Illinois Attractions
Illinois Guide
Illinois Tourist Attractions
World’s Biggest Cross
Standing over Interstate highways 57 and 70, the "Cross at the intersection" was constructed for generally dignified spiritual motives and to outclass all the other big cross of the world, particularly the huge and big cross in Groom, Texas, which was in fact a motivation to construct it. 198 feet high and 113 feet broad, made out of more than 180 tons of steel fastened in unknown amounts of cement, the cross can endure the heaviest wind flowing at up to 145 mph.
Lincoln Park
| Lincoln Park | |
|---|---|
| Lincoln Park Type | Urban park |
| Lincoln Park Location | Chicago |
| Lincoln Park Coordinates | 41.95°N 87.64°W |
| Lincoln Park Size | 1,200 acres (490 ha) 1.875 sq mi (4.86 km2) |
| Lincoln Park Opened | 1843 |
With approximately 1,200 acres of land, Lincoln Park is a six mile long. The green land stretches along the shores of Lake Michigan and is the major park of Chicago. It has lots of playing grounds, bike tracks, running tracks, and a golf club, horse riding track, beaches, a greenhouse and a zoological garden.
Designing of the park started during the late 1830's and the scheme acquired speed at the time when New York City began with its Central Park in the year 1857. Initially known as Lake Park, Lincoln Park was named again soon after the murder of President Lincoln in the year 1865.
Guests can see lots of noteworthy figures and works of civic art inside the park fields together with Augustus Saint Gaudens' Standing Statue of Lincoln built in 1887.
Spertus Museum
The Spertus Museum is situated in the first two storeys of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. It is an abode of a complete set of over 10,000 works of art and works connected to the Jewish custom and traditions. Apart from the stable assortment and the continuing Zell Holocaust Memorial, the museum additionally hordes a standard program of cyclical exhibitions.
Prairie Avenue Historic District
| Prairie Avenue District | |
|---|---|
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Location: | Chicago, Illinois |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Coordinates: | 41°51′26″N 87°37′19″W |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Built / Founded: | 1812 |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Architect: | Henry Hobson Richardson; et al. |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Architectural Style(s): | Renaissance, Other, Romanesque |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Governing Body: | Private |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Designated HD: | November 15, 1972 |
| Prairie Avenue Historic District Designated CL: | December 27, 1979 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 72000452 |
The Prairie Avenue Historic District is situated in the southwestern direction of the Soldier Field. The 9th century housing road was once the house of rich people of Chicago like Marshall Field and Joseph Sears. Of individual attention are the Neo-Romanesque Glessner House (1886) at 1800 South Prairie Avenue and Clarke House, one of the antique homes in Chicago in Greek stimulation fashion.
Governor Oglesby Mansion
The Governor Oglesby Mansion is a house constructed in the 1870s in Italian design for the three times Illinois Governor, United States Senator and Civil War Army General Richard J. Oglesby. The house is situated at 421 W. William St in Decatur, IL. It is unlocked for tourists every Wednesday and Saturday for the time between 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the months of June, July and August and on the very last Sunday of the month from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from the months of March till November. The fee of entry is $2.00 per person.
John G. Shedd Aquarium
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Date Opened | May 30, 1930 |
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Location | 1200 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Number of Animals | 32,667 |
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Number of Species | 1,500 |
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Memberships | AZA, AMMPA, WAZA |
| John G. Shedd Aquarium Website | http://www.sheddaquarium.org |
| Shedd Aquarium | |
|---|---|
| Location: | Chicago, Illinois |
| Coordinates: | 41°52′4″N 87°36′50″W |
| Built/Founded: | 1929 |
| Architect: | Graham,Anderson,Probst & White |
| Governing body: | Private |
| Added to NRHP: | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated NHL: | February 27, 1987 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 87000820 |
The John G. Shedd Aquarium is described as the biggest enclosed aquarium of the entire world. It is an abode of approximately 8000 diverse aquatic animals belonging to about 700 different classes. The aquarium has been gathering fish, octopuses and other water mammals from around the globe ever since it was open to the citizens in the year 1930. The exhibitions are formulated to encourage ecological consciousness, protection and standard usage of natural capital inside aquatic bionetwork.
