Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Atlas in Pike County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Welcome to Illinois

 
 
Welcome to Illinois Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 3, 2014
1. Welcome to Illinois Marker
Inscription. In 1673 the areas of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers were explored by Frenchmen Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette. Their voyages resulted in French claims on the area until 1763 when, by the Treaty of Paris, France ceded the land to Great Britain. During the Revolution, the Illinois Territory was won for the Commonwealth of Virginia by George Rogers Clark and his army. In 1784 it became part of the Northwest Territory and on December 3, 1818 Illinois entered the Union as the twenty-first state.

US Route 54 enters Illinois east of Louisiana, Missouri and stretches northeast towards Pittsfield. The route in Illinois was dedicated as the 33rd Division Memorial Highway on Memorial Day 1963. The designation commemorates the WW I Division organized in 1917 from Illinois National Guard units. The Division played an important role in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In WW II it was used in the Pacific in the Philippines.

Route 54 ends its sixteen mile journey in Illinois four miles west of Pittsfield where it meets US Route 36. Pittsfield is the county seat of Pike County. John Nicolay, author of ten-volume biography of Lincoln, began his career in Pittsfield. He met John Hay there and formed a life-long friendship. Hay collaborated on the Lincoln biography and went on to a fruitful career as a diplomat. He was
Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
ambassador to Great Britain and Secretary of State from 1898-1905. The 'open door' policy with China and the Hay-Paunceforte Treaty were his major accomplishments.
 
Erected 1989 by Illinois Department of Transportation and The Illinois State Historical Society.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: ExplorationSettlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Illinois State Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1823.
 
Location. 39° 28.985′ N, 91° 0.911′ W. Marker is near Atlas, Illinois, in Pike County. Marker is on U.S. 54, 2˝ miles east of Mississippi River, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rockport IL 62370, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Champ Clark Bridge (approx. 2.7 miles away in Missouri); Henderson Park (approx. 2.7 miles away in Missouri); John Brooks Henderson (approx. 2.7 miles away in Missouri); Floods of 1973 and 1993 (approx. 2.8 miles away in Missouri); Louisiana Public Library (approx. 2.8 miles away in Missouri); "Miss Lucille's Garden" (approx. 2.8 miles away in Missouri); Oldest Building in Pike County (approx. 3.2 miles away); Atlas (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlas.
 
Welcome to Illinois Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 3, 2014
2. Welcome to Illinois Marker
Welcome to Illinois Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 3, 2014
3. Welcome to Illinois Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 784 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on November 5, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=78655

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 28, 2024