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Fayette
County, Illinois
Fayette
County, organized in 1821, is named for the Marquis de
Lafayette, Gilbert du Montier, who helped the colonists defeat
the British in the Revolutionary War. The 22,000 present-day
residents of Fayette County are spread among its cities, which
include Bingham, Brownstown, Farina, Hagarstown, Loogootee,
Ramsey, Saint Elmo, Saint Peter, Shobonier and Vandalia.
The
National Road, also known as the Cumberland Trail, is the
first byway heading west across the United States, and runs
from Cumberland, MD, through Wheeling, WV, Columbus, OH,
Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Ind., then through Vandalia on
its journey west. Vandalia is the Fayette County seat, located
about 70 miles northeast of St Louis.
Vandalia
actually was the first capital of Illinois, from 1819 to 1839.
The Vandalia
Statehouse was constructed in 1836 in an unsuccessful
attempt to prevent the seat of state government from being
moved to Springfield. President Abraham Lincoln served as a
state representative at the Vandalia Statehouse, the oldest
existing capitol in the state.
To further commemorate Lincoln’s impact on Vandalia, a park
is being constructed across the street from the statehouse.
The focal point of Lincoln Park will be a life-sized stature
of the former president, sitting on a bench reading a
newspaper. Other sites for Vandalia visitors: the Old
State Cemetery, the Fayette
County Museum, the Little
Brick House and the 18-foot Madonna
of the Trail statue, one of the 12 statues scattered
across the United States. It was erected in 1928 by the
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
to mark national trails created and used in this country's
early years. The Vandalia monument marks the terminus of the
National Road.
For outdoor enthusiasts, there’s Vandalia Lake for water
sports, and several golf courses. Nearby outdoor recreation
includes Carlyle
Lake, the Stephen
A. Forbes State Park, and the Vandalia
Country Club.
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