We wound up spending a couple hours just walking around campus when we first got to town and found it to be one of the neater ones we've been to, especially the older section. It has the most impressive structures. Altgeld Hall is the oldest surviving building on campus. The Gothic Revival building was built in 1896 and resembles an English castle. We were also impressed with Wheeler Hall, which was built in 1903 and originally served as the university’s library.
Things to do
This museum has something for everybody; literally. There's art displays, miniature dioramas of Southern Illinois living, an expansive geology collection along with tons of area history. And that's only half of it. I enjoyed the photograph collection the most. We spent a couple hours here, but could have easily been there longer than that. Best of all, the place is free.
This house is perhaps the most interesting draw to Carbondale, if not for its historical and architectural significance, but for the crazy story behind it. In 1928, the home's residents, former mayor J.C. Hundley and his wife were brutally murdered in the home by an unknown assailant. The only suspect in the case died two years after the murders. The home is reportedly haunted these days. It's a private residence that's not always open to the public, but there's a gift shop on the property.
