bc guide - Spring Valley
Transcription
bc guide - Spring Valley
Visitors’ Guide explore our natural beauty and history Arlington – Buda – Bureau Junction – Cherry – Dalzell – DePue – Dover – Hollowayville – Ladd – LaMoille – Malden – Manlius – Mineral – Neponset – New Bedford – Ohio – Princeton – Seatonville – Sheffield – Spring Valley – Tiskilwa – Walnut – Wyanet 2014 Calendar of Events • Local Businesses • Historical Sites • Recreation Welcome to beautiful Bureau County, Illinois. If you are thinking about visiting, we are situated in North Central Illinois where Bureau County straddles Interstate 80. Bureau County has 869 square miles of fertile farm land, beautiful rural countryside and many unique villages and towns with many great restaurants and shopping experiences. Bureau County is located 2 hours west of Chicago, 1 hour east of the Quad Cities and 1 hour north of Peoria. You can also easily reach us by taking Amtrak. The historic Princeton Amtrak station services over 40,000 visitors a year. Eastbound trains go to Chicago’s Union Station daily. Or hop on the California Zephyr Westbound train from Princeton to travel to Colorado and on to California. Whether you are hunting for outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy or hunting for family history at the Genealogy society we hope this guide will help you find what you need. Before you visit check our website www.bureaucounty-il.com or check out our Facebook page for up to the minute activity updates as dates may have changed from this printing. It’s a good idea to double check before you leave. We know you will find many activities in Bureau County that are fun for the whole family. Our Calendar of Events is full of activities – from the plays and musicals performed by the amazing actors of Festival 56, museums, outstanding musical entertainment, running races, to summer festivals in many of the villages. Families and friends reunite every year at the 43rd annual Homestead Festival which is held in September and the 159th annual Bureau County Fair in August. Many of Bureau County’s restaurants are well known for their terrific food. Each community has their own restaurants with their own specialties including steaks, fried chicken and homestyle cooking that are sure to please all of their customers. The ultimate bed and breakfast for foodies, the Chestnut Street Inn in Sheffield, IL is an award winning bed and breakfast which features gourmet Mediterranean cuisine using locally grown foods. Plan an overnight stay while you take in all of the special activities we have to offer. Travel down our back roads to find the” Simple Pleasures & Hidden Treasures” that we cherish in our area. Thanks for coming to visit us in Bureau County and bring along a friend or two on your next visit! Follow us on 815-866-3606 www.bureaucounty-il.com Content has been provided by the Bureau County Tourism Committee. Please inform the committee of any additions or changes that may be suggested for future editions of this guide. Every attempt has been made to verify the information contained in this publication. To avoid disappointment call ahead. Bureau County Tourism is not responsible for incorrect, or omitted or outdated information. Photo Credits: Kathy Costerisan, Mike Vaughn, Stephen Beattie, Hal Adkins, and Debb Ladgenski Inside… Where is Bureau County?......................2 Calendar of Events........................... 7-26 County Map.................................... 28-29 More on 34............................................30 Festival 56....................................... 32-33 2014 Race Schedule....................... 35-37 Bureau County Museums.............. 38-39 Bureau County Parks...................... 40-42 Bureau County Golf Courses...............41 Fun in Bureau County.................... 46-50 Barn Quilts of Bureau County....... 52-53 Haunted Lores of Bureau County. 54-55 Communities Of Bureau County ARLINGTON BUDA BUREAU JUNCTION CHERRY DALZELL DEPUE DOVER HOLLOWAYVILLE LADD LAMOILLE MALDEN MANLIUS MINERAL NEPONSET NEW BEDFORD OHIO PRINCETON SEATONVILLE SHEFFIELD SPRING VALLEY TISKILWA WALNUT WYANET Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 1 www.bureaucounty-il.com Where is Bureau County? It is 149 feet long and is on the National Register of Historic Places. When you drive through the bridge you will find a little picnic area on the other side. There you will have a lovely view of the bridge and you can hear the Big Bureau Creek as it meanders across the county. A sign on the end of the bridge states “ Five dollars fine for driving more than twelve horses, mules or cattle at one time or for leading any beast faster than a walk on or across this bridge”. Bridges were built with covers to help preserve the wood frames in the old days. It also helped teams of horses cross the water because the wooden sides kept them from looking down onto the water far below and being spooked. In the winter time snow was actually shoveled onto the bridge so the horse pulled sleighs had a place for their runners. Bureau County also has one of the newest covered bridges in the state. The Captain Swift Bridge was completed in 2006. It was built using 1800’s designs but it also offers two traffic lanes and enough height for a combine or truck to travel through. The bridge is built of wood, Where exactly is Bureau County? We are located in North Central Illinois, just about half way between Chicago and Bureau County the Quad Cities and 50 miles north of Peoria. If you have travelled across Illinois on Interstate 80 you probably passed right through Bureau County and might not have even known it. In the summer months you may have noticed the Four Flags of Freedom located right next to the interstate at exit 56. The huge American flags were placed in the four locations next to the Interstate in Sept. 2005. They each weigh 110 pounds and measure 30 x 60 feet. They are taken down in the winter months because the wet weather causes them to fray. The Flags of Freedom are an excellent invitation to you to come in to our county and enjoy the many unique locations we have to offer. If you turn and go one mile north on Route 26 you will come to a sign for the Bureau County ➤ Red Covered Bridge. Turn left and ½ mile down the road you will find one of the very few remaining historic covered bridges in Illinois that is still used on a daily basis. The Red Covered Bridge celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013. A special piece of music was commissioned for this event and you can hear the “Red Covered Bridge” performed by the Princeton Community Band during their summer outdoor band concerts. The bridge was built in 1863. