Southernmost Illinois History

 


Southernmost Illinois was prominent in the history of European settlers heading west. The crescent shape of the Ohio River between Metropolis and Cairo was one of the busiest "interstate highways" of the 1700s and 1800s. It was a staging area, hospital and cemetery for the Civil War. Untold numbers of flatboats took settlers west, and goods to market. Since the beginning of time, it has seen dinosaurs and jungle-like conditions, as well as glaciers.

Southernmost Illinois, south of Route 13, is gentle hills and scenic bluffs. It is where the southernmost glaciers stopped, and a finger of the Gulf of Mexico touched. It is bordered by the nation's two largest rivers. The artwork above illustrates the the land near Karnak and Ullin, where the Ohio River once ran. 

The Land Between the Rivers - Massac, Pulaski, Johnson, Pope, Alexander and Union counties - saw several nationally significant events of which many local residents are not familiar.

Cairo is at the confluence of the Ohio (right) and Mississippi rivers.  The confluence of 200 years ago was at the southern tip of the business district, more than a mile north of where it is now.

Pieces of Southern Illinois History


B.C. - Tropical rain forest climate, a mile-high glacier, continents pulling apart, dinosaurs, earthquakes, rerouting of large rivers

Mississippian era  900-1550. A large manufacturing and export business. Moundbuilders' communities were here.

Explorers  1550-1850

Marquette and Joliet find a landmark rock
Washington at Valley Forge, Clark at Fort Massac
A tragic march of native Americans
A big military post here housed half the US Military. Its leader considered starting a new country.
A huge buffalo hide tanning operation here with French king's blessing
French, Spanish, British, Virginian, American land
Lewis and Clark begin daily notes at Cairo
A new US capital... where?
An underground railroad to free slaves

 


Civil War Era (1850-1900)

A short, fiery orator and a tall, pensive man debate in Jonesboro about a nation divided.
Cairo and Mound City are staging areas for Union troops.  Mound City shipyards builds, fits, repairs many war boats.
The first US Navy nurses are at Mound City, helping a hospital and hospital ship. A National cemetery buries Confederate as well as Union soldiers.
General Grant leads troops at Cairo.

20th century (1900s - forward)
Buying grain in Egypt
Superheroes
The big flood of '37
Coal and cat litter for the nation
The big flood of '93
A million visitors a year to Fort Massac

Researchers of Southernmost Illinois History can find help at Southern Illinois University's Morris Library Special Collections and the Cairo Public Library.