So Much to See Drawn from the Land

I felt like Interstate 57 was starting to become a familiar stretch of road as I set out on another journey to see sights of Illinois on the morning of Saturday, July 27, 2019.

I had already driven I-57 in two previous journeys to visit Vandalia, Illinois's second state capital city.  For those trips, I would exit I-57 in Effingham and then travel about 30 minutes to Vandalia, which happened to be at nighttime.

On this trip, however, I exited I-57 in broad daylight to visit my first site on this trip, the Cross at the Crossroads (#33), in the picture below.  (Please note, all photos in this post in which I don't appear are mine.  I note the photographers in the others.)

Standing at 198 feet, it is the seventh tallest Cross in the world.  I walked inside a building at the center serving as a sort of visitors' center.

I got talking with two fine friendly ladies inside.  I also watched a video that showed how the Cross was funded and built.  In the process, huge pieces of the Cross were transported on oversize load trucks from Indiana.

I had seen this Cross twice before on my way to Vandalia, and it was quite a sight to behold lit up at night.  It was great to have the chance to visit it, and to behold the sight of it from standing right underneath.

I then drove into Effingham and stopped to get a porkburger for lunch at Cruisers and then got gas before continuing my journey southward on I-57.

About 30 miles away from Cairo, the southernmost tip of Illinois, I exited I-57 and drove westward through the Shawnee National Forest country (#34).  I soon reached Anna, and then the neighboring community of Jonesboro, which was my next destination.  I had gone through this general area before a few years ago when on a storm chasing trip as my group made our way west, and actually went all the way south on I-57 from around this point where I exited to Cairo and then into Missouri.

A short distance north of Jonesboro's center is the Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds (#35), the site of another of the Lincoln-Douglas debates.  There's a small brick-paved area with statues of the two debaters and interpretative signs and plaques, as you can see in the photo below.  I am grateful to that a small group arrived in the parking lot to look at the space, and one of them kindly got the photo of me, so I didn't have to resort to getting a photo with my camera's timer.  Abraham Lincoln appears to the left, and Stephen Douglas appears to the right.

Nearby is the US Forest Service Mississippi Bluffs Ranger station, which is the building that appears behind me in the photo above.

I headed northward out of Jonesboro to a small town called Alto Pass, where I drove a winding road to the top of Bald Knob (#36), which is a truly spectacular spot.  The drive there was very pleasant and so peacefully quiet going through shaded woods.  At the top is the Bald Knob Cross (#37), which I believe is the 14th tallest Cross in the World.

In the center of this photo, you can see the Cross on top of Bald Knob.  This view is from the winding road leading to the top.

The Bald Knob Cross

It's quite a sight to behold, and the views from the top are stunningly scenic.

This view I know for sure is in an easterly direction.

This view I know for sure is toward the north.

This view I know is toward the southwest.  The visitors' center is the building that appears in the photo.

I could look all around at the tree tops in the Shawnee National Forest, and on a clear day like I had, I could see to the Mississippi River and the Ohio River and Kentucky.  Something on display there noted that this is the highest point of land in southern Illinois.  It was an awesome experience, combining a symbol of Christian faith with the beauty of the surrounding lane.  It was notable to read about the efforts to construct it, which was an ecumenical effort.

I drove back down the winding road, and then got back to Illinois Route 127, headed north.  I enjoyed passing through small towns and by farm stands along the way.  At the northern edge of Nashville, I pulled off to get dinner at the Little Nashville, a restaurant attached to a truck stop at I-64.  I had an okay dinner of an open-faced hot turkey sandwich, with a great salad bar.

I was done with dinner by about 7 PM, and then made my way to the next destination for the day: Alton, IL.  I wound my way around the St. Louis Metro East Area (#38) to reach Alton and see another of the Lincoln-Douglas debate sites.  There was a brick-paved plaza with a scenic spot in close view of the Mississippi River (#39).

Stephen Douglas appears to the left, and Abraham Lincoln appears to the right.  In the perspective in the photo below, you can see the Mississippi River just to the left of the tall grain elevator with the words "Welcome to Alton".

I really appreciate the person who got this photo of me, taking a short break from helping some people with their luggage across the street.

By 8:30, I was on my way to the final destination of the day, the Sleep Inn in the St. Louis suburb of O'Fallon, IL, where I booked lodgings for the night.  After some directional confusion from missing the right exit twice, I finally got there by 9:30.  Since it is a Choice Hotel, I could count on having a super comfortable bed to sleep in that night.

My phone rang at 7 AM to wake me up.  I then went to attend 8 AM Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter (#40) in Belleville, IL, (#41) another nearby suburb in the Metro East area.

It has the design of a medieval Gothic cathedral with a narrow nave.  Toward the back, I noticed stained glass windows displaying pieces of Illinois history going back to the 17th Century.

At the altar platform is the ambo and, appearing to the left of it, is the cathedra, the Bishop's seat.

Above is a close-up view of Jesus Christ handing the Keys to St. Peter, and below is a view of the full window.

Above is the window with imagery displaying the history of the US and Illinois.  Below is a close up of imagery from the Illinois State Seal.

At Mass, the cathedral's organist was specially recognized for his impressive 59 years of service.