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 2 www.bureaucounty-il.com ➤ Bureau County but with a modern twist. A laminated wood, which is stronger than solid timber, was used for the main load-carrying components. Heat detectors in the bridge are linked to the sheriff’s department and the wood was sprayed with fire retardant chemicals. To find this bridge, turn west on Backbone Road from Main Street and go about 3 miles to Epperson Road and turn left. Go one mile and take the right fork and the bridge will be around the corner. There is easy access to the Big Bureau Creek here for fishing fun. Just a little further up Route 26 from the Red Covered Bridge is the City-County Park. There you will find a log cabin where you can have a picnic complete with a fire in the huge stone fireplace. The park has many picnic areas, swings and slides for the kids and lots of open spaces. The annual “Shadows of the Blue and Gray” Civil War reenactment is held here in the fall. As the soldiers come out of the trees and join the battle you can imagine how it looked 150 years ago. The soldiers have their encampments in the shady park. Peek into their tents and you will see the items necessary to life in the 1800’s. You can probably find President Lincoln there talking to the people enjoying the event. Come out in the evening and join the dancing to period music. This year’s Shadows of the Blue and Gray will be held October 11th & 12th. Come to the park and enjoy watching the living history unfold in front of you. You may have entered Bureau County on Amtrak. The train depot in Princeton was built in the early 1900’s and has seen millions of travelers cross its doorways over the years. Many people from central Illinois use the Princeton Depot to travel to Chicago or as far as the west coast. Crain’s Chicago Business newspaper recently printed a feature story on Princeton residents who use Amtrak to travel to the city to work each day. Many of them came to Princeton as visitors and returned to buy a home and stay as a part of the community. A trip to Princeton Bureau County➤ Dine In Or Take Out www.mainstreetbbq.biz Sun. and Mon. - Closed Tues. ,Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 6am-8pm Smoked the true southern way… Low and Slow! Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 3 www.bureaucounty-il.com ➤ Bureau County of Bureau County’s Simple Pleasures and Hidden Treasures! If you come into Princeton from the east on Route 6 or from the south on Route 29 you will drive past the Illinois River Road kiosk on the Princeton Public Library grounds at the corner of Peru Street (Rt. 6) and Bureau Valley Parkway (Rt. 29). Princeton is a gateway community for the Illinois River Road and the kiosk is has maps and tourism information for the different communities on the River Road trail. Learn more at www.illinoisriverroad. org. We hope that when you come to visit Bureau County you will stay in one of our hotels or bed & breakfasts and spend a weekend here. We have so many unique places to see and fun things to do that one day just won’t be enough time. from Chicago on the train is a bargain for only $14. Over 40,000 riders used the Princeton depot in 2013. Riding the train through the countryside allows you to relax and enjoy the scenery without having to battle the traffic and the weather. You might enter Bureau County from the south or the north and wonder about the many windmills (turbines) that line the horizon. Gone are the days that the squeaking wind mill would power the farmer’s well pump. The white towers of today are 256 feet tall and the blades add another 138 feet. The total revolution of the blades is 285 feet. They spin 3 times per minute. The wind company says that the wind farm near Tiskilwa will produce enough clean, renewable electricity each year to power the approximate equivalent of 18,000 typical Illinois homes. Near the Tiskilwa windmills you will find farm fields of animals you wouldn’t normally find on a farm. Alpacas of every color can be found grazing in the pasture at Tiskilwa Farms Alpacas. Call the farm to schedule a visit and learn about these unique animals and see the products that have been created from their fleece. If you come into the county from the west on Rt. 6 you will see the Hennepin Canal bridges near the highway. Stop and take a look at the lift bridges and the locks and imagine a time when shipments were transported by boat through the state on the Canal. The mechanisms of the bridges and the locks were amazing for the time period. Nowadays the Canal is a well loved location for family fishing trips, canoe rides and bicycle trips along the banks. It is one Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 4 www.bureaucounty-il.com G N I T A R B E L CE 6 YEARS!!! 7AM - 10:30AM MON - FRI 7AM - 11AM SATURDAY Be on the lookout for new specials! Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 5 www.bureaucounty-il.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 6 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events Time on the Waters Outdoor, 515 S Spalding St, Spring Valley, IL 16 – St. Patrick’s Church in Arlington Annual Pancake and Sausage Breakfast: 8:00 to 1:00 pm. 21 Bluegrass Jam – 3rd Friday each month. First Lutheran Church, Princeton. 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. 22 – Princeton Coffeehouse All shows will be at Open Prairie UCC, 25 E. Marion St., with 7:30 show times & a $12.00 admission. Website: theprincetoncoffeehouse. com. Featuring Birds of Chicago. Princeton Coffeehouse website theprincetoncoffeehouse.com. Phone number (815) 875-4555 or (815) 872-6501. 22 Euchre Tournament Hosted by the Bureau County Fair in the Allen Building at the Bureau County Fairgrounds. Tournament starting at 6 pm, registration begins at 5 pm. 29 Walleye Run 5K Race. Contact Penny Weger 815-664-1707. www.springvalley-walleye.org See page 35 for details. 29 – 30 Cabela’s MWC Fishing Tournament, Barto Landing on the IL River, Spring Valley. Contact Bill Guerrini, 815.663.6141. www.spring-valleywalleye.org March 29th – 30th marks January & February Winter Ice Skating Echo Bluff Nature & Recreation Area, Mon., Wed., & Fri. 4-8 p.m. Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. $5 w/ skates; $8 for skating & rental. Private lessons and rental are available. www.echobluff.org echobluffproject@comcast.net March 1 Spring Valley Fire Department’s 2nd Annual Smoker. 6 p.m. at the Spring Valley Boat Club. 5 Fish Fries begin Wednesday March 5, and continue every Friday evening through Good Friday, April 18. We serve baked or fried cod, fries or baked potato, coleslaw and bread, both sit down and carryout. Spring Valley Boat Club 8 & 9 Huge Winter Garage Sale at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St. Princeton. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 815-303-2905 for info. 10 Tiskilwa Historical Society has made plans for another banner year. Look for an interesting diversity of public programs on the second Monday evening of each month. The first date for 2014 is on March 10, with fiddler and storyteller Dennis Stroughmatt. 15 Big Buck Archery Indoor 3D shoot – 3rd weekend of every month at WALNUT MANOR NURSING HOME “Our Home is Your Home” • Licensed Skilled Facility • Medicare & Medicaid Certified • Respite Care • Individual Therapy Programs 308 S. Second Street • Walnut, IL 61376 • (815) 379-2131 • www.HeritageOfCare.com/Walnut Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 7 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 1-19th “Connecting Threads” Art Show at the Princeton Public Library. The Princeton Public Library will be hosting its fifth exhibition of artists between April 1st and April 19th. This year’s show will feature various textiles including needle arts, textiles, woodworking, paper craft, pottery, and other three dimensional arts. The theme “Connecting Threads”, not only refers to the textile arts featured but also connecting the various artists in our community. 