from Mississippi, settled in the village six years ago after roaming the Mid-West working at various jobs. He is now a miner at the Monterey Coal Company in Carlinville. "I was much younger then and the lady that I had didn’t want to stay in one place too long" he said. Griffin came to Royal Lakes from East St. Louis, IL because as he put it, "There was just too much happening for me to stay." But, Griffin is one of the few men of working age in Royal Lakes, and he didn’t move there to take it easy. He ran the pool hall for three years before giving it up. Last summer he opened a restaurant at his home, on one of the lakes. On weekends he presides over the Lakeside Barbeque, which advertise "The World’s Greatest Sauce." But the barbeque and restaurant business were closed because it failed to meet health regulations. Griffin has high hopes for his business plans. "There’s no place else to go around here and last summer I put out a dock where kids could swim," he said. All I need is a bathroom and running water to get going. When the weather gets straightened out, I’m going to open up a blooming business. Local politics are also included in his plans.
Mr. Samuel Brown
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
04-15-1981 to 11-24-1981
Samuel Brown was cleaning up around his chicken coop after beheading four hens. They were already being cleaned inside his home by his wife Marcidus. "Those are real chickens," Brown said, anticipating the flavors he would enjoy later in the day. That stuff you buy in the stores ain’t no good. Just don’t taste the same. If I want fresh chickens that taste real good, I just come out back and get one. Brown and his wife moved from St. Louis to the tiny Macoupin County community of Royal Lakes in the mid 1960's, and he think that it was the smartest move he ever made, even though at the time, the land was undeveloped and covered with tall weeds and timber. Having room to raise his own chickens isn’t the only reason. I have everything I need here he continued, directing a hand around the acre of land that surrounds his home. That’s mine all of the way back to the creek. During the summer most of this is garden. He had purchased the land back in 1958. Nine years later at the age of 62, he retired from his job of 30 years with the St. Louis Sanitation Department. After a disputed first election for mayor against Mr. Thomas J. Stoddard, the court appointed Mr. Brown acting mayor. During this time frame, Mr. Brown made several appeals for the creation of a post office in Royal Lakes. In February, 1973, he took his appeal to U.S. Congressman Paul Findley. "I know you want to put Royal Lakes on the map" stated the congressman, but a new post office has not been opened in two years. In the last four years there has been a cutback from 70,000 to 30,000 post offices in the U.S. Findley said. Royal Lakes presently have 75 deliveries out of Shipman, and a population of 500, which borderlines on the qualifications for opening a substation. In 1973, Mr. Brown lost in his bid to become the first mayor of Royal Lakes when after a court disputed election, Mr. Thomas J. Stoddard drew the longer slip of paper from a box, being supervised by a Macoupin County judge. It is now 1981. Samuel Brown becomes the fourth Mayor of Royal Lakes with an election win over Ed Dorsey Jr. The village was still without municipal water because it had not found a water source. Village officials had originally hoped to get water from the village lakes, but they were considered polluted. Next, they negotiated with the Fosterburg Rural Water District. After months of talk, Fosterburg Rural Water decided it didn’t have enough reserve capacity to serve Royal Lakes. After long negotiations, it was the Jersey County Rural Water Company that became the water source supply for the Village of Royal Lakes. While in office before his death in November 1981, Mayor Brown negotiated and was awarded a $40.000.00 grant from the National Campaign for Human Development for the purpose of road improvements, and rebuilding the dam to ensure the preservation of Shad Lake. He had served only seven months in office. On November 30, 1981, Trustee James Thomas was appointed Mayor of Royal Lakes to serve out the unexpired term of Samuel Brown.
Shad Lake is the largest of the three lakes in Royal Lakes. It was originally constructed with an inadequate spillway design. A design unable to handle the volume of runoff in the waterbed. The Shad Lake spillway failed in 1975, and the dam breached. The village attempted repairs in 1977, but without any technical assistance, or expertise, the repairs were inadequate. Later that year the spillway failed again during a single storm event, and the lake drained. Over the years, sedimentation has not only rendered the lake useless for recreation and wildlife, but has also created a hazardous environment for the community. In 1978, Shad Lake had an average depth of 2 to 4 feet forming an ideal breeding ground for disease carrying insects. In addition, the shallow lake can no longer store excess storm water for the watershed, resulting in upstream, and downstream flooding. While Shad Lake remains in disrepair, Royal Lakes cannot attract businesses or new residents. This lack of residential and commercial growth has left the village economically depress. As a results, the village budget is too small to address all of the pressing issues.
