Our History

Located on 24 acres in Red Bud, IL, on the site of the former Nike Missile Base SL-40, the Career Center of Southern Illinois provides quality educational services in a historic setting.

This dynamic campus environment is home to three programs:

  • Beck School of Nursing

    Certified Nursing Assistant and Licensed Practical Nursing programs.

  • Career and Technical Education

    Two-hour vocational programs for 11th and 12th grade students in auto body, auto mechanics, child care, law enforcement, health occupations and welding.

  • Alternative Education

    All-day program for at-risk high school students ages 16 to 20, with full-curriculum academic instruction (math, english, science, social studies and health) and Career and Technical Education classes.

OUR BUILDINGS

Visitors to the campus will find many original buildings of the missile site still intact and being used. 

  • Career Center of Southern Illinois operates from eight instructional buildings, and also has a cafeteria, for a total 45,000 square feet.

  • The Career and Technical Education and vocational programs are run out of four instructional buildings, with a separate cafeteria. 

Students enjoy being a part of this slice of St. Louis’ Cold War-era history, which became a part of CCSI’s history in the late 1960s. 

History Timeline

1958
1958 - 1969
Late 1960
1972
1974
1979
1980s

The Army purchased nearly 230 acres of land from Charles "Pete" Strautz, a local farmer, with the intent of using it as the site of the Nike Missile Base SL-40. The original buildings were built under the supervision of the Chicago District of the Army Corps of Engineers.

The site housed missiles, servicemen, radar and other high tech equipment as a part of the St. Louis Area Defense Ring.

The military program was decommissioned and the site was abandoned by the government. Thirteen local school districts presented a proposal to utilize the site as an area career center. 

The proposal was accepted and the first vocational classes were held.

An addition was added to the automotive and welding shop building. The LPN building was also constructed, which now houses the adult nursing programs for LPNs and CNAs and the high school child care program.

Ms. Janice Augustine joined Beck and developed the practical nursing program, which began classes in October 1979.

A new building was constructed to house the practical nursing program.

More about the unique history of CCSI’s campus can be read in the Military Standard article below:

Learn More Here