Some Major Attractions of the Aquarium take in
The 90,000 gallon Coral Reef exhibition with sharks, turtles along with some other Caribbean Sea animals. Visitors can observe as divers plunge into the reservoir every day to give food to them.
The Oceanarium has 3 million gallon seawater that establishes the actual sea surroundings of the Pacific Northwest. Apart from the various other sea creatures, Beluga whales, Pacific white sided dolphins, Alaskan sea otters and port seals are also present there in the aquarium.
Superman Museum
The Superman Museum in Metropolis, Illinois has a compilation of superman souvenirs, together with the first outfit put on by George Reeves, the foremost superman in the ’50s. The museum is filled with more than 20,000 stuffs connected to the 60+ years of Superman chronicles, from his initial emergence in children's comic books to his newest mortification in "Lois and Clark" and some other contemporary versions. The Superman Museum is the piece of effort of Jim Hambrick, who also possesses the brimming Superman memento and figurines store.
Heritage Interpretive Center – Hamilton, Illinois
The Heritage Center is open for the public for most of the days together with the exhibits intended to enlighten and teach the tourists about the ecology and the bionetwork of the Mississippi River and how the river contributed to the beginning and tradition of Hampton.
The region was initially known as McNeil’s Landing due to Sir Henry McNeil who lived here around the year 1827. Afterwards Joel Thompson approached and asked to construct a postal bureau which would be known as Milan. He later came to know that there was a Milan since long time and the postal department was allotted the name of Hampton on February 1, 1838.
The Gateway Geyser – East St. Louis, Illinois
There is a geyser towering about a height of almost 630 feet and the height reflects that of St. Louis’ famous Gateway Arch, situated straight across the Mississippi River. The middle spout is joined by four secondary spouts which stand for the four rivers that get merged in the St. Louis region.
Illinois Featured Attractions
- World's Largest Cross, Effingham, Illinois
- Mecca of Albino Squirrels, Olney, Illinois
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Springfield, Illinois
- Historic Auto Attractions, Roscoe, Illinois
- Two-Story Outhouse, Gays, Illinois
- Captured Leg of Santa Anna, Springfield, Illinois
- Robert Wadlow, World's Tallest Man, Alton, Illinois
- World's Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville, Illinois
- Purple Martin Capital of the Nation, Griggsville, Illinois
- Hometown of Superman and Super Museum, Metropolis, Illinois
Illinois Current State Parks
| Park Name | County or Counties | Area (acres) | Area (km2) | Date establishe |
Bodies of water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area | Fulton | 2,247 | 9.09 | 1947 | |
| Apple River Canyon State Park | Jo Daviess | 297 | 1.20 | 1932 | Apple River |
| Argyle Lake State Park | McDonough | 1,700 | 6.9 | 1948 | Argyle Lake |
| Baldwin Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area | Randolph | 2,018 | 8.17 | ? | Baldwin Lake |
| Beall Woods State Park | Wabash | 635 | 2.57 | 1966 | Coffee Creek |
| Beaver Dam State Park | Macoupin | 750 | 3.0 | 1947 | Beaver Dam Lake |
| Big River State Forest | Henderson | 2,900 | 12 | 1925 | Mississippi River |
| Buffalo Rock State Park & Effigy Tumuli | LaSalle | 298 | 1.21 | November 15, 1928 | Illinois River |
| Cache River State Natural Area | Johnson | 14,314 | 57.93 | 1970 | |
