Above: The once-notorious Cave-in-Rock site. Richard Blankenship photo Below: Historical re-enactments are held regularly at Fort Massac in April. SITB photo

Almost 200 miles of the Ohio River Scenic Byway run through southern Illinois and the route is a great way to explore this area, but for something a little different, try a tour aboard the Shawnee Queen.

Cruising with the Queen

The Queen carries passengers on a 50-mile round-trip upriver from Golconda past Rosiclare and Elizabethtown to Cave-In-Rock. Departures from the Golconda marina are at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. Take the four-hour trip or any fraction of it; Rosiclare to Elizabethtown is a 15-minute ride. You’ll enjoy meeting pilot Jeremy Littrell and deckhand Lloyd Belford. Littrell may stop anywhere along the route to point out something of interest, and Belford can tell stories on subjects ranging from the site of a vanished Kentucky town to the time he saw Elvis in 1956. Both men know the history of the area, as well as where to find the best homemade pie or delicious Ohio River catfish.

Golconda began as Lusk’s Ferry in 1798. In years preceding the railroad, the town grew to become county seat and a major exporter to Southern cities. Much of Golconda is a National Historic District. The Pope County Museum–open from 9–11 a.m. Saturday and 1–3 p.m. Sunday–houses an excellent collection of artifacts from those times.

In Hardin County, Rosiclare was settled in 1807 as Ford’s Ferry, and was the world’s largest producer of fluorspar, a translucent lavender mineral. Although the mines now are closed, the American Fluorite Museum is open Thursday–Sunday May to October. In addition, don’t miss the view from the River Walk while in town.

Once McFarlan’s Ferry, Elizabethtown is noted for the Rose Hotel, one of the oldest hotels (1812) in Illinois that functions today as a bed-and-breakfast inn. The gleaming white two-story house perched on a rise above the water boasts a breezy, bewitching view of the river and 750-acre Hurricane Island from its wide second-story front porch.

Cave-in-Rock is the last stop before the Queen returns downstream. Settled around 1816, the town is popular for the last free ferry still operating between Illinois and Kentucky, but it’s the cave that has brought notoriety to the area since long before Europeans arrived.

Native Americans originally thought the cave–an opening approximately 55 feet wide–was home to spirits. Cave-in-Rock in 1795 became the United States’ first tourist trap. Revolutionary War veteran Capt. Sam Mason and his gang set up a makeshift tavern to lure boatmen and other travelers into the cave and then robbed them–or worse. These Cave-in-Rock pirates operated for almost 30 years.

Today, the cave is part of Cave-in-Rock State Park, which also offers campsites, lodges and a restaurant that perches high atop a bluff. It’s a fine place for breakfast and views across the river into Kentucky.

A Super Side Trip

The Queen returns to the Golconda marina in plenty of time for a drive on the Ohio River Scenic Byway. Check out the city of Metropolis located about 30 miles south of Golconda. Home to Superman, Metropolis has attractions ranging from the Superman Museum to Fort Massac, the first state park in Illinois. The annual Superman Celebration, a popular festival, will be June 11-14 this year. Kincaid Mounds Archeological Site also is nearby.

where to eat and stay The Mansion of Golconda, originally a steamboat captain’s home, is a fine bed-and-breakfast inn with 12-foot ceilings and fireplaces. For a different experience, San Damiano retreat has 30 private cottages–some with kitchens, fireplaces and whirlpool tubs–available to adults only. Remnants of the old Shetlerville Civil War cemetery are located here. San Damiano is located about 10 miles east of Golconda.

The AAA three Diamond Harrah’s Casino & Hotel is in Metropolis, as is the historical Isle of View Bed & Breakfast. Harrah’s offers discounted rates to AAA members. Metropolis also has a wider variety of restaurants.

Located about three hours southeast of the metropolitan St. Louis area, Little Egypt is a short trip for the spring that offers natural beauty, history and more.

Richard Blankenship is a new contributor from Columbia, Mo.