What is the history of Godfrey, Illinois?
The village is named for Captain Benjamin Godfrey, a native New Englander, who arrived in the area in 1832. 1838 saw the establisment 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. Nearby, at the mouth of the Missouri River, is the starting point for the expedition of Lewis and Clark. Source: http://en.wikipedia.