| Carlyle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Fayette | 37,000 | 150 | 1966 | Carlyle Lake |
| Castle Rock State Park | Ogle | 2,000 | 8.1 | 1921 | Rock River |
| Cave-in-Rock State Park | Hardin | 204 | 0.83 | 1929 | Ohio River |
| Chain O'Lakes State Park | McHenry | 1,700 | 6.9 | 1945 | Bluff Lake, Catherine Lake, Channel Lake, Fox Lake, Fox River, Grass Lake, Marie Lake, Nippersink Lake, Petite Lake, Pistakee Lake, Redhead Lake, Turner Lake |
| Channahon State Park | Will | 20.5 | 0.083 | 1932 | DuPage River, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River |
| Clinton Lake State Recreation Area | DeWitt | 9,300 | 38 | 1978 | Clinton Lake, Salt Creek, Old Creek |
| Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Montgomery | 297 | 1.20 | 1966 | Coffeen Lake, Shoal Creek |
| Crawford County State Fish and Wildlife Area | Crawford | 1,129 | 4.57 | ? | Huston Creek |
| Delabar State Park | Henderson | 89 | 0.36 | 1960 | |
| Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area | Will | 5,000 | 20 | 1948 | Kankakee River, Milliken Lake |
| Dixon Springs State Park | Pope | 801 | 3.24 | 1946 | Wabash River |
| Donnelley/Depue State Park | Putnam | 3,015 | 12.20 | 1982 | Lake DePue, Spring Lake, Coleman Lake, Illinois River |
| Eagle Creek State Recreation Area | Shelby | 11,100 | 45 | May, 1963 | Lake Shelbyville, Eagle Creek (Illinois), Wolf Creek |
| Edward R. Madigan State Fish and Wildlife Area | Logan | 974 | 3.94 | 1971 | Salt Creek |
| Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area | Clinton | 3,000 | 12 | ? | Carlyle Lake, Lake Shelbyville |
| Ferne Clyffe State Park | Johnson | 2,430 | 9.8 | 1949 | Ferne Clyffe Lake |
| Fort Massac State Park | Massac | 1,450 | 5.9 | 1908 | Ohio River |
| Fox Ridge State Park | Coles | 2,064 | 8.35 | 1930s | Ridge Lake, Embarras River |
| Frank Holten State Recreation Area | St. Clair | 1,080 | 4.4 | 1964 | Whispering Willow Lake, Grand Marais Lake |
| Franklin Creek State Park | Lee | 664 | 2.69 | 1970 | Franklin Creek |
| Fults Hill Prairie State Natural Area | Monroe | 997 | 4.03 | 1970 | Kidd Lake |
| Gebhard Woods State Park | Grundy | 30 | 0.12 | 1934 | Nettle Creek |
| Giant City State Park | Jackson, Union | 1,100 | 4.5 | 1927 | Little Grassy Lake, Indian Creek |
| Golconda Marina State Recreation Area | Pope | 274 | 1.11 | ? | Ohio River |
| Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area | Grundy | 2,537 | 10.27 | 1969 | Goose Lake, Des Plaines River, Kankakee River, Illinois River |
| Green River State Wildlife Area | Lee | 2,565 | 10.38 | 1940 | Green River |
| Hamilton County State Fish and Wildlife Area | Hamilton | 1,683 | 6.81 | 1962 | Dolan Lake |
| Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area | Vermilion | 1,104 | 4.47 | ? | ? |
| Hazel & Bill Rutherford Wildlife Prairie State Park | Peoria | 1,700 | 6.9 | 2000 | Deep Lake , Caboose Lake, Beaver Lake, Horseshoe Lake |
| Heidecke Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area | Grundy | 1,300 | 5.3 | ? | Heidecke Lake |
| Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park | Bureau, Lee, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry | 60,314 | 244.08 | 1970 | W To Moline then N to Rock Falls vic. |
| Hidden Springs State Forest | Shelby | 1,200 | 4.9 | 1960 | Richland Creek, Possum Creek |
| Horseshoe Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area | Alexander | 10,200 | 41 | ? | Horseshoe Lake |
| Horseshoe Lake State Park | Madison | 2,960 | 12.0 | ? | |
