Small Town America and Nature Walking Tour
Small Town American and Nature Walking Tour
Welcome to Stark County, where you will find unique communities with something exclusive to offer! Filled with rich history, tasty cuisine and comfortable accommodations, who wouldn't want to visit?
DAY ONE
Begin your adventure in Stark County by visiting the historic Wyoming Depot and Rock Island Trail. Noted in the National Register of Historic Places, The Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Depot in Wyoming, IL is newly restored and serves as a visitor center for the trail and railroad museum. Travel back in time as passengers did just 100 years ago!
After the Depot, enjoy shopping at the Pin Cushion and Windmill Antique Shop, where you will find vintage items of all sorts. Also, visit a hardware and drug store that is as old-fashioned as it gets! Just need to buy one bolt or nail, you can get it here!
Next, take a walking tour of uninterrupted nature and cross a trestle bridge on the Rock Island Trail. Running from Wyoming to Toulon, the Rock Island Trail was acquired by the Department of Conservation in 1965 and was dedicated to this abandoned railway corridor conversion in 1989.
Time to take a break! Check into AmericInn, where you will feel right at home in Small Town America!
For dinner, enjoy German cuisine at the famous Kaiserhof German Restaurant in Bradford, IL. Order from a variety of German-American cuisine, relax and appreciate the German art and music that surrounds you.
Want more unique small town shopping? Stop by the Bradford Xchange, the Spoon River Antique Shop, and Stark County Creations located in the Bradford Pharmacy. Gifts or souvenirs for any occasion are at your fingertips!
Return to the AmericInn for a night of restful sleep.
Day Two
Start your day at the Indian Creek Vineyard in Toulon, a destination that will bring a new meaning of relaxation for you. Located along what was once called “Old Main”, the only connection between Toulon and Kewanee, it is said that Abraham Lincoln stopped to rest in the upper room of the home, now called the Chateau Bed and Breakfast. Another tidbit of history in regards to this farmland, the last settlement of the Potawatomie’s in Stark County is located here!
Enjoy the picturesque view while sipping fine Illinois wine and eating a catered, home-cooked meal served in the Indian Creek Pavilion. Don’t forget to take home a bottle of your favorite wine from the shop in the Old Red Barn!
Are you ready for one last stop? Located in the village of Toulon you will tour the Stark County Historical Society and Dr. Thomas Hall’s Historic Office. This historic location is where Lincoln is said to have a tooth removed! Want more Lincoln history? Visit the courthouse famous for the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
Please enjoy refreshments and snacks at the Bistro Italian Restaurant and News Room before you leave!
If you are ready for Small Town America, please contact Dede Rice to begin your adventure!
Dede Rice
University of Illinois Extension
Community and Economic Development, Program Coordinator
Stark County Economic Development
115 S. Franklin
Toulon, IL 61483
Phone: (309) 286-6200
Email: ddrice@uiuc.edu
