I’ve long been passionate about the Greater Alton area, feeling it’s grossly underrated considering its striking topography, scenic river vistas, interesting characters and historic architecture. The Melvin Price Lock and Dam on the Mississippi makes the river more like a lake up there, dotted with recreational boats from the popular Alton, West Alton and Grafton Marinas and filled with numerous wooded islands with sandy beaches.
When friend and media personality Steve Potter told me about a Pride Garden Tour happening this past Sunday, I rounded up friends and made a day of it. We began with one of my favorite drives in the world, along the Great River Road, which runs right by the water alongside miles of limestone bluffs rising 150 feet. West of Grafton, we took the Brussels Ferry to Calhoun County, where we lunched at the historic Wittmond Hotel, which serves excellent family-style meals that wow any guest.
Some of the most stunning sites on the garden tour were in the Fairmount Neighborhood, a private, hidden enclave nestled high upon a blufftop on Alton’s western boundary. While I pride myself on my knowledge of the area, I hadn’t spent any time in the mysterious and monied Fairmount, aside once circling through its winding, narrow streets.
Our first stop was the 15,000 square foot circa 1927 Olin Mansion, one of the Midwest’s finest estates. It is situated on 32 acres with unrivaled river views from several directions. United States presidents have visited the mansion throughout its nearly 100-year history, and the palatial compound, which has undergone a total renovation, is currently on the market for $8,450,000.
Frisella Nursery won a 2019 Bronze Award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals for its work on the grounds, work which included restoring the original reflecting pool that’s the focal point in the landscape. The stone pool features metal cranes and is filled with water lilies.
One of my guests was visiting from Philadelphia, and earlier that day she told me she had moved to the U.S. from Trinidad in the 1980s because she thought the whole nation was like the TV show Dynasty. One of the most iconic scenes from that soap opera was a lily pond fight between the two main divas on the grounds of a mansion, and I mentioned this was her big opportunity to recreate the signature scene.
A few doors down was the low-slung midcentury home of Ben and Trudi Allen. The unique riverview residence has an abundance of outdoor entertaining space including a pool, outdoor kitchen, fireplace and an overlook offering 20-mile views of the Mississippi and of the St. Louis skyline. Ben Allen is a beloved legend in the Riverbend area, having practiced law for over 50 years, and being a major player in Grafton’s redevelopment — from developing the Grafton Hills Subdivision to being the visionary behind the bustling Loading Dock.
At most sites, the tour was limited to gardens, but the warm affable Ben Allen appeared on the terrace and graceously invited the dozen visitors to tour his impressive home, which is filled with priceless artifacts and family heirlooms. I introduced myself and stayed behind with him after the tour. We bonded over our time at the University of Oklahoma, and our shared love of the Riverbend area.
After three stops in Fairmount, we drove to Alton's Middletown Historic District to visit the home of Steve Potter. His garden is the scene of a story in my book, House of Villadiva, titled, “First Lady of Alton Embroiled in International Scandal.”
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Shannon Walker, wife of then-Mayor Brant Walker, was caught up in a raid at a pub-turned-speakeasy after a friend spotted her car and tipped off authorities. The story exploded, becoming international news. At the height of controversy, Shannon Walker was often holed up with friends in Potter’s cloistered garden.
“I’d known her socially through mutual friends, and she had visited when I was entertaining,” Potter, known for his legendary parties, told me in 2020. “She loved my garden and found it to be a safe haven when everyone was attacking her. Of course, she was glued to her phone, and I was sitting right beside her when the story broke on the BBC.”
Potter, who was serving wine on his bamboo-screened patio, said 250 people visited on Sunday during the garden tour. His lush urban oasis features meandering stone walkways leading to hidden seating areas and surprises around every bend. The ground plantings, including a variety of lilies, accompanied potted plants of cacti and succulents. Mixed in were concrete statues, art pieces, peaceful chimes and bird baths.
It was only when I sat down to write this piece that I realized this was not an Alton Pride event as I had thought, but one put on by a society organization called Pride, Inc. Founded in 1966, three years before the Stonewall Riots and four years before the word “Pride” became synonymous with the Stonewall anniversary, the mainstream organization sponsors area parks and city beautification efforts. Because of the warm and welcoming way our diverse group was treated, we felt right at home. Not so at home that we recreated Dynasty's lily pond scene at the Olin Mansion, fortunately. The only place we might have gotten by with a stunt like that would have been the Potter Palace.
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