Sugar Creek Covered Bridge

As a photographer, this is a site I would love to utilize more often, but in an effort to limit the number of times I use a repeat location and the volumes of other area photographers who come here, I just don't get out to it very often.  But whether you are a photographer, bridge lover, or weary traveler,  this is a gorgeous little side trip to take.  

A little history:

The first bridge across Sugar Creek in this area was built about 1827 by Thomas Black and his neighbors who wanted something better than a ford. That bridge was not a covered bridge and spanned the creek in neighboring Auburn township close to the border with Ball township.

In 1880 Thomas Black built this covered bridge. This bridge is known as the Hedley (or Headley) bridge, or the Glenarm bridge, or the Sugar Creek Covered bridge. It was rehabilitated in 1965, but I'm not finding any information on what work that entailed. A local commented that this bridge was still carrying traffic in the late 1970s. According to the NBI, in 1983 a prestressed concrete beam bridge was built just to the south.

The bridge was extensively rehabilitated in 1994, raised above the water with poured concrete and reinforced with steel beams.  

-www.bridgehunter.com

The creek is out of town and surrounded by woodland, but there is a community nearby, and your really not far off the main road.  You cannot drive your car across it anymore, but there is a parking and picnic area on the premises. Great any time of year, although I myself am partial to the fall. Definitely a site you should see if coming through the area.

Directions from I-55:

Take exit 83 towards Glenarm.  Turn left onto Old Rt 66, less than half a mile.  Turn Right on second cross st, Frazee rd.  The bridge is right off the side of the road, about a quarter mile down.

Mary's River Covered Bridge

The Mary's River covered bridge is located just outside of Chester, IL.  It is easily visible from the road, and you have to drive off the main road into the parking area to access it.  It isn't the prettiest covered bridge I've seen, but considering how few are left it's worth going to if you've never seen another.  This is a good area for a little afternoon picnic, and take a few pics while you are there. 

"Completed in 1854, the bridge is 86 feet long, 17 feet 8 inches wide, and has a vertical clearance of 12 feet. The bridge was constructed using native white oak timber, hand hewn throughout, and used the Burr Arch design with double arches on either side of King posts. The structure rests on its original stone abutments and with the exception of the floor, floor joists, roof, and siding, all of the original timber remains.

The bridge was in continuous service from 1854 to 1930. In 1936 the bridge was acquired by the State of Illinois for purposes of preservation and a picnic area. Currently undergoing preservation work, The Mary’s River Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in Southern Illinois and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974."

-www.greatriverroad.com

A little history:
In the mid-19th century the town of Chester was an important trading post on the Mississippi River. Marketable products such as corn, wheat, and lumber were transported to Chester by wagons and ox carts to be loaded into boats for shipment up and down the river. In order to facilitate this trade a toll road was built by a Mr. Hartman between Chester and Bremen, a village six miles to the northeast of Chester. Hartman charged a fee to users of the road who were traveling west. The type of road Hartman built was a plank road, where all the low and swampy places along the route were floored with heavy planks to make them easily crossable. The biggest natural obstacle on the route between Chester and Bremen was the Mary’s River and Hartman had a bridge constructed to enable travelers to cross this river.


The bridge is located just North East of Chester on IL-50, 4.2 M from Junction with IL-3 in Chester.

Veteran's Military Museum

The Veterans Military Museum is dedicated to the men and women of West Frankfort and surrounding communities that have served their country during the time of war. Many young boys of the area left from this very depot to go to war.

The Veterans Museum Depot is located on West Main Street in West Frankfort. It is a restored C&I railroad depot that is filled with memorabilia from the Civil War to Desert Storm. It has uniforms of all branches of service, a purple heart, horse saddles from World War I, insignia's & patches, gas masks, a World War II communication system and many other items on display.  The collection could easily fill a space twice the size of the one it's in, make sure to go slow and really look around, there's so much to see you're liable to miss something if you walk too fast. 

While we were there (after hours with the boy scouts) the man on hand was a veteran with his picture on the wall and plenty of stories to share.  You can ask him any questions and he definitely know what everything was and was happy to talk to you about it.

