#Gates50States

We took Illinois in two bites on our #Gates50States adventure, visiting Springfield on our way to Missouri, then Galena, Moline, Peoria and a couple of State Parks on the way back home from Iowa.  Chicago can come another day, and most non-Illini’s experience of Illinois is Chicago, sooooo…… if you’ve come to learn anything about the way we like to travel and experience our fine country, off-the-beaten-path is a preference and checking out some of the less trendy items is appealing.

We’ve admired Abraham Lincoln, and we couldn’t take in Illinois without taking in Lincoln.  We prioritized the Lincoln Museum in Springfield from the get-go, and the interpretive displays, the art, the visual communication, it was all top-notch.  The kids received an activity sheet to complete as we moved through the rooms and displays, keeping them engaged during the process.  Our 8-year-olds kept up with this decently well; our 11-year-old secretly enjoyed the activity.  🙂

Illinois can’t lay claim to U.S. Grant’s birthplace, but he made his home in Galena, and the folks at the museum have beautifully restored his home, and we’re pretty sure Galena is one of the most quaint and well-presented little towns in America.  The citizens of Galena ought to be very, very proud of how they showcase their community.

I was in the middle of reading Chernow’s biography of Grant as we arrived.  To see some of the history that corresponds with what I’d read was really cool.  Not only ought the residents be proud of their town, but the folks who run the home and present Grant’s history ought to be very, very proud.

There was some informational overlap between the John Deere Motor and Tractor Museum, in Waterloo, Iowa, but the John Deere Pavilion is quite the different place, with more of a showroom and hands-on feel and less of a museum feel.  If your kid is a Deere enthusiast, do not miss the Pavilion.

As has become usual on our trips, sometimes we find things to do that weren’t on our original agenda.  Very often, too, these turn out to be really neat adventures and experiences.  As we considered budgeting our time in Illinois (after we’d already arrived), we became aware of the Caterpillar Visitors Center in Peoria.  Our family has been more in tune with John Deere through the years, but we were interested to learn what Caterpillar means to the region and they’ve done a wonderful job showcasing their brand and equipment at the Visitors Center with many good displays of their history and hands-on, interactive exhibits.  The sheer size and scope of Caterpillar equipment defies imagination, and the pinnacle of construction equipment engineering has got to be the Caterpillar offices.  Check out the photo above of the back of the mining “truck.”  Henry and Lydia are standing beside the tires.  That’s a real thing!  How amazing are the folks who designed that!

The Gateses are hikers, and from what we’d read, Starved Rock State Park and Matthiessen State Park are two of the prettiest places in the state of Illinois to hike.  The waterfalls weren’t flowing much given the time of year, but beauty was still on display.

Another neat find of this trip was our proximity to and therefore easy access to experience the Illinois and Michigan Canal in LaSalle… just across the street from the very nice, big apartment Jenn found for us in “downtown LaSalle.”

We’re familiar with the Ohio and Erie Canal as we pass this on the way to take our kids to school each day.  And we experienced the Augusta Canal during our time in Georgia.  The I&M canal was vital in delivering goods and mail between Chicago and the South, and we got to ride a real canal boat, pulled by a friendly mule, no less, and listen to the real life history of the area.  Very cool!

Our HomeAway homeowner, for some reason unknown to us, had confused her dates. She was aware that we were renting her place on the appropriate date, and we arrived on that appropriate date, but she was not clear in her mind that the particular day was the appropriate date. As a result, we waited outside the place for a good two hours trying to get in contact with her. From our family to yours, when you’re utilizing HomeAway or Airbnb, which we highly recommend, maintain good contact with the homeowner so you can be sure you’ll gain entry when you need. As most of these homes have keypads for entry, it’s no big deal. Our place in LaSalle, however, required a key, and apparently the only option for us was to meet the homeowner at the location. And we nearly got burned. Hopefully our little tale here will help prevent trouble for you in the future.

Our #Gates50States adventure in a big chunk of the American heartland came to a close, and while we drove through Indiana on our way home, we’re saving Indiana for another time.