Anna offers small-town living in Southern Illinois
Anna is a regional hub city east of the Mississippi River in Union County, Southern Illinois. It's home to a number of businesses, manufacturing facilities, as well as local shops and eateries along the city’s main roads. Homebuyers can also find historical houses and starter homes, as well as a public park and schools within the community, all of which make it a self-sufficient city for small-town living. “Anna is a really old community,” says Alec Childers, broker at House 2 Home Realty and native of Southern Illinois. “There's a church from 1886, and a memorial library built in 1913, and the county fair is over 100 years old. Another thing that comes to mind is the local wineries. It’s a popular thing for people in the region.” Nearby recreational attractions include the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, the Shawnee National Forest and the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Site.
Historic and newer homes in Anna’s neighborhoods
The city largely follows a grid layout, with some gently curved streets and residential cul-de-sacs on the edges of town leading to the region’s rolling hills and sloped terrain. Properties are a mix of Queen Annes, Colonial Revivals, Craftsman bungalows and ranch-style homes built from the 1800s to the late 1900s. “Places outside of Williamson County in Southern Illinois are very affordable,” Childers says. “And there are some very affordable older Victorian-style homes in Anna.” Single-family houses are typically from $50,000 to $200,000, with fixer-uppers going between $15,000 and $30,000. Historical mansions and larger homes are around $300,000 and can top $360,000. With mature trees as backdrops, houses are separated by green setbacks and open lawns, and streets closer to the city center often have sidewalks. Multifamily units can go between $160,000 and $230,000.
Local businesses along Route 146 and Main Street
Restaurants and businesses are concentrated along the state Route 146 corridor. Dinner Bell Too serves breakfast classics and comfort food. Popular coffee shops and stores include Annabelle Market and Kiki’s Coffee House. Main Street also has a pocket of dining options, including the Chinese place King’s Wok and Sinisi’s On Main, which has burgers and wraps. Walmart and Dollar General cover daily essentials, and grocery options include Kroger and Farmstead Market. Popular wineries like Owl Creek Vineyard and StarView Vineyards are about 10 miles away, offering wine tastings, local eats and events like live music nights.
Outdoor recreational opportunities in Anna
The 48-acre Anna City Park has ball fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, a fishing pond and facilities for tennis, pickleball and basketball. The park also has an amphitheater and is home to community events like the Union County Fair. Children can play at the all-inclusive Hadley’s Haven Playground, and the public swimming pool is open from June to August. The 18-hole course at Union County Country Club is open to the public. Outside of town, there are several national and state parks within a short drive, including the Shawnee National Forest and the Brown Barrens Nature Preserve.
Anna has its own school districts
Anna Community Consolidated School District 37 serves the city. Lincoln School serves students from prekindergarten through second grade. Davie School covers third and fourth grades, and shares a campus with Anna Junior High, which teaches grades five to eight. Davie Elementary and Anna Junior High School rate a C and a C-plus grade from Niche, respectively, and Lincoln School does not have a Niche rating. With its own school district, Anna-Jonesboro Community High School District No. 81, Anna-Jonesboro Community High School earns a C-plus. Anna-Jonesboro High offers many sports teams, including baseball, bowling, basketball, football, golf and wrestling.
Events and festivals in Anna
Held each June, the Annabelle Festival has a pop-up market with local vendors, activities for children, live music, a pageant and a car show. Other events include the Colorfest, the community’s fall festival in October, and Christmas in Downtown Anna, which has races, ice skating, a craft fair and carriage rides.
Distance to Marion and Carbondale
U.S. Route 51 and state Route 146 intersect in Anna. Marion is about 30 miles away, and Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion offers direct flights to and from Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport. There are several health clinics in the community, and SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale is about 20 miles north.
