All of the communities listed here are in or near Saline County. Listed here are museums, historic items, scenic sites, parks, and more. Links will take you to more details when available. This area of the site will be expanding greatly very soon. Please bookmark this site and return often.

 

Eldorado General Information

Judge Samuel Elder and Joseph Read founded Eldorado "The City of Daffodils" in 1857. Originally named Elder-Reedo, legend suggests that it was railroad sign painters thinking the spelling was incorrect, changed the name to Eldorado. Located in the northeast quadrant of Saline County, seven miles northeast of Harrisburg. Eldorado is just a short distance from the Shawnee National Forest. Just south of the town two early pioneer trails cross. The Kaskaskia Trail ran through Shawneetown, through Eldorado on the route of the current State Street, passing through where Wolf Creek Cemetary is now located, then on to the State's capital at Kaskaskia. The Goshen Trail begins here on the east side of Eldorado and ran all the way to Goshen, a community near East St. Louis.

Eldorado has six murals located throughout the town both inside and outside on various buildings. Pictures of most of these can be found on this site.

Harrisburg, Illinois

Located on US-45 and Hwy 13. James Harris a Tennessee native, moved to Southern Illinois in the 1820's and built a sawmill and a mule barn, on the location where the Mitchell-Carnegie Library now stands. Officially platted in 1853, Harrisburg became the county seat by 15 votes, changing it from Raleigh in 1859.

Lakeview

An area of  approximately 2 square miles. Settlers that were freed black slaves originating from North Carolina, purchased property in this area from the Federal Government sometime around 1820. Many of the descendants still live on the same land of their forefathers. Sometime around 1812, Zachariah Taborn donated land for a church and cemetery. The community built the Mt. Zion Baptist Church around 1869. Mr. Tabor's grave and marker can still be seen today in the cemetery.

Muddy, Illinois

Located on US-45 between Eldorado and Harrisburg. Muddy has a population of about 100. Information varies on whether it has the smallest or second smallest working post office with a lobby in the United States. The post office measures 7 1/2 feet by 10 1/2 feet. It houses 42 mailboxes. Also of interest in Muddy is a coal stipple made from reinforced concrete the only such structure in the world, no longer in use, but still standing, a monument to the booming coal days in Muddy. Many of the coal miner's homes from that period are still inhabited, viewing these; one can mentally picture the town at that time. Also nearby is a Russian Orthadox church built in 1917, built by European immigrants, who came to Muddy to work in the mines.  Pictures available use your "BACK" button to return.

Old Shawneetown, Illinois

Old Shawneetown overlooking the Ohio River, has the first state bank built in Illinois, built in 1839-40. A Greek revival style building 4 stories tall, with five columns and majestic design.