Portrait of Central Illinois
Bringing Out the Best in Central Illinois
Places in Central Illinois
Counties
Coles County
- Cunningham Park
- Cunningham Park is the site of the old Washington School in Mattoon,Illinois and has a playground area and basketball hoops.
- Douglas-Hart Nature Center
- Douglas-Hart Nature Center in Mattoon, Illinois has around of mile of moderate trails that go through the more than 60 acres of restored prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats.
- Fox Ridge State Park
- Fox Ridge State Park is an excellent hiking spot 8 miles south of Charleston. There is several miles of wooded trails, campgrounds, pavilions for picnickers, and playgrounds.
- Friendship Garden
- Friendship Garden in Mattoon, Illinois is a flower garden maintained by the Douglas-Hart Foundation where guests can relax and smell the fresh flowers that grow from the middle of spring to the end of summer.
- Kinzel Park
- Kinzel Park is one of Mattoon, Illinois's smallest Parks and still offers a playground, basketball court, and picnic tables for families to picnic.
- Lake Charleston
- Lake Charleston is a man made lake along the Embarras River and offers mainly no wake fishing by boat or along the shoreline.
- Lake Mattoon
- Lake Mattoon is the official lake of the city of Mattoon, Illinois. The lake spans into 3 counties Coles, Cumberland, and Shelby although it mainly resides in Coles County.
- Lawson Park
- Lawson Park is the park that often hosts the Babe Ruth Little League Tournaments during the summer, and also offers a pavilion, playground, and tennis courts.
- Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
- Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site is part of the farm that belonged to Thomas Lincoln, and part of the Thomas Sergeant farm south of Charleston, Illinois.
- Lytle Park
- Lytle Park is the second main park in Mattoon, Illinois and offers several features including a pavilion, aquatic center (summer months), playground area, basketball court, and tennis courts.
- Peterson Park
- Peterson Park is the Main Park in Mattoon, Illinois activities can vary at the park from picnicking, concerts, to little league baseball. The park has plenty of places to picnic and a playground area for children to play as well.
- Woodyard Conservation Area
- Woodyard Conservation Area is a area where you can walk through the woods on a footpath, enjoy a large open field to run, or picnic along the woods.
TopCumberland County
- Jackson Truss Covered Bridge
- The Jackson Truss Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge spans over the Embarras River and is part of the Old National Road.
- Jennings Park
- Jennings Park is the city park of Neoga, Illinois and offers a playground area, porch-style swings, a pavilion, baseball diamond, a softball diamond, and more.
- Neal Park
- Neal Park is the city park of Toledo, Illinois and offers a playground area, basketball courts, tennis courts, a pavilion, and fishing.
TopEffingham County
- Ballard Nature Center
- Ballard Nature Center is a large Nature Center created by Ernie Ballard. The nature center has several trails that go trough the wetland, woodland, and prairie habitats.
- Community Park
- Community Park offers disc golf, a playground area, basketball courts, ball diamonds, pavilions, and a light display during the Christmas Season.
- Evergreen-Hollow Park
- Evergreen-Hallow Park in Effingham, Illinois offers a Trail of Trees, playground areas, pavilions, aquatic center (summer months), mini golf, and ball diamonds.
- Lake Sara
- Lake Sara is the lake for Effingham, Illinois and offers boating, fishing, and has a playground area and a pavilion.
- Sculptures on the Avenue
- The Sculptures on the Avenue is the project to decorate downtown Effingham, Illinois with sculpture by artist throughout the Midwest.
- The Cross at the Crossroads
- The Cross at the Crossroads is a towering cross standing at 198 feet tall, and is towering symbol of faith along Interstate 57 and Interstate 70 in Effingham, Illinois.
TopFayette County
- Old State Capitol Building
- The Old State Capitol Building in Vandalia, Illinois was the place where Abraham Lincoln started his political career.
TopMadison County
- The World's Largest Catsup Bottle
- The World's Largest Catsup Bottle stands in Collinsville, Illinois and was the water tower for the Brook's Bottling Plant that was in Collinsville, Illinois.
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