Illinois is well-known for having an abundance of history hiding in plain sight (ever heard of Abraham Lincoln?). When you think of the front-line horrors of the Civil War, however, not many people think of Illinois being a part of the tension. So you might not have known that one of the deadliest Confederate prison camps was located in northern Illinois, right in Chicago. Camp Douglas in Illinois was one of the largest confederate prison camps in America, but it remains a semi-forgotten piece of Illinois history.  The conditions were deplorable, yet despite it being such a tragic place, hardly anyone knows about this vital piece of Civil War history.

For the people of Illinois joining to fight on behalf of the Union cause, Camp Douglas was their first stop during the Civil War - a training ground.

But it served a dual purpose.

Pictured here are members of the 71st New York Infantry in 1861.

Camp Douglas became a prisoner of war camp in 1862, named after Stephen A. Douglas who provided the land. It was quickly adapted to serve as a prison for rebel soldiers captured by Ulysses S. Grant. Inmate counts fluctuated, although for a time it was the largest military prison in the North. By the end of the war, over 26,000 men had been incarcerated there.

It was so crowded and filthy, full of disease and death that it gained the nickname "80 Acres of Hell." Lack of medical attention and food led many prisoners to a slow, painful death. Most ended up dying from scurvy and smallpox. In all, the death toll was around 2,235 prisoners. But that estimate is probably about 1,000 people too low - some even place the death toll at over 4,000.

In 1892, a Chicago veterans group, the United Confederate Veterans of Chicago (UCV), appealed for funds to build a monument in Oak Woods Cemetery where almost all of the deceased Confederate soldiers were reinterred from City Cemetery and the cemetery near Camp Douglas.

In this process, an additional 1,500 bodies were recovered, placing the Camp Douglas death count at close to 6,000 men.

Today, the Camp Douglas State Historic Site site on Martin Luther King Drive as a sobering reminder of this period of American history, open seasonally for educational tours.

Many folks, even locals, have never heard of Camp Douglas in Illinois, but this POW camp is certainly a heartbreaking piece of history. To learn more, definitely pay a visit to both the Confederate Mound and the State Historic Site.

Do you know of any other unique historic sites in Illinois?

If you're curious about eerie or weird things that have happened in Illinois, including ghost stories, and paranormal legends, note that this cemetery is not rumored to be haunted. However, Illinois has plenty of spots that are!

But while you're out and about, don't skip exploring the heart of Chicago, as well. Illinois' glittering metropolis isn't just home to fantastic dining and nightlife - it also has some pretty sweet spots to get away from it all too!