State of Illinois
06/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/18/2026 09:43
Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site to host Bastille Day open house
SPRINGFIELD - Visitors can enjoy a rare opportunity to tour the oldest brick building in Illinois and celebrate the state's French heritage during a special Bastille Day open house at the Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 11.
The open house will commemorate Bastille Day in remembrance of the July 14, 1789, storming of the Bastille, a military fortress and political prison in Paris that became a symbol of the French Revolution.
The event also will recognize the legacy of the Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolution whose efforts helped secure French support for the United States during its fight for independence. Lafayette was celebrated throughout the nation when he returned to the United States in 1824. His visit inspired pride among French Americans living in Cahokia and other communities with strong French roots.
The mansion was built in 1810 by Nicholas Jarrot, a refugee of the French Revolution. Jarrot, a prominent landowner and businessman in the region, constructed an imposing Federal-style mansion that stood in sharp contrast to the French-influenced timber homes common in the area at the time. More than 200 years later, much of the home's interior remains remarkably intact and the mansion stands as one of Illinois' most significant historic structures.
The Jarrot Mansion State Historic Site is located near the intersection of Illinois Route 3 and Illinois Route 157 in Cahokia. The mansion and the nearby Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site are managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and supported by volunteers of the Jarrot Mansion Project.
About IDNR
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources was established in 1925 as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes. Today, IDNR's work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov and follow us on Facebook , YouTube and LinkedIn .
State of Illinois published this content on June 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 18, 2026 at 15:43 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]