This museum has been open for many years now, and sadly not many people know that this even exists!…read moreOf course, if you're into deep local history...then this is for you. History as in the National Historic Road. The road that was envisioned by our Founding Fathers (mainly George Washington and Thomas Jefferson) as a way from settlers to move from the East to the West...or at least the Midwest, in this case. The road, originally known as the Cumberland Road, started in Cumberland, Maryland, and ended right in Vandalia, Illinois. There has been a lot of debate over historical accuracy, based on the road actually ending in East St. Louis. The museum is open every day except Sunday, during the daytime. There is an attendant usually present. Museum is kind of small, with a couple rooms to go in (such as a theater), but you get a lot of cool information while you're there. You can also chat with the attendant on duty and they'll give you plenty of travel information. It goes without saying, if you're into the history of America's National Road, this is definitely for you. Kind of like how several people are into Route 66, but not really. It's a must-stop when you are traveling on the road.

No way! A fire breathing dragon right off the Interstate? I am not going to miss this!…read more Yes, the Kaskaskia Dragon takes tokens (You can buy them at the neighboring shops) and will breathe fire at you. Each token is good for about 15 seconds of real actual FIRE! How flipping awesome is that? And then you're back on the highway. Super easy. [Round number review 22300 overall - 1277 of 2024 - 205 in Illinois]

What cooler roadside attraction is there compared to a fire breathing dragon. Hehee…read more For a $1 coin, you can see 15 seconds of glory. It goes super quick so I recommend at least purchasing two coins. You purchase the coins at the liquor store across from the dragon. Side note - the liquor store doesn't have bathroom , but there is one available at the laundry/pet wash next door.

This is the old Illinois Statehouse where Abe Lincoln served in the legislature. It served as the…read morestatehouse from by 1819-1839. It was constructed in 89 days in a desperate attempt to have the state capital located in Vandalia. There is no admission charge but free will donations are suggested ($4 per person). Well worth the visit. Allow 30-60 minutes.

This was a fun and unplanned pit stop on I- 70 headed west for St.Louis. I'm a sucker for brown…read morehistorical signs of significance on the side of the highway and as long as time allows, I'll pop off the highway to check it out. Here are a few key reasons you should hop off the highway too! -this building once served as the state capitol and marks the spot where Lincoln first spoke publicly against slavery -Clean public bathrooms -Free - make donation with your visit -Rooms are well marked with historical significance -Upstairs floors are original from 1836 -Easy to reach off the interstate (one mile) and speedy street parking out front -friendly and sweet staff that is eager to share information on the building -super cool cast of Lincoln's face in the entryway

A fantastical site to see. Literal history right before your eyes. Walked through the same house…read morethat Lincoln lived in for 26 years. Amazing. And all for free. No reason not to go.

I think I got out of the car expecting to be "unimpressed". I was wrong. I do think that the park…read moreranger you get and their level of knowledge and ability to relate to the tour make the visit. We had an excellent Ranger. He shared tidbits that really brought out what it would have been like to live in the home. I absolutely think if you are ever in the area, invest the time and take the free tour.

We had a great time here at the old Capitol. We enjoyed the self guided tour and listening to the…read moreLincoln Troubadours sing in the rotunda area and in the old house chamber. This statehouse was not used very long, but Lincoln was in here when he was alive. It was also the last place he lay in state before they closed the coffin and buried him and his son Willie in the Springfield cemetery. We enjoyed the Underground Railroad display and stories in the old Supreme Court Chambers. This place is kind of big and you can schedule at least an hour to see everything. As of June 2025 it's open Thursday through Saturday.

The Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of Illinois' statehouse from 1840 to 1876. During the…read more20th century's civil rights movement, its restorers faithfully recreated the building in which John Jones & Frances Gage worked to expand the meaning of freedom. Lincoln served his final term as a state lawmaker in 1840-41. As a lawyer, he pleaded cases before the state supreme court in this building (1841-1860). In the Illinois House chamber, Lincoln made his House Divided speech in June 1858, announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. It was to the same chamber, in May 1865, that his body was returned to lie in state, arriving from Washington, D.C., prior to final burial in Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Much like my thoughts about the World's Largest Rocking Chair, I visited the World's Largest Wind…read moreChime thinking: "Yes, it looks like a wind chime, but if it doesn't chime, can it really be the world's largest wind chime?" I went in a hater, but I left a believer, because the World's Largest Wind Chime actually chimes! There's a rope that you can pull that moves the piece. It makes a satisfying tinny sound. That's all I needed to hear. This really is the World's Largest Wind Chime. The World's Largest Wind Chime is one of the "world's largest" items that you can see in Casey, Illinois. This small town is full of large things, and this wind chime is one of them. If I were creating a town full of large things, I'm not sure I would think to include a wind chime. That seems like a random thing to make big, but what do I know? I function from a place of regular-sized things, and my mind has not been opened to the possibilities of large things on a global scale. There is lots of street parking near the wind chime, so it's easy to get to and there's no excuse to not see it!

