5 Must-See Landmarks and Historical Sites Around Marion, IL

If you’re looking for some beautiful locations with educational opportunities for an outing with family or friends, check out the amazing landmarks and historical sites near Marion, Illinois. From gorgeous architecture to awe-inspiring natural scenery, you’ll find tons of potential activities for all your interests. Here are some of the best landmarks and sites to visit around Marion.

Burden Falls

“Burden Falls Waterfall” licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr by Joe K Gage

You can find the beautiful Burden Falls just south of Marion, Illinois, in the Shawnee National Forest. The 3,775-acre forest remains home to second-growth hardwood trees, such as blackjack oak, post oak, and white oak. Burden Falls is one of the many waterfalls located throughout the grounds and also remains one of Illinois’s highest waterfalls with a staggering 80 feet of cascades and cataracts. Both the falls and the surrounding forest earn their significance from the Ice Age. The steep slopes formed after years of erosion as the melting ice rushed through what now forms a gorgeous, lush canyon.

If you love hiking, nature, or photography, Burden Falls and the Shawnee Forest offer you multiple ways to appreciate the outdoors. Erosion from the Ice Age has resulted in numerous interesting rock formations, and when combined with the beautiful greenery of the forest, the scene creates amazing photography opportunities. The Shawnee Forest also offers camping opportunities with rentable cabins and tent areas. This national park remains open 24 hours, which can be perfect for evening hikes after work or for sunset photo shoots.

Thebes Historical Courthouse

The Thebes Courthouse overlooks the Mississippi River in Thebes, Illinois, and it offers opportunities for both education and aesthetic appreciation. The notable architect Henry Ernst Barkhausen completed this Southern Greek Revival-style courthouse in 1848. Its two-story porch offers visitors gorgeous views of the bluff and the surrounding landscape. The building served as Alexander County’s courthouse until 1860, when the county seat moved to Cairo.

The Thebes Courthouse became part of the National Register of Historic Places on December 26, 1972. Today, it currently acts as the headquarters for the Thebes Historical Society. You can find numerous historical artifacts, books, documents, and photos inside. Visiting hours vary by season.

William Jennings Bryan Boyhood Home

William Jennings Bryan was a three-time Democratic Party nominee for president and became known as both “The Great Commoner” and “The Silver-Tongued Orator.” Bryan earned his fame in 1896 at the Chicago Democratic Party convention. He argued for free coinage of silver, speaking the phrase, “You shall not crucify the working man upon a cross of gold!” Though never securing the presidency, he did become Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson. He also participated in the famous “Monkey Trial” in 1925, where a biology teacher named John Thomas Scopes illegally taught evolution in the high school in Dayton, Tennessee.

Bryan’s father, Silas Bryan, built the two-story home in 1852. William Jennings Bryan himself was born in the home in 1860. Bryan donated his boyhood home to the city of Salem, Illinois, with the intention of it becoming a museum. The house, located at 408 S. Broadway, contains memorabilia related to Bryan, his politics, and the era in which he lived. This home entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. You can visit the museum by making an appointment only. Email Salem City Hall at [email protected] or call them at (618) 548-2222.

Sentinel Building

The Sentinel Building is a historic building located at 232 East Broadway in Centralia, Illinois. Constructed in 1881, it served as the headquarters and printing press of Centralia’s daily newspaper, the Centralia Sentinel. The building underwent extensive renovations in 1922 and 1929 to convert its style to the Egyptian Revival. These changes reflected that the newspaper served the Little Egypt area and its new slogan, “Egypt’s Greatest Daily.” Today, the building serves as a prominent remnant of this architectural style, which thrived from 1880 to 1930. It became part of the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1978.

If you enjoy beautiful architecture, you’ll love the many Egyptian-themed quirks that the Sentinel Building offers. The entrance features bold and angular yellow reed molding with a painted pharaoh’s head on either side of the doorway above the windows. The doorway also features a colorful cavetto cornice. The upper story of the building boasts terracotta plagues with Egyptian designs, including more pharaoh heads. The parapet also includes terracotta trims with detailed lotus patterns. Inside, the building offers even more Egyptian-inspired details, including an 11-foot panel with a scene from the Temple of Edfu in the lobby.

Vandalia State House State Historic Site

The Vandalia State House is the oldest and last remaining of four capitol buildings in the state of Illinois. Construction completed in 1836, though it operated only three years as the statehouse before the State donated the building to Fayette County for use as the county courthouse. In 1933, the State regained ownership of the building and turned it into a State Historic Site. This brick Federal-style building operates through the Illinois Historic Preservation Division and serves as a memorial site for its days as a statehouse and an educational center for the pioneer era of Illinois history.

It became a member of National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1974. If you enjoy history, you’ll love viewing countless artifacts, learning about Illinois’s past, and partaking in guided tours throughout the building. The first floor of Vandalia State House features rooms representing the past offices of the Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and the Supreme Court chamber. The upper story features a large hall and recreated House and Senate chambers. View the beautiful landscape and multiple memorial sites throughout the grounds by visiting 315 West Gallatin Street on Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Whatever your hobbies and interests are, Marion, Illinois and the surrounding areas have countless opportunities to offer. If you’ve visited an important landmark or historical site that we missed, contact us today at Ike Honda and let us know. We’ll add it to our list of interesting places to see so others can check it out.