1 Edible Book Festival Princeton Public Library. Drop-off 5:30–6:30 p.m., Viewing & Judging 6:30–7:00 p.m. , Eating & Frivolity 7:00–??? 5 – Dalzell Fire Dept. Vendor Bazaar – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 30 vendors, raffles, door prizes, 50/50 drawing, food, bake sale. Rain or shine. 12 Spring Valley Easter Egg Hunt downtown. Beginning at 10 a.m., sponsored by the Spring Valley Boosters. 12 St. Margaret’s 10k Race & 3 Mile Fun Run/Walk 9:00 a.m. Race begins at 415 E. 2nd Street, Spring Valley, IL. See page 35 for details. 12 Rumble for the Kids Wrestling Event to benefit Princeton Schools. Doors open 4 p.m. Bell at 5 p.m. Rumble For The Kids is an annual event that helps raise money for non-profit organizations that assist in helping local kids. This event will be held at Logan Junior High Gymnasium, 302 W Central, in Princeton. 13 Second Sunday Flea Market at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St. Princeton. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 815-303-2905 for info. Create Your Style For Less... LAMOILLE’S the 28th year that the Cabela’s Master’s Walleye Circuit Tournament is being held in Spring Valley. The twoday professional team tournament is the world’s largest walleye fishing tournament, attracting people from all over the globe. 29 & 30 – Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale. Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St, Princeton. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Weapons, ammo and collectible items –buy, sell and trade. 30 Legacy Girls Show at Ladd Grade School Gym from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. as a fundraiser for Ladd’s 125th anniversary celebration in 2015. The Legacy Girls perform music from the 40’s to the 60’s including many Andrews Sisters hits. April Buffalo Days JUNE 6, 7, 8 A Family Event! Live Bands! A Big Parade! Buffalo Burgers! Family Owned Since 1885 Corner of Joliet & Second Streets • LaSalle, IL 815-224-8875 www.buffalodays.org www.turkfuniture.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 8 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 13 Spring Valley Historic Association Easter Bonnet Style Show and Luncheon. Held at Spring Valley Boat Club; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Master of Ceremonies will be Mrs. Julia Cain, local millinery expert and owner of Flowers by Julia; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Tickets $15 include style show, lunch and refreshments. 15 Teddy Bear Tea – 1 p.m. in Ladd’s Community Center. 18 Fish Fry at Spring Valley Boat Club. 19 Community Easter Egg Hunts including the Bureau County Fair Queen Easter Egg hunt at Bureau Co. Fairgrounds. 19 Big Buck Archery Indoor 3D shoot – 3rd weekend of every month at Time on the Waters Outdoor, 515 S Spalding St, Spring Valley, IL 24, 25 & 26 Friends of the Library Book Sale at the Princeton Public Library, E Peru St, Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (BAG DAY!) 26 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 10 am. Pruning 101: Rich and Dave will discuss when and how to prune various shrubs, including hydrangeas, lilacs, spiraeas, and several others. 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton, Illinois 61356. 26 Sheffield town wide garage sales. 26 Princeton Coffeehouse All shows will be at Open Prairie UCC, 25 E. Marion St., with 7:30 show times & a $12.00 admission. Website: theprincetoncoffeehouse.com. Featuring Ana Egge. 26 Allen Edwards, the Voice of Branson will perform at Princeton High School at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Benefit show for the Bureau County Senior Center. For tickets call 879-3981 TBA Spring Valley Father Daughter Dance Gifts for All Occasions and All Ages 68 Diamonds • Watches Remounts • Fine Jewelry Custom Designs Years 1946-2014 ruce BJewelers 631 S. Main Princeton, IL 815-875-2289 www.brucejewelers.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 9 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events May 2 Ladd Men’s Club Steak Night – Serving steak dinners at Ladd’s Community Center 3 Convoy Against Cancer Big Truck Show – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Main St, Ladd. Truck display, food, music, raffles, etc to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life 3 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton, Illinois 61356 at 10 am. New Plants for 2014: Join us at 9:30 for a free pancake breakfast before learning about the new hostas, daylilies, perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs for 2014! 3 Hornbaker’s Gardens Mother/ Daughter Theorem Painting Class. Early session 10-12:30 or afternoon session 1-3:30. $45 covers both people. All materials provided. 10GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens at 10 am. Veggies R Us: This workshop is geared to the inexperienced gardener who wants some general guidance on how to get started and what and when to plant different veggies. You can produce a lot of veggies in a small space. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 9-10 Village of Walnut town wide garage sales. 10-11 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Pro-Am Motorcycle Race 16 Princeton Chamber Golf Outing 17GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens at 10 am. Outdoor Photography: We are thrilled to have Mike Vaughn here to share tips and techniques on taking photos outdoors. Mike is well known locally for his outstanding photos of sporting events, wildlife and outdoor beauty. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned photographer, you are sure to pick up some great ideas. 17 Bureau Valley Antique Club Spring Preview at Harold Steele’s farm, west of Dover, IL from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The show will feature old-fashioned demonstrations, such as a dog treadle butter churning, flour milling, corn shelling, rope making, wood cutting and homemade ice cream. There will also be working displays and museum tours. A lunch stand and sitting area will also be available. Free admission. 17 Big Buck Archery Indoor 3D shoot – 3rd weekend of every month at Time on the Waters Outdoor, 515 S Spalding St, Spring Valley, IL 10 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 18 Spring Valley Boat Club Fish Fries -every Friday through April 18 18 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 1 pm. Kathy O’Malley on color in the garden without flowers: WGN Radio personality (of Kathy and Judy fame), avid gardener, and our friend, Kathy O’Malley, will share her ideas on having color in the garden using foliage. Kathy is a knowledgeable and experienced gardener and is always fun to listen to. 23 Lunch in the Park “Kick Off” across from the courthouse in Princeton. Lunch will be served every Friday through Sept. by different organizations in Soldiers & Sailors Park. Weather permitting. 24 Farmers Market “Kick Off” Main Street, Princeton 24 Get your Rear in Gear 5k Run/Walk – 10 a.m. Ladd Community Center, Proceeds to benefit the Colon Cancer Coalition. See page 35 for details. 