Illinois Historic Places
There are many historic places in Illinois that are a short drive from Downtown St. Louis. Many are from the time when the French governed what was then called the "Illinois Country". The Historic Cahokia Courthouse is an example of French Creole architecture and was built in 1740. Another historic place with French ties is Fort de Chartres, a fort built in 1760 by the French to govern the Illinois Country. The reconstructed fort is located near the French founded community of Prairie du Rocher Illinois. Another historic location would be the Village of Leclaire. The entire village is on the National Register of Historic Places and was founded in 1890 by the entrepreneur N.O. Nelson who had a utopian vision to create a factory town with the workers' best interests in mind. Historic homes, cemeteries, museums, Native American sites, even the world's largest Catsup Bottle can all be found in the Metro East!
But what makes a building, structure or location "historic"? For the purpose of our list, we had several questions we asked. Did the location, structure or building have "history" happen there? Was the owner or a resident of the location, structure or building important to St. Louis history? Or was the location, structure or building itself important to St. Louis history? Has it been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and/or recognized as a St. Louis area "landmark"? Is it a museum highlighting some time period, person or place in St. Louis history?
Below is a list of almost fifty historic places that can be visited in Illinois. Some are free, others charge an admission fee and still others are private and can only be viewed from the street or by the owner's permission (please be courteous!). Spend a day visiting one or plot out an entire of day of historic places to visit! Enjoy! We did!
Alton Museum of History and Art - The Alton Museum of History and Art showcases the art and history of the citizens of the Alton area. It is located on the SIU Dental School campus in Alton Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois, Museums
Alton National Cemetery - The Alton National Cemetery is located adjacent to the Alton Cemetery and is where Union soldiers who died at the Alton Hospital are buried. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. - More Info Tags: 62003, Alton Illinois
Beall Mansion - The Beall Mansion is a historic mansion located in Alton, Illinois built in 1903 for Z.B. Job who was a railroad baron and entrepreneur. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Brooks Catsup Bottle - The Brooks Catsup Bottle, located in Collinsville Illinois, is the world's largest Catsup Bottle! It was also named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. An annual festival is held in July. - More Info Tags: 62234, Collinsville Illinois
Cahokia Mounds - Cahokia Mounds is an early Mississippian civilization archeological treasure! It is located in Collinsville, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62201, 62234, Collinsville Illinois, Attractions, Museums
Camp River Dubois - The Camp River Dubois was the winter camp for Lewis and Clark before the expedition began. Featured there is a museum with exhibitions including a 55-foot full scale replica of the keel boat and a replica of Fort. - More Info Tags: 62048, Hartford Illinois, Museums
Chain of Rocks Bridge-Route 66 Bikeway - The old Chain of Rocks Bridge, once the route of Historic Route 66, has been transformed into the Route 66 Bikeway that is a little over a 1 mile long paved trail on the bridge, crossing the Mississippi River and connecting the St. Louis Riverfront Trail with the MCT Confluence Trail (via Chain of Rocks Road) in Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62040, 63137, City of St Louis Missouri, Granite City Illinois, Recreation
Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House - Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House was the home of one of the founders of Edwardsville, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62025, Edwardsville Illinois, Museums
Confederate Prison/Alton Federal Military Prison - The ruins of the Alton Federal Military Prison, also known as the Confederate Prison, is located in Alton Illinois and was used during the Civil War to house Confederate Prisoners. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Creole House - The Creole House is located in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois and was built in 1800 in the French Creole architectural style of Poteaux-en-terre (vertical post in the ground). It is on the National Register of Historical Places. - More Info Tags: 62277, Prairie du Rocher Illinois
Eads Bridge St. Louis - The Eads Bridge was opened to traffic in 1874 and is named after its designer, James Buchanan Eads, who was also the designer and builder of the "ironclad" gun boats during the Civil War. - More Info Tags: 63102, City of St Louis Missouri, Downtown St Louis
Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument - The Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument is located at the Alton National Cemetery and was placed to honor the outspoken and martyred abolitionist Elijah P. Lovejoy who is buried there. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Emma Kunz House - The Emma Kunz House is a restored 1830s home that is modeled after the German street homes that were built in Europe during the 19th-century and is located in Belleville, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62220, Belleville Illinois, Museums
Fort de Chartres - Fort de Chartres is located in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois. The stone fort was built by the French to govern the Illinois Country in 1760. Today a portion of the fort has been reconstructed. - More Info Tags: 62277, Prairie du Rocher Illinois
Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site - Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site is located near Ellis Grove, Illinois. The earthworks are all that remains of the fort that was built by the French in 1703 to protect the town of Kaskaskia. - More Info Tags: 62241, Ellis Grove Illinois
Glen Carbon Heritage Museum - Information on the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum featuring the history of Glen Carbon Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62034, Glen Carbon Illinois, Museums
Greater St Louis Air and Space Museum - The Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum is located in Cahokia, Illinois at the St. Louis Downtown Airport in one of the two historic Curtiss-Wright Hangers. - More Info Tags: 62206, Cahokia Illinois, Museums
Historic Alton Illinois - Alton, Illinois has been the location of many historic events in the history of the United States. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Historic Cahokia Courthouse - The Historic Cahokia Courthouse was built in 1740 and is an example of French Creole architecture, one of the few examples left in the United States. It is located in St. Clair County in Cahokia, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62206, Cahokia Illinois, Museums
