Please Don't Quote Me By Caralee Aschenbrenner PART II— Continuing is the “travel suggestion” for Northwest Illinois, the place we live. It doesn’t cover everyplace, the big cities but is for easily seen, singular places from our past, landmarks, perhaps the unusual from one another and for the most part, cost nothing or very little. It’s a good guide to teaching your children and yourself a bit about the neighborhoods around you which couldn’t hurt!! It is semi-alphabetized, not in map order ... Learn to read a map. It’s fascinating, too.

PALISADES STATE PARK, Savanna ... The bluffs along the river are interesting, winter or summer ... Steep roads wind around the hills, plenty of picnicking can take place. The view from LOOKOUT POINT and others is a must ... Barges hauling all sorts of products go up and down, sometimes a “steamboat” carrying excursionists can be seen. That trip is sure great; try it for a “staycation.” Springtime at the Palisades is a treat for the wildflowers ... Bluebell glen, spring beauty, shooting star hillsides, trillium, lots more. The trails may be a little rugged but take your time.

POLO spreads attractively across the landscape. Its assets drew the early day entrepreneur as a site for a stage stop on the Peoria-Galena trail at Buffalo Grove just to the west (Buffalo bones were heaped on the prairie from a winter kill in the late 1700s, thus the name). The IC railroad inspired the depot just as it increased population down the tracks at Amboy where a depot became a museum. Lincoln was a friend of Zenas Aplinton who is given tribute in their museum. A Revolutionary War veteran is buried in the Buffalo Grove cemetery. PRINCETON’S logo is the old covered bridge to its north, and now has a new version on the west side, most pricey per square foot than any other bridge in Illinois! Its lovely old houses on its brick streets attest to its prestige. The Owen Lovejoy residence was a stop on the Underground Railroad, a key depot. Elijah Lovejoy, Owen’s brother, was martyred in the cause of abolition. A museum with some great pieces of furniture and the “hidey hole” where the runaways were hidden can be seen.

PROPHETSTOWN is perhaps the oldest town site in the area ... It was an Indian village long before the white man poked his way westward ... The Prophet was an important Native American during the time of the Black Hawk War and before. The Eureka Inn, a restaurant was built in the 1840s to the west in Portland but was moved here, yes, moved.

PECATONICA has much going on including its own amateur theatrical troupe. The Playhouse has struggled through thick and thin but has so much enthusiasm it’s catching. Its theater has been transformed from the town’s former feed mill/elevator.

ORANGEVILLE has been doing many interesting things these past years including the emergence of a theatrical group, too, the Mighty Richland Players, who stage clever plays, some original, excellent acts from the arts and humanities councils of the state, dinner theater and other special evens not done elsewhere. Events are held at the town’s quaint, original Masonic Hall, a “clabbard” building at the edge of the commercial district.

OREGON, because of its water power was a “factory town” as well as the county seat of Ogle. Some “factories” remain, one as a mall but a foundry is a thriving place, casting statuary and such pieces for all over America, some of which you’d recognize. Oregon has its own statuary trail due to the numbers of them in town. One is A. Lincoln a the south edge.

R stands for lots of things in the Northwest ... Such as rivers, streams, creeks which was a major reason for settlement here, that and the rich prairie. Mississippi River is a fluid exclamation point, our side door, so to speak. People come from all over the nation (and world) to dip their toe or fingers in its water, so famous is it. Do we take for granted? Yes! It is a most significant feature of our country. Rock River, Illinois River and more were assets at the settlement of the Northwest.

RAILROADS, several of which slice through out region, the earliest changing history, the later ones, too. We need to appreciate what they still do for the progress, development of the nation.

ROUTE 78 begins up in Wisconsin and cut through the Northwest down to southwest Illinois ... It’s an interesting highway all the way ... A diversity of landscape!