24 Hornbaker’s Gardens 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton, Illinois at 10 am and again at 2 pm. Miniature Gardens: This is a hands-on workshop for all ages in which you will learn how to create and care for your very own miniature garden. Fee includes your container, soil, and plants. You pick out and purchase your choice of miniature accessories, at a special 20% discount for workshop participants. Reservations are required, so please call to reserve your spot. Cost $30 May 24, 2014: Hornbaker’s Garden Floral Watercolor Painting Class. 10 am – 3 pm. Cost $65. Bring a bagged lunch and your own watercolor supplies. Beverages and snacks provided. Showing First Run Movies 7 days a week, 365 days a year NOW WITH DIGITAL PROJECTION AND 7.1. Dolby Digital Surround Sound Entertaining the Bureau Valley Area Since 1882 VIP TEXT CLUB Text APOLLO to 36000 for show times, updates and giveaways Sunday’s last movies shown with open caption. Carpet • Vinyl • Ceramic • Laminate • Hardwood • Mosaic Cut Glass • Custom Waterproof Showers Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 455 South Main • 815-875-1707 www.apolloprinceton.com 11 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 24 Princeton Coffeehouse All shows will be at Open Prairie UCC, 25 E. Marion St., with 7:30 show times & a $12.00 admission. Website: theprincetoncoffeehouse.com. Featuring guitarist Tom Feldmann. 25 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Quad Racing season kickoff Race 26 Memorial Day celebrations 30 Susan G Komen Double Breasted Track Walk at Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL 31- June 1 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL ATV National Race 31 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 10 am. Ask an arborist: Listen to local arborist Dennis Taylor talk about the basics of tree care, and ask him any questions you might have on plant healthcare, selection, installation, diseases and insects, corrective pruning, tree enrichment, and root issues. Same great care Same great Staff June the difference is the care June – October, Wednesday Farmers Markets, Home Grown & Home Made Food & Products, Heartland Bank & Trust parking lot, 100 E. Dakota Street, Spring Valley. (weather permitting) Wednesdays, 4 - 6 p.m. To participate call: 815.303.4327 June – October, Princeton Farmers Market, Main and Elm Place. Tuesday 3-6 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. 6, 13, 20, 27 Lunch in the Park across from the courthouse in Princeton. Lunch will be served every Friday through Sept. by different organizations in Soldiers & Sailors Park. Weather permitting. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Contact Lou Anne Kenwick, RN Administrator lkenwick@colonialhrc.com HEALTHCARE AND REHABILITATION CENTRE 515 Bureau Valley Parkway, Princeton, il 61356 815-875-3347 www.colonialcarecentre.com 12 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 1 Starved Rock Radio Club American Radio Relay League Sanctioned Ham Radio operators Hamfest at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St. Princeton. Ham radio, RC model and computer equipment for sale or trade. Amateur Radio Hobbyist and collectors show. 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ARRL VE Testing 9:30 AM TO 11:00 AM . Tickets $7.00 Advance or $8.00 at gate. http://www.w9mks.org 1, 15, 29 Princeton Community Band concerts at 6 p.m. at Soldiers and Sailors Park in Princeton. The concerts are free. Bring your own lawn chairs. Refreshments are available. 6-8 Buffalo Days in LaMoille. Buffalo Days is a 3-day event, encompassing fun for all ages. Families can look forward to buffalo burgers and pork chops hot off the grill, a parade Saturday at 11 a.m., old tractor show on Saturday, amusement rides, games, tug-ofwar, volleyball and water fights between local firefighters while adults enjoy the beer garden and live music. Prairie Princess Pageant on Friday night. For more information about Buffalo Days, visit the website at www.lamoillebuffalodays.org 7 Buffalo Days 5K Stampede Fun Walk/ Run– register at 7 a.m. and race at 8 a.m. Register at LaMoille High School. 7 Village of Ladd town wide garage sales 7 Hornbaker’s Garden Theorem Painting Class. 10 am –4 pm. Complete 2 pieces. Bring a bagged lunch. Cost $65. All materials provided. 7-8 Princeton Sidewalk Sales 6-8 Shipwrecked Weekend at Spring Valley Boat Club, with a chicken fry and band on Friday evening, entertainment and vendor food Saturday and a band Saturday evening. Breakfast is Sunday morning. Flowers by Julia fresh and silk flowers • plants • gifts Open M-F 8:30-5:30, Sat. 8:30-5:00 www.flowersbyjuliaprinceton.com fbjulia@ivnet.com FREE Continental Breakfast * Pool * Cable FREE High Speed Internet * Pets Allowed Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 13 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 7 Tiskilwa Canal Day – free fishing for all ages on the Hennepin Canal just outside of Tiskilwa. 7 Living Works Suicide Prevention Walk – Princeton 7 Art in the Park – Main Street, Princeton 7 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 10 am. Gardening to attract hummingbirds and butterflies: You can attract more hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden by simply choosing the appropriate plants. Molly will show you plants and also discuss other ideas to make your gardens a friendly and inviting space for these beauties. 7 Village of Ladd 125th Anniversary Celebration 50/50 drawing. A 50/50 winner will be drawn to kick off the countdown to the big celebration to be held July 9-12, 2015 13, 14 and 15. Hornbaker’s Garden annual Open House and Hosta Walk. 13 3rd Annual Neponset Zephyr Car Cruisin – Friday evening at Bertelsen Park with DJ 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Beer garden & bags tourney 14Neponset Picnic Day – downtown and in Scott Park. Includes a community pancake breakfast, 5K race at 8 a.m., parade at 10:30 a.m., tiny tot contest, softball tourney, antique implement and tractor show, kids games, beer garden and music. 14 Neponset Picnic Days 5K - 8 am at Scott Park. See details on page 35. 13 & 14 More on 34 – Garage sales throughout Bureau County from Neponset to LaMoille all along Rt. 34. Two day garage sale at Bureau County Fairgrounds, Friday & Saturday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sale extends from Galesburg to Aurora. See www. moreon34.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 14 GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 10 am. Pruning Perennials with Jane Morris: Early June is the ideal time to take out the pruners to pinch and cut back perennials to control height and shape and make for sturdier, more floriferous plants, thus preventing sprawling plants and the need to stake. Jane has her own business, The Garden Governess, advising clients on Connecting Bureau County in so many ways. ! bcralerts Illinois Valley B GDEALS bcr printing Bureau County’s local news source 14 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events pruning and other general gardening techniques and timing. GARDENING TOGETHER WORKSHOPS at Hornbaker’s Gardens, at 1 pm. Basic Garden Design with Jane Morris: The basics of good garden design are the same whether a person is planning and planting a small intimate area next to their patio, or a two acre property. Learn about form, line, texture, color, repetition, contrast, focal points and more to create an outdoor space you love. Learn how to use all types of plants: annuals, perennials, evergreens, shrubs and trees, and man-made items to bring these design basics to life. 14 Strawberry Festival in Tiskilwa. Strawberry shortcake and food stands at the west park. town wide garage sales. 