Travel Back in Time in Collinsville
Explore historic Collinsville when you visit these points of interest.
A civilization was born over 1,000 years ago on the Mississippi plains in what is now known as the city of Collinsville. Stroll through parts of the 2,200 acres of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Historical Landmark. Visit the interpretative center to view the “City of the Sun” video and see scenes of what life may have been like during the time of the Mississippians. Climb the 147 steps to the top of Monks Mound, the largest man-made mound north of Mexico.
The D. D. Collins House is a rare local example of a Greek revival cottage and there are no other homes like it in Collinsville. The home was built in 1845 and has been authentically restored to the period of its early use from 1845-1860. It also serves as the perfect starting point to explore the many shops and restaurants in uptown Collinsville.
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle stands proudly next to Route 159, just south of downtown Collinsville. This unique 170 ft. tall water tower was built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S. Suppiger catsup bottling plant - bottlers of Brooks catsup. Recognized the world over as an excellent example of 20th century roadside Americana, the World's Largest Catsup Bottle attracts visitors and tourists every day.
The Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve recreates the 1940’s farming-life, complete with tractors, barns, a 1930’s Craftsman-style Farm House, and live donkeys, steers, chickens, and goats! The 30-acres of wild-life preserve features hiking trails, bridges, and vistas overlooking the bluff line prairie and woodlands of the American Bottom. The University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners created a 1940s-style herb, flower, vegetable, and berry gardens to further provide a glimpse of life during the early 1900s.