Illinois Salines

Illinois Salines is a natural brine spring located in Gallatin County along the Saline River valley. The underground salt-water sources created substantial deposits that attracted human settlement and resource extraction over centuries.

After European settlement, these springs became Illinois' first major commercial salt production center. Production continued until competition from West Virginia salt mines made the operation economically unviable in the late 1800s.

Indigenous peoples valued these springs as a reliable salt source and left behind pottery evidence of their presence across different time periods. The ceramics found here show how various groups adapted their manufacturing practices to this specific place.

The site sits roughly half a mile west of the Saline River bridge along Illinois Route 13 in the valley. Best conditions for visiting occur during drier months when the terrain is more stable for walking.

Large ceramic vessels bearing basket impressions provide clues about how workers evaporated brine to extract salt. These manufacturing methods disappeared from the region once commercial production ended.