Big Eli No. 17 in Community Park was built in 1907 by the Eli Bridge Company, which is still in business making wheels and other carnival rides (such as the Scrambler). It's small but neat in that very fact, and also that it's over 100 years old.
Underground Railroad. Jacksonville was a major stop along the fabled Underground Railroad in the 19th century, and you can drive by or tour some of the homes that provided food, shelter, and assistance to the escaped slaves. Probably the best site is Woodlawn Farm, just east of town, which is being converted into a living history museum. There's also the Talcott Home (859 Grove St.), the Gillett Home (1005 Grove St.), and the Clay Home (1019 W. State St.). For tours contact the Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Illinois College is the first college in Illinois, established in 1829 in part by Harriet Beecher Stowe's brother Edward Beecher. It was considered a center of abolitionism and today is mostly a long cluster of pretty red-brick buildings and some more modern additions.
The David Strawn Art Gallery, housed in a brick mansion, showcases both local and national artists, as well as permanent collections of antique dolls and Native American pottery.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Jacksonville (Illinois)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Jacksonville (Illinois) - updated May 2024
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Jacksonville (Illinois) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