hot take, i think it's only worth stopping if you're passing through or it's a short detour rather…read morethan making a whole trip for it. the wind chime is honestly underwhelming, it looks very cool but the sound is rather dull. the teeter totter was not being operated, it was a saturday at "opening" time. the pitchfork is a few minutes down the road (have to drive) and is held together by 4 painted ratchet straps. it is neat, but not worth planning a whole day as there's only really a couple hours of things to do/look at and that's with taking your sweet time.

After we visited the museum to Mother Jones in town, we made a stop to pay our respects at a…read moremonument to her at her burial site at the Union Miners Cemetery. She had requested before her death to be placed there. We no sooner started walking up to the many markers to her there when a cat came running towards us seemingly out of nowhere from the direction of the monument. It actually made a beeline to me, the not so much cat person. As soon as I started talking to it, it chirped over and over "hello, hello, hello!" I wondered if Mother Jones was a cat person. Or maybe her spirit now lives in a cat. You know, nine lives and all. My spouse, the highly allergic cat lover, broke down and engaged with the cat and that little girl really wanted some human touch, but we were afraid she might follow us when we started to leave. As we walked away I said to the cat to just keep watch over Mother Jones. I wasn't expecting a cat to be there and honestly it threw me off cos it was unrelenting for attention. In researching Mother Jones online once back at the hotel I can't find anything about her having a cat, but what I did find out about her is mind blowing. This woman was Everywhere doing Everything she could for labor rights starting with children, after losing her husband and four children to yellow fever. An autobiography outlines her work and from the looks of it, she was too busy with the labor movement for a cat. Do yourself a favor and a quick search will lead to many articles on her. You'll also understand why she asked to be buried at this particular cemetery. It's all too fascinating to just write here. This lady had the energy and unrelenting dedication to do the hard work for change in standing up for people who needed it in the workplace in so many places around the country. And for that time period being a woman doing all that she did is nothing short of amazing. We owe a lot of thanks. BTW, if you make a trek there some treats for the "Mother" cat would probably be appreciated.

This is a review of not only the monument but the museum as well…read more We were totally blown away by the Mother Jones Museum in beautiful downtown Mt. Olive, Il. Comprising only one room in a city municipal building it packed a lot of wallop and we spent at least an hour learning about a most remarkable woman. The historical displays told in reprints from newspapers of the day gave us perspective on how desperate the situation of the common working family was a hundred years ago. Mother Jones is an overlooked champion of what we take for granted today, that in her time, was at best a fantasy. Moving, and inspiring, this museum is a must stop in understanding our American culture and how dearly the American dream was fought for and how fragile it can become without a full understand of how we got here.

A Greater Task "Why…read moreshould there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?" Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address Located in a small park across the street from the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, this statue highlights the burden and complexities that Lincoln faced as he began his journey to Washington and became a wartime president. Visit this and the nearby Acts of Intolerance Sculpture to reflect on the past, the present and the future.

You will find this nice sculpture on the Mississippi Riverfront, in St Louis, just behind the…read moreGateway Arch. It is the work of Harry Weber who completed the piece, which is made of bronze and sits 22 feet tall, in 2006 The 3.5 ton sculpture depicts explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Newfoundland dog, Seaman. It is owned by the city of St Louis and was commissioned by the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation to commemorate the bicentennial of the explorers' return September 1806. According to Weber, it "took seven months of long hours to complete the structure in clay, make molds and reassemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It is a nice sculpture and Weber does a great job encapsulating Lewis and Clark's feeling of accomplishment, sacrifice and pride. It is very detailed and well done. The viewer can really connect to the piece. The sculpture is designated a national Lewis and Clark site by the US Park Service and spending on how high the Mississippi River gets, sometimes the statue is submerged in the river. In 2014, the statue was removed and restored to repair damage it had received from the flood. In 2016, the statue was returned to the riverfront to a location slightly south and about 17 feet higher than before. Before it was moved, during a flood situation, it would look like the duo were sailing into shore Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would recommend checking out the Gateway Arch and Park while visiting this sculpture.