Fort Massac State Park

Walk the Ohio River bank at Illinois's first state park, where French and American forts once stood, and see Native American artifacts in the visitor center.

1308 E. 5th Street, Metropolis, IL 62960 · Metropolis, IL

About Fort Massac State Park

Fort Massac became Illinois's first state park in 1908 and covers 1,450 acres on the Ohio River at Metropolis. The French built a fort here in 1757, the Americans rebuilt it in 1794, and Lewis and Clark stopped in 1803 to recruit two men. The replica 1802 fort is closed pending structural repairs, but the visitor center has artifact displays and a video on the fort's history. The park also has hiking and bike trails, boating, fishing and an 18-hole disc golf course, and the Fort Massac Encampment brings reenactors each October.

#state park
#history
#ohio river
#hiking
#fishing

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