Jackson County 2016 VISITOR GUIDE Your Guide to Dining, Shopping, Entertainment, Outdoor Recreation, Events & Festivals, and Accommodations in Jackson County Apple Festival Big Muddy Brew Festival Praise the Lard BBQ Festival Serving the Cities and Villages of Ava, Campbell Hill, Carbondale, DeSoto, Dowell, Elkville, Jacob, Makanda, Murphysboro, and Vergennes WELCOME TO JACKSON COUNTY Welcome to Jackson County... Down South in Illinois! Whether you’re looking for fine local wine, great antiques, interesting museums, one-of-a-kind-art, hunting, fishing, boating, biking, hiking, birdwatching…. Jackson County is the place to visit. Historically speaking, Jackson County, named for Andrew Jackson, celebrates its bicentennial in 2016. In addition the Illinois Legislature just named Murphysboro, the county seat, the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois” to honor its award winning pitmasters and fantastic restaurants. Murphysboro is the birthplace of Civil War General John A. Logan, founder of Memorial Day as a national holiday. He also took part when Jackson County observed one of the nation’s earliest Memorials, at Carbondale’s Woodlawn Cemetery in 1866. Carbondale, the home of Southern Illinois University [SIUC] and the Salukis, is the county’s most populous city. SIU, and many local groups, offer a continually changing selection of theater, music, museum shows, films and lectures. Smaller communities including Ava, Grand Tower and Makanda add to the mix of local orchards, vineyards and wineries, craft breweries, unique shops and locally owned restaurants. Lodging includes hotels, cabins and bed and breakfasts, and the Shawnee National Forest, Kinkaid Lake and Murphysboro Lake offer plenty of campsites. Welcome to Jackson County! We’re Down South in Illinois! Enjoy your visit, Mike Jones, President Murphysboro Tourism Commission 4 Rd School Union Dowell Brick Plant Rd Campbell Lake Campbell Hill Elkville Vergennes Roy al down south ton R Ava d JACKSON COUNTY 4 0/8/68/0 0/40/100/0 32/0/95/0 Av 48/0/88/13 69/6/0/0 81/36/0/0 0/48/38/0 5/100/100/0 a Rd Traux Traer Rd Av a Rd Paul Ice Recreation Area DeSoto 3 Kinkaid Lake Av Glenn a Rd Schlimpert 0/40/100/0 0/83/100/0 Raddl Recrea 48/0/88/13 68/0/96/27 81/36/0/0 100/36/0/29 5/93/75/0 22/100/100/23 tion Area Lake Murphysboro e Rd State Park 3 Southern Murphysboro Illinois Sw Airport an Po an n d Rd d O Town Creek Rd ld H ILLINOIS M w i y 13 Murphysboro ss Rd is si pp Neunert Rd i Main Shawnee National Carbondale R S iv t. Carbondale er Reservoir Forest Giant Cit y Rd Evergreen Park Every attempt has been Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir made to verify Interpretive Site the listings in this visitor guide. Grand Please call ahead for Tower Makanda directions and hours Marion of operation. 4 Jackson County Visitor Guide 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 John A. Logan (1826-1886) 8 Outdoor Adventure & Recreation 11 Giant City State Park & The Makanda Boardwalk 14 The Lakes of Southern Illinois 16 City Parks 18 Orchards & Vineyards Little Grassy Lake 19 Breweries & Distilleries 20 Historic Sites & Museums 23 Arts & Entertainment 29 Dining 33 Shopping 38 Southern Illinois University 40 Events & Festivals Historic Altgeld Hall, SIUC Campus 44 Important Info & Transportation 45 Accommodations 2016 Jackson County Visitor Guide Designed & Published by: Thomas Publishing 701 W. Main St., Carbondale, IL 62901 (618) 549-2799 Content provided by the Murphysboro Tourism Commission and Thomas Publishing. Photos provided by: Thomas Publishing, the Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau, the Murphysboro Tourism Commission, Marie Petit, SIU Athletic Department, the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge, and The Friends of Murphysboro (Unless otherwise credited). LaRue Pine Hills Every attempt has been made to verify the information contained in this publication. To assure a safe and enjoyable trip, call ahead to verify information. ©2015-2016 Thomas Publishing Send your calendar events for the 2017 Jackson County Visitor Guide by October 1, 2016 to [email protected]. 2016 Jackson County Visitor Guide 5 John A. Logan (1826-1886) 1849-1851 Biographer Gary Ecelbarger writes that John A. Logan is the most noteworthy 19th century American to go unnoticed in the 20th and 21st centuries. He is also the most famous individual born in Jackson County in the two centuries since its creation. John A. Logan was born in 1826 to Dr. John and Elizabeth (Jenkins) Logan in what is now Murphysboro. He entered local politics as a Democrat in 1848. Illinois state representative Logan sponsored the passage of harsh “Black Codes” barring African Americans from residing in Illinois and helped defeat a bill allowing blacks to testify in court. From 1858 to 1861 U.S. Representative Logan supported the Fugitive Slave Act. 1865 Logan may have been the South’s best Northern friend in Congress but, as he wrote a friend as the Civil War began, he was no secessionist. Logan raised a regiment and according to Ulysses Grant saved Southern Illinois for the Union. He promised, however, that if Lincoln freed the slaves he would lead his men back home. He rose in rank from colonel to Maj. General and is considered by many historians to be the best of the North’s volunteer generals. The war changed Logan’s raciest views and before its end he supported the Emancipation Proclamation, gave pro Union speeches and supported Lincoln’s re-election. Abe was forced to forgive Logan “for all the wrong he ever did”, and knowing Logan, “for all he will do hereafter.” 