Visitors Guide to Cobden
Union County, Illinois

Wineries abound in the Cobden area of Southern Illinois

Cobden is a village named after British politician and free-trade advocate Richard Cobden, who visited the town in 1859. Cobden originated as the farming community of South Pass and was known for its apples and peaches. The Illinois Central Railroad still runs through the center of downtown, but once was Cobden's focal point. Cobden's innovative and industrious growers developed packing crates and techniques that kept fruit fresh and unmolested on the trips to eastern and northern markets. A packaging industry thrived here for decades, and local orchards still thrive in the area. Cobden celebrates its agricultural heritage by hosting an annual fall Peach Festival. Today Cobden is located right on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and is a diverse community with growers, vineyards, artists, musicians, and shopkeepers leading the old town into a rebirth.