Southwest opposite St Louis, Illinois Attractions

McKendree College is the oldest existing college in Illinois, it was founded in 1828. Two historical buildings are located on site - Old Main, built 1851 and Bothwell Chapel, built 1858.

This Gothic-Georgian home was built in 1854 and modeled after a castle in Switzerland.

The Mermaid House was built in 1830 and has been partially restored. Charles Dickens was a guest in 1842 while visiting the Looking Glass Prairie.

Pierre Menard was the first lieutenant governor of Illinois in 1818. The restored French Colonial home was built in 1802 and contains some original furnishings. The Pierre Menard Home has antique furnishings throughout along with reproduction wall and floor treatments.

Known as the Liberty Bell of the West, the Kaskaskia Bell is housed in a small brick building, built in 1949. This old church bell was cast in France in 1741 and was given to the Catholic church at Kaskaskia by King Louis XV.

Fort de Chartres was the last French possession that was surrendered to the British. The partially rebuilt fort includes the north wall with bastions and gatehouse, musket ports and embrasures for cannon. The east bastion features the rebuilt powder magazine, considered to be the oldest building in Illinois. The guards' house and the king's storehouse represent similar buildings of the 1750s and 1760s. Within Fort be Chartres Historic Site is a museum with 18th century French artifacts.

Built some time between 1840-1860, the Little Brick House is thought to be one of the finest examples of the simple Italianate style of architecture in the United States. The home is the only house in Vandalia to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Little Brick House has six rooms filled with furniture, china and books.

The Fayette County Museum is housed in a century old First Presbyterian Church. The museum opened in 1979 and features items from as far back as when Vandalia was the state capital. Highlights of the Fayette County Museum include clothing from the 19th and early 20th century, furniture, kitchen items and a complete schoolroom.

The Old State Capitol, built in 1836 in Vandalia, is the oldest Illinois State Capitol building. The building has been restored and furnished in period items. Abraham Lincoln began his historical political career here and visitors can tour the same halls that he once walked.

The Alton Museum of History and Art illustrates the interests and accomplishments of its citizens (the arts) and reflects the story of the development and the achievement of that community (the history). Robert Pershing Wadlow was Alton's most famous resident - Robert is the tallest man in the world at 8' 11.1". One of the rooms in the museum is dedicated to him.The Alton Museum of History and Art exhibits include The Grace Monroe Classroom / Art Gallery, the Robert P. Wadlow Room, An early Settlers Cabin, the Elijah P. Lovejoy Exhibit, the Lincoln / Civil War Exhibit, The Underground Railroad Exhibit, The Black Pioneer Exhibit, The Piasa Bird Exhibit, and The Transportation Room.

The bridge was named after William Clark, the explorer. It is a cable-stay bridge that links Missouri and Illinois over the Mississippi River. The Clark Bridge has four traffic lanes and two bike lanes.The original Clark Bridge served the area from 1928 to 1994.

The Alton prison opened in 1833 and closed in 1860 when prisoners were moved to a new facility in Joliet. It was made into a military prison and the first prisoners arrived in February, 1862.

This 200 acre religious center is operated by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows includes a 2,400 seat amphitheater, prayer gardens and chapel. The Children's Memorial Garden is a 2 acre playground with a spiritual theme and a life-size sculpture of a kneeling Jesus at the entrance.

St Clair Historical Society Museum is an 1866 Victorian adaptation of a Greek Revival home. It is furnished in period items with vintage clothing, toys and quilts.

Built in 1740, Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site was dismantled in 1901, displayed at the 1904 St. Louis Fair, and then reconstructed on its original site in 1939. The visitor center has interactive exhibits that trace the French influence from the 18th century.

The Church of the Holy Family in Cahokia was completed in 1799 and is the only church built of upright logs still standing in the United States. The parish was established in May of 1699 when Father Jean St. Cosme, a French priest, erected a missionary cross, a chapel and a log rectory.

The Jarrot Mansion was started in 1807 and is the former home of Nicholas Jarrot, a French-born entrepreneur, wealthy landowner, and slave owner. It is one of the earliest surviving brick buildings in Illinois and continues to be restored.

Cahokia Mounds was the largest prehistoric Indian settlement north of Mexico and included the greatest concentration of mounds (120), at the center of which is 100 foot-high Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthwork in the Americas. The site was occupied from AD 700-1400, primarily by the Mississippian culture, covered nearly six square miles, and at its peak around AD 1100, may have had 10-20,000 inhabitants. Besides being a State Historic Site, Cahokia is also a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.An Interpretive Center tells the story of the site and the people who built it with audiovisual presentations, artifacts, graphics and dioramas, including a life-size village recreation.

Madison County Historical Museum is located in the eight room Federal style mansion built by Dr. John Weir in 1836. Exhibits feature period furnished rooms, antiques, quilts and historic costumes. Native American and Pioneer artifacts are also on display.

Raging Rivers has sun decks, two large body flumes, a whirlpool ride and a lazy river.