Illinois Travel Guide 2008 - (Page 13) Metropolis is Fort Massac State Park & Museum, a replica of the original 1700s fort as it appeared during the French and Indian War. Visit during the annual Fort Massac Encampment in October to witness mock battles. Try your luck at Harrah’s Metropolis Casino, a four-deck riverboat on the Ohio river that features 25 table games, slot machines, a poker room and unlimited wagering. Stay the night in the swank 258-room Harrah’s hotel. • Located at the southernmost point of Illinois in Cairo, the dramatic meeting of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers is best viewed from historic Fort Defiance, a one-time Civil War post commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant. HISTORIC NATIONAL ROAD In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson signed Vandalia Altamont legislation to construct the Collinsville National Road, America’s first interstate highway. The southcentral Illinois route travels 164 miles from Marshall to East St. Louis, passing through several small heartland communities. See some of these interesting spots along the way: • In Marshall, travel over the Stone Arch Bridge, one of the last original bridges on the National Marshall Greenup Road, which was built back in 1830 (and still carries traffic!). • Make a stop at the historic Greenup Depot, a community landmark since 1870, which recalls the bygone era of small-town depots with displays of railroading artifacts. • Wander through butterfly and hummingbird gardens, along with wetlands and woodlands, at the Ballard Nature Center in Altamont. Don’t miss the kids-only fishing pond and the pioneer cemetery. • Abraham Lincoln practiced law and started his political career as a state legislator at the Vandalia State House, Illinois’ oldest existing capitol, which once housed all three branches of government. The life-sized Lincoln statue seated on a bench across the street in Lincoln Park makes for a great photo op. The nearby Madonna of the Trail statue honors the pioneer women who traveled the National Road. • Explore the remains of an ancient Mississippian Indian city at Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville. View the excellent exhibits and film at the interpretive center, then head out and climb the 100-foot-tall Monks Mound for a sweeping view of the 68 earthen mounds. • While in Collinsville snap a photo of the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, a popular roadside attraction that’s actually a 170foot-tall water tower built in 1949 by the bottlers of Brooks Catsup. Left to Right: The Man of Steel at the Super Museum in Metropolis, the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle—a popular Collinsville roadside attraction HERE WE COME! From the Magnificent Mile to Starved Rock State Park, Illinois promises a getaway you won’t forget. And it couldn’t be more exciting than getting there by Amtrak .With destinations to 30 Illinois cities, the Amtrak Illinois Service is the way to see the Midwest. Relax in comfortable coach seats, enjoy a meal in the dining car, and take in scenery worth a million pictures. It’s all Amtrak and all the reason you need to take a trip that you’ll remember for a long time to come. ® ILLINOIS, For more information: Call 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com. Amtrak is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. SCOTT BELL 800/2CONNECT ILLINOIS. MILE AFTER MAGNIFICENT MILE. 13 http://www.vacationfun.com/illinois http://Amtrak.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.