It has been 10 years since 1968 when Mrs. Kathleen Keltz and her husband Earl, moved to Royal Lakes. Now a widow, Mrs. Keltz continues to operate "The Royal Lakes Food Center." Now that the beauty shop and the barbeque stand across the street are closed, it’s the only business in the village. Like just about everybody in Royal Lakes, Mrs. Keltz is smiling and friendly. "The store has been closed all winter," she explains, because she can’t afford the gas to heat it. The heat isn’t on now, but the weather has been warm enough to allow her to open when someone comes to her house and ask her to. "I like to get out and see the people she stated, I get tired of sitting around all winter." Mrs. Keltz was born in Summersville, Tennessee and likes living in the country. She has a pen out back of the store with three hens, two geese, and an old roster. "My husband thought about moving to East St. Louis, but the people are kind of rough there," she said. "I would be scared to death to have a store there." Mr. Leroy Johnson comes into the store and buys a loaf of bread, and some Ben Gay. "That’s the way I feel," Mr. Johnson said. Something kept telling me to get out of the city. This place came along, it was $10.00 down, and $10.00 a month, and I took it. "Rats got too bad in St. Louis," said Mr. John Green, another customer. 63 year old Green bought his Royal Lakes property in 1956, but didn’t move then. "My wife’s friend saw this place advertised in the paper and said that it was a good spot to fish. I didn’t care too much about that, but the women like it." When his wife died in a car accident in 1970, he decided to move to Royal Lakes. "It’s a good place to raise my son," Green said, I like it here. 70 year old Mr. Ed Dorsey Sr., has lived in Royal Lakes for 17 years. "It’s fine in the summer," he said, you can smell the fresh air. "OK boys, it’s time to close," said Mrs. Keltz. My feet are getting cold.
Most of the 400 Royal Lakes residents wanted to leave the big city life to escape high cost of living and high crime rates, that make retirement years an ordeal. All but a few of the families are black, and the majority moved from the St. Louis area. Instead of Florida, Arizona, or some other warm weather spot, they chose the unlikely location of Royal Lakes, nestled among the cornfields of Macoupin County, at the intersection of IL. 16 and 159. The noise, congestion and crime of the inner city was behind for the solitude and peaceful atmosphere of rural living. Now when the people of Royal Lakes talk about going downtown, they’re thinking in terms of stores in Bunker Hill and/or Gillespie. "It’s nice and quiet here," said Leroy Beverly, formerly of St. Louis. "When the sun goes down, you only hear dogs barking. It’s not like the city." Beverly prefers it that way because he retired early due to heart trouble. Country living has given him peace of mind and he claims that it has helped his health. "I liked the city once," he said. But, the lights are still bright when you are in your 30's. Some of the younger guys may want to go back to the city, but not me." Winters are rough in Royal Lakes though, and Beverly did leave his trailer for more convenient shelter in St. Louis when the snow started piling up in January. Royal Lakes is spread around 300 acres of rolling countryside with unpaved roads carved in the hillside, making a short trip following a rain or snowfall an adventure. Melting snow makes curves and road shoulders soft, and it takes a careful touch to negotiate a turn through the mud and water. Roads wind through the hills and cars splash through the puddles as pedestrians hug the sidewalk-less shoulders. The streets are barely wide enough for two cars with drainage ditches lining the sides, prompting motorists to stay towards the center. Many motorists have to be rescued by tractor each winter after slipping off the treacherous roads. Beverly and others who own land in Royal Lakes recall the time when weeds and prarie grass grew chest high on a grown man. "Back then there was nothing to keep me here overnight," Beverly said
Mr. Alvin L. Goode
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
04-20-1985 to 03-16-1990