14 Festival 56 Preview Cabaret 7:30pm Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St. Princeton. Tickets: Advance Tickets - $8, At the Door - $10 The official pre-party to the start of the festival season! Here is your first chance to get a taste of the talented company of actors who will spend their summer on the festival stage, and also hear some songs from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Oliver! and Into the Woods. 20 Princeton Summer Solstice – Food and Wine tasting plus shopping in the unique Princeton businesses 20 Festival 56 “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” June 20th through June 28th, 2014. Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton 20 Festival 56 Friday Night Cabarets June 20th through August 1st, 2014, except July 4th, Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton. Tickets: Advance Tickets - $8, At the Door - $10 Join us each Friday night Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures for live musical performances and a nightcap at the Grace after the curtain goes down on Friday nights. Friday and Saturday of Father's Day Weekend June 13 & 14, 2014 Stop in these Bureau County communities: LaMoille • Dover Princeton • Wyanet Sheffield • Neponset 15 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 21 Spring Valley Outdoors Expo, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Hunting, Fishing, Boating and all outdoor sports, vendor show and activities, downtown Spring Valley. Call 815.303.4327. 21 Tractor Trek for the Farm Bureau Foundation 21 Old Wheels Antique Car Show – First Lutheran Church, 116 N Pleasant, Princeton. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Cars, trucks, tractors, great food and fun for the whole family 20 Susan G Komen Double Breasted Track Walk at Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL 20-21 Beef & Ag Days – Princeton Musical entertainment Friday night, tractor ride, steak dinners 21-22 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Loretta Lynn Regional Motorcross Motorcycle Race 28 Festival 56 Gala at Chapel Hill (formerly Hunter’s Ridge) 28 Hornbaker’s Gardens 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton, Illinois at 10 am and again at 2 pm. Miniature Gardens: This is a hands-on workshop for all ages in which you will learn how to create and care for your very own miniature garden. See details on May 24 listing. 8 Walk for Cystic Fibrosis - 10 a.m. Zearing Park July 11,18, 25 Lunch in the Park across from the courthouse in Princeton at Soldiers & Sailors Park. Weather permitting. 3 Fireworks, beginning at Dusk, Hall High School Football Stadium, Spring Valley 3 Festival 56 “Sylvia” July 3rd through July 8th, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center 4 Princeton 4th of July celebration and fireworks. Zearing Park at dusk 3-6 Walnut Hometown Celebration with huge fireworks display on Sunday Village of ATHERTON Grain Co., Inc. WALNUT Hometown Celebration www.athertongrain.com 104 S. Main St. • P.O. Box 366 Walnut, IL 61376 • 815-379-2177 JULY 3-4-5-6 FIREWORKS AT DUSK JULY 6 Live Bands, Dancing, Beer Tent, Car Show, Kid’s Activities, Rides & Great Food! NORMANDY ELEVATOR 10874 IL Hwy 92 • P.O. Box 366 Walnut, IL 61376 • 815-379-2144 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures villageofwalnut.com 16 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events night, 10k bicycle race and 5k family bicycle ride, Little Miss Bureau Valley pageant for girls in kindergarten through 12th grade, Rotary club breakfast, Huge 50/50 drawing, Tractor pull, ATV Raffle, carnival, food stands, tug of war, craft show, parade, car and truck show, and more. Super High School Reunion on the 5th at Deer Valley Country Club 5 Walnut 5K Run/Walk for ALS. Race begins at 8:00am, check-in begins at 7:00am. See page 35 for details. 6, 20, 27 Princeton Community Band concerts at 6 p.m. at Soldiers and Sailors Park in Princeton. The concerts are free. Bring your own lawn chairs. Refreshments are available. 6 Festival 56 “As You Like It” By William Shakespeare July 6th through July 27th, 2014 Soldier and Sailors Park, Main St, Princeton. 8-10 Princeton Sidewalk Sales 11-25 Festival 56 Oliver! Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton 11 Festival 56 Friday Night Cabarets June 20th through August 1st, 2014, except July 4th, Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St., Princeton. 12-13 Ladd Daze, sponsored by the Ladd Men’s Club will be held in War Memorial Park on Friday and Saturday. The beer garden and food stand will open at 5:00pm on Friday with live music by Al Pottinger and the Lincolnaires from 5:00 - 8:00pm. The Craigs will perform at 9:00pm. Saturday’s events start at 10:00am with The Golden Chicken Race beginning from Ladd’s Community Center. In the park, the food stand If you’re about to retire or change jobs, you may have some decisions to make about your retirement plan money. Good thing there’s someone who knows you and is ready to help. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 17 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events and beer garden will open at noon, kiddie games will be held from noon to 3:00; and Snap Shot will perform at 9:00pm. Ladd’s 125th Anniversary items and a 50/50 raffle will also be available during the event. 11-13 Wyanet Festival - Thurs. night: food stand, beer garden, Boy Scout taco stand, Little Miss/Little Mister contest, Festival Queen contest, rides. Friday night: food stand, beer garden, stage entertainment, and rides. Saturday: 5K race, parade, food stand, bags tournament in beer garden, dunk tank, much more. Sunday: 7am-12:00 noon Boy Scout pancake breakfast at VFW. 12 Nancy Jo Olds-Bohm 5K Fun Run/ Walk 1-Mile Memory Walk & Kid’s Fun Run Wyanet Memorial Park Wyanet, Illinois. See page 36 for details 12 Bureau County Garden Walk – Visit many beautiful gardens across the county and see some of our new Barn Quilts on a self guided tour. 15 Festival 56 “Boeing Boeing” July 15th through July 19th, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton 18 – Friends of the Library book sale – Princeton Public Library – one day only! 19 Sheffield’s Music on Main, 6pm12:00 , held on Main St. under the big tent. Beer, wine, local food, and of course , GREAT music. 19 Z-Tour Bicycle Ride - The Zearing Child Enrichment Center invites you to ride in the Z-Tour 2014 Details at www.z-tour.org. See page 36 for details. 19-20 Bureau Valley Antique Club 37th Annual “Ol’ Fashun Treshun Days” at 9:00am. Albrecht Grove, Ohio, IL 2 Miles South of Ohio, IL. or 8 Miles North of Princeton, IL then 3/4 Mile West. Crafts show, tractor parade, petting zoo, threshing demo, music and food. Red Barn Nursery , Call or check online for hours & driving directions. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 18 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 20 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Racer X Motorcross Motorcycle Race 24-27 Bureau County 4H Fair at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St. Princeton. 