Fall Guide

Reputedly once a hangout for gangs of river pirates, the large cavern along the Ohio River is the main attraction at Cave-in-Rock State Park in Hardin County. The park also has a restaurant, cabins, campsites, trails and scenic views. PHOTO BY BRENT BOHLEN Once upon a time in far, far southeastern Illinois there lived slaves, […]

Mary Todd Lincoln’s bed at the Batavia Depot Museum. PHOTO BY CINDY LADAGE When thinking of heading north, often we think of Chicago. The suburbs get lost in the plans. A recent trip reminded me that there is a lot of beauty and history outside the urban sprawl. This fall, when the leaves are turning, […]

The Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield finishes its run of The Mikado on Aug. 29, 30 and 31. PHOTO COURTESY HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS A good actor isn’t afraid to be emotionally naked in front of an audience. From the silver screen to Broadway, talented thespians figuratively bare themselves to the public. […]

Though her name is more associated with nursery furniture today, Jenny Lind was without a doubt the most remarkable singer of her day, a celebrity of celebrities whose admirers included Queen Victoria of England, Harvard’s Edward Everett, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, orators Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, and German composer Felix Mendelssohn, who called Jenny […]

It happens every year on one of the first crisp days that hint of autumn: bicycle riders from near and far converge on Springfield only to disburse into the corn-filled countryside pedaling and eating their way around a 100-mile course or, in most cases, a smaller portion of the course. On Sunday, Sept. 8, the […]

As the temperatures come down, the energy level goes up, making a trek to Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour just right. My friend Rose and I headed south in late July and want to come back in the cool of fall. Marc and Candy Miles worked on the Shawnee Bluffs Canopy Tour (SBCT) zip line for […]

Skip the freeway and take a drive. The trip from Springfield to Quincy via Interstate 72 takes a couple hours, but spend an extra 20 minutes and head out Jefferson Avenue to the hinterland, then take U.S. 24 through Beardstown, across the Illinois River and into some of the most scenic country in the region. […]

Autumn is traditionally a big season for live music, as touring artists make a last major push out onto the open road before winter’s icy finger makes it more or less impassable. The upcoming season is no exception, as a wide variety of renowned musicians – big names as well as up-and-comers in a variety […]

Although summer is drawing to a close, the theater season is still going strong. Springfield and the surrounding region boast some truly impressive talent and mesmerizing productions that can hold their own against theater in bigger cities. There’s no need to travel far and wide for great theater – you can be transported to another […]

Oddball Illinois: A Guide to 450 Really Strange Places, by Jerome Pohlen, is your ticket to the fantastic and eccentric in the land of Lincoln. The book offers interesting information about unusual people, locations and museums, oddities and bizarre histories from the Mississippi River banks of Quincy to Ashmore, and from Cairo to the streets […]

As the hot, hazy days of summer are replaced by crisp breezes and bursts of color, area residents can enjoy all that fall has to offer at area festivals. August “Women Who Made History” is the theme of the 14th Annual Prairie Chautauqua, held Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 at Jacksonville’s Community Park. Reenactments and […]

Fall sings with color. Besides the glorious riot of the leaves there are the deep reds of the apples, the golden orange of the pumpkins and the muted shades of squash. Fall is all about texture, taste and glorious food. Whether you are heading out to a fall festival, anticipating a cookout or a hayride, […]