The Southern Region
The southern region of the state has some of the most beautiful scenery that is different from the rest of the state. Here you can find a National Forest, trails with high stone bluffs, waterfalls, and dense forest. There are many small towns, the only caves in the state and a place where the Mississippi river creates an island.
Read the sites descriptions below and choose one that is Historic, or Nature, or Other, and then read the website and take notes focusing on information that a person visiting would want to know - where it is, what you see or do there and what makes it special.
NATURE
- Meeting of the Rivers Museum - Alton, Illinois. Learn about the Mississippi river, barges, locks and how it is all used.
- Cache River State Natural Area - Belknap IL. In the most southern part of the state, this nature preserve has wetlands and great cypress trees in which many migratory birds and other wetland animals live, some that are endangered species.
- Cave-In-Rock State Park - Henshaw, Illinois. See 50 foot wide cave in limestone rock on bluff overlooking Ohio River.
- Shawnee National Forest - Shawnee, Illinois. Very different from flat farm lands of much of Illinois, the forest has high bluffs, and rocky land with hiking and horseback riding, camping and great wildlife viewing.
History
- Fort Massac - Metropolis, Illinois. Replica of 1802 historic fort overlooking the Ohio River at the tip of Illinois.
- Cahokia Mounds - Collinsville, Illinois. See the remains of an ancient Native American city once inhabited by the "mound builders".
- Kaskaskia Island and LIberty Bell of the West - Kaskaskia, Illinois. Kaskaskia Island is now the only community in Illinois which is on the Missouri side of the Mississippi due to flooding of the river. The oldest liberty bell in the country is there.
- Lewis and Clark State Historic site and Camp River Dubois-Hartford, Illinois. This is the site of Lewis and Clarks winter camp and first stop on their historic trail. Complete replica of keel boat used by explorers to cross Mississippi.
Fun
- Superman Museum and Statue - Metropolis, Illinois. In superman's "hometown" is a statue and museum with 20,000 artifacts relating to the superman story.
- Popeye Statue and Character Trail - Chester, Illinois. See granite statues of Popeye the Sailor Man, overlooking the Mississippi River and many more of his friends.
- Official World's Largest Catsup Bottle in the U.S. - Collinsville, Illinois. Landmark roadside attraction since 1949.