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Paddleboat River Cruises – In the 19th century, the rivers of Illinois, including the Mississippi River, were a primary form of transportation, carrying passengers, crates and barrels, goods and news. Today kids will enjoy a one hour sightseeing cruise on an authentic paddleboat. Check out the cruises from Peoria. |
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Lincoln’s New Salem (Petersburg) – Abe Lincoln arrived in New Salem in 1831, and spent six years in the town as a storekeeper, postmaster, land surveyor, boatman, lawyer and state representative. Visit Lincoln’s New Salem to see what life was like in Illinois when he was twenty something – blacksmith and cooper shops, log houses with period furnishings, a sawmill, the school, green fields and split rail fences. |
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Lewis and Clark State Historic Site (Hartford, near Alton) – Lewis and Clark officially launched their voyage of exploration on May 14, 1804 from Camp River Dubois (also called Camp Wood) here in Illinois. This camp is site #1 of the Lewis and Clark Trail. |
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In the visitor center, check out the replica of the 55 ft keelboat Lewis and Clark took down the Missouri River, plan what supplies you’d need to take, see if you have the qualifications to volunteer for the expedition, look through telescopes at wild undiscovered western scenes. In a re-creation of the Winter Camp, kids can see the rustic wooden fort where the explorers lived, before getting on the boat. |
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Cahokia Mounds (near Collinsville) – A thousand years ago, Cahokia was an impressive city of more than 10,000 people, with a huge earthen pyramid and central plaza, temple and burial mounds, and hundreds of thatched houses. The city was deserted by 1350, and gradually covered by grass and trees. In the 19th century, archeologists began to excavate the mounds, and slowly peeled away the clues to this lost culture. |
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Today, when you visit Cahokia Mounds, kids can run up the steps to the top of Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthworks in America. Look over the central plaza area and imagine a bustling ceremonial center with widspread trade and farming. |
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The Interpretive Center has exhibits that reconstruct the city from archeological evidence (the Cahokia “mound people” apparently had no writing). Pick up maps of self-guided trails around the site. There's a picnic area, and across the road is “woodhenge,” stakes in a circle aligned with the winter and summer solstice. |
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Step back a thousand years ago and travel with a family to the great mound city of Cahokia – canoeing down the river, exploring the city, trading goods, watching games and feasting. Super historically-accurate illustrations bring to life this mysterious culture that built a huge city and then vanished. (Picture book)
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Find out what it was like on the frontier in the early 1800’s, when Abe Lincoln arrived in Illinois just after his 21st birthday. Lively illustrations capture the pioneer spirit. (Picture book)
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A sleepy Illinois town
along the Mississippi River comes to life when the steamboat arrives.
Passengers push down the gangplank, barrels, foods and farm animals
are unloaded, news spreads fast, but when the whistle blows, it's
time to wave farewell. Bygone days in colorful paintings and rhymes.
(Picture book)
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A young girl visits Chicago, each day contrasting her big city experiences with life on the farm in rural Illinois. Gorgeous illustrations express a quiet, lasting appreciation of the Amish community. (Picture book)
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Young Joey and his sister Mary Alice spend summers with their Grandma in a small hick town in Illinois, but life is far from dull. Grandma, one tough, smart old lady, outwits the local bad boy bullies, rescues her crochety neighbor in a tornado, and hosts a funeral to remember. Filled with humor and warmth, both books are great reads! (Chapter book)
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Take a trip around Illinois, from Chicago to the capitol at Springfield, weird rock formations and statue of the world’s tallest man, plus history and fun facts about the Land of Lincoln. Colorful illustrations, like a scrapbook. (Picture book)
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More children's books on other Illinois pages |
