Southern Illinois Southern Illinois Southern Illinois (also known as "Little Egypt") is the southern third of the state of Illinois. The southern part of Illinois has a unique cultural and regional history. Part of downstate Illinois, the Southern Illinois region is bordered by the two most voluminous rivers in the United States: the Mississippi River and its connecting Missouri River to the west, and the Ohio River to the east and south with the Wabash as tributary. Southern Illinois' most populated city is Belleville at 44,478. Other principal cities include Alton, Centralia, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Effingham, O'Fallon, Harrisburg, Herrin, Mt. Vernon, Marion, and
Indian Creek (Fox River tributary) County. A lake and State Recreation Area named for Chief Shabbona, is located in the community of Shabbona, which was also named for the Indian chief. Paw Paw Creek is a short tributary of Indian Creek that runs in a southeasterly direction near Paw Paw, Illinois. Indian Creek (Fox River tributary) Indian Creek, also known as Big Indian Creek, is a tributary of the Fox River in Lee, LaSalle, and DeKalb counties in Illinois. Indian Creek rises north of Paw Paw, Illinois, near Shabbona Grove and joins the Fox River near Wedron. The stream meanders across parts of Lee, LaSalle