THe northern region
Besides Chicago, this Northern region has the cities of Rockford and Galena. These cities are full of historic sites and museums. This region is also where the beautiful Starved Rock State Park is located with miles of trails with canyons and waterfalls. This area was one of the first areas settled in the state and there are historic forts and museums that show how Illinois looked like before Chicago was the biggest city.
Read the sites descriptions below and choose one that is Historic, or Nature, or Other, and then read the website and take notes focusing on information that a person visiting would want to know - where it is, what you see or do there and what makes it special.
Nature
- Starved Rock State Park - Utica, Illinois. With 18 canyons, waterfalls and high bluffs, this park has every outdoor activity, boating, fishing, horseback riding, hiking and find out the great historic legend of Starved Rock.
- Anderson Japanese Garden - Rockford, Illinois. Many acres of Japanese gardens with waterfalls, ponds, rock formations, paths, bridges, pagodas, restaurant and shop.
History
- Ulysses S. Grant State Historic Home - Galena, Illinois. Guided tour of Grant home and neighborhood with details of his time as a General and President.
- Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home - Dixon, Illinois. View and learn about the community and home where President Reagan grew up, went to school and played football.
- Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois. Largest railway museum in the country with over 300 pieces of equipment including cable cars and electric trolleys from Chicago, steam locomotives, passenger and baggage cars and freight cars.
- Chaplin Creek Village - Franklin Grove, Illinois. An authentic restored prairie settlement with cabins, school house, jail, barn and stores.
- Stage Coach Trails Livery - Apple River, Illinois. Ride in a real concord stagecoach, or a covered wagon, hay rides or sleigh rides on some of the original stagecoach trails.
- Apple River Fort State Historic Site - Elizabeth, Illinois. Reconstructed fort is the site of an important battle of the Black Hawk War that included participation by a young Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.
- Black Hawk Statue - Byron, Illinois. 50 foot, 100 ton statue, 2nd largest in America, is dedicated to Native Americans in park with trails, picnicking and camping.
Fun
- Fever River Model Railroad - Freeport, Illinois. Large and detailed scale model of a railroad running from Duluth, Minnesota to St Louis, Missouri.
- Richard's Worlds Largest Corn Maze - Spring Grove, Illinois. The 2009 maze has 10 miles of trails making up a picture of Abe Lincoln and an observation tower to see it.
- Burpee Museum - Rockford, Illinois. At this museum you can meet "Jane", one of the most important dinosaur discoveries in 100 years.