Editing Creal Springs, Illinois (section)

== History ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2010}}
In the early 19th century, [[Lusk's Ferry Road]] was an important road that connected [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Fort Kaskaskia]] with [[Lusk's Ferry, Illinois|Lusk's Ferry]] on the [[Ohio River]]. The original survey maps of Illinois show a short segment of this road south of Creal Springs, in [[Johnson County, Illinois|Johnson County]]. This old road most likely ran from [[Marion, Illinois|Marion]] through Creal Springs before ascending to the summit of the Shawnee Hills. The modern road running toward the southeast into Creal Springs may be the old road. The road leading south out of Creal Springs toward Lake of Egypt links into the Wagon Creek Road, which leads to the segment mapped in the original survey. Modern maps also show traces of an older road that ran south out of Creal Springs along a less direct line.

The route south out of Creal Springs lead to a difficult passage over the Shawnee Summit. There was an easier, though longer, zigzag route east to [[New Burnside, Illinois|New Burnside]], southwest along modern [[U.S. Highway 45]], and then back east to Reynoldsburg. Creal Springs may at one time have served as the junction of these alternative routes.

From 1884 to 1916, Creal Springs was the home of the [[Creal Springs Seminary]], later the Creal Springs College and Conservatory of Music, which provided education at the preparatory, baccalaureate and master's levels.