Highland was named after highlands of Scotland.
On November 21, 1915, the Liberty Bell passed through Highland on its nationwide tour returning to Pennsylvania from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. After that trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania and will not be moved again.

Highland is located 27 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, on Route 40. The city is home to 8,500 inhabitants. Highland encompasses 6.56 square miles. The history of Highland is based on Swiss/German heritage. We pride ourselves by maintaining a strong value system and a high quality of life. The city is very youth oriented and provides a wide assortment of activities for the young. Highland is experiencing considerable growth but still maintains a small town atmosphere.

We offer two school systems, one parochial and one public. Highland High School was chosen as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Our school systems are widely recognized as some of the premiere in the State of Illinois. Highland has numerous industries which provide employment opportunities. There is a Wal-Mart Super Center and retail development keeps growing. Recent additions to the city include Walgreens.

The City of Highland offers ample activities for young and old alike. We have a public swimming pool, a motion picture theatre, many summer festivals, band concerts at the city square, the Madison County Fair, a recreation center, and many city parks are but a few past times offered in the city. Highland City Lake is about 740 acres and is the water supply for the community. The lake also offers recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, boating, picnicking, and hiking.

Highland prides itself with first class organizations. Groups like the Optimists, Rotary, Jaycees, Lions, Civic Woman’s Club, Moose, and others are responsible for many charitable donations and projects. These organizations provide community spirit for citizens to participate and get involved in the progress of Highland.

Highland offers a wide selection of churches and denominations. We have excellent facilities for assisted living, nursing care, as well as independent living. St. Joseph’s Hospital and staff provide professional medical services.

The Police Department, Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services provide first class public safety.

Highland has always been known for its cleanliness and quality of life. It’s a great place to live and raise your family. Please stop and spend some time with us. I encourage each of you to visit our historic city square and watch the beautiful water fountain at night.

History of the City of Highland Municipal Utility

The history of the Highland Electric Department has its roots in dissatisfaction with street lighting. In the latter years of the nineteenth century, city streets were illuminated by kerosene streetlights. However, Highland residents returning from visits to the electrified towns of Vandalia, Collinsville, and Effingham sang the praises of electric light. Consequently, on August 23, 1892 an ordinance was passed authorizing a seven year contract with the General Electric Light Company of Chicago to furnish electric service to the city. General Electric built a small power plant at the west end of 8th street and within four months was providing power for street lighting, in addition to stores and residences.

Throughout the term of the original contract with General Electric, service to both the city and private customers was spotty, at best. The City Council thought that at an annual cost of $1,800 the street lighting service was far less than what should be expected. One result of the poor service was that sometime during that first seven year contract the General Electric facilities were sold to the Highland Electric Company. Unfortunately, service under the HEC did not improve in the least.

From almost the very beginning of electrification, public opinion began calling for city ownership and operation of the electric system. In 1899 an ordinance a city ordinance was passed approving the purchase of the electric plant for the sum of $8,500. Additional ordinances authorized a bond issue to pay for the plant and to hire a city electrician for $70 per month. Within 10 years the first industrial users of electricity came on-line. By 1915 most of the industries in town were electric customers. The burgeoning growth of users caused increasing expenses to the city’s electric system operation. Because of the increasing costs, by 1922 the City was in debt to the tune of $60,000. The City was forced to issue funding bonds to retire the debt and put the electric plant on more of a business basis.

In 1935, another bond issue covered the cost of plant improvements done under the PWA plan. By 1966 there was insufficient capacity to meet peak loads. So a 2050 kW engine was installed at the power plant. In 1968 a second 2070 kW unit was installed. Peak load continued to increase, resulting in the installation of two 4415 kW engines in 1971.

Prior to 1977, the Highland electric system was self-sustaining, in that all demand was met by the City’s own generators. Beginning in 1977, the City switched to a system in which the base load was carried by power imported from Illinois Power and the City of Springfield, carried along a 34,200 volt transmission line. By 1984 Highland had a contract that purchased firm power from Illinois Power, with additional interruptible power being available from IP and the City of Springfield. The City generators were used for peak shaving and emergency back-up to the transmission line.

Starting in 1990, the City became a member utility of the IMEA, the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency. The IMEA is a consortium made up of 40 municipal electric utilities located throughout Illinois. The main purpose of the IMEA is to purchase and provide electricity to its members at a wholesale rate. Member utilities then re-sell the electricity to their customers at retail rates. The bulk of the purchased power is supplied by Central Illinois Power, Commonwealth Edison and the Trimble County Kentucky power plant, 12% of which is owned by the IMEA. Additional power needs are met by member generation or spot market purchases.

In late 1998, the IMEA began construction on a new 138,000 volt transmission line running from Collinsville to Highland. The line serves as an interconnection between the City and the transmission grid via Illinois Power. The line was commissioned in June of 1999, resulting in a far more reliable electric supply for the City. Outright ownership of the $8 million dollar line was acquired by the City in 2002.