Mr. Alvin L. Goode became the Mayor of Royal Lakes, on April 20, 1985 by defeating Mr. Ed Dorsey Jr. in the election of that year. On September 11 of that same year, Mayor Goode signed off on Ordinance 1985-1 establishing a police department for the village. Mrs. Lillie Huddleston was Village Clerk. Section 1 of the ordinance states that the created police department an executive department of the village, shall consist of the City Marshall, who shall be Chief of Police, three patrolmen, and such other police officers as may be provided by the Board of Trustees. After approximately two years in office, Mayor Goode is trying to stretch the communities meager yearly budget of $14,000.00. Through the years, religious and civil groups sent volunteers to help, and some government agencies were involved, but the village at this point has not taken off. "Money is always the main problem," said Ms. Lula Corley, who would like to see more working people and their revenue to move into the 80 acre settlement. "Most of our young men work in the mines, but we have senior citizens and folks on public aid. The rest are all children and young women," she said. Faced with a low income population, Ms. Corley and several other women organized their own fund raising efforts in March 1987, with the help of Mayor Goode. "We call ourselves the Concern Citizens of Royal Lakes, and we raise money any way we can," said Ms. Corley, taking a turn as president. "You saw that yellow truck by the Village Hall! That truck cost $5,000.00. We raised $3,000.00 to help buy it. " That lone truck means the village no longer have to pay $40.00 an hour to have its nine miles of road plowed every time it snows. "It’s a start," said Ms. Corley who helped organize the first fund raising Christmas party last year. "For $5.00 we had a meal and dance until 2 AM. We sent tickets to all the senators, and they sent back checks. Anybody can belong to the club for $36.00 a year, or $3.00 a month. You don’t have to live here," she said, touting the plan she offers to everyone. The village may be struggling, but it had a free Thanksgiving dinner for the community after one young club member pushed the idea. We had a wonderful time and so much food. "We sent plates of leftovers home, and delivered more to some of the older people who couldn’t come," Ms. Corley said. But the towns main thrust is a clean-up project started last spring. "A lot of stuff around here needs to be cleaned up, but I’m the only one being fined so far," complained Mo Anderson, who carries pictures of a neighbors house to support his arguments. "I just want more time," said Anderson, who faces $1,700.00 in fines and $400.00 in court costs. "We sent letters out," said Sherman Clay, a retired resident who serves as trustee and doubles as street and water supervisor. He was the owner of the closed gas station. Clay said the idea is to clean up so more people will move in. "It might help," along with more grants and loans that may come through professional grant writers hired by the village, he said. "We can use anything and everything," said Clay. Citing the lack of street lights and missing signs. "It’s better than the city," said Clay, despite gripes that he has to drive five miles— literally— for a pack of cigarettes since the last store closed. Despite the many problems confronting the community, Mayor Goode, a disable veteran, who may seek a second term as mayor in 1989, is happy that he, his wife Johnnie M., and family made the move from St. Louis to the quiet rural setting." It’s a headache," agreed Mayor Goode, but there are grants out there which we are entitled to, and we are going to try to get them. I think that will help particularly with the roads. On April 12, 1986, Mayor Goode went to the Concern Citizens Committee seeking their approval to move the Village Hall from the existing trailer, to the Royal Lakes Improvement Club Building, where this meeting was being held. The meeting was called to order at 1:25 P.M. Mr. Ray Caver, President of the Concern Citizens Committee, chaired the meeting. Mayor Goode talked of the conditions of the existing Village Hall, and why this building would better serve the community. Mayor Goode said, "if this building was the Village Hall, they would ask for a donation, not a charge, for anyone wanting to use the building." The mayor expressed hope that the village and the club could work together, and he further expressed the desire to work with the Urban League. The Concern Citizens President Ray Caver put the motion to the committee members to turn over the building to the community for it to become the Village Hall, and the people still have the rights to the building. The motion was made by Mrs. Evaleen Wiggins, and second by Mr. Moss. The meeting adjourned at 2:40 P.M with a prayer by Rev. Rucker. The Concern Citizens Committee members are; President: Ray Caver, Vice President: Joe Simmons, Secretary/Treasure: Sharon Simmons, Members: Clotte Thomas, London Simmons, Marcidus Brown, Mary Lee Toliver, Riverdean Simmons, Evaleen Wiggins, Mary Owens and Mr. Moss, Mayor Goode and Stan Johnson were scheduled to go to Springfield on May 06, to talk to the district representatives about the roads, sewage and business. Mr. Goode was re-elected in 1989, but resigned in 1990 sighting personal reasons. Trustee Mr. London Simmons Jr. was appointed as mayor to fulfill the rest of the unexpired term of Mr. Alvin L. Goode.