25-27 Village of DePue Boat Races with 5K race and Food Stands-Live Bands and Racing, Racing, Racing. Championship excitement, free nightly entertainment, and family fun- all on beautiful Lake DePue! At only $3 admission, thousands of people from over 22 states come to our shores to experience the Lake DePue Pro National Championship Boat Races. 26 4th Annual DePue Celebration 5K Run/Walk 8:00 a.m. DePue Fire Station. See more details on page 36. 25-27 Steak Fry Weekend at Spring Valley Boat Club, with a chicken fry and entertainment on Friday evening. Entertainment and Rib Eye Steaks beginning at 5:00 pm, Saturday. Pat’s “famous” serve yourself breakfast is Sunday morning. Bureau County Libraries Cherry Library — Village Hall, Cherry Ladd Public Library — 125 N. Main St., Ladd, (815) 894-3254 LaMoille Clarion Library — 81 Main St., LaMoille, (815) 638-2356 Leepertown Township Library — 201 E. Nebraska St., Bureau, (815) 659-3283 Mason Memorial Library — 104 W. Main St., Buda, (309) 895-7701 Princeton Public Library — 698 E. Peru St., Princeton, (815) 875-1331 Mineral-Gold Public Library — 120 E. Main St., Mineral, (309) 288-3971 Neponset Public Library — 201 Commercial St., Neponset, (309) 594-2204 Ohio Township Library — 112 N. Main St., Ohio, (815) 376-5422 Raymond A. Sapp Memorial Library — 103 E. Main St., Wyanet, (815) 699-2342 Richard A. Mautino Memorial Library — 215 E. Cleveland St., Spring Valley, (815) 663-4741 Selby Township Library — 101 Depot St., DePue, (815) 447-2660 Sheffield Public Library — 136 E. Cook St., Sheffield, (815) 454-2628 Tiskilwa Library — 119 E. Main St., Tiskilwa, (815) 646-4511 Walnut Public Library — 101 Heaton St., Walnut, (815) 379-2159 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 19 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 26 Mingle on Main in Malden at the Feed Store – Car, truck, motorcycle and tractor show, craft vendors, food vendors...and great music. 26 Festival 56 “Into the Woods” July 26th through August 3rd, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton 31- Aug. 2 Pow Wow Days in Tiskilwa is a four-day event that includes a Lil’ Spurs Rodeo with mutton bustin’ and chicken chasing on Friday night, a parade at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, 5k race at 8 a.m. Saturday, food stands, church-sponsored lunches, historical tours, antique automobiles in the car show at the Historical Society, class reunions Sat night, kids games, beer gardens and many other events. 2 Pow Wow Days 5k Race in Tiskilwa. See page 36 for details. 1,8,15, 22, 29 Lunch in the Park across from the courthouse in Princeton at Soldiers & Sailors Park. Weather permitting. 2 Manlius Fun Day. We will have a 5K Color Race/Walk & parade in the morning, Kids games & food served by Fire dept. at the park after parade, Fish Fry at Sportsman Club, Historical Bank Building open for viewing, Rolle Bolle tournament, Music on Main in the evening. See page 36 for race details. 3 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL AMA Vintage National Motorcross Motorcycle Race. 3 Festival 56 Closing Cabaret: A Farewell to Summer - Grace Performing Arts Center. 9 Dover Day Ballyho in downtown Dover park. Craft show, antique equipment show, free musical entertainment, pie auction, food stands Super 8 Motel WOODLEY August Aerial Spray Princeton, IL “See you along the way” 2929 N Main St Princeton, IL 61356 (815) 872-8888 or (800) 800-8000 Exit 56 off I-80, then North 815-499-4704 • Queen Beds • AARP • HBO, CNN, ESPN • Laundry Facilities • Hot Tub Suites WIRELESS HIGH SPEED INTERNET AVAILABLE Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Craig Woodley • Walnut, IL woodleycraig@hotmail.com 20 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 9 Spring Valley Fire Department Beer Garden, downtown Spring Valley 10 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Motorcross Motorcycle Race 16The Wizards Wonder Faire is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library (both the parking lot and green space and inside the library). Activities will include: food and artisans/vendors booths, a music stage, a fun house, wizarding classes and games. In conjunction with the 75th anniversary of MGM’s WIZARD OF OZ, the evening will celebrate the magical world of children’s literature, from J. K. Rowling and Frank L. Baum to Lewis Carroll, C. S. Lewis, and the Brothers Grimm. 20-24 159th Bureau County Fair at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St. Princeton. Livestock Shows, Free kids shows, Commercial Exhibits, Fine Arts Exhibits. Bull Riding, ITPA Tractor and Truck Pull, Talent Show, Free musical entertainment daily; Magic Matt magic show; Demolition Derby and the famous Beach Boys on Thursday evening. Huge State fair carnival and delicious fair food. www. Bureaucountyfair.com or call 815875-2905. September 5, 12, 19 Lunch in the Park across from the courthouse in Princeton at Soldiers & Sailors Park. Weather permitting. 5-7 Steak Fry Weekend at Spring Valley Boat Club, with a chicken fry and entertainment on Friday evening. Entertainment and Rib eye Steaks beginning at 5:00 pm, Saturday and a band Saturday evening. Pat’s “famous” serve yourself breakfast is Sunday morning. Sisler’s OPEN DAILY 9 AM - 5:30 PM ICE CREAM & ICE CUBES Quality Products Since 1908 815-376-2913 www.sislers.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 21 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 6 Artisan Market at Hornbaker’s Gardens 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton from 10-5 p.m. Our second annual Artisan Market..... an art market with over 20 artists, wine tasting with August Hill Winery, Kramer’s Kitchen food truck, fresh-picked local produce from Coneflower Farm, delicious baked goods from Flour House Bakery, live music and more. 6-7 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Quad MX racing 13 - Columbus Day – Verucchi’s Ristorante 100th Anniversary event. Spring Valley http://www.verucchis. com 13 Spring Valley Historic Association Antique Car Show, 1988 & Older, To benefit the Spring Valley Historic Association, Registration: 10 a.m. until Noon, Show: Noon - 5 p.m. 100 - 200 Blocks of West St. Paul Street, Downtown Spring Valley. No registration fee. Dash Plaques; 50/50; Food; & DJ 12 – 14 Friday – Sunday 43rd annual Homestead Festival in Princeton – A full weekend of events with a baby contest, pork chop barbeque, huge 2 hour long parade, theater performances, rib cook off, horse drawn wagon rides, Lovejoy Homestead tours, kids fun fair, helicopter tours, arts and crafts show, blues concert, pancake breakfast, flea market, beer gardens and alumni reunions. www.homesteadfestival. com 13 Underground Railroad 5K Race sponsored by the Princeton Park District. See page 36 for details. 14 Homestead Festival Flea Market - at Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St., Princeton. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 815-303-2905 for info. 14 34th Annual Homestead Festival Car Show. Downtown Princeton, with over 20 car/truck classes and 5 motorcycle classes. Registration is 8:00 a.m.