ome on down, or up as the case may be.
Genealogy is interesting, but you need to see the old homeplace or cemetery with your
own eyes. Gallatin County may be one of the smallest counties in the state, in terms of
both population, but it has to be one of the most scenic and historic.
The Shawnee National Forest covers much of the southern part of the county with the high-interest attractions of Pounds Hollow and Rim Rock recreation areas. The State of Illinois operates the now-misnamed Saline County Fish and Wildlife Area that has expanded into the southwestern corner of Gallatin County. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency operates the Shawneetown Bank State Historic Site in Old Shawneetown and by 2001, the Old Slave House State Historic Site near Equality. The Gallatin County Historical Society also has a museum in the rebuilt John Marshall House in Old Shawneetown. Marshall's home housed the first bank to operate in the state.
As far as lodging goes, Gallatin County doesn't have any chain motels, but it does have a
number of smaller lodges and rooms available. The best bet is the Thomas House Bed & Breakfast just north of the intersection of Routes 1 and 13. Two new cabins have just become available (2003) at the southern edge of the county in the Shawnee Hills, called Rim Rocks Dogwood Cabins located across the road from Rim Rock/Pounds Hollow Recreation Areas. If you want a chain motel head west to Harrisburg, or for a bigger selection try Marion with one of the largest concentration of motel rooms in the region at the intersection of Route 13 and Interstate 57. There are also a number of unique places to stay just to the south in Hardin County. Some offer excellent views of the Ohio River. Check out the Come Visit page at the Hardin County ILGenWeb site for more details. Here is a
short list of Gallatin County lodging..
Read Chameleon Illinois for a description of the Illinois on the Ohio National Scenic Byway which runs through Gallatin County.
Lodging