1880s After the war Logan returned to Carbondale where he had lived since 1862. He reentered Congress as a Republican campaigning for the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendments and working to assure the equal treatment of America’s former slaves. Elected Senator in 1870 he continued his fight for African American Civil Rights. This work brought Frederick Douglas, who believed Logan had the “backbone” to protect the rights of America’s black citizens, to support him for president in 1884. Logan received the v-p nomination but the Republican ticket lost the election. Logan died in Washington DC on December 26, 1886 and was the seventh per- son to lie in state in the Rotunda of the U. S. Capitol. He is buried in Soldiers and Airmen’s Cemetery in Washington. After his death, Logan was honored by statues in Washington, D.C.’s Logan Circle, Chicago’s Grant Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi’s National Military Park and Murphysboro. Logan took part when Carbondale observed Illinois’ first Memorial Day in Woodlawn Cemetery on April 29, 1866. Two years later, as Commander in Chief of the GAR, he established Memorial Day as a national holiday. This is John A. Logan’s greatest legacy and bronze plaques across the United States honor him for deed. Dedicated 1930 Logan’s Memorial Day Order Plaque located at the Jackson County Court House in Murphysboro. The General John A. Logan Museum 6 Jackson County Visitor Guide 2016 Mileur Orchard JCVG Open July 4th through December 1/4 pg ad. Mon-Sat 9am-5pm Refer to 2013 JCVG Ad Sun 12pm-5pm Cabins at Stone Creek Located in the Heart of Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Ranked #1 on Trip Advisor Minutes away from Southern Illinois University Book Your Stay Today! cabinsatstonecreek.com 618-351-4653 • [email protected] 503 Stone Creek Dr., Makanda IL 62958 Within walking distance of Blue Sky SERVING PEACH Vineyard, COBBLER on the Varieties offered: Wine Trail Peaches, White Peaches, & HOMEMADE Makanda, IL Nectarines, ICE CREAM White Nectarines, FRI., SAT., SUN. Donut Peaches, Apples 172 Mileur Orchard Road • 618-687-3663 rockycomfortcabins.com • (618) 967-7236 1.5 Miles West of Murphysboro on Hwy. 149 Coming 2016 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS Call (618) 549-2799 This advertisement forSuper proof purposes only. © 2016 Jackson SplashCounty Visitor’s Guide/Thomas Publishing Park SUPER SPLASH AMENITIES 3 8 Lane Competition Pool with Diving Board 3 Water Slide 3 Lazy River 3 Leisure Pool - Beach Style Entry and Interactive Play Structures ADMISSION RATES 3 Locker Rooms, Showers, Individual Daily Fees, Group Daily Fees, Individual Season Pass Family Season Pass, Party Packages, After Hours Rental and Family Dressing Area 3 Deck with Shaded Areas 3 Concession Stand Carbondale Park District www.cpkd.com 2016 Jackson County Visitor Guide 7 Outdoor Adventure & Recreation LaRue Pine Hills Ecological Area Off Hwy 3, South, Grand Tower 618-833-8576 or 1-800-526-1500 From Murphysboro, go south on Illinois 3 to Wolf Lake, then east on Illinois 146 for .6 mile to sign, then left (north) on Forest Rd. 236. Pull offs for several observation points and trails along the way. Shawnee National Forest For detailed information, visit 1-800-699-6637 www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/shawnee The Shawnee National Forest is the larg- Murphysboro Lake State Park est, most diverse natural treasure in Illinois. The park also was the site of an Indian Over 280,000 acres offer relaxing drives FORESTS massacre in the early 1800s. The foun- along National Scenic Byways, watch- dation walls of an old house still stand able wildlife and magnificent vistas of & NATURAL AREAS atop Devil’s Bake Oven. According to the woodland. Enjoy photography, hiking, legend, the ghost of a young girl who biking, picnicking and swimming. Crab Orchard National died of a broken heart lingers among Wildlife Refuge the ruins and is sometimes seen on Turkey Bayou quiet, moonlit nights. 618-833-8576 Office Headquarters www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/Shawnee/ 8588 Rt. 148, Marion Giant City State Park recreation/camping/turkey/ 618-997-3344 From Murphysboro, take Illinois 149 to 235 Giant City Rd., Makanda www.fws.gov/midwest/CrabOrchard Illinois 3, then head south to Forest Park Office: 618-457-4836 This 44,000-acre refuge is especially beau- Rd.