The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency`s ”Map Guide to Historic Illinois Places” is a wonderful tool for planning short hops to the state`s historylands, including Will County`s Ron George Round Barn, the Fitzpatrick House, the Plainfield Halfway House and the Lockport Historic District, to name a few. Chock full of information, it also describes the state`s French Colonial period, roads from 1820 to 1850, railroads from 1845 to 1860 and Abraham Lincoln`s life in Illinois; what`s more, it shows how to get where you want to go. But alas, the maps are in short supply.
The ”Map Guide” replacement, produced last year, is a fancy, four-color brochure with foldout pages featuring nine historic sites in northern Illinois, 11 in central Illinois and eight in the southern portion of the state, with nary a mention of anything in Will County.
Still, if you`re looking for a weekend getaway or a summer Sunday afternoon sojourn, it`s worth writing for a free copy of ”Welcome to Historic Illinois.” Send your request to David Blanchette, Public Information Officer, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Old State Capitol, Springfield, Ill. 62701.
