Introduction to Metropolis, Illinois
Located in Massac county, Metropolis, Illinois, is 86 miles SW of Evansville, Indiana (center to center) and 127 miles NW of Nashville, Tennessee.
Metropolis History
The city of Metropolis holds a seat on Massac county, which was formed in 1843 by the Illinois Legislature. The French were the first white settlers to arrive in Massac county in the late 1750s; they built the Fort De L'Ascension during their war with the Native Americans. Soon after, the French settlers rebuilt the fort and renamed it Massaic, after the French Minister of Marine. The fort was again destroyed by the Chickasaw tribes, and rebuilt under the supervision of General George Washington in 1794. It served as a military post for the next 20 years and in 1908 it was officially declared as Illinois' first state park. The present-day territory of Metropolis, situated about a mile west of the fort, was formed in 1839. Before the American Civil War, a proposal was laid to establish a western District of Columbia including the present-day territories of Metropolis and Kentucky. In response, the city was named Metropolis by its founders who envisaged it as a 'City of the West.'
Metropolis and nearby Attractions
- Fort Massac State Park
- Super Museum
- Metropolis Country Club
- Cache River State Natural Area
- Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site
Things To Do In Metropolis
Declared as the hometown of the comic book hero 'Superman' by Illinois State Legislature, the city hosts an annual Superman Celebration in June as well as holds The Super Museum and the Superman statue. The riverboat casino, known as the Harrah's Metropolis Casino, is also very popular. The closest golf course to the area is the Metropolis Country Club. The Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, which is a village built by Native Americans around 1100 AD, is also nearby.
Metropolis Transportation
Barkley Regional Airport is the closest airport to the city.
Metropolis Higher Education
Higher education is available at John A Logan College, Murray State University, and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Campus.