What a cool place with a neat backstory. Unfortunately we missed being able to get inside the home…read moreby about 30 minutes but enjoyed exploring the picturesque grounds regardless. It is sad to see the building falling apart in places, it is definitely in need of restoration. Still, the place is in a gorgeous setting with massive trees that make it truly peaceful. Bathrooms on site were open even when the home was not and were clean. There are plenty of videos on YouTube and history to be found online. I found a cool tie in to my personal family history. Apparently the builder of this unique home, Fred Francis, had a run in with my great grandfather and great uncle who were hunting on his property. Francis, being a naturalist and vegetarian disliked hunting and chased the two off his property. My uncle recounted the story to us and we walked the grounds. A neat place with an amazing story. Check it out here: http://www.cityofkewanee.com/document_center/FrancisParkBrochure.pdf

Don't miss an opportunity to tour the Woodland Palace. It was built by a recluse named Fred Francis…read morewho was way ahead of his time. He transported the bricks with a bicycle. It has the equivalent of air conditioning by underground tunnels. The doors opened and closed automatically. There is quite a story around this place, tours are cheap, and the inventions are fascinating. The house can be toured in 20 minutes. The surrounding park has plenty of camping spaces and hiking trails.

The Orpheum is an amazing Vaudeville-era theatre. It's really the jewel of Galesburg. I highly…read morerecommend stopping in for a show if you are in town. There are several nice places to grab dinner before or afterwards within walking distance, including the Landmark and Chez Willy's.

From the owner: MISSION: The Orpheum Theatre contributes to the region's quality of life by providing quality…read moreentertainment & education programs and serves as a civic gathering place and tourism partner for Galesburg and its surrounding communities.

Best theater in town. Comfortable seats, all stadium…read moreseating. Kid friendly without the riftraf. Popcorn refills $.50, free drink refills.

Went here because the prices are cheap! I reserved two tickets online but then had to cancel it the…read moresame day. The person I emailed was friendly and allowed me to reschedule it for free. I just had to give another time and day and it was that easy. The staff there showed me to the movie room. The bathrooms are clean. The room was clean.

We had time to kill and took a drive up the Great River Road from the quad cities. We decided to…read moreexperience De Immigrant and what a treat. We didn't realize that there would be a guided tour with staff passionate and knowledgeable about their craft and history. We learned all about the process of adding a windmill to the community, how they actually work it, and what challenges they can face. What fun! The fact that they actually sell their product(s) for a very reasonable price across the street was neat to find out. We got home with some bran and flour. Looking forward to using it. We may have to sneak back by the local meat market for more as they'll be closing down sales at the gift shop for Winter.

I was looking foreword to exploring this cool windmill which was closed when I went, its seasonal…read moreand I should checked first but I was in the area anyway so not a big deal. This is an authentic working Dutch windmill and you can buy the finished products at the gift shop so you can take home some stone ground goodness and how cool is that, just go when there open.

This is an historical marker in Ware Illinois in Union County and is part of the Lewis & Clark…read moreexpedition that was lead by Sacagawea. There's many historical markers in the near traveling areas that you'll want to see especially if you're a history buff.

We were only to drive by and walk around the home as it was already closed to visitors…read more Located in the small town of Dixon Illinois,the home looks beautiful. Open April thru December , Thursday -Sunday from 10am-3pm. Admission is free and the tour takes about an hour. A small donation tho is suggested. Street parking is available. Location...816 S. Hennepin Ave.

Located in a quiet community near downtown Dixon, Illinois, is Ronald Reagan's boyhood at home…read more A modest home in a modest neighborhood has off street parking for visitors, making access easy. A visitor center is located in a separate house from the original home. Informative Plex located throughout the ground along with a life-size statue makes for a nice visit and great opportunity stretch your legs before you get on the road again. Located about 10 minutes away from the John Deere historic site