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Marissa Illinois

Marissa is located in southwestern Illinois in the extreme southeastern corner of St. Clair County.

The history of the town begins in 1837 when a settler named James Wilson built his home near a trail used by the stagecoach lines. As time went on, letters began to come and go through the volunteer efforts of Wilson. By 1846 he was officially installed as the area's postmaster. He then delved into his library to "invent" a town name. He came up with Marissa, a Greek translation of an early Jewish settlement. By 1854, several viable enterprises had sprung up including a blacksmith shop, saloon and a grain mill.

When the railroad came through south of town in 1870, a "new" town was established and called "Marissa Station". The debate over alcohol kept the two towns as separate entities.

Today the town numbers about 2,500 and references to "Old Town" and "New Town" have been dropped.

White Oak Golf Course provides a recreational outlet for the many golfers of the area.

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