Illinois Memorial — Attraction in Mississippi

Beautiful memorial to those from Illinois who fought in the Battle (Siege) of Vicksburg. Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, the building has 44 steps, one for each day of the Siege. Inside are bronze plaques listing the names of every Illinois soldier that was there by infantry and company. The beautiful thing, however, is the mosaic Seal of Illinois on the floor. Because it is elevated and has an open oculous, there is a breeze inside, even on the hottest days. Right now it is only accessible by foot because the road is closed for construction. If you are disabled and are from Illinois or have an ancestor listed inside, inquire at the Visitor Center and someone may be able to help accommodate you...

The grounds around the memorial commemorate all the battles that were fought there during the Vicksburg siege. The building itself is filled with the names of thousands of Illinois men who served in the battle, all the battalions and all their companies are named, along with their officers and a commemoration of their valor in the battle around them. It's an...

It is a gorgeous memorial but it doesn't seem to have been adequately maintained recently. I was here five years ago and the memorial and the area around it have deteriorated (some of it is road construction). The longer the maintenance waits the hard it is going to be to keep it in...