In Pyramid State Recreation Area, wooded hills, lakes, and ponds set the scene. Perry County can also be explored through its architecture, historical collections, and events shaped by agriculture. The contrast between nature and built heritage offers different perspectives on the region, without limiting the trip to just one theme.
Landscape and Water
Pyramid State Recreation Area consists of wooded hills, lakes, and ponds. Pinckneyville City Lake is a reservoir covering 165 acres. Boats are limited to 10 horsepower and must travel at idle speed without creating a wake. Check this requirement before boating. Facilities include a concrete boat ramp, a paved parking lot, a floating dock, a fishing pier, a covered pavilion, and portable restrooms. Since visitor facilities can change, check their current status before your visit as well.
Shore fishing is available along the Long Cut at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. This offers a separate way to access the water, in addition to the lakes and ponds of Pyramid State Recreation Area. Those interested in such activities will find different ways to include bodies of water in their trip.
Architecture and History
Paradise Baptist Church in Tamaroa, Illinois, in Perry County, is an important local example of Late Gothic Revival architecture and is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Its distinctive features include pointed-arch openings, tracery windows, thick, solid sandstone, and buttresses. The building brings together window details, massive stone surfaces, and buttresses.
The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Perry County, is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Perry County Jail Museum is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is located in the former Perry County Jail. The museum building was constructed in 1871.
Everyday objects are displayed alongside a one-room schoolhouse in the Perry County Jail Museum collection: visitors can see clothing, furniture, and other artifacts from the 19th century. Here, a historic building and exhibits from the century in which it was built come together in one museum. Exhibits at the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum change seasonally and are housed in the distinctive red horse barn. Groups can book tours in advance; arrange this before your trip.
Events and Illinois Products
The Du Quoin State Fair is held annually and focuses on agricultural themes and events in the state of Illinois. The fair includes the Illinois Product Expo, where locally made and Illinois-grown products are available. The vendors’ offerings may change from one edition to the next.
Pinckneyville’s Mardi Gras celebration takes place annually on the last Friday and Saturday in October. If you’d like to plan your trip around this date, check the dates for the relevant year in advance. The event offers a different focus from the agricultural emphasis of the Du Quoin State Fair; each event has its own place on the calendar.
Discover more destinations: Du Quoin, Pinckneyville, Wayne County, Williamson County, Jefferson, Madison, Woodford County and Macon County.
Return to the main travel overview: Illinois.
