Illinois

Parks

  • National Monument

    Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley

    IL,MS

    In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled to Money, Mississippi, to visit relatives. He was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral near their hometown of Chicago. Her brave decision let the world see the racist violence inflicted upon her son and set the Civil Rights Movement into motion.

  • National Historic Trail

    Lewis & Clark

    Sixteen States: IA,ID,IL,IN,KS,KY,MO,MT,NE,ND,OH,OR,PA,SD,WA,WV

    The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition.

    photo of a replica keelboat with a crew member on the bow at sunset

  • National Historic Site

    Lincoln Home

    Springfield, IL

    Abraham Lincoln believed in the ideal that everyone in America should have the opportunity to improve their economic and social condition. Lincoln’s life was the embodiment of that idea. We know him as the sixteenth president but he was also a spouse, parent, and neighbor who experienced the same hopes, dreams, and challenges of life that are still experienced by many people today.

    Inside the Lincoln Sitting Room

  • National Historic Trail

    Mormon Pioneer

    Various States IL,IA,NE,UT,WY

    Explore the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail across five states to see the 1,300-mile route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847.

    Martin's Cove at Devil's Gate in Wyoming

  • National Historic Site

    New Philadelphia

    IL

    To a casual observer, New Philadelphia looked like a typical Illinois pioneer town. But a closer look revealed a unique and racially diverse community. New Philadelphia was the first US town platted and registered by an African American. A formerly enslaved man, Free Frank McWorter, founded New Philadelphia in 1836 and purchased freedom for himself and 15 family members.

  • National Historical Park

    Pullman

    Chicago, IL

    In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came together in Pullman, a planned industrial community famed for its urban design and architecture.

    Pullman row houses ca. 1890 from Library of Congress

  • National Monument

    Springfield 1908 Race Riot

    IL

    In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Today, archeological evidence gives a rare glimpse into a community devastated by the race riots of the early 20th century.

  • National Historic Trail

    Trail Of Tears

    AL,AR,GA,IL,KY,MO,NC,OK,TN

    Remember and commemorate the survival of the Cherokee people, forcefully removed from their homelands in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee to live in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. They traveled by foot, horse, wagon, or steamboat in 1838-1839.

    Trail of Tears artwork and trail walk

By The Numbers

These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. Figures are for the fiscal year that ended 9/30/2020.