Carbondale was named by founder Daniel Harmon Brush, who had aspirations of developing coal mining operations in the region. By the time of the American Civil War, the area had been incorporated as a village. After the war it developed into a center of business and transportation for the region. On April 29, 1866, one of the first formal Memorial Day observations was held at the city's Woodlawn Cemetery, with local resident, General John A. Logan, giving the principal address. Southern Illinois Normal University, a major factor in Carbondale's economy, which later became known as Southern Illinois University CarbondaleSouthern Illinois University (SIU), was founded in Carbondale in 1869. Originally a sleepy teachers' college, it now bustles with more than 21,000 students. The city is in an area of the state known as Little Egypt (region)Little Egypt. On November 8, 1969 Carbondale was the site of a concert given by Simon and Garfunkel. Recordings of at least some of the tracks from this concert have been widely bootlegged, most notably Head Records' CD "Village Vanguard," tracks 4-11. A main site of interest for decades has been the stretch of Illinois Avenue near the SIU campus known as "The Strip." The Strip has an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, and bars that cater to both the local and SIU student population. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbondale%2C_Illinois