Location: Pinckneyville
Top Things to do in Pinckneyville
5 Things to Do in Pinckneyville That You Shouldn't Miss
Pinckneyville is a city in and the county seat of Perry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,464 at the 2000 census. It is named for Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, an early American diplomat and presidential candidate.
Restaurants in Pinckneyville
1. Illinois Rural Heritage Museum
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Taylor B - Chicago, Illinois
Pinckneyville is a basketball town with its tradition dating to the 1940s and 1950s. That's why I first visited the southern Illinois community several years ago. But southern Illinois is all about farming and the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum at 187 Fairground Road in Pinckeyville provides an opportunity for non-agricultural raised individuals, city folks like my wife and me, to experience the changing rural lifestyle from 1850 forward. For rural folks, it brings back memories of challenging times when manual labor and exposure to weather extremes were required to earn a living, like your father or grandfather's exposure to the heat and dust on a vintage tractor or combine. The museum also features many interactive exhibits, displays and videos that provide an important teaching venue for children, young adults and city folks who never sat on a tractor. It explains the ever-changing story of rural life from different perspectives--agriculture, business, conservation, education, medicine, natural resources, technology and transportation. A critical element of the museum's mission is to preserve and restore important items that would otherwise be lost with the passage of time. When I was a student at the University of Illinois, several of my fraternity brothers were products of farm families and lived within 50 to 100 miles of the Champaign-Urbana campus. As a native of Chicago, I had little knowledge of farming. They gave me a good education. While visiting the museum and observing the exhibits, I recalled many of their stories. Among the museum's three warehouses of interesting exhibits are the red barn, a 1900s dentist office, a general store, a doctor's office, a collection of vintage ice cream freezers, a collection of baby buggys and bicycles and carriages, lots of farm machinery and equipment dating to the early 1900s and other artifacts from country and farming life in southern Illinois. You can even learn how to make apple butter. It's a wonder they had time to play basketball.
2. Pinckneyville City Park & Pool
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By PenelopePitstop308 - Carbondale, Illinois
Lots of places to picnic inside the fairgrounds area and charcoal grills scattered throughout. There are five or so pavilions but those are reserveable so you'll have to call ahead of time if you need one. The playground area is very nice with a smaller play structure for the toddlers and a larger one for the bigger kids. Swingsets were well maintained. The pool was very clean with a nice changing area and showers. The kids really enjoyed the slide and diving board. I was thankful for the concession area as it was really warm when we visited and there isn't much of a shady spot to sit inside the pool area and watch the kids swim.
3. Pyramid State Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By PenelopePitstop308 - Carbondale, Illinois
We live close enough to the park to visit it frequently. There are some really good hiking trails so I'm not hesitant to take the kids. Beautiful park that is well run. Great fishing holes found throughout the park. No play area for the kids but plenty of picnic areas.
4. Pinckneyville City Lake
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By PenelopePitstop308 - Carbondale, Illinois
Beautiful lake with a great boat ramp and handicapped facilities and picnic shelters. No flush toilets is the only drawback.
5. Perry County Jail Museum
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By PenelopePitstop308 - Carbondale, Illinois
The old jail cells are still in tact and you can go in them and see some of the artistic renderings of the old inhabitants. The staff is knowledgeable and have so many stories about the old jail and the sheriff's home. Fun and interesting place to spend the day. Their hours are a bit strange but they'll make arrangements for you to visit if you call ahead.
