Fort Defiance Camping and RV Park - Cairo, IL - Municipal Parks and Plazas on Waymarking.com

County of park: Alexander County
Location of park: US-62/US-51, southern tip of Illinois, Cairo
Phone: 618-734-9344
191 acres along the Ohio River on the eastern edge of the state
16 camp sites, no toilets or showers, but electricity at 8 sites
All registrations are honor system, drop fees in box

"Once called "probably the ugliest park in America, the park no one wants" by the Chicago Tribune, Fort defiance became the park that the people saved. A grassroots organization of Cairo citizens, Operation Enterprise, leased it from the state to renovate and maintain.

"The park overlooks the constant meeting of the vast Ohio and Mississippi rivers, Refusing to merge, the Ohio waster become a blue ribbon rippling far down the brown Mississippi currents. Gulls wheel above the placid barges and tugs navigating the point. In the Spring, the Mississippi may churn and grind with northern ice. The demarcation between the two rivers is an ever-fascinating and changing phenomenon.

"Fort Defiance, known as Camp Defiance during the American Civil War, is a former military fortification located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers near Cairo in Alexander County, Illinois. The strategic significance of the site has been known since prehistoric times with archaeological evidence of warfare dating to the Mississippian era. It is the southernmost point in the state of Illinois. Fort Defiance Park, formerly a State Park, is owned and maintained by the city of Cairo. At 279 feet (85 m) elevation, Fort Defiance Point is Illinois' lowest point." ~ Wikipedia

Fort Defiance, the Civil War post commanded by General U.S. Grant, guarded the confluence and became the supply base for the western thrust into the Confederacy. Over the past century, the rivers have caused the point to extend southward over a mile from the fort's original site." - Southern Illinois Regional Tourism Council

Many different points of view and opinions can be read here: State Parks   Wikipedia   Trip Advisor
Great River Road   Topix

Name: Fort Defienace Park Street Location: US 51/US 60/US 62 Local Municipality: Cairo State/Province, etc.: Illinois Country: Alexander Web Site: [Web Link] Memorial/Commemoration: the obvservation platform was once the Boatman's Memorial to those who lost their lives on the rivers. Date Established: 1860 Picnic Facilities: One large pavilion - no fee, first come fist served Recreational Facilities: Hiking trails, ski-mobile trails )in winter) and 3 horse trails) Monuments/Statues: Boatman's Monument Art (murals/sculpture, etc.): Sculpture called "Proceeding On" for Lewis & Clark Fountains: none Ponds/Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Beach: Ohio River & Mississippi River Special Events: Use to have the Jenn~Jam Blues Festival Festival, but not anymore Traditional Geocaches: Well a confluence on (GC1A369) and a ghost of a chance one (GC710E) and may be another if you look hard

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Date Logged Log   05/26/2023 KidWrangler visited it