Brooklyn, IL

Brooklyn, often called Lovejoy, sits in St. Clair County just a couple of miles north of East St. Louis and minutes from the riverfront. Its roots trace back to the 1820s and 1830s, when Mother Priscilla Baltimore led freedom seekers across the Mississippi River from Missouri to build an independent community. When the village officially incorporated in 1873, it became the first majority-Black town in the United States. Today, locals still use both names interchangeably, with Lovejoy honoring the crusading abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy.

ATTRUnknown, but public-domain. / Public domain

For anyone considering a move here, Brooklyn offers a quiet, tight-knit atmosphere right on the edge of the greater St. Louis metro area. The neighborhood keeps its heritage front and center through community preservation projects and local storytelling. Everyday conveniences and outdoor recreation are close at hand, including the fishing spots and walking paths around nearby Horseshoe Lake State Park. It is a small Illinois village where deep roots and everyday community pride shape daily life.