The original capital of Illinois was at Kaskaskia, 70 miles (110 km) southwest of present-day Walnut Hill.

The overland route from Kaskaskia to the interior of the state followed the Kaskaskia/[[Big Muddy River]] divide, which went through Walnut Hill.

Traces of the Kaskaskia/Vincennes road can be seen in several short stretches in northwestern Jefferson County, which point toward Walnut Hill, ignoring the surveyed Section boundaries.

The construction of the railroad tracks from Dix to Walnut Hill possibly obliterated much of the original Goshen road.

When the unfortunate traveler reached a remote spot, the gang members would assemble and relieve them of their property.

As in other frontier areas, neighboring settlers overlooked this activity until the Goings Gang escalated to murder in 1818–1819.

In response, the settlers organized a group of vigilantes or "rangers" who surprised the Goings Gang at Walnut Hill.

The tavern site of one of the reported gang members, Samuel Young of Marion County, was excavated by archaeologists working for the Illinois Department of Transportation in 1988 prior to its destruction by a highway project[4] Walnut Hill is located in southwestern Marion County.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Walnut Hill has a total area of 0.38 square miles (0.98 km2), all land.

[2] To the north of Walnut Hill is Raccoon Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Kaskaskia River.