It was built, it is said, about the year 1716, at Cahokia, Illinois, and has served in various public capacities. At different periods it was employed for both civil and military purposes, and is recognized as the oldest county seat building (Saint Clair County, Illinois) in the original Northwest Territory.
The building is constructed of squared walnut logs, set on end in the early French manner of stockade construction, the logs being held together with wooden pins. Three flags, French, English and American, float from the flagstaff of the Old Cahokia Court House, daily.
Within the building are a number of photographs of the original documents which pertain to its interesting history.
The Japanese buildings, representing three periods of Japanese history, remain in their original site at the north end of Wooded Island, and near them is a tiny garden in formal Japanese style.
The United States Life Saving Station is near the lake shore and was one of the interesting government exhibitions, and has ever since been maintained as a regular life saving station.
La Rabida, at the south end of the park on the lake shore is an exact reproduction of an ancient Spanish convent, where Columbus was at one time sheltered and befriended, in the days before he was able to secure aid from the Spanish court.
"And an interesting reminder of Columbus can be seen in those three small caravels," said Mr. Ludlow. "Do you know their names? They are reproductions of the small craft that brought Columbus and his followers on their first voyage to the New World."
Dorothy, who had remembered reading an article on Columbus in a recent magazine, exclaimed joyfully, "I know, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria."
"Oh, I am hungry," said Alfy, suddenly, "I am most starved. What time is it, I wonder? I feel as if it were way past dinner time."
Mr. Ludlow consulted his watch and said, "It is just six forty-five."
"I guess we had better start back to the hotel, now," broke in Mrs. Calvert. "I am rather tired and hungry, too."
"We have seen quite a lot of the city and we can go into the shopping district and see that in the morning. There are some few things I would like to purchase," remarked Dorothy.