Mr. London Simmons
Mayor, Village of Royal Lakes
03-17-1990 to Present
For the most part, London Simmons Jr. received his formal education in Macoupin County. In 1965, he was a very young man when his parents and other siblings moved to Royal Lakes. This rural community was a lot different from the life style that he had in Elwood Park, Missouri, in St. Louis County. He endured all of the hardships that came with Royal Lakes, in hopes of better days to come. In 1972, with his formal education complete, he went to work for the Monterey Coal Company of Carlinville, IL. It was in 1985, when he was elected to the six members Board of Trustees of the Village of Royal Lakes. It was in this position as a trustee in 1990, when Mayor Alvin Goode resigned, and he was appointed by the Board of Trustees to be the Mayor of Royal Lakes. He became the sixth person to hold the office as Mayor of Royal Lakes. When asked about being in politics, Mayor Simmons replied "There are so many things to be done, I had to get involved."
When Marcidus Brown moved with her husband to Royal Lakes in the early 1960's, she wasn’t thrilled. It was quickly apparent that the roads were inadequate, with water and sewage problems, and no money to correct them. "My husband passed away 15 years ago, and I was stuck with it," she said. In the last few years however, things have begun to look up in Royal Lakes. The dam at Shad Lake has been repaired, the village hall refurbished, a new park created and housing built for the elderly. A number of homes including Mrs. Brown--have been given face lifts with grants from private foundations, and the community just received $400,000.00 from the state towards a badly needed sewer system. "I like it now," said Mrs. Brown. Her small home sports new gray siding, a new roof and windows that look out on a tidy garden flanked by trees. "Things are moving on here and getting better and better."
Much of the credit for this turnaround goes to Mayor London Simmons and Ivan Dozier, a conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Over the past seven years, they and other community volunteers, have been tackling the problems that date back to the communities beginnings in the late 1950's and early 60's. Mayor Simmons had initially approached Dozier for technical assistance from the NRSC office, then known as the Soil Conservation Service. Dozier had previously worked with other Macoupin County communities including Palmyra and Modesto, on their water supply problems. He was able to use some of the work on Royal Lakes as part of a project for an environmental planning degree at Sangamon State University, now the University of Illinois at Springfield. "These people really deserve a lot of credit," Dozier said. "Over the last six years they have done a lot to clean up their community. Dozier attributes much of the improvement to the leadership of Simmons. Mayor Simmons is equally laudatory regarding Dozier’s commitment. "If it wasn’t for Ivan, we couldn’t have did all of this," he said. Both are family men, personable, articulate and stubborn. And both are determined to see Royal Lakes succeed. "Royal Lakes has had a bad image," Simmons said. "The roads were not done, or maintained. We have had to get harder and stricter on cleanup. But we’ve had people (from outside the community) say we’re running around with guns, and that makes me mad." Crime, most of which Simmons attribute to people from the outside the area has declined 60% in recent years, he said. The three certified officers on the police department are also village trustees. A special ordinance had to be passed before they could legally act as constables, and take turns patrolling. The village has one squad car and uniforms donated by the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department.
A change in attitude is what has made the difference, according to Dozier. Last month, the village completed its most ambitious project to date---the $185.000.00 restoration and repair of a breach on Shad Lake Dam. Prior to the restoration and repairs to the dam, the village went to court to insure ownership of the lakes, which was in doubt. Once the village ownership was certified, the restoration and repair process was completed. The project at Shad Lake involves taking out 80,000 cubic yards of sediment and refilling the lake.
Through grants received from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of Carlinville, IL., the Village of Royal Lakes accomplished the following;
Project Cost Date of Const. Contractor
Shad Lake
Dam Repair $186.338.00 08/1996 to 05/1997 R&G Const.
Snagging & Channel Const. $ 29,570.00 08/1998 Goodall Const.
Brush Clearing $ 19,140.00 08/2000 Maltby Const.
