Carlinville's downtown is part of a large historic district which has been on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois since 1976.

Although the square has many wonderful buildings, probably the most significant is the Loomis House. Built by Judge Thaddeus L. Loomis, it was designed by architect E.E. Meyers who also designed the Macoupin County Courthouse and 1869 jail. When it was completed in 1870, the Loomis House was opened as a hotel with fifty rooms on three floors and a large dining area. Eight years after it opened Judge Loomis sold the building due to financial problems and the name was changed to the St. George Hotel. Purchased in 1975 by Alex and Fern Perardi, the Loomis House has been remarkably preserved and is home to several businesses owned by the Perardis. If you're planning to visit Carlinville, the Loomis House is a must-see!

In addition to the historic buildings, the square is complimented by a beautiful gazebo which has become a popular site for a variety of local activities. Donated by the Millard family, the gazebo is a centerpiece for the community visible from all directions as you approach the square.

Sears Homes (Standard Addition)

Standard Addition is the largest single collection of Sears homes in the United States.

Starting in 1917, Carlinville saw its population grow by one-third when Standard Oil of Indiana opened two new coal mines. This rapid growth in population, from 4,000 to nearly 6,000 people, caused an unforeseen and severe housing crisis.

Standard Oil officials found a solution to this crisis in an unlikely place; Sears and Roebuck. For the first time, people could order home kits in a variety of models through the Sears mail order catalog. Eight different models were selected for Standard Addition, ranging in price from $3,000 to $4,000. Orders were placed in 1918 for the 5 and 6 room homes and by the end of the year, 156 of the mail order homes had been built. Today 152 of the original 156 homes still exist. As the largest single repository of Sears Homes in the United States, Standard Addition has been the subject of several documentaries and has attracted the attention of architects from around the globe.

Macoupin County Jail

As part of the Macoupin County Courthouse project, construction of the county jail began in 1867. Designed by E.E. Meyers, who also designed the courthouse, the Macoupin County Jail looks more like a fortress than a small town jail. Its Gothic Revival design features a scalloped parapet with multiple arched windows. It includes a jailer's residence in the upper floors of the parapet which served as home to the sheriff and his family.

Completed in 1869, just a few years after the end of the Civil War, Meyers incorporated a unique design feature that would make escape from the new jail almost impossible; leftover cannonballs were placed in the walls between the layers of stone. This made escape by removing sections of the stone wall a virtual impossibility. The jail was originally designed to hold 17 prisoners but at times saw twice that many, and lacked any of the amenities found in modern facilities. The jail was in operation as recently as 1988, and inmates lived and slept in the original cell block constructed 119 years ago. The old jail is now available for tours by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 217-854-2141.

Macoupin County War Memorial

The Macoupin County War Memorial is a permanent reminder of county men and women who served in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Eight black, granite stones are etched with the names of the 630 county residents who served in all branches of the military.

The memorial was spearheaded by Martin Rogers, a Carlinville native and WWII veteran, and stands in the southeast corner of the Macoupin County Courthouse grounds. It was completed in 1966.

Beaver Dam State Park

Located 7 miles southwest of Carlinville in an Oak/Hickory woodland, Beaver Dam State Park offers a variety of recreational activities on its 750 acres. Among the most popular activities are fishing, picnicking, hiking, and tent and trailer camping. The combination of upland and bottomland woods, farmland, open fields, a lake and a marsh combine to provide habitat for many kinds of animals. A quiet walker may discover deer, fox, raccoons, grey squirrels, wild turkeys, hawks, owls and woodpeckers. White Squirrels, which are not albinos but rather a white-color phase of the grey squirrel, are periodically seen within the park boundaries. Some different types of songbirds which enrich the natural setting are bluebirds, orioles, finches, cardinals, titmice, nuthatches, chickadees, peewees, and cuckoos. Waterfowl and shorebirds are found seasonally in the park. Pileated woodpeckers are also commonly seen.

Historic Route 66

Cruise the Mother Road and get your kicks on the original Route 66! From 1926 through 1930, Route 66 followed State Road 4, the first fully paved highway in Illinois, and it stretched from Chicago to East St. Louis, passing through the heart of Carlinville. In 1927, Route 66 signs were posted across the eight states between Chicago and Santa Monica, California. However, even by 1930, Illinois and Kansas, with their 12-mile stretch of the famed road, were the only states which could boast of having a paved highway. During the '30's and '40's, the section of Route 66 between Springfield and Staunton was relocated twice.

Although Route 66 was decommissioned nationally in 1985 (due to the Interstate Highway System), its popularity and mystique never died. Ten years later, the Illinois Department fo Transportation officially recognized the Route 66 revival movement and posted historic markers along its length of the "Main Street of America." Visitors to Carlinville will find it easy to retrace the original Route 66 pathway.

Carlinville Lake and Campground

Carlinville Lake and Campground is located 3 miles from Carlinville, Illinois south off Route 4. The campground is located on Lake #1 and offers a lot for campers, fishermen, and boaters. It is open April 1- October 31. The campground has RV and tent sites, a playground, 2 shower houses, a beach, recreation equipment for children and more. Lake #2 is a fishing lake in a quiet serene setting. To request information for either lake or the campground, please contact the lake office at 217-854-8931 or 217-854-4076 and ask for the manager, Ron.