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Winged monsters, explorers, riverboats and a gentle giant. The Alton Museum of History & Art shows the crossroads of American history right here in Alton. The museum is located in the historic Loomis Hall across from the Wadlow statue. Loomis Hall is the oldest building in the state of Illinois continuously utilized for education. One of the most popular rooms, the Wadlow Room, pays tribute to Alton's Gentle Giant" and the World's Tallest Man. The Pioneer Room explores the history of Alton from the Lewis & Clark Expedition to the Civil War with exhibits on Elijah Lovejoy, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates and the "Alton Route" on the Underground Railroad. Allow 45 to 60 minutes to explore this museum.

Located in the heart of central Illinois, this small town was often a stop for Abraham Lincoln while he traveled the court circuit before becoming the 16th President of the United States. The Atlanta Public Museum tells the stories of Lincoln's connection to Atlanta, the founding families he had close ties with, and the celebratory picnic honoring the Emancipation Proclamation. Join other travelers from around the world that make the Atlanta Public Museum and Welcome Center a stop on their cross-country traveling adventures along the Historic US Route 66. Other highlights to see while in town include the famous Paul Bunyon statue, Hawes Elevator, the old Mine and the Giant's Museum.

The Champaign County History Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization and exists to “collect and preserve artifacts relating to the history of Champaign County, Illinois, and, by using those artifacts in formal and informal educational activities, to interpret that history to the public.”  The Museum was founded in 1972 and opened for exhibition in 1974.  The Museum’s original home was the Wilber Mansion located at 907 West University Avenue.  The Wilber Mansion was sold in 1997 with proceeds being used to acquire the Museum’s current home at 102 East University Avenue.  The current building, named the Cattle Bank, is Champaign County’s oldest documented commercial structure, having been constructed in 1857. 

Our museum is a great jumping-off point for exploring our county. Hours: Monday & Tuesday - Closed, Wednesday-Friday & Sunday - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Saturday - 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

phone: 217-356-1010

See an 1820s log house, the 1839 Christian County courthouse where Lincoln argued cases, an 1854 farmhouse and an 1856 one-room school.

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.

The oldest family dwelling in Hillsboro is the historic Harkey House at 305 S. Broad St. This home was built by Solomon Harkey in 1834 for his growing family and remained in the family until 1906. 

The Harkey House was originally located one block north (where the Hillsboro Fire Department is) and was moved to its present location in 1968 after the owners, the Ivan Lingle family, offered it to the Historical Society of Montgomery County to preserve and use as its headquarters. 

Abraham Lincoln related items in the Society’s possession include the wooden third step from the home of Joseph and Jane Eccles on the southeast corner of Water and Berry strees (one block west of where the Harkey House now stands). Lincoln sat on that step and stretched his long legs while visiting the Eccles and other local friends who knew of his arrival to town. 

Also, the Society owns a pair of scissors that belonged to Abraham's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, who died when Abe was nine years old. After Nancy's death and prior to coming to Illinois, Thomas Lincoln (Abe's father) had a sale, and Mr. Bowling Green purchased these scissors, which made their wasy to the Society’s collection. A letter in which the writer recalled Lincoln being a visitor to the Harkey family home is with the Society also. 

In early 2023, Historical Society officers decided to return the Harkey House to an actual “period home” representing the years that the Harkey family lived in the house (1834-1906). The small home directly behind the Harkey House is owned by the Society and had provided rental income for many years. Officers voted to make this home into the Montgomery County Museum. 

The structure, which is on the site of the first school in Hillsboro, has hand hewn beams and roof rafters with the bark still attached to the wood. The Montgomery County Museum opened to the public in August 2023 and offers exhibits that are rotated every four months. Historical Society volunteers taff the museum and gift shop from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday.

We keep local history alive, and we’re proud to be a destination for scholars, history buffs and tourists alike. 

Whether you’re interested in the city’s early settlers and its founding father John Wood, fascinated by the area’s ties to President Abraham Lincoln, looking for a glimpse of what life was like in the 19th century or wanting to research your genealogy - - the Historical Society is here to help you.

With two iconic locations – the Governor John Wood Mansion at 12th and State and the History Museum on the Square at 4th and Maine– the Historical Society has a treasure trove of local records and artifacts.  Visit also the Lincoln Gallery, the Livery, and the 1835 Log Cabin on the 12th & State Campus.

We are committed to the ongoing collection and preservation of items related to our history, and we provide educational programs, exhibits, and tours that help make that history come to life.

Preserving the heritage of the Illinois National Guard, the museum is committed to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the military artifacts associated with the citizen-soldier of Illinois. The exhibit includes rare items such as the artificial leg of Mexican General Santa Anna, a target board shot at by President Lincoln, as well as vehicles, weapons, uniforms, equipment and photographs.

Lincoln The Leader Wayside Exhibit is at this location.

The Citizen-Soldier exhibit features the military experiences of famous Illinois soldiers such as Carl Sandburg, Robert McCormick, John A. Logan and Abraham Lincoln.

Any visitor's first stop in the Jacksonville area should be the Jacksonville Area Museum! In the early days of Illinois, Jacksonville was one of the leading cultural and political hubs of the state, a distinction that is still an important part of the city's fabric even to this day. The museum tells this compelling story with professional displays, videos, and artifacts of the Jacksonville and surrounding area.

Exhibits include: Connections to Abraham Lincoln, the expansion of industry, importance of local retail, the influence of institutions, the impact of famous indivduals, a history of medicine, the influence on modern dentistry, and so much more! The museum is also the home of the MacMurray College collection, and provides a home to their extensive history and artwork. With traveling and rotating exhibits, there is someting new each time one pays a visit to this fascinating look into the early history of Illinois.

The museum in located in the old Jacksonville Post Office, a beautiful federal building that has been repurposed into one of Jacksonville's finest cultural institutions.

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.