Shoreline Work $ 40,385.00 08/2001 Maltby Const.
Wetland & Box Culvert Const. $ 59,988.00 09/2002 Maltby Const.
Meshach Dam Repair $ 32,250.00 09/2004 Maltby Const.
Totals $ 367,671.00
Facts and figures provided by Mr. John Ford NRCS District Conservationist, Carlinville Field Office.
In 2003, the Village of Royal Lakes through a grant in the amount of $28,000.00 from the Illinois Law Enforcement Criminal Council obtained a 2003 Chevrolet Impala Squad Car.
In September, 1994, Mayor Simmons with the Board of Trustee’s approval, went to the Citizens State Bank of Shipman to ask, and receive a low interest loan for $48,000.00. With this loan the village purchased a John Deere Tractor, a Brush Hog and constructed a 40' X 48' Pole Barn as a maintenance building. This loan was paid off in full by the spring of 2007.
A commitment to the young people was also important. Run by Mrs. Velma Caver, and several other residents, a community sponsored youth group provides activities for the village young people. This includes annual field trips to the St. Louis Science Museum. A Community Improvement training grant applied for by Mayor Simmons of $9,800.00 from the lieutenant governors office in 1991, was used to repair a building that now houses the village hall. "The work you see here is what the kids help us do," said Mayor Simmons. The youth were instructed in all areas of the renovation. Classes were conducted by retired resident Mr. Willie Miller, who drew up the blueprints for the project, redesigning the offices, kitchen and meeting room to better meet the needs of the community. "People here showed the kids carpentry, plumbing and different things electrical. The grant money received was used entirely for materials. All labor was done by volunteers, mostly residents. Previously, the village hall was in a trailer, and when the Meshach dam flooded, water filled the surrounding streets. Other aid has come from unexpected sources such as the Nilwood Southern Baptist Church in northern Macoupin County, which had worked on a construction project at the First Baptist Church in Royal Lakes. The church brought a number of its members along with volunteers from throughout the county to put the roof on the village hall in one day.
J.C. C. Development of Jerseyville bought village property and built a FHA-financed senior citizens center, which provides housing to low income seniors. The Royal Lakes Apartments feature seven one-bedroom, and one two-bedroom apartments, each with kitchen appliances. A laundry room includes two sets of coin-operated washers and dryers.
The skies cleared as citizens of Royal Lakes gathered to dedicate the newly completed park which is the results of a seven years effort. It began with a $100.00 donation by Zelphia Bailey of the Monterey Coal Company of Carlinville, in 1985. The citizens of Royal Lakes now have a park with a graded basketball court, swing set, slide, merry-go-round, monkey bar and other recreation equipment. The actual work on the park begun in earnest early this spring as it became clear that Monterey Coal Company was going to assist with a $4,000.00 grant to the community. The cost of improvements included lighting, a park pavilion, barbeque grills and a small stage, amounted to $7,000.00 in total. Before the ribbon cutting by Zelphia Bailey, the parks first donor, a brief dedication was said by the Rev. John Salvage, and a small ceremony recognized the volunteer efforts of Monterey employees J.J. Zmudzinski and James Swindlen and Royal Lakes resident Lizzie B. Lewis. Also recognized by Mayor Simmons was the work of Willie L. Miller who fabricated the stage and the barbeque grills. Trustee Ray Caver said that making a start on the park was difficult but Jerry Vogel of Monterey helped village leaders put together the application for assistance to the coal company. "If it wasn’t for them, we still would be raising funds, said Mayor Simmons. The Rev. Savage said "The first thing we must do is thank all of you from the depths of our hearts, and bless the park and the young children that will be using it." The ceremony was followed with a barbeque and an afternoon of visiting and watching the children play.
The home restoration project was put together by Dan Fisher, economic development coordinator for the county, and member of the law firm of Fisher, Crawford and Whiteside, in Gillespie. The firm obtained a $262,500.00 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to pay for the restoration of established homes. It allowed the village to put up to $20,000.00 per house into homes that have been in the village for at least five years.
