Old Shawneetown, Illinois

In Old Shawneetown, the visitor will find the John Marshall House Museum (a modern reconstruction), Shawneetown Bank State Historic Site, Old Shawneetown Village Hall, and the Historical Texaco Service Station, all within walking distance.

In November 1803 when the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed here, Shawneetown and Washington City were the only two towns chartered by the Federal Government. In 1810, Fortescue Cuming wrote:

“property of the scite of this town; the salt licks, and all the intermediate tract from Saline river, the inhabitants have no other tenure than the permission of the governour of the territory to reside there during his pleasure, so they make no comfortable improvements, although they appear to be in a very prosperous situation from their trade; so much so, that they say, that it would immediately become one of the most considerable towns on the river, if they could purchase lots in fee simple.—There were several trading boats at the landing, and more appearance of business than I had seen on this side Pittsburgh.”
—Fortescue Cuming, 1807

After the flood of 1937, the town was moved several miles inland at a higher elevation—New Shawneetown.