Thebes, IL

united states

Thebes perches on Mississippi River bluffs in southern Illinois, 15 miles north of Cairo via scenic Route 3. This tiny Alexander County town of 353 offers commanding views across the river into Missouri and Kentucky. Long-distance visitors reach it via I-57 to Cairo, then Route 3 north, or from Cape Girardeau via the Bill Emerson Bridge to Route 146 east. A historic 1905 railroad bridge still carries freight trains across the Mississippi here, one of the few rail crossings in this stretch of the river.