I went back to the hotel for breakfast.  By 11:30, I had checked out and was on my way to Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (#42).  It is the location of a large city built by indigenous peoples that flourished between 900-1300.  The site today preserves some of the mounds.

As a means of getting my bearings on what's at the site, I went on a 12:30 guided tour. Our guide did a great job pointing out highlights and noting the significance of the mounds and aspects of the culture of the indigenous people who built it.  He talked about the different types of mounds, and what archaeologists have learned by piecing together what they've unearthed in digs, especially in determining what areas of the site served what purposes.

a plot of native grasses, with the interpretative center in the background

Here's the view looking toward the Twin Mounds.  The whitish path running perpendicular to the main path marks the location a wall that enclosed the main part of the city, including Monks Mounds.

Here's a set-up of the wall.

View of the Twin Mounds

Following the tour, I stopped at the gift shop, and then drove to Woodhenge (#43), which is positioned west of Monks Mound.  When archaeologists excavated the site, they determined large wooden posts had been arranged in a circle there, and a post in the center of the circle was aligned so that the sun would appear to rise over Monks Mound right at that post on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.  Somehow, the posts blended in to the nearby industrial area to the west, so I drove right past and missed it while headed westbound.

Woodhenge

After visiting Woodhenge, I went back east to walk up to the top of Monks Mound (#44), which was named for Trappist monks who once lived there, well after the heyday of the Cahokia city.

View of Monks Mound from the pathway where we walked during the guided tour.  The field between this path and the mound was a large plaza in the city.

The stairs leading up Monks Mound

This is a level terrace part of the way up to the top of Monks Mound.

The views from the top are quite impressive.  I could even see the St. Louis Skyline with the Gateway Arch.

Here's the view at the top, looking toward the southwest, where you can see the St. Louis Skyline, including the Gateway Arch, appearing near the center of this photo.

At the top, looking toward the north

Here's the view at the top, looking toward the south, with the top of the stairs in the foreground.  Visible on the other side of the road is the large field that was once the plaza, and the interpretative center, appearing toward the left.

View from the top of Monks Mound, looking toward the northeast

I thank the lady with her family who got this photo of me at the top of Monks Mound.

I stopped at a nearby Jack in the Box for lunch, where I ordered a rather tasty Chicken Teriyaki Bowl.  I then made my way to I-55 and headed northward.

I exited at Springfield and went to tour the Lincoln Home (#45), which I had been planning to do back in December when I had a weekend visit to Springfield, but the US government was in shutdown mode then.  I had gone on this tour before almost 20 years ago, and I felt like doing it again so that I could appreciate it at an older age, as well as part of celebrating Illinois's bicentennial.  I got there just in time for the 4:30 tour.  Rene, the NPS ranger, led our tour, and focused on Mary Todd Lincoln (#46), who did much to spiffy up the home as part of giving her husband a prominent image as he made his political strides.  Those efforts were evident in the decorative furnishings in the house, which featured prominently in a journalist's sketches of the home that were to give people outside of Illinois, especially on the East Coast, an idea of who Mr. Lincoln was.  In the kitchen, I learned that the stove was a gift from Abraham to Mary.

The parlor

The dining room

Above and below are pictures of the more informal family room, where the children were allowed to play.

Rene pointed out that this handrailing is original to the time when the Lincoln family lived in this home.  Unlike other parts of the house we weren't allowed to touch, we were encouraged to use the handrail when ascending to the upper floor.

Bed

In the bedroom, toward the right of this photo, is a desk Mr. Lincoln used.

Mrs. Lincoln's bedroom

Above and below are photos of the kitchen.  Rene mentioned the stove was Abraham's gift to Mary.

I'll admit that my first attempt at a "selife" using my new smartphone was a bit botched, and probably out of its context, you wouldn't be able to tell that I'm in the kitchen of the Lincoln Home.  I had just seconds before my tour group was ushered out to make way for the next group, so I did what I could.

Touring the home was another opportunity to appreciate the work the NPS does in preserving notable historic places so that people can experience what it has to offer, especially in coming into contact with the very human side of notable people who made an impact in history, but were also like us in many ways in their day-to-day lives.

I thank the visitor who got this photo of me in front of the Lincoln Home, after which I returned the favor to get a photo of him and his companion.  I believe they were from some German-speaking part of Europe.

The wonderful tour pretty much concluded my sightseeing for this weekend.  I got back on I-55 and headed northward back to Oak Park.

Reflecting on this weekend, I think the most prominent take-away is how much Illinois has to offer.  When I arrived home, the odometer displayed 871.8 miles, and it's amazing to think I did all that driving all within the state of Illinois.  There's great history, fine places big and small, beautiful nature, and amazing views.

Indeed, there's so much wonder to behold in the land that is Illinois.  Far south past the vast flat farm fields are the intricate landscapes around Shawnee National Forest.

And from that land a great city arose and thrived for centuries at Cahokia.

This land is the context from which notable individuals arose like Abraham Lincoln, who went on to shape the course of Illinois, the United States, and even the world.

In our day, we have the chance, in the same way, to draw opportunity from the land.

The odometer read 871.8 miles when I arrived home, demonstrating the many miles of amazing places in Illinois.

I thank the fellow visitor at Bald Knob Cross who got this photo of me.