"Because quite a lot of the village property is owned by people who don’t live here, or pay taxes, all of the projects have had to be accomplished with very little tax revenue," said Simmons. "It cost $3,000.00 to fix a half mile of road," he said. "So we started selling city stickers for $10.00 a year. We started charging people $15.00 a lot to cut their grass. Even with all of its problems, for Mayor Simmons and many other residents, Royal Lakes is the only place they want to live. "It’s a rare place," Simmons said. "There’s lakes for fishing, there’s hunting, there’s trees with apples and berries, and a lot of friends.
Volunteers and youth participants were recognized in a community celebration at Royal Lakes Village Hall. The Village of Royal Lakes in partnership with the Illinois Coalition for Community Services (ICCS) sponsored the event with over 50 in attendance. Volunteers, youth participants and organizations supporting the Royal Lakes Summer Youth Program were recognized at the event with certificates. Special recognition was given to community volunteers who had come frequently throughout the summer. These volunteers were Terry McCain of Mt. Olive, Kris Thiebaud of Plainview, Tessa Crabb of Bunker Hill and Minnie Williams, Tammy Dunn, Dorothy Jones and Christine Simmons, all of Royal Lakes. Dianne Combs of Royal Lakes and Toni Hutt of Bunker Hill also received a special gift for coordinating the program for multiple years. During the ceremony, Velma Caver was presented with a plaque for her years of dedication to the youth in the community through her work with the Positive Youth Development Committee. This past summer marked the fifth year the Summer Youth Program has been offered in Royal Lakes. ICCS, in collaboration with the Village of Royal Lakes, has sponsored the lunch portion of the program with many supporting organizations providing volunteers, donations and activities. New components this summer included a reading class sponsored by Blackburn College and a computer lab sponsored by the Southwestern School District. Macoupin County Cooperative Extension Service provided many volunteers and activities centering around nutrition, sewing and gardening. The youth also enjoyed activities organized by the staff of Macoupin Mental Health, Macoupin Health Department and youth volunteers of the Zion Lutheran Church of Mt. Olive. Local Area Network 13 provided funding for a parent support group with family field trip at the end as an incentive for parent participation. The Shipman Elevator and Elementary School also helped with materials.
A large number of people were in attendance at the "Open House," held by Mayor London Simmons at the newly renovated Royal Lakes Village Hall, in recognition to the volunteers who had made the renovation a success. Mayor Simmons, with wife Christine and Mrs. Evelina Zollicoffer distributed T-shirts to members of the Positive Youth Development Club as part of the festivities. Some of those who were in attendance being recognized are Julie Herr, Lois Gilliam, David and Glenda Taylor, Jeanine Loving, James and Geraldine Jackson, Sharon Simmons, and Austin McLemore.
Federal, State and Local officials gathered at Royal Lakes Village Hall to announce "Water 2000 Project," funding of a sanitary sewer system for the Village of Royal Lakes on Monday, July 13, 1998. London Simmons, Mayor and President Village Board of Trustees accepted replica checks from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development in the amount of $826,000.00, and from Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (CDAP) grant of $450,000.00 and an Illinois EPA grant of $236,000.00.
John Shimkus, U.S House of Representatives, Vincent T. Demuzio, Illinois State Senate, Gary Hannig, Illinois House of Representative, Ann Dougherty, representative of Senator Durbin and Rick Verticchio, Candidate. All commended Village Board President Simmons. Village Board members, Consulting Engineers, Fund Agencies, Illinois Department of Community Affairs, and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for their outstanding cooperation and support which led to the funding to this important project.
Wally Furrow, State Director for Rural Development told the gathering, "Here you see federal money brought to the Village of Royal Lakes to help people in rural areas. This is what Rural Development is all about. Modern sanitary sewer systems do much to resolve waste water problems."
Other dignitaries attending this presentation were, Dan Fisher, Project Manager, John H. Crawford, Chief Engineer, Rodney Potts, Project Engineer, all of John H. Crawford & Associates along with Village Attorney, Robert Watson.
Royal Lakes Village Board members are London Simmons, President, Angela Caver, Clerk, Trustees; Jeanine Lovings, James Jackson, Austin McLemore, Willie Odum, George Griffin and Willie Miller. Village Treasurer is Evelina Zollicoffer.