-12.00 Noon. Judging from 12:00 Noon - 1:30 p.m. Awards at 3:00 p.m. with 3 Trophies Per TOUR OUR “SEA OF CHINA” ANTIQUE • COLLECTIBLE • NEW • China & Dinnerware • Collectibles • Glassware • Jewelry Over 1,000,000 current and discontinued patterns, dating back beyond the 1800s. Appraisal service also. HOFFMAN’S PATTERNS OF THE PAST Create Your 2014 Wedding Registry! 513 South Main Street, Princeton • 815-875-1944 Hours: Monday thru Saturday: 9-5 wwww.patternsofthepast.com • hoffmansinfo@patternsofthepast.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 22 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events Class. Dash Plaques to the first 200 registered. Visit us on Facebook or www.homesteadfestival.com or Email carsonmain@yahoo.com 28 Hornbaker’s Gardens 22937 1140 N. Ave., Princeton at 10 am and again at 2 pm. Miniature Gardens: See details on May 24 listing. 27-28 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut Motorcross Motorcyle Race 27 Sheffield town wide garage sales. October 4 Color Splash Dash 5k Princeton Arts’ Academy, 230 Backbone Rd. Race starts at 5 with after party to follow. The website is www.colorsplashdash. net. See page 36 for details. 4 5K Run Walk for SIDS awareness. 5K run & kids 3K fun walk for SIDS Awareness begins near Hall High School, Spring Valley, IL at 9:30 am. See page 36 for details. 5 Ladd Fire Dept Pancake and Sausage Breakfast & Open House 7 a.m. to noon in Ladd Fire Station. Annual kick off to Fire Prevention week. 3,4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road – Haunted Attraction at Bureau County Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru Street, Princeton. Buildings full of lasting nightmares, plus the Nightmare Hotel for those who aren’t as brave. Hayrack ride, Mummies Café, bonfire and ghoulish delights. www. nightmareonfairgroundsroad.com 10 Princeton Main Street event - Girls Night Out 11 2nd Annual Conquer The Hill Half Marathon in Princeton at 8:30 AM. Distance: 13.1 miles. Kiddie Fun Run: Ages 5-12. See page 36 for details. 11 & 12 Shadows of the Blue and Gray Held at City County Park – Princeton, IL. Come out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Civil War Reenactment with live battles, period dance, demonstrations of crafts from the era by period artisans, and talented storytellers and musicians to bring the times alive! Be sure to visit with all the living history exhibits to find out how people of the time made simple items such as: candles, brooms, cloth, yard implements, and blacksmith goods. 19 Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL Motorcross Motorcyle Race & Quad Racing 19 Toy Run. 9am-3pm at Soldiers and Sailors Park across from the Princeton courthouse. Participation cost is one 23 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events new unwrapped $10 toy for any age boy or girl. There will be a DJ & a 50/50 to benefit the Buddy Bag program. Any questions, call Scott at 815-643-2040 or ivcruiser@aol.com. 25 Halloween Hustle 5k Walk/Run – 9 a.m. at Ladd Grade School. See page 36 for details. 25 Princeton’s Scarecrow Days 253rd Annual Pumpkin Race – Noon downtown Princeton at Marion Street and Main. Put wheels on your pumpkin and bring it to race. 25-26 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale. Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St, Princeton. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Weapons, ammo and collectible items –buy, sell and trade. TBA Echo Bluff Park Spring Valley Fright Night haunted trails November 1 Pigeon Show – Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton 8-9 Huge Winter Garage Sale, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton CONVENIENT CARE We’re here when you need us. Designed to provide you with appointment-free health care for minor injuries and illnesses. • Fever • Sore throat (strep testing available) • Earaches • Coughs and congestion • Minor injuries • Vomiting/Flu symptoms • Rashes (poison ivy, etc.) • Bug bites • Minor cuts - that may need a few stitches • Basic laboratory testing and X-rays • And more Convenient Hours Monday - Friday: 8am - 9pm Weekends & Holidays: 9am - 1pm Visit www.aboutsmh.org/patientportal to find about our online patient portal coming soon! 1650 Midtown Road, Peru | Just South of Hyvee | 815.223.6843 | aboutsmh.org Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 24 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 14 Festival 56 “Love, Loss and What I Wore” November 14th through November 22nd, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton. 15 Northern IL Model Train Show and Farm Toy Show – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton. 15 Christmas in the Valley, Special sales and holiday family activities. Downtown Spring Valley, Vendor Show to benefit Hall Twp. Food Pantry at City Hall. 10 a.m - 2 p.m. 815.303.4327 21-22 Princeton’s Annual Christmas Open House. Shopping, music and Santa too! 26 Angus cattle show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton “I want A BANK that hears me NOT tunes me out.” KEEPING COMMUNITY IN BANKING 815-875-4444 hbtbank.com 815-876-1122 2014 BC Tourism 1-4 pg-Community.indd 1 2/18/2014 4:44:16 PM www.sunsetridgemx.com 815-379-9534 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 25 www.bureaucounty-il.com Calendar of Events 28 Festival 56 “Rounding Third” November 28th through December 6th, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton. 29-30 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale. Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W Peru St, Princeton. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Weapons, ammo and collectible items –buy, sell and trade. Tree in Terminal C!” December 12th through December 20th, 2014 Grace Performing Arts Center, Main St, Princeton. 14 Sheffield Danish Church Christmas 19, 20 & 21 Live Nativity Scene at Walnut Bible Church from 6-8 p.m. TBA Christmas in Cherry – Bake sales, visit with Santa, parade December 6 Breakfast with Santa & Lion’s Club Christmas Parade in Princeton 6 Lighted Santa Parade, “Santa’s Workshop” Travels through downtown Spring Valley. Begins at 6 p.m. at Hall High School. Contact 815.303.4327 for more information 12Festival 56 “There’s a Christmas All Food Homemade “The Italian Way” Alfano’s Group, Office & Party specials available. Call Debbie for special pricing and details. Little Sicily on y Ant h Home of the “Wagon Wheel” & the New “Ferris Wheel Pizza” Dine-In • Carry-Out • Delivery www.alfanospizza-restaurant.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 26 Delivery 11AM to 2AM 15 hrs. a day 7 Days in a 15 mile radius. or Call & we’ll meet you! DELIVERY AREA Arlington, Bureau, Cedar Point, Cherry, Dalzell, DePue, Florid, Malden, Granville, Hennepin, Hollowayville, Jonesville, Ladd, LaMoille, LaSalle, Leonore, Lostant, Magnolia, McNabb, Mark, Mt. Palatine, Oglesby, Ottville, Peru, Princeton, Seatonville, Spring Valley, Standard, Tonica, Utica, Webster Park 115 W. St. Paul • Spring Valley 815-663-9081 815-664-5422 www.bureaucounty-il.com June – October PRINCETON Corner of Main Street and Elm Place Princeton, IL Tuesday 3-6 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Produce, Baked Goods, Plants, Homemade, Handmade Products & More rinceton Area Chamber of Commerce and MainStreet (815) 875-2616 Shop, Eat and Explore Princeton princetonchamber-il.com Saturday, October 25th Scarecrow Days Main Street Saturday, June 7th Art in the Park Soldier & Sailors Park Friday, June 20th Beef Days Soldier & Sailors Park Saturday, October 11th -12th Shadows of the Blue and Gray Friday, June 27th Summer Solstice Main Street on Saturday and Activites All Weekend (877) 730-4306 (Toll Free) shadowsoftheblueandgray.com Saturday, July 19th Z-Tour Bike z-tour.org Friday, Saturday, Sunday November 21st-23rd Annual Christmas Open House Friday-Sunday September 12th-14th 34th Annual Homestead Saturday, November 29th Small Business Saturday Friday, October 10th Girls Night Out Main Street Saturday, December 6 Christmas Parade homesteadfestival.com 435 S Main St, Princeton, IL 61356 • (815) 875-2616 kfrey@princeton-il.