Best Museums to Explore Near Virden, Illinois

Virden is a vibrant town outside Springfield, Illinois, with many entertaining attractions. If you are looking for a fun way to spend the day, you can check out the various museums around Virden. These museums cover the area's history and how transportation transformed Illinois. They also highlight topics like the history of the military movements in Illinois and the beginning of the labor movement, including how it began right here in Virden. Here are four museums in and near Virden that are both educational and fun for visitors.

Virden Mine War Tour

The Virden Mine War Tour is a self-guided tour of an integral moment in the labor movement in the United States that took place on Route 66 in Virden, Illinois. At the end of the 19th century, the miners of Virden went on strike to improve their working conditions. In order to end the strike, the mine operators hired gun-wielding strikebreakers to intimidate the mine workers into returning to work. The altercation turned violent, but the strike remained unbroken. This heroic moment for the miners of Illinois was a turning point for the union-building movement in the United States.

During the tour, you can see the different locations around town and recount how the historic war broke out. It starts at the bas-relief at Virden's downtown square, which contains an overview of the conflict and the people involved. The tour takes you around the area to see the locations where key events took place. It ends in the public square, where the final confrontation happened.

The Mother Jones Museum organizes the Virden Mine War Tour. This organization focuses on amplifying the voices of laborers and educating people about the history of labor movements in the United States. If you are interested in learning more about the tour, you can read about it on the Mother Jones Museum website.

Corvair Museum

The Corvair Museum houses a number of Chevrolet Corvair cars, trucks, and memorabilia. The Corvair was a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet between 1960 and 1969. It is the only American-made passenger car with an air-cooled, rear-mounted engine. It was produced as a sedan, coupe, station wagon, passenger van, and commercial van. Later in its run, it was also produced in a pickup truck body. The unique design gained popularity in the U.S. because of its easy handling and ride quality. 

The Corvair Museum is located at 10041 Palm Road, also known as the historic Route 66. It is also part of the Route 66 Historic Traveler's Tour Guide, bringing in tourists who are fascinated with the history of the Corvair. The museum houses a variety of models and bodies in pristine condition, showcasing the style's aesthetic appeal while cementing its importance in the history of American automobiles and transportation. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday with other times available by appointment.

Chatham Railroad Museum

The Chatham Railroad Museum is a historical museum in Chatham, Illinois. It celebrates the history of the Alton and Sangamon Railroad, the first railroad through Chatham. The Illinois General Assembly chartered this railroad in 1847. It connected the Northern Cross, the major railroad in the state, with Springfield. The museum is housed in the station that was built in 1902, which replaced the earlier station that burned down.

The museum displays the services that were available at the train station. There is a timetable of the passenger trains that would move through Chatham in each direction. It also displays how Western Union Telegraph, a major communication channel at the time, and United States Express services were also available at the train station to help communicate and ship large goods throughout the state.

Today, you can catch an Amtrak train from the station after perusing the museum. The building is owned by the Village of Chatham and was restored in 1991 to preserve the station and house the museum for the benefit of the community. You can find the museum at 100 N. State St. in Chatham, Illinois. It is open every second and fourth Sunday of the month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., except on holidays. You can also view the museum at other times upon request by making an appointment.

Macoupin County Historical Society Museum

The Macoupin County Historical Society museum is located in a converted house that was once the home of Mrs. Jesse Claude Anderson Crawford, a wealthy citizen of the county. This is a beautiful Queen-Anne-style building with 16.5 surrounding acres. The Historical Society purchased it in 1973 to house its collection and hold meetings for the surrounding county. It took up a collection from the neighboring towns to restore the main house and rehabilitate the grounds.

Now, the home hosts the Historical Society's documents and functions as a museum celebrating and recounting the history of the house and the surrounding county. The Macoupin County Historical Society is dedicated to studying the history of the area and collecting the memorabilia of the county's previous inhabitants. The museum also includes a kitchen, barn, sawmill, schoolhouse, and country store, providing even more information about how people in Macoupin County used to live.

The Historical Society was able to transform the house into a modern museum and event space for local events like the Arts and Crafts Festival and Christmas Show. You can find the Historical Society Museum at 920 W. Breckenridge St. in Carlinville, Illinois. It is open on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sundays, by appointment only.

Virden, Illinois, has enough history and fun to fill your day with activities and family memories. If we left off your favorite museum or historical location in Virden or the surrounding area, reach out to our team and let us know what we missed. You can also stop by and see us at Freedom Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to check out our newest models from various manufacturers, including new and used cars with top safety features and consumer ratings.

"Monument to miners killed in the Virden Massacre" by IMLS Digital Collections & Content is licensed under CC BY 2.0