SAVANNA was a fueling station, ven settled by wood cutters at the early day. Stacks and stacks of wood identified the landing for steamboats which stocked it for lowering the busy trafficking. It is the oldest town in Carroll County, 1828 and has a diverse history ... Landing, railroad yards, federal ammunition depot and more. The ammunition depot is now in development. Their recently formed historical society has its work cut out covering all that but they are up to it. More than a hundred mannequins dressed in Civil War uniforms are a feature, as well as a miniature replica of the rail yards. Palisades State Park is at the north edge of the town, already an entry for Wonders of Illinois! A view from Lookout Point (see photos) is a must.

SABULA, IOWA is now an Island city surrounded by the Mississippi and a couple lakes. Pelicans visit here regularly in summers and water bird nests are skyscrapers in the high trees. Eagles are a winter sight. The town has a rich history in river trades.

SHANNON sets on the prairie for which the state’s alias is named. Its former water tower, masonry, has had to be retired but is worth a glimpse.

STILLMAN VALLEY has a Black Hawk War monument, too. It commemorates a battle, Stillman’s Run, in that somewhat sad conflict in 1832.

STERLING-ROCK FALLS, the twin cities of our neck of the woods, each with a rich, colorful background and an energetic present as they pull themselves up after the closing of several big-time manufacturers having closed down. They’ve worked at positive projects that spell out their assets ... People things. A new walking bridge joins the two towns over the Rock River. At Rock Fall’s end it is near the Hennepin Feeder Canal that joins the I-M Canal once to have been the wave of the future for transporting produce and goods but then the automobile stamped that out. The canals remain as one long parkway for fishing, canoeing, walking and biking. Down Route 40 near Sheffield there is an information center with a miniature of a lock system. Picnic areas dot the way also and some of the lock masters houses are still extant. Sterling’s restoration of its downtown commercial district is on-going as is its Mural Project with more than a dozen building-sides painted throughout, each a colorful representation of some event in its past. Exciting. Postcards are available at the C of C, complete restoration of a house Lincoln slept in is on-going, etc.

STAGECOACH TRAIL cuts across the top of the state here and is promoted by the towns there as a scenic drive and with a festival in the autumn. A portion of it begins at Lena’s downtown to lead westward to Galena ... Along ridge tops, up and down sweeping hills. Imagine doing that in a Springless stagecoach. The trail is well-marked the small villages on the way are individualistic. Stop by, drive around.

STOCKTON’S reputation was once based on manufacturing and dairy, agricultural. It has a certain stateliness. Heard of Kraft Cheese products? It was here.

TAMPICO at one time had a railroad running right up its main street, a local the HYT (Hoopole, Yorkville, Tampico). It was to be the path to the future until the ladies decided the soot from the engine’s smokestacks stained the laundry on the clotheslines and the whistle’s hoot wakened napping babies. It was too much. It was moved. Go, ladies! Above the former bank on main was the birthplace of president Ronald Reagan. Volunteers have worked devotedly to restore the apartment to the era with a museum to give tribute to him. There are several places in the area to make a “Reagan Trail” and events to commemorate his connection to the Northwest.

WARREN’s curving main street mixes up my sense of direction but is a segment of the Stagecoach Trail passes through the town. Only one claim to fame is that it had the nation’s first woman mayor in the early part of the twentieth century.

WINSLOW can point out its mast famous citizen in the name of “Doc” Carver, one time the nation’s most prolific sharpshooter and a Wild West Show partner of Buffalo Bill Cody. The little park where an artesian well pumps constantly is truly a wonder of the Northwest. Signs lead you. Cream cheese was also developed here. The town’s museum has other unique displays.

WOODBINE is a tiny place but several businesses give it hustle. It has the prettiest name of any place in the Northwest!!!

The Northwest. We all know it has many wonders, many unlisted, and is a best part of the state. People here are friendly, generous, creative, practical but just don’t have to brag.

WE know we have a lot going for us. There’s everything from sand prairie and cacti to Arctic primrose, variety of cultures, good cooks, the Mississippi, palisades and prairie. Take time to look around and appreciate. Remember, we’re the Home of the Free because of the Brave! Those endless rows of corn and soybeans, herds of cattle and hogs are our wealth. Be thankful and look upward. Besides all the green landscapes there are acres of sky!