In front of the depot is a large statue of a World War I "doughboy" soldier. Inscribed on the front is "Lest We Forget". The veterans hold a memorial service in front of the depot each November 11th.

The volunteer staff of the museum consists of veterans of various branches of the United States Armed Forces. There is no admission charge for the museum, but donations are accepted. The Museum is open Sunday afternoons from 2:00 P.M to 4:00 P.M and other times by appointment. Call (618) 932-6159 for appointments.

Veterans Military Museum100 West Main StreetWest Frankfort, Il 62896

Legends at Walker's Bluff

"Experience destination dining at the end of the rippling road and straight lines of vines. Legends sets the regional standard for gourmet modern cuisine. Always, ingredients are selected from the finest the earth has to offer. Certified Kobe beef and prime black angus melt after perfect preparation, and each fresh catch is flown in from Seattle's famed Pike Place Market. Each season, the crisp paper of a new menu attributes its faceted flavors to timely harvests."
- www.walkersbluff.com

Coming into Walker's Bluff is like entering a different world.  You drive through twisty country lanes, not particularly known for their scenery, it's just typical Southern Illinois country living; a few broken down cars, a few mobile homes, and most people have chickens in the yard (I don't make fun, I too own chickens.) But then you are greeted by the General Store, a beautiful building lit up against the sunset. The big windows show off all the pretty things held inside, which I have yet to experience but will definitely go back for. 

A pretty metal sign will point the way down a long gravel road towards Legends and the other buildings, which you cannot see from the road. Go slow! It's got one heck of a hill and you can't see whats coming from either direction, but then you hit the rolling fields, which I had the pleasure of seeing with a fiery sunset.  It is quite charming, despite the road crunching beneath your tires.

The road turns to perfectly lain asphalt and you come to a glorified guard shack, with an expertly manicured lawn and a gorgeous farmhouse behind.  An employee will ask you if you've ever been before, and point you in the right direction depending if you are heading to the restaurant or the bar.  You drive down a lit path through the  grape field, and come upon the restaurant to the left and wine cave to the right, all lit up like beacons.  You can pull right up to Legends and they have a complimentary chauffeur service (not that we did this, in fact, my husband was asking me what I was getting us into at this point, we're more down-home type people, and we were a bit out of our element.) 

Stepping into the restaurant you immediately leave behind Southern Illinois.  There is nothing else to compare it to here.  You could easily be in an upscale restaurant in any big city.  I'm not saying it's out of place, on the contrary, it's overdue.  This is the optimum place for a romantic evening.

You check you car and your coat at the door.  If your early for your reservation (like we were) you will be seated at the bar until your table is ready.  The restaurant is gorgeous,  they have a huge wine list, and you can taste them right there at the bar.  If your more into cocktails, they have those too, and the servers are knowledgeable about what they are making, you can ask their opinion on drink selection with confidence.  I had a sparkling cocktail that was actually recommended both by my server and the bar tender, and on good reason.  It was fantastic, and no more than you would pay anywhere else.

Our hostess came and gathered us from the bar promptly at our reservation time, and seated us at a little table just tot he left of the fireplace.  The room is beautifully decorated, the chairs rustic and comfortable, and the tables small enough to be intimate but still will plenty of room to hold your meal, drinks, and candles.  The servers are prompt but not obnoxious, their menu small but expertly crafted, from bison and prime rib to scallops and lobster tail.  Most entrees are what you would expect to pay in a high-end location, from $35-50 range, but the steak and lobster selections are on the expensive side, most were $75.  

Dining is leisurely, and no one rushes you on refills or dessert.  The staff is attentive, enough so that they let you enjoy your meal and show up just when you need them.  There are intimate two-people tables, but they can also accommodate large parties.  They also seemed to have an additional dining room off the main  probably for private parties and dining room overflow.

All in all, we spent right at $100, excluding our drinks at the bar, and walked away unable even to order dessert for being so full from the meal.  Our dinner was delicious, the ambiance romantic, and while initially feeling a little out of our element, had a wonderful evening.  Most people (including ourselves) were in nice attire but still in blue jeans, you don't have to walk in in a suit, and the servers are all relaxed and friendly.  I definitely recommend Legends if your looking for a romantic evening.

