Known as the City of Daffodils, Eldorado was founded in 1857 by Judge Samuel Elder and Joseph Read. It was originally named Elder-Reado, and legend holds that railroad sign painters changed the name because they thought the spelling was incorrect. The junction of the pioneer-era Kaskaskia Trail and Goshen Trail lay just south of the city. The Kaskaskia Trail ran from Shawneetown through the city on what is now State Street and continued to the first state capital. The Goshen Trail began here, ran along the east edge of the city, and continued to Goshen near East St. Louis.