Illinois Archives - History in Your Own Backyard

Hoopeston, Illinois has a very colorful past which includes being home to several POW Camps for German soldiers during WWII. During their confinement in Hoopeston, one small group of prisoners escaped…[View More]

The Vermilion County Fairgrounds Stone Arch Tunnel, Batestown, Illinois

This stone arch tunnel near the Vermilion County Fairgrounds was built in 1901 for the Peoria & Eastern Railway. The rail line was used almost exclusively for grain hauling and the line was last u…[View More]

Historic Rossville, Illinois

Rossville was incorporated as a village in August 1859. Rossville and Ross Township were named after Jacob Ross, a settler in the area. Rossville was originally named Liggett’s Grove in honor of…[View More]

Indian Creek Phantom Bridge, Lawrenceville, Illinois

Built in 1923 and bypassed just 34 years later when State Route 1 was realigned, this Phantom Bridge sits abandonded over Indian Creek just south of Lawrenceville, Illinois. The former route that this…[View More]

The Haunted Wabash Cannonball Bridge, St. Francisville, Illinois

Built in 1897 for the Big 4 Railroad, this bridge has had numerous updates over the years including the addition of a “Swing Bridge” in the center of the structure to allow tall ships to n…[View More]

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