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Once the home of John Wood, Quincy's founder and Illinois' 12th Governor, the John Wood Mansion is one of the Midwest's finest examples of Greek Revival architecture.

Wood’s 14-room mansion was built in 1835 and features many ornate details inside and out as well as four large Doric columns turned by Wood himself at a lathe he built for that purpose. The Wood family moved into their third Quincy home from a nearby, two-story log cabin in 1837. Later, the mansion was moved from its original site to its current location, about a block east, so Wood could build an even larger, octagonal mansion that was demolished in the 1950s.

The Society acquired the mansion in 1906 in order to save it from demolition, renovate, and preserve it. Many original Wood family and period furnishings are displayed throughout the house. 

This historically significant home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and in 2007 was named one of Illinois' 150 most important architectural structures. In celebration of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial, the John Wood Mansion was selected as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places by the American Institute of Architects Illinois.

John Wood Mansion Website

When visiting or driving through Alton, you must plan a stop at the Alton Visitor Center.  The friendly staff can provide suggestions for activities and restaurants in the Great Rivers & Routes region.  You can shop for souvenirs and pick up maps.  Public restrooms also available.

The Alton Visitor Center also hosts a free eagle meet and greet every Saturday in January during the Alton Eagle Watching season.

Restored 1852 train depot, from which President-Elect Abraham Lincoln departed for Washington D.C. on February 11, 1861. Lincoln gave one of his most memorable speeches from the back of a train at this location.

When Lincoln left his hometown as president-elect, he paid an unforgettable tribute to his friends and neighbors known today as the Farewell Address. Lincoln gave these remarks as he boarded a special inaugural train at the Great Western Railroad Depot.  Located just two blocks from the Lincoln Home.

The Depot is also home to a wayside exhibit that helps interpret the important activities that happened at this location. View over 40 outdoor interpretive exhibits placed throughout the downtown area to experience Springfield as Abraham Lincoln knew it. Each exhibit is intended to capture a moment in time for Lincoln and how he was affected by the people, places and events he encountered in his hometown. Each story is accompanied by graphics or photographs and a medallion that is symbolic of that particular story. Visitors are encouraged to collect rubbings of each medallion.

The Hayner Public Library District provides a variety of genealogy-related services to support research efforts. Information from various states in addition to Illinois and other countries is available. The digitized newspaper collection is a wonderful resource for genealogy research. The lobby of the Hayner Genealogy and Local History Library contains an original piece of the printing press which was broken and thrown into the Mississippi River by an angry mob who destroyed the press and murdered Elijah P. Lovejoy in November, 1837. The yoke, which served as a framework for the press, is black metal and weighs half a ton. Lovejoy published newspapers in St. Louis and Alton that advocated the abolition of slavery.

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  The Passport Stamp was orginally at the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District Office in Jonesboro until it was closed.

The Hillsboro Library is a Passport Stamp location. 

Learn more about Passport Stamps here. 

The Homer Lake Interpretive Center, located at Homer Lake Forest Preserve, features a variety of interactive exhibits, displays, live animals and a wildlife viewing area. The forest preserve offers fishing, boating, and a Nature Playscape as well. The Interpretive Center can stamp your National Parks passport too!

The Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum is the repository for thousands of pieces of historic memorabilia from the glory days of the Mother Road.

Come learn the history of Route 66 in Illinois, see images of the road's wonderful history, and hear a few great stories about life in America when Route 66 was the most important highway in the nation. 

Jacksonville, Illinois is a community rich in historical treasures, with thriving arts, education, and culture, and all wrapped in Midwest hospitality. Centrally located between St. Louis and Chicago, and near Springfield, Jacksonville offers an excellent place to live, work, and visit.

To the first time visitor, Jacksonville is full of the unexpected. From their Civil War and Abraham Lincoln connections, to the modern businesses of today, the area offers something for everyone. There is a small-town friendliness mixed with a vibrancy from a richness of natural sites, intellectual institutions, and businesses.

Visitor information is available at the Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 310 East State Street in downtown Jacksonville. You can also call (217) 243-5678, or (800) 593-5678, if you have questions about planning your trip.

The Kibbe Museum is located in Carthage, Illinois and houses a collection of artifacts relating to the history of Hancock County and western Illinois.  In addition, the museum also recently acquired the former collection of the Illinois Funeral Director’s Funeral Customs Museum. This world-class collection documents the material and social history of the mortuary profession and American funeral customs.

Museum exhibits cover the varied aspects of life in western Illinois from the early frontier days through the early 20th century.  Our approach to exhibit design permits closer viewing of most artifacts than you will normally experience in other museums.