Little Egypt Recognized

I can get behind this.

WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to establish a National Heritage Area in Southern Illinois: the Land Between the Rivers. Designating land as a National Heritage Area makes federal grants available through the Department of Interior for historic preservation, education and economic development activities. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is a cosponsor.
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The Land Between the Rivers Southern Illinois Heritage Area would encompass an area within the boundaries of the 17 southernmost counties: Randolph, Perry, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac. Durbin noted that the historical features of the area, situated between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, highlight the pivotal role Southern Illinois played militarily, socially, and politically during the mid- to late- 1800s.

Some of the northern-most counties on that list don’t particularly inspire me but I’ve always said the beauty and history of deep Southern Illinois has been greatly overlooked not only nationally but by residents of Illinois north of I-64.

Update: I noticed Kaskaskia is on the list of sites that are part of this proposed designation. Has anyone else ever been there? I visited a dozen years ago and was quite surprised to see how little was there given that it was the state’s first capital. There were a couple of buildings on what looks to be a flood plain and that’s about it. And it’s in the middle of nowhere. Actually, it’s cut off from nowhere. You have to cross the Mississippi River and go into Missouri just to reach the place (a change in the course of the river cut Kaskaskia off from the rest of Illinois a long time ago).