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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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