London Simmons said that there are between 100-110 households in the Royal Lakes community that will be served by this sewer system. The community has many needs but this important project will be a big help in providing the basis for development in the area. Simmons thanked everyone for their tireless efforts over the past 10-12 years in which the community has been working so hard to get this funding.
The project particulars are: Sanitary Sewer,-- 25,500 feet, Manholes,-- 113, Lift Stations,-- 3, Force Main,-- 3,900 feet and a Waste Stabilization Pond. Project funding consists of USDA Rural Development Grant- $710,000; USDA Rural Development Loan- $116,000.00; Illinois DCCA Design Grant- $48,000.00; Illinois DCCA Grant- $400,000.00; Illinois EPA Grant- $236,000.00. The total funding amount to $1,510,000.00. Ten + acres were purchased from landowner Tom Conners of rural Shipman for the lagoon to be used for the sewer system.
"Water 2000 Project," for the sewer system in Royal Lakes was finalized with the contract being awarded to "Mid-America Services," of Chester, IL. Work began in March, 2000. On hand for picture taking for the finalization were Mayor, London Simmons, Village Clerk, Angela Caver, Trustees, Willie Miller and Arthur O’Neal, Village Treasurer, Evelina Zollicoffer, Robert and Julia Watson, Village Attorneys, John Rainwater, Rodney Potts and Dan Fisher, of Crawford & Associates, Rob Maschhoff, USDA Rural Development Specialist and Kurt Groehlch, Bond Council. The "Water 2000 Project," was completed by Contractor Mid-America Service, of Chester, IL in September, 2000.
Clen Industries, Inc., of St. Louis MO. was commissioned in the manufacturing of two-sided permanent street signs with galvanized poles. These signs will replace all of the existing temporary signs now installed. Delivery of the permanent signs and galvanized poles will commence within two weeks, and the replacement of the old signs will begin immediately.
A monthly newsletter was initiated by Trustee Maurice O’Neal for the purpose of providing information and articles of interest for the citizens of Royal Lakes. Publication and distribution began in 1999 and ended in 2001. In 2006 they began again as a weekly publication, only to end again in 2007, when the publisher, editor, copier and distributor retired from public service.
Mayor London Simmons and Trustee Maurice O’Neal, with a grant request in-hand, met with State Senator Vince Demuzio, at his office in Carlinville. The content of the grant consisted of several components aimed at improving the general welfare of the citizens of Royal Lakes. As a result of that meeting, the Village of Royal Lakes received grant funds totaling $279,000.00 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA). The major portion of the funds went towards the construction of the Royal Lakes Community Center. Housed within the community center is a full length basketball court, and gymnasium, a class room with computer hook-ups, and a exercise room equipped with exercise equipment, along with a pool table and ping pong table. In addition, the funds went towards extending the maintenance building by forty feet and installing three sliding doors allowing better access for the rolling stock. An office space with a toilet was constructed in the maintenance building also. The Village Hall parking lot was graded,rocked and extended. A pavilion resting on concrete, men and women rest room facilites, a drinking fountain, and asphalting the outdoor basketball court was completed in theWestside Park. A pavilion resting on concrete was constructed in the Eastside Park. Playground equipmant was both repaired and replaced. Eastside Park became village property in 2004. In 2006, it was renamed Willie Miller Eastside Park in memory of the late Mr. Willie Miller who had devoted so much time, effort and resources to the park, even before it became village property.
The year 2006 marked the opening of the Royal Lakes Convenient Mart, located on North Holly. It is owned and operated by Ron and Cookie Bowen. The Mart provided a wide range of food products, and household items.
In the fall of 2006 Mrs. Trudy Pollard created an Internet website for the Village of Royal Lakes at www.villageofroyallakes.com. The website contained information pertinent to the community, named local government officials, pictures of the community, and links to other items of interest.
Community Development Assistance Program funds from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, were established and made available to the Village of Royal Lakes for the construction in the community of a 50,000 gallon water tower, and the demolition of the old water tower. Two separate contracts were awarded. Contract #1 for the construction, and contract #2 for the demolition. From the sealed bids submitted, the contruction company of CALDWELL TANKS INC., of Louisville, KY. was awarded the construction contract at a cost of $377,000.00.
Construction of the water tower began in October 2008, and should be complete by the spring of 2009. The demolition of the old water tower is pending.
