Fulton County

Fulton County lies in west central Illinois with its southeastern border bounded for over thirty miles by the Illinois River. Spoon River flows for nearly forty miles southeast from London Mills at the northern boundary of Fulton County to the Illinois River near the crossing point of U.S. Highway 136. Much of Fulton County is farm country and timberland. The many areas of woods and water provide an abundance of outdoor activities including fishing, hunting, hiking, biking skiing, and water sports of all kinds. The land that is today's Fulton County was granted to the veterans of the War of 1812, beginning the county's ties to American history. Communities such as Canton and Farmington were part of the Civil War's Underground Railroad, and WWII's Camp Ellis was situated near Ipava.

One of the major attractions to Fulton County is the Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive, a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. And for the first two weekends of every October, they hold a fall festival which lures over 100,000 visitors to its antiques, crafts, and shopping. Fulton County is increasingly known for wildlife viewing and outdoor recreation, offering beautiful parks and great grounds for hunting and fishing. Nestled into all of the natural beauty of Fulton County are its many historical sites, found in nearly every town.

One of the outstanding historical sites of Fulton County is Dickson Mounds State Museum, a branch of the Illinois State Museum and a registered national historic site. Dickson Mounds is one of the major archaeological museums in the United States, and gives the visitor a unique opportunity to explore the world of the Illinois River Valley through 12,000 years of human experience.

Fulton county definitely features natural beauty and remarkable historical learning opportunities, but it's most valuable asset is the friendly communities.

The town of Lewistown achieved several " firsts " in the State of Illinois including the first American Legion Post, the first Volunteer Fire Protection District and Central Illinois's first newspaper, the Fulton Democrat. Lewistown offers a number of stores and shops to provide area residents and visitors shopping opportunities.

Fulton County's largest city, Canton, has a large variety of businesses that provide great shopping opportunities to residents and visitors. Canton boasts an excellent public park system with extensive recreational areas and large fishing lakes. Canton's newest features include a swimming pool and water park, along with a new teen and senior center. Canton can be reached by Route 78 and Route 9; and has several motels, a bed and breakfast, along with a campground at Lake Canton.