Cemeteries are often overlooked as places to explore, but we love visiting them not only for their rich history but also for the fascinating statues, monuments, and intricate headstones. Illinois is home to some truly remarkable cemeteries, each with its own unique character and stories. In this post, I’ll take…
While camping at Fort Massac, we took a trip to Cairo, IL, and discovered the quickest route was through Kentucky. On the way back, we decided to stop and visit Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, in Wickliffe, Kentucky. We’ve been to several Native American mound sites before, but I don’t…
People warned us not to go to Cairo. But we did anyways. And yes, we found destruction and decay. But we also found hope. Hope from the people desperately trying to preserve their town and its history. This post has taken a while to write, because we haven’t been able…
We spent a few hours exploring Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site and its satellite historic sites- the Pierre Menard Home and Kaskaskia Bell. We’ll share all about how to visit these three sites, as well as a guide to the Fort Kaskaskia campground. Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site Historic Areas…
Let’s step back in time and explore Fort de Chartres, a French colonial fort in southern Illinois. This massive stone fort is now managed by the Illinois DNR as a state park. Featuring the oldest building in Illinois, the fort is an important part of the history of the French…
We did a double feature adventure day visiting both the ruins of the Lincoln Park Nursery and the burial site of the first nuclear reactor in Lemont, IL. These sites are located within Waterfall Glen preserve in DuPage County and Red Gates Woods preserve in Cook County, respectively- but only…