Illinois Route 146
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 146 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state
of Illinois
. It serves the extreme southern region of the state, commonly called Little Egypt
or the Illinois Ozarks. IL-146 is 92.93 miles (149.56 km) long. An east–west highway, it serves Hardin County, Pope County, Johnson County, and Union County. These are some of the least-populated counties in Illinois. IL-146 serves two sections of the Shawnee National Forest
.
, a trail taken by bands of approximately 9,000 Cherokee
who were forced to march through southern Illinois from November 1838 until January 1839 as part of a U.S. government mandated relocation. In 2006, the state of Illinois designated IL-146 as a historic highway and route of the Trail of Tears.
IL-146 intersects with two U.S. Interstate Highways: Interstate 24
at exit 16 near Vienna
, and Interstate 57
at exit 30 near Anna
.
IL-146 passes through an area of Illinois noted for scenic beauty and significant tourist visitation. State-operated parks and recreation areas on or adjacent to IL-146 include, from west to east:
The city of Jonesboro was the site of an open-air debate between Abraham Lincoln
and Stephen Douglas in 1858. The site of the debate is preserved as a picnic area and park in Jonesboro.
east to Golconda. In 1937 it was extended east to Elizabethtown, replacing a leg of Illinois Route 34
. In 1942 the road was extended east to Cave-In-Rock. There have been no changes since 1942.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It serves the extreme southern region of the state, commonly called Little Egypt
Little Egypt (region)
-Early history:The earliest inhabitants of Illinois were thought to have arrived about 12,000 B.C. They were hunter-gatherers, but developed a primitive system of agriculture. After 1000 AD, their agricultural surpluses enabled them to develop complex, hierarchical societies...
or the Illinois Ozarks. IL-146 is 92.93 miles (149.56 km) long. An east–west highway, it serves Hardin County, Pope County, Johnson County, and Union County. These are some of the least-populated counties in Illinois. IL-146 serves two sections of the Shawnee National Forest
Shawnee National Forest
The Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 280,000 acres of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac...
.
Route description
IL-146 generally follows a land route of the Trail of TearsTrail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
, a trail taken by bands of approximately 9,000 Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
who were forced to march through southern Illinois from November 1838 until January 1839 as part of a U.S. government mandated relocation. In 2006, the state of Illinois designated IL-146 as a historic highway and route of the Trail of Tears.
IL-146 intersects with two U.S. Interstate Highways: Interstate 24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
at exit 16 near Vienna
Vienna, Illinois
Vienna is a city in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County, and the site of two well-known state penitentiaries. Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark, is nearby. The...
, and Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
at exit 30 near Anna
Anna, Illinois
Anna is a city in Union County, Illinois, United States. Located in Southern Illinois, the population was 5,136 at the 2000 census. The city is known for being tied to its close neighbor Jonesboro, together known as Anna-Jonesboro. Anna is well renowned for the Anna State Mental Hospital or the...
.
IL-146 passes through an area of Illinois noted for scenic beauty and significant tourist visitation. State-operated parks and recreation areas on or adjacent to IL-146 include, from west to east:
- Union County Conservation Area near JonesboroJonesboro, IllinoisJonesboro is a city in Union County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,853 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union County, and was the location of the third of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, on 15 September 1858.-Geography:...
- Trail of Tears State ForestTrail of Tears State ForestTrail of Tears State Forest is a State of Illinois conservation area on in Union County, Illinois, United States.Trail of Tears was established in 1929 when Illinois purchased acres of Shawnee Hills land and used the resulting land to create the Kohn-Jackson Forest...
near Jonesboro - Cache River State Natural AreaCache River State Natural AreaCache River State Natural Area is an Illinois state park on in Johnson County, Illinois, United States....
near Vienna - Dixon Springs State ParkDixon Springs State ParkDixon Springs State Park is an Illinois state park on in Pope County, Illinois, USA, and is one of several state parks in the Illinois Shawnee Hills. The park is on a giant block of rock which was dropped along a fault line that extends northwesterly across Pope County.The park is about west...
near Dixon SpringsDixon Springs, IllinoisDixon Springs is an unincorporated community in Pope County, Illinois, United States. Dixon Springs is west of Golconda.... - Rauchfuss Hill State Recreation Area near GolcondaGolconda, IllinoisGolconda is a city in, and the county seat of, Pope County, located along the Ohio River. The population was 726 at the 2000 census. The entire city has been designated a state Historic District.-Geography:Golconda is located at ....
- Rose Hotel State Historic Site in ElizabethtownElizabethtown, IllinoisElizabethtown is a village in Hardin County, Illinois, along the Ohio River. The population was 348 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hardin County. It the location of the Rose Hotel, an Illinois state historic site built about 1830. The village of Elizabethtown was founded around...
- Cave-in-Rock State ParkCave-in-Rock State ParkCave-in-Rock State Park is an Illinois state park on in Hardin County, Illinois in the United States. The state park contains the historic Cave-in-Rock, a landmark of the Ohio River...
in Cave-in-Rock
The city of Jonesboro was the site of an open-air debate between Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and Stephen Douglas in 1858. The site of the debate is preserved as a picnic area and park in Jonesboro.
History
SBI Route 146 originally ran from East Cape GirardeauEast Cape Girardeau, Illinois
East Cape Girardeau is a village in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. The population was 437 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
east to Golconda. In 1937 it was extended east to Elizabethtown, replacing a leg of Illinois Route 34
Illinois Route 34
Illinois Route 34 is a north–south state road in southern Illinois. It runs from a former ferry crossing to Kentucky Route 297 across the Ohio River in Rosiclare to Illinois Routes 14/37 in Benton. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
. In 1942 the road was extended east to Cave-In-Rock. There have been no changes since 1942.