Discover Lawrence through two very different traces: wetlands along the Embarras River and the story of Lincoln’s journey to Illinois. Several habitats and historic sites shape the area’s character—from year-round springs to a bronze figure set into a limestone relief.
Landscapes along the Embarras River
Red Hills State Park covers 967 acres. Wooded hills and deep ravines alternate with meadows, and springs flow year-round. In this protected area, open spaces, forest, and striking changes in elevation come together.
Chauncey Marsh Nature Preserve covers 155 acres of marshland, prairie, floodplain forest, and river-edge habitats. It is a permanent marsh surrounded by remnants of mesic prairie. Switchgrass and cattails dominate the vegetation. Those interested in wetlands will find not only marshland here, but also a variety of habitats and traces of prairie.
Chauncey Marsh Land and Water Reserve offers another kind of landscape, shaped by wet floodplain forests, ponds, and swamps, along with stretches of the winding Embarras River. The Reserve includes river stretches; by contrast, Embarras River Bottoms State Natural Area covers land within the river’s watershed. These different designations help clarify the names without treating the landscapes as a single place.
Embarras River Bottoms State Natural Area covers approximately 2,300 acres of land south of the former Indian Refinery. It lies within the Embarras River watershed and provides habitat for songbirds, marsh birds, migratory birds, and other wildlife that depends on wetlands. Species of concern have also been documented there, including several species listed as threatened or endangered in Illinois. Together, the natural areas connect specific landscape features with a look at the species that depend on wetlands.
Lincoln history and structures
According to tradition, the Lincoln Trail State Memorial marks the spot where Abraham Lincoln and his family arrived in Illinois in early March 1830. It stands at the western end of the Lincoln Memorial Bridge. The approach is from U.S. Route 50 via Illinois Route 33 toward Vincennes. The memorial’s design draws on the theme of travel: a life-size bronze figure of Lincoln stands in a sculpted limestone relief depicting a journey by covered wagon. Historical tradition and visual storytelling come together here.
The Bridge at Thirteenth Street in St. Francisville, Lawrence County, offers a different architectural perspective. The bridge is a 181-foot-long wooden structure. While the memorial depicts a travel story, the bridge can be described in terms of its construction and precise dimensions.
Art and getting around
The Lawrence County Arts Council’s annual Student Art Show is a juried exhibition and competition. It is open to all high school students who live in Lawrence County. If you’re planning a visit around the event, check the latest dates in advance.
For getting around: Lawrenceville is connected by U.S. Route 50 and Illinois Route 1. Mid-American Air Center is a public general aviation airport on the site of a former U.S. Army Air Corps training base from World War II. Its current role and the history of the former base are two distinct chapters in the area’s history.
Discover more destinations: St Francisville, Birds, Jersey County, Dekalb, Sangamon County, Marion County, Jackson, De Witt.
For the broader travel overview: Illinois.
