The Covered Bridge at Sugar Creek

Spanning Sugar Creek, just west of Glenarm, IL is the Sugar Creek Covered Bridge. Also known as the Glenarm, or Hedley bridge, this 60 foot span is listed on the National register of historic places and is one of 5 remaining 19th century covered bridges in Illinois. Rehabilitated by IDOT in 1965 to keep it [...]

The Cross at the Crossroads….

In a field near the interstate, in Effingham, at the intersections of I-70 and I-57, stands the world’s largest cross. Dedicated in the fall of 2001, this 198 foot tall structure has become a city symbol, inspiration to thousands and a beacon seen by some 50,000 travelers daily. Although an obvious religious symbol, the ‘Cross [...]

The Gardens of Allerton Park

In a wooded valley, flanking the Sangamon River just west of Monticello sits Robert Allerton Park. Donated to the state and under the guidance of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, this over 1,000 acres of woodlands and meadows has at its heart a 10 acre complex of manicured gardens, reflecting pools and wonderful sculptures, [...]

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge

Three miles east of Cowden in Shelby County, Thompson Mill Covered Bridge crosses the Kaskaskia River. Completed in 1868 at the then- whopping cost of $2,500, this wonderfully restored piece of Illinois history is located on a once important route between Effingham and Springfield. It’s named for the owner of a mill that was located [...]

Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site

Nestled in a shallow valley, eight miles south of Charleston, is Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. This 86 acre site was established to help preserve the last home of Abraham Lincoln’s father and stepmother, Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln. The Lincolns lived in a ‘Saddlebag’ cabin (two rooms with a central chimney) on the [...]

Country Dining in a Rustic Barn

Just off of Interstate 57 east, in the little town of Casey, about 30 miles west of Effingham, is a barn. It was built in the 1930′s on the Richards Farm and was used, as most barns are, to shelter livestock, store grain and be the centerpiece of the farm. In 1976, it quit being [...]