Our map will help you find nearby destinations, sites based on your interest, or both! Just choose the types of sites you wish to see and the area you wish to explore. Click on a site to learn more.
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8th Judicial Circuit
Courthouse
Friends of Lincoln
Good for Kids
Guided/Self-Guided Tours
Historic House
Historic Site
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Museum
Passport Site
Recreational
Route 66
Top Destination
Underground Railroad
Visitor Information
Wayside Exhibit
Alton Sites
Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau
200 Piasa St Alton, IL 62002
When visiting or driving through Alton, you must plan a stop at the Alton Visitor Center. The friendly staff can provide suggestions for activities and restaurants in the Great Rivers & Routes region. You can shop for souvenirs and pick up maps. Public restrooms also available…
Alton Museum of History & Art
2809 College Avenue Alton, IL 62002
Winged monsters, explorers, riverboats and a gentle giant. The Alton Museum of History & Art shows the crossroads of American history right here in Alton. The museum is located in the historic Loomis Hall across from the Wadlow statue. Loomis Hall is the oldest building in the state of Illinois continuously utilized for education. One of the most popular rooms, the Wadlow Room, pays tribute to…
Hayner Genealogy & Local History Library
401 State Street Alton Alton, Illinois 62002
The Hayner Public Library District provides a variety of genealogy-related services to support research efforts. Information from various states in addition to Illinois and other countries is available. The digitized newspaper collection is a wonderful resource for genealogy research. The lobby of the Hayner Genealogy and Local History Library contains an original piece of the printing press which…
Alton Prison
William Street & Broadway Street Alton, IL 62002
In just three years, more than 11,700 Confederate prisoners passed through the gates of the Alton Prison and were held captive with its walls. The Alton Prison, opened in 1833 and closed in 1860, was the first Illinois State Penitentiary. In December of 1861, after inspecting the facilities, Major General Henry Halleck, Commander of the Department of the Missouri, prepared to have the prison…
Alton's National Cemetery
600 Pearl St. Alton, IL 62202
Fought on American soil, the Civil War was the deadliest war in American history. More than three million men fought in this “war between the states” that claimed the lives of more than 620,000 soldiers. An estimated 263 Union soldiers are buried in Alton’s National Cemetery. The men either died of disease at the Alton Hospital or onboard steamboats passing up the Mississippi River.
Confederate Cemetery & Memorial
635 Rozier Street Alton, IL 62002
A smallpox virus spread rapidly through the Alton Prison in 1863, killing more than 1,435 incarcerated soldiers. The soldiers are laid to rest here and each of their names is commemorated at the Memorial. The Alton Prison and Confederate Cemetery are some of the rare northernmost monuments to the Confederate Soldier.
Franklin House
208 State Street Alton, IL 62002
In the 1840s and 1850s, the Franklin House was one of the largest and finest hotels in Alton. Spectators of the debate came by train and steamboat from all over Illinois and the nearby slave state of Missouri to witness the last of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates in Alton. Lincoln used the Franklin House as his campaign headquarters where supporters gathered for the day.
Lincoln & Civil War Legacy Trail
200 Piasa St Alton, Illinois 62002
Visitors can pick up the Lincoln & Civil War Legacy Trail guide at the Alton Visitor's Center, located at 200 Piasa Street (across from Argosy Casino) in Downtown Alton. While some of the sites are within walking distance of each other, most will require some mode of transportation. The trail is self-guided, and visitors can explore the sites in any order they wish…
Lincoln-Shields Duel
1 Henry Street Alton, IL 62002
A member of the Illinois State Legislature at the time, Lincoln criticized Illinois Auditor James Shields' method of collecting taxes. Pretending to be a widow from the "Lost Townships," Lincoln wrote a series of letters to the editor of the Sangamon Journal making satirical allusions to Shields. Mary Todd and her friend Julia Jayne joined in the ruse by writing a letter containing vicious personal…
Lincoln - Douglas Square
Broadway St. and Landmarks Blvd Alton, IL 62002
The final senatorial debate between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln took place in front of Alton's city hall at the corner of Broadway and Market Streets in 1858.
The debate itself drew national attention and more than 6,000 people…