Martinsville, IL

Martinsville is a Clark County city in east-central Illinois, with its older map tied to the National Road, the York Trail, and the former Vandalia Rail Line. The Chancellor House, built in the late nineteenth century, is the oldest existing house in town and sits near those historic routes. Clark County places Martinsville among the region's recognized historic sites, giving the city a clear connection to the transportation corridors that carried people and goods across Illinois.

ATTRJud McCranie / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Martinsville Agricultural Fair has been part of the calendar since 1897 and is known for displaying the world's largest horseshoe. Veterans Memorial Park adds a central gathering place, while the Ridgelawn biking and hiking trail follows the east edge of the city. City Hall, Main Street businesses, fairgrounds, and neighborhood streets fit together in a compact Clark County setting. Martinsville's story is carried by the routes that passed through it and the local traditions that grew around them, from an old house near the National Road to a fair that has lasted for generations.