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 27 www.bureaucounty-il.com Knights Inn Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures x www.bureaucounty-il.com Spring Valley Inn Chapel Hill Golf Course Find out more about BEAUTIFUL BUREAU COUNTY, IL www.bureaucounty-il.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures x www.bureaucounty-il.com Miles of Bargains for the Savvy Shopper If you love to hunt for bargains Father’s Day weekend, Friday and Saturday, June 13th & 14th, is the time to head to Bureau County. There will be miles and miles of bargains at garage sales and flea markets all along Route 34. The sale is actually over 100 miles long, stretching from Galesburg to Aurora all along US Rt. 34. Communities in Bureau County that participate in the sale are (from West to East) Neponset, Sheffield, Wyanet, Princeton, Dover, and LaMoille. See www. moreon34.com for more information. Start early in the morning because you will find sales lining the route and of course you have to stop at each one to find that special item you are looking for. You will find sales in yards, parks and in parking lots along the route. Watch for signs because many of the communities host town-wide sales, so you will have to drive around the village to locate additional sales. Bureau County Fairgrounds has a large indoor and outdoor, two day Flea Market on Friday and Saturday with doors opening at 8 a.m. each day. There is free admission plus great food and cold drinks in the concession stand. Restrooms are also available there. Call 815-303-2905 for info on their event. Some vendors open on Thursday afternoon and some are still open on Sunday so be sure to plan to stay overnight and get some rest before you head out for another day of bargain hunting. Bureau County is a great half-way point along the route to MORE ON 34 stay before heading out for a second day of shopping. There are a lot of great restaurants along the route and food vendors in many of the communities too. Seatonville Greenhouse 309 Oakland, Seatonville, IL 815-894-2125 $ 5.00 Off Any Purchase (Offer not valid May 1 thru 20) Not valid with other offers. Coupon required. Limit one coupon per customer. Valid for 2014 only. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 30 www.bureaucounty-il.com Property Property of the Year of the Year 2011 2011 Meeting Rooms Rooms Available Available Meeting Pool/Hot Tub Tub •• Wireless Wireless Internet Internet •• Smoke Smoke Free Free •• Pool/Hot Pets Prohibited Prohibited •• Fireplace/Spa Fireplace/Spa Suites Suites •• Pets AmericInn Perk Perk Hot, Hot, Home-style Home-style Breakfast Breakfast •• AmericInn Reservations: 800-634-3444 800-634-3444 or or Front Front Desk Desk 815-872-5000 815-872-5000 Reservations: 2120 Claude Claude Bailey Bailey Pkwy., Pkwy., Princeton, Princeton, IL IL 61356 61356 2120 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 31 www.bureaucounty-il.com Featuring more musicals Annual Putnam and25th aCounty new Broadway Spelling Bee Pass Book and lyrics by Rachel Sheinkin, Music by William Finn Grace Performing Art Center It’s the beginning of a new decade for Festival 56 and the unveiling of a newly revamped lineup of shows in 2014 featuring three Broadway musicals. The 2014 season will play from June through December and features the following shows. she finds posting simple love poems to trees dedicated to his love, Rosalind, whom he does not recognize, of course. As the bard says...the course of true love never did run smooth! Oliver! June 20th- June 28th, 2014 Words and Music by Lionel Bart A hilarious tale of six adolescent misfits vying July 11th - July 25th, 2014 for the spelling championship, who learn High School thatPlease winning isn’t everything and that losing visit the website for Princeton The beloved musical adaptation of Dickens’ doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. This details tohitpurchase Oliver Twist will steal your heart like a Tony Awardand winning musical is abouttickets. the pickpocket! After running away from unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming the orphanage run by the heartless Mr. cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is Bumble, Oliver meets the Artful Dodger the one place where they can stand out and and is recruited to pick pockets for Fagin. fit in at the same time. There, Oliver finds a friend in Nancy, but neither she nor the boy are fit for a life of Sylvia crime. Featuring well known songs such as By A.R. GurneyGood through Dec 20, 2014. “Food, Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself,” Grace Performing Art Center and “Oom-Pah-Pah,” this classic piece of July 3rd - July 8th, 2014 Broadway will warm your belly like a bowl Greg and Kate have recently moved to of porridge. Manhattan when Greg brings home a dog named Sylvia, who becomes a major bone of contention between husband and wife. To Greg, she offers an escape from the frustrations and unknowns of middle age. To Kate, Sylvia becomes a rival for affection. And Sylvia just thinks Kate doesn’t understand the relationship between man and dog. A modern romantic comedy about a marriage going to the dogs! As You Like It By William Shakespeare July 6th - July 27th, 2014 Soldiers and Sailors Park, All performances are free and it is suggested that you bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on All the world’s a stage for Rosalind and her friend, Celia, who run away into the Forest of Arden when Rosalind’s uncle overthrows her father, the Duke. Disguised as a young shepherd, Ganymede, Rosalind meets and falls in love with the exiled Orlando, who Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 32 www.bureaucounty-il.com Boeing Boeing their first tentative meeting to the climactic championship game. Don is the tough, bluecollar, win-at-all-costs veteran coach whose son is the star pitcher. Michael is a corporate executive who is new to baseball. Despite their differences, Michael and Don form an uneasy alliance for the benefit of the team. And over the course of exhilarating victories, heartbreaking defeats, and interminable rain-outs, the two men battle over how to lead the team. By Marc Camoletti, translated by Beverly Cross, edited by Francis Evans Grace Performing Art Center July 15th - July 19th, 2014 This hilarious, fast-paced farce features selfstyled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées; each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers”. He keeps “one up, one down and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and Bernard’s apartment at the same time. Into the Woods Book and lyrics by