We stayed at a haunted campground which is located next to the state's largest prison. Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site is located in Southern Illinois and is known for its history. It is a 200-acre park near Chester, Illinois, on a blufftop overlooking the Mississippi River. Lewis and Clark stopped here in 1803 and recruited tradesmen to accompany them on their expedition up the Mississippi River. Fort Kaskaskia is also home to Garrison Hill Cemetery. This historic graveyard was established in 1891 by the General Assembly for the remains of early settlers whose graves were threatened by the flooding of Kaskaskia. Just a few miles down the road is Menard Correctional Center, which opened in March 1878; it is the second oldest operating prison in Illinois, and, by a large margin, the state's largest prison. The maximum-security facility changes in elevation over 200 feet and includes more than 2,600 acres with 41 acres enclosed by perimeter. Chester, Illinois is the Home of Popeye the Sailor Man! If you stop by the Chester Welcome Center, you will see a bronze statue of the Guinness record holding cartoon character. Be sure to also check out the Popeye & Friends Character Trail of bronze statues of Popeye and his family, located throughout the town. Finally, we visit Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park and walk around the downtown area. Ste. Geneviève was the first permanent European settlement in Missouri. What are your thoughts on staying at this campground? ℹ️ If you are interested in the places mentioned, we've posted helpful websites below. - Chester, IL Home of Popeye https://www.chesterill.com/character-trail/ - Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/experience/sites/site.fort-kaskaskia.html - Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park https://www.nps.gov/stge/index.htm