| Illini State Park | LaSalle | 510 | 2.1 | 1934 | Illinois River |
| Illinois Beach State Park | Lake | 4,160 | 16.8 | 1948 | Lake Michigan |
| Illinois Caverns State Natural Area | Monroe | 120 | 0.49 | 1985 | None |
| Iroquois County State Wildlife Area | Iroquois | 2,480 | 10.0 | 1944 | Glacial Lake Watseka |
| James "Pate" Philip State Park | DuPage, Kane | 3,432 | 13.89 | 1991 | Brewester Creek |
| Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area | Cass | 16,550 | 67.0 | June, 1993 | Gridley Lake, Prairie Lake, Drake Lake |
| Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park | Henry | 1,365 | 5.52 | ? | Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake |
| Jubilee College State Park | Peoria | 3,200 | 13 | 1933 | |
| Kankakee River State Park | Kankakee, Will | 4,000 | 16 | 1938 | Kankakee River |
| Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area | St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph | 20,000 | 81 | ? | Kaskaskia River, Baldwin Lake, Peabody River |
| Kickapoo State Recreation Area | Vermilion | 2,842 | 11.50 | 1939 | Vermilion River |
| Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Jackson | 11,750 | 47.6 | 1968 | Kinkaid Lake, Johnson Creek, Reed Creek |
| Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife Area | DeKalb | 570 | 2.3 | 2002 | Kishwaukee River |
| Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park | Stephenson | 715 | 2.89 | 1948 | Lake Le-Aqua-Na |
| Lake Murphysboro State Park | Jackson | 1,022 | 4.14 | 1948 | Lake Murphysboro |
| LaSalle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area | LaSalle | 2,058 | 8.33 | ? | LaSalle Lake |
| Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial | Macon | 162 | 0.66 | 1957 | Sangamon River |
| Lincoln Trail State Park | Clark | 1,023 | 4.14 | 1958 | Lincoln Trail Lake |
| Lowden State Park | Ogle | 207 | 0.84 | 1945 | Rock River |
| Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area | Tazewell | 1,448 | 5.86 | ? | Mackinaw River |
| Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area | Marshall | 6,000 | 24 | 1925 | Red Hills Lake, Muddy Creek |
| Matthiessen State Park | LaSalle | 1,700 | 6.9 | 1943 | Deer Park Lake, Vermilion River |
| Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area | Bureau | 911 | 3.69 | ? | 15 lakes |
| Mazonia/Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area | Grundy | 1,017 | 4.12 | 1981 | Braidwood Lake |
| Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Massac | 2,630 | 10.6 | 1949 | Mermet Lake |
| Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area | Vermilion | 2,700 | 11 | 1986 | Middle Fork |
| Mississippi Palisades State Park | Carroll | 2,500 | 10 | 1973 | Mississippi River, Apple River |
| Mississippi River State Fish and Wildlife Area | Jersey, Calhoun | 24,386 | 98.69 | ? | Stump Lake, Fuller Lake |
| Moraine Hills State Park | McHenry | 2,200 | 8.9 | 1939 | Lake Defiance, Fox River |
| Moraine View State Recreation Area | McLean | 1,687 | 6.83 | 1959 | Dawson Lake, Salt Creek |
| Morrison-Rockwood State Park | Whiteside | 1,164 | 4.71 | 1971 | Rock Creek , Lake Carlton |
| Nauvoo State Park | Hancock | 148 | 0.60 | ? | Mississippi River, Lake Horton |
| Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Jasper | 1,775 | 7.18 | 1979 | Newton Lake, Sand Creek , Laws Creek |
| North Point Marina | Lake | 297 | 1.20 | ? | Lake Michigan |
| Peabody River State Fish and Wildlife Area | Randolph | 2,200 | 8.9 | ? | Peabody River |
| Pere Marquette State Park | Jersey | 8,050 | 32.6 | 1931 | Mississippi River, Illinois River |
| Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area | Jackson, Randolph | 198 | 0.80 | 1972 | Piney Creek |
| Prophetstown State Recreation Area | Whiteside | 53 | 0.21 | 1947 | Coon Creek, Rock River |
| Pyramid State Recreation Area | Perry | 19,701 | 79.73 | 1968 | |
| Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area | Fayette | 1,980 | 8.0 | ? | Ramsey Lake, Ramsey Creek |
| Randolph County State Recreation Area | Randolph | 1,101 | 4.46 | 1958 | Randolph County Lake |
| Ray Norbut State Fish and Wildlife Area | Pike | 1,140 | 4.6 | 1970 | Illinois River |
| Red Hills State Park | Lawrence | 967 | 3.91 | ? | |
| Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Franklin, Jefferson | 38,900 | 157 | ? | Rend Lake |
| Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Fulton | 5,660 | 22.9 | 1945 | Rice Lake (Illinois) |
| Rock Cut State Park | Winnebago | 3,092 | 12.51 | ? | Pierce Lake, Olson Lake |
| Rock Island Trail State Park | Stark, Peoria | 1989 | |||
| Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area | Saline | 1,270 | 5.1 | 1959 | |
| Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area | Wayne | 1,302 | 5.27 | 1959 | Sam Dale Lake |
| Sam Parr State Fish and Wildlife Area | Jasper | 1,180 | 4.8 | 1960 | |
| Sand Ridge State Forest | Mason | 7,200 | 29 | 1939 | None |
| Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area | Cass, Schuyler, Mason | 10,360 | 41.9 | 1948 | |
| Sangchris Lake State Recreation Area | Christian, Sangamon | 3,022 | 12.23 | 1964 | Sangchris Lake |
| Shabbona Lake State Park | DeKalb | 1,550 | 6.3 | 1978 | Shabbona Lake |
| Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area | Moultrie | 6,200 | 25 | ? | |
| Sielbeck Forest Natural Area | Johnson | 385 | 1.56 | ? | |
| Siloam Springs State Park | Adams, Brown | 3,323 | 13.45 | 1940 | |
| Silver Springs State Fish & Wildlife Area | Kendall | 1,350 | 5.5 | 1969 | Fox River, Loon Lake, Beaver Lake, Silver Springs |
| Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area | Knox | 2,500 | 10 | 1987 | Snakeden Hollow Lake |
| South Shore State Park | Clinton | 26,000 | 110 | ? | Carlyle Lake |
| Spitler Woods State Natural Area | Macon | 202.5 | 0.819 | 1937 | Squirrel Creek |
| Spring Lake Fish and Wildlife Area | Tazewell | 2,032 | 8.22 | 1950 | Spring Lake |
| Starved Rock State Park | LaSalle | 2,630 | 10.6 | 1911 | Illinois River |
| Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area | Marion | 3,103 | 12.56 | 1959 | |
| Ten Mile Creek State Fish & Wildlife Area | Hamilton, Jefferson | 6,000 | 24 | 1988 | Ten Mile Creek |
| Trail of Tears State Forest | Union | 5,114 | 20.70 | 1929 | Mississippi River, Clear Creek |
| Tunnel Hill State Trail | Johnson, Pulaski, Saline, Williamson | ||||
| Turkey Bluffs State Fish and Wildlife Area | Randolph | 2,264 | 9.16 | ? | |
| Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area | Union | 6,202 | 25.10 | 1940s | |
| Volo Bog State Natural Area | Lake | 1,150 | 4.7 | 1970 | Volo Bog |
| Walnut Point State Park | Douglas | 671 | 2.72 | 1968 | |
| Washington County State Recreation Area | |||||
| Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area | |||||
| Weinberg-King State Park | |||||
| Weldon Springs State Recreation Area | |||||
| White Pines Forest State Park | Ogle | 385 | 1.56 | 1927 | Pine Creek, Spring Creek |
| William G. Stratton State Park | |||||
| William W. Powers State Recreation Area | |||||
| Wolf Creek State Park | |||||
| Woodford State Fish and Wildlife Area |