Historic Elsah Illinois - Elsah, Illinois was founded in 1853 by General James Semple who came from Kentucky and is located off of the Great River Road, through the opening in the bluffs between Mt. Radiance and Mt. Pisgua. - More Info Tags: 62028, Elsah Illinois
Historic Grafton Illinois - The history of Grafton, Illinios is tied to the two rivers, the Illinios and the Mississippi, that come together at this town's riverside location. - More Info Tags: 62037, Grafton Illinois
Historic Holy Family Log Church - The Historic Holy Family Log Church is located in Cahokia, Illinois, and is an excellent example of late 1700's French Creole architecture. - More Info Tags: 62206, Cahokia Illinois, Church
Historic Leclaire Village - The historic village of Leclaire was founded in 1890 by N.O. Nelson who had a vision to create a "model" factory town. The entire village is on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in Edwardsville, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62025, Edwardsville Illinois
Historic Maeystown Illinois - Maeystown, Illinois is located in Southern Illinois in Monroe County. Maeystown was founded in 1852 by German immigrants. This quaint town holds several annual events such as Oktoberfest, Fruehlingsfest and Fastnacht. - More Info Tags: 62256, Maeystown Illinois
Jarrot Mansion - The Jarrot Mansion, home of the French entrepreneur Nicholas Jarrot, was built in 1807 and is one of the oldest masonry buildings in the state of Illinois and is a National Historic Landmark. - More Info Tags: 62206, Cahokia Illinois
Katherine Dunham Museum - The Katherine Dunham Museum is located in East St Louis Illinois and houses extensive collections of costumes, mementos and art of Miss Dunham's. - More Info Tags: 62201, East St Louis Illinois, Museums
Labor and Industry Museum - The Labor and Industry Museum chronicles the contributions the Belleville Illinois area made to the nation's industrial movement. - More Info Tags: 62220, Belleville Illinois, Museums
Lewis and Clark Community College - Lewis and Clark Community College is a 2 year college located in Godfrey Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62035
Lincoln Douglas Square - The Lincoln Douglas Square, located in Alton Illinois, is the exact location where the debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas took place when both were campaigning for the same US Senate seat in 1858. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Lindbergh Relay Station - The Lindbergh Relay Station in Godfrey, Illinois was once used to assist pilots, including Charles Lindbergh, who needed a layover along the Chicago-St. Louis Mail route. - More Info Tags: 62035, Godfrey Illinois
Martin-Boismenue House - The Martin-Boismenue House, a French Creole home built in 1790, is located in East Carondelet, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62240, East Carondelet Illinois, Museums
Maryville Heritage Museum - The Maryville Heritage Museum features items that showcase the history of the citizens of Maryville Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62062, Maryville Illinois, Museums
McKendree University - McKendree University is a 4 year liberal arts college. It is the oldest college in the state of Illinois and is located in Lebanon Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62254
Modoc Rock Shelter National Historic Site - The Modoc Rock Shelter National Historic Site is an archaic site where Native Americans, beginning 9,000 years ago, found shelter and protection from the elements under the cliffs. Located near Modoc Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62277, Modoc Illinois
North Alton Confederate Cemetery - The North Alton Confederate Cemetery is the final resting place of 1,354 Confederate soldiers who died while in prison in Alton Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Old Fire Engine Museum - The Old Fire Engine Museum is located in Granite City Illinois chronicles the history of firefighting. - More Info Tags: 62040, Granite City Illinois, Museums
Old Six Mile Museum in the Emmert-Zippel House - The Old Six Mile Museum is housed in the Emmert-Zippel House which is located in Granite City, Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62040, Granite City Illinois, Museums
Peterstown House - Peterstown House is the last remaining stagecoach stop on the Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail and is located in Waterloo Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62298, Waterloo Illinois
Piasa Bird - The Piasa Bird is a legendary bird-like creature that, according to legend, terrorized the Illni Indian tribes long before any European settlers came to the Alton area. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Pierre Menard Home Historic Site - The Pierre Menard Home Historic Site is located in Ellis Grove Illinois. The home was built around 1815 by Pierre Menard, the first Lieutenant Governor of the then new State of Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62241, Ellis Grove Illinois
Prairie du Rocher - Prairie du Rocher is located in Randolph County Illinois and was settled as a French farming community in 1722. - More Info Tags: 62277, Prairie du Rocher Illinois
Robert Wadlow - Robert Wadlow was born and lived in Alton Illinois and is the tallest known man in the world at the height of 8 feet 11 inches. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Springfield Illinois - Springfield, Illinois has served as its state capital since 1837 when Abraham Lincoln and eight other legislators pushed to have it moved to Springfield from Vandalia. - More Info Tags: Springfield Illinois
St Clair County Historical Society - Information on the St Clair County Historical Society which houses information and artifacts about the St Clair County Illinois area. - More Info Tags: 62220, Belleville Illinois, Museums
Village of Elsah Museum - The Village of Elsah Museum chronicles the history of the village from its founding in 1853. - More Info Tags: 62028, Elsah Illinois, Museums
Wood River Massacre Memorial - The Wood River Massacre Memorial is located in Alton Illinois, near the location of the massacre of 7 people in 1814 by a band of renegade Indians. - More Info Tags: 62002, Alton Illinois
Wood River Museum and Visitor's Center - Information on the Wood River Museum and Visitor's Center which is free to the public. - More Info Tags: 62095, Museums, Wood River Illinois
Wood River Refinery History Museum - Information on the Wood River Refinery History Museum which chronicles the history of the refinery since 1917. - More Info Tags: 62084, Museums, Roxana Illinois
Yanda Log Cabin - The Yanda Log Cabin was built in 1853 by William Yanda, who became the blacksmith of Glen Carbon Illinois. - More Info Tags: 62034, Glen Carbon Illinois
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