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Beginning at Kampsville, located on the Illinois River at Highway 100 and 108, visit the home of the American Center for Archaeology’s museum offering information about early Mississippian settlements and peoples. This is also the site of Old Settlers Days with Lewis & Clark, Civil War and other re-enactors. Devote 30 minutes for the museum. Take the free ferry across the river by driving east on Highway 108 approximately 5 miles (8 km) to Eldred. Located at Highway 108 and Blacktop Road, Eldred is a wonderful Illinois village with gas, food and shops. The Eldred Home shows a glimpse of life in the 1800s-1900s. Devote 30 minutes for Eldred Home. Upon leaving Eldred, turn south (right) onto Blacktop Road. Drive approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the intersection of Blacktop Road and Highways 100 and 16. Continue straight ahead onto Highway 100 southbound. Approximately 10 miles (16 km) down the road, you will reach Pere Marquette State Park. This "must see" attraction is a 7,895-acre preserve overlooking the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers with nature trails, prehistoric sites, horseback riding, camping, fishing, boating and hiking. On site, there is a lodge built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Grand Hall, with its spectacular fireplace soaring 50 feet into the air, is rich with massive timber beams and stone. Don't miss the Visitor's Center for fascinating exhibits about the area, free of charge. A Conference Center is part of the Lodge and groups are welcome for meetings and retreats. The Lodge also houses a beautiful dining room with excellent food. Allow 1 hour to tour the Visitors Center and Lodge. Scenic drives, hiking and other activities should be planned accordingly. Continue southward (left) out of Pere Marquette State Park onto Highway 100 for approximately 3 miles (5 km) to Brussels Ferry on the Illinois River. A free ferry ride across the river will give a feel of the river under the wheels of your vehicle. Nearby is the Mark Twain Wildlife Refuge, the seasonal home for thousands of migratory birds, such as American Bald Eagles, herons, owls, pelicans, geese, and ducks including many unusually rare species on the Mississippi Flyway. The tour is free of charge and restrooms are available. About 45 minutes round-trip, but note that on sunny weekends the wait can be up to two hours. Return to Highway 100, where you boarded the ferry and turn eastbound (right) for approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) to the town of Grafton. All but wiped out by the Great Flood of 1993, this amazing river town bounced back and is now considered one of the most important stops on the scenic byway. Bed & Breakfast inns, antique & specialty shops, casual family dining, riverside entertainment, visitors center and a museum can be found here along with a multitude of outdoor activities, such as parasailing, jet skiing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and more. Festivals are throughout the spring, summer and fall. Allow a minimum of a half-day to a full-day depending on recreation, shopping and entertainment. Continuing southbound, the most spectacular view anywhere along this route is from just outside Grafton approximately 15 miles (24 km) southeast to Alton. The bluffs tower above the river with the byway road surface immediately between the peaks and the riverbank. The ever-flowing Mississippi is alive with commercial traffic, sailboats and wildlife, in contrast to the majestic bluffs soaring overhead. Anytime is good for viewing, but late afternoon and sunset are very rewarding. As the river runs west to east, the sun illuminates the geologic structures creating a vista unlike anywhere else on the Mississippi. Allow 10 minutes to drive from Grafton to Elsah. Continue eastbound on Highway 100 about five miles (8 km) from Grafton to Elsah. Be prepared to make an abrupt northward turn (left) to the Village of Elsah. Considered by many national travel writers as the river town time forgot. This adorable village contains more than two dozen homes built in the 1800s when Elsah was an important riverboat stop. Since there are almost no contemporary structures, you immediately feel like you have been transported back into the Mid-1800s. Allow about 45 minutes to drive through and photograph this village. Bed & breakfast inns, restrooms and small shops are found here. Continue eastbound (left) onto Highway 100 about 10 miles (16 km) to the Cliffton Terrace Park in Godfrey. This pleasant roadside park has facilities for picnics, seasonal wildlife viewing, playground and comfort station. About five miles (8 km) east of the park, view the legendary Piasa Bird. Be alert for an abrupt turn northward (left) as you begin seeing riverside barges tied up along the banks. This mythical creature was seen by American Indian tribes and early European explorers. Today, a gigantic bluff painting depicts the half-dragon, half-cat creature. Restored from early sketches and photography of the 1800s, today the site is being developed into an interpretive park and wetlands area. Allow 15 minutes for photography.<P> Continue southeasterly (left from Piasa Bird) about one mile (1.6 km) on Highway 100 to visit the historic town of Alton. The community dates back to the early 1800s as a major river port just north of St. Louis. The Reverend Elijah Lovejoy was martyred here in his stand against slavery and for freedom of the press. It is the site of the last Lincoln-Douglas debate. Nearby in Hartford-Wood River is Camp DuBois, which was built by Lewis and Clark. It was from here that they set off on their monumental expedition. The world's tallest man, Robert Wadlow, called Alton home. During the Civil War, thousands of Confederate soldiers were held at the Federal Penitentiary; today, a solemn monument and cemetery honors the dead. The Clark Bridge is known as “the Golden Gate of the Mid-West” and is a cable-span engineering marvel that towers over the Mississippi River. Alton has fantastic recreational facilities including golf courses and ball fields that welcome national championship tournaments. The city has many unique casual and fine restaurants, bed & breakfasts inns and hotels, an antique shopping district, a shopping mall, parks, riverboat gaming and other leisure activities throughout the year. The Greater Alton/Twin Rivers Convention & Visitors Bureau is located at 200 Piasa on the Scenic Byway. It is open seven days a week and offers a free 64-page visitors guide full of history, recreation, lodging, food & beverage and other tourism information. Approximately
three miles (5 km) east on Highway 100 at the stoplight, turn north (right)
into the Melvin Price Locks and Dam Complex and
National Great Rivers Museum site. This colossal structure tames
the mighty river and aids in flood control and navigation. A wonderful
riverfront walkway surrounds the dam and museum. Watch long strings of
barges full of fuel and grain pass through the locks to be lowered or
raised as the river stairsteps down to the Delta. It offers a wonderful
view of the Alton skyline and Clark Bridge. The museum exhibits a wide
array of displays on the natural, social, economic and geologic assets
of our American rivers. |