Everything Towanda is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Towanda.
19 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Imagine a tiny village built just for kids – that's what you're near. The Children's Village was part of the Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School, a place for kids whose parents, mostly fathers, served in…
Pull over for a sec, because this old DC-3 has some serious stories to tell. It's more than just a vintage airplane; it's a veteran of World War II. Originally built as a C-47 Skytrain for the United States Army Air…
This unassuming spot in Normal, Illinois, was once a beacon of hope during a deadly epidemic. Fairview Sanatorium opened in 1915 to treat patients suffering from tuberculosis, a widespread and devastating disease at the…
Pull over for a minute and take a look at the Normal Theater, a true survivor in the heart of Normal! It's more than just a place to catch a movie; it's a symbol of community pride and a testament to the power of…
Check out that castle! Believe it or not, it's part of Illinois State University. It's Cook Hall, named for a former university president. Back in the 1890s, Governor John Peter Altgeld championed new buildings for…
Imagine being transported back to the early 20th century as you approach this grand estate. This is Broadview Mansion, also known as the VanLeer Mansion. Built in 1906, the twenty-two room Edwardian-style mansion was…
Ever wonder where Supreme Court justices hung their hats after a long day of shaping American law? Here's your chance to see! The David Davis Mansion, or Clover Lawn as it was known, was home to David Davis, a Supreme…
Step back in time as you approach Franklin Square, a neighborhood that once housed some of Illinois' most influential figures. Adlai Stevenson I, Vice President under Grover Cleveland, called this square home. So did…
Imagine a young boy growing up in this very house, dreaming of leading his country. That boy was Adlai Stevenson II, a future governor of Illinois and two-time Democratic presidential nominee. In 1906, six years after…
Pull over for a minute, because right here at the Scott–Vrooman House, you're practically standing in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln himself. This wasn't just a house; it was a stage for history. Built in the mid-1850s,…
Ever wonder where future Supreme Court Justices cut their teeth? Right here at the Miller–Davis Law Buildings in Bloomington! These buildings, at the corner of Main and Front Street, were the law offices of David Davis…
This courthouse square saw Abraham Lincoln argue cases as a circuit lawyer, but did you know it also played a part in the Mexican-American War? In 1846, when war broke out between the United States and Mexico over the…
Ever wonder where Illinois governors laid their heads before heading to Springfield? Well, right here at 502 South Clayton Street in Bloomington stands the former home of John M. Hamilton, who led the state from 1883 to…
Take a slow drive through these streets and you'll be transported back to Bloomington's boom years. Between 1895 and 1928, this area, known as the White Place Historic District, blossomed into a showcase of…
Check out that awesome Art Deco building! It was once the nerve center of a company that impacts millions of drivers every day: State Farm Insurance. Construction on this building began in 1937, and it served as State…
They call it "The Castle" for a reason! This grand home stands as a testament to one man's success in bringing a touch of Europe to rural Illinois. In 1898, David Hyatt Van Dolah, a prominent local landowner known for…
Stand on this quiet ground, and you're standing where a community of Quakers once thrived. In 1856, Quakers settled this area of McLean County, Illinois, establishing the village of Benjaminville. More Quakers followed,…
Imagine the goods and people that passed through this historic freight depot, connecting El Paso to the wider world via two major railroads. El Paso was founded in the 1850s because landowners wanted the spot to become…
This unassuming house tells the story of Chenoa's very beginning. It was once the home of Matthew T. Scott, the man who founded this town, and his wife, Julia Green. The first part of the house, built in 1855, is a…