Historical Sites & Topics

About this campground

This region has been occupied for centuries and evidence of its past people and their culture can still be found hidden in the shawnee hills today. For a list of Historical Sites expand Outdoor Learning section at the bottom of this page.   Preserving and Protecting Historical Sites  Archaeological sites throughout southern Illinois can provide important insights and knowledge about the past that can not be gotten elsewhere. The aritfacts contained in the sties can help us learn about little known aspects of our history, cultures and people not as well represented in current hisroty books. They are the clues left behind byt he past inhabitants that can help archaeologists determine who was living at the site, when they were living there and what they were doing.  It's important that archaeologists find artifacts in their original location to accurately interpret the story of the past. When people remove artifacts from sites it destroys the ability for archaeologists to reconstruct the histories and lifeways of the people who once occupied the site. Help us preserve our rich history by leaving archaeological sites undisturbed and report any looters or evidence of looting activities to your nearest Ranger Station.