Riddle Hill, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riddle Hill, Illinois
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 Riddle Hill, Illinois
Location in Illinois
Riddle Hill, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Sangamon |
| Elevation | 610 ft (190 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 217 |
| GNIS feature ID | 416627 |
Riddle Hill is a small, rural place in Illinois. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of Curran and Gardner townships in Sangamon County.
Riddle Hill is known as a crossroads. It's located where the historic Old Jacksonville Road crosses a small stream called Little Spring Creek. This spot is about 6.5 miles west of Springfield, the capital city of Illinois.
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A Look Back: Riddle Hill's History
Riddle Hill has a long and interesting history, especially because of its location on Old Jacksonville Road. This road is one of the oldest in central Illinois. It was a main route connecting Jacksonville to Springfield.
Early Travelers and Campgrounds
As far back as the 1830s, people traveling along Old Jacksonville Road would stop at Riddle Hill. They used the spot where the road crossed Little Spring Creek as a place to set up camp. Over time, more people settled here, and the community of Riddle Hill began to grow around this popular stopping point.
A Significant Stop for the Potawatomi People
Riddle Hill holds a special place in history for the Potawatomi people. On the night of September 28–29, 1838, about 850 members of the Potawatomi Nation camped here. They were on a long journey from Indiana to a new territory in the west, which later became Kansas Territory. This journey is a sad part of history, often called the "Trail of Death."
Today, a historical marker stands near the site of their campground. This marker helps us remember the Potawatomi people and their difficult journey through this area. The camping spot was once known as 'McCoy's Mill,' likely because there was a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) on Little Spring Creek nearby.
Ulysses S. Grant's First Orders
Riddle Hill also played a small role in the American Civil War. On July 4, 1861, the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment camped here. This was their very first night in the field after officially joining the federal army in Springfield.
The leader of this new regiment was a young colonel named Ulysses S. Grant. It was right here in Riddle Hill that he wrote his first official orders as a colonel. A historical marker at the New Salem Methodist Church remembers this important moment. It marks the spot of a tree that once stood there, showing where Grant and his soldiers camped.
