Dixon Springs State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dixon Springs State Park |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Ghost Dance Canyon, Dixon Springs State Park, April 2014
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 Dixon Springs State Park
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Pope County, Illinois, United States |
| Nearest city | Golconda, Illinois |
| Area | 801 acres (324 ha) |
| Established | 1946 |
| Governing body | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
Dixon Springs State Park is a cool state park in Pope County, Illinois. It's one of many parks in the beautiful Illinois Shawnee Hills area. This park sits on a giant rock block that dropped about 200 feet (61 m) because of a fault line.
The park covers 801 acres (324 ha) of land. You can find it about 10 miles (16 km) west of Golconda. It's right off Illinois Route 146, close to where it meets Illinois Route 145. The state first bought land for this park in 1946.
Park History
Native American Roots
Long ago, different groups of Algonquin tribes lived around this park. The Shawnee people also settled here after moving from Tennessee. Dixon Springs was a favorite camping spot for them. They called it "Kitchemuske-nee-be," which means "Great Medicine Waters."
An important Native American trail, later called the "Grand Trace" by the French, passed near the park. This trail went south to Fort Massac. Today, much of this old trail is part of Illinois Route 145. It runs through the Shawnee National Forest. This area was once a large Indian reservation for about 6,000 Native Americans. By the early 1830s, most of them had moved on.
A Growing Community
Dixon Springs got its name from William Dixon. He was one of the first white settlers to build a home here. In 1848, he got a land warrant from Governor Augustus C. French. His cabin was a well-known landmark for many years. An old log church on a nearby hill was also famous.
A small community grew up in Dixon Springs. It had a general store, a post office, and a blacksmith shop. There was also a grist mill and several churches.
The Health Spa Era
In the 1800s, Dixon Springs became a popular health spa. Hundreds of people came to enjoy the seven mineral springs. A bathhouse offered mineral or soft water baths, hot or cold.
The natural environment and unique stone formations helped keep the park valley cooler in summer. This made the resort very popular. People traveled from far away cities like Paducah, Kentucky, Evansville, Indiana, and Cairo. They came by steamboat to Golconda, then took a train close to the park.
