Rosiclare, Illinois

On my last cross-country work-related drive there was time allowable for a side trip down to Rosiclare, Illinois, a small town on the Ohio River.  Even though the winter afternoon sunset wasn’t colorful, it’s a scenic location regardless.

Town

Rosiclare is a clean, small town that’s right on the Ohio River.  Literally right on the river.  The town’s levy has a painted line indicating the high water mark from the flooding in 2011.

The city park has on display the cable wheels from a historic mine that once operated nearby.

Just west of Rosiclare, on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River, is the San Damiano Retreat Center.  This religious facility is privately owned, but is is open to the public.  San Damiano appears to be set up and developed for hosting large numbers of visitors, but I saw no one else on the property during my after-sunset visit.  In addition to a conference center and religious shrine (a large statue of Jesus), the property is also home to a beautiful overlook of the Ohio River and working coal barges below, and a Civil War cemetery.  It was too dark to walk the forest trail to the cemetery, but I did enjoy the overlook for a few minutes.