How to get there:

You can find Legends off interstate 57 at the Johnston City exit, and literally just follow the signs.  

Walker's Bluff 
326 Vermont rd,
Carterville, IL

from Marion:

Take exit 54B to merge onto W DeYoung St/IL-13 toward Carbondale. Continue to follow IL-13. Turn right at N Reed Station Rd. Turn right at Vaughn Rd. Turn left to stay on Vaughn Rd. Turn left at N County Line Rd and follow to Walker's Bluff.

Pound's Hollow/ Pine Ridge

We went camping at Pound Hollow, which is basically a part of Garden of the Gods and Shawnee National Forest. Camping is $5 a day, and you can have several tents on one campsite, there are a bunch of sites so calling ahead really isnt nessesary.

Pine Ridge Campground in the Pounds Hollow Recreation Area has to be one of the most under appreciated camping gems in southern Illinois. While it officially has 75 sites, half of these are closed most of the time, opened as overflow only on the busier Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, and even then they’re not necessary. Since Pine Ridge has no electric sites and no shower, it’s not popular with the modern RV crowd. A fair-weather non-holiday weekend may only see five to ten sites occupied—which is all the better for those of us who don’t mind tent camping in a beautiful pine wood, near a tranquil beach, great hiking, and all the attractions of the eastern Shawnee National Forest.

Mound City National Cemetery

My husband and I took the Harley down to Cairo from Rt 37 last weekend, and stumbled across the Mound City Cemetery. A little History:

It is one of twelve original National cemeteries, was established in 1864 following an act of July 17, 1862 whereby President Lincoln was authorized "to purchase cemetery grounds... to be used as a National Cemetery for soldiers who shall have died in the service of their country."

By 1874, the number of unknown soldiers and sailors was as high as 2,637. The inscription reads: "There are buried here 2,637 soldiers and sailors, names unknown, who lost their lives in defense of their country. Their services are here commemorated although their names are lost from the roll of honor."
"Known But to God" are the identities of 2.789 who rest in the hallowed ground of Mound City National Cemetery. Since the great conflict in 1861-1865, this cemetery is the final resting place of veterans, their spouses and dependent children from the Mexican War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korean conflict, Vietnam and Persian Gulf. More than nine-thousand interments have been made in Mound City National Cemetery since its establishment in 1864.

It is a truely beautiful cemetery, and I could have easily spent hours drifting among the rows of pristine white markers. There is also a large mansion at the front gate, which I assume hold the records of the dead.

Mound City National Cemetery Preservation Commission, Inc.
PO Box 45
Mound City, IL 62963

Directions to the cemetery
From Cairo exit of I-57, go north on old US 51 to Rt. 37. Cemetery is at the intersection.
From Mounds exit 8, go east to Route 37, then south through Mound City to the cemetery.

Fern Clyffe State Park

At Fern Clyffe we did only two trails, Hawke's Cave and Big Rocky Hollow, and I know we have only begun to scratch the surface.

Theres 16 acres of wilderness to cover, a ton of camping sites, plus the 53 acre adjoining nature preserve. The trails we did have Hawke's Cave, a 150 long shelf cave, cut right out of the side of a bluff.
 On Big Rocky Hollow, there is a 100 foot tall waterfall, although they say if its a dry season it wont really be there.

There really are many ferns the park's named for, but most interesting to me was all the moss. Almost every surface has some kind of furry green moss covering it, and it really makes for pretty pictures, especially in the fall.

My husband and I have taken our motorcycles through the park on more than one occasion  and it really is a nice rise, even if you don't get off of them.  If you pull off at the entrance to the trail for the waterfall, there's a huge rock near the parking area that looks like a ship.  There are a few small trails where you can just wander near and even on top of the rocks, and as long as your kids are a little older and your not worried about them falling off, its a great place for them to explore.

As a photographer, I've also taken several people out here for photo shoots, which no matter what time of year it is always turn out really nice.

The trails are all easy, and most are just a mile or so, so even kids can really enjoy this one. Its also really easy to get to:

Ferne Clyffe State Park
Rt.37, P.O. Box 10
Goreville, Illinois 62939
Phone: 618-995-2411