Category Archives: Illinois

This statue was built in 1968 to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. It arrived too late for the celebration and suffered years of neglect (and many bullet holes) until it was purchased and restored by the Lincoln … Continue reading →

There’s a Dog n Suds in Robinson, Illinois. It’s over near the Indiana border about 50 miles from I-57. On our way back north, we decided to check it off the list. As we headed east on a two-lane road, … Continue reading →

All day long, I was looking forward to a mug of cold Dog n Suds root beer. It was still in the 90’s and humid at 6:30 when we finally got to Robinson, and when I saw the familiar sign … Continue reading →

The town of Grand Tower is named for a rocky outcropping that forms an island on the Missouri side of the river.  Tower Rock was first mentioned by Marquette and Joliet when they traveled through the area in 1673. The … Continue reading →

The debate was held on the Jonesboro Fairgrounds on September 15, 1858. Douglas, who chose the locations for the debates, picked this tiny town because he figured that Lincoln’s views on the expansion of slavery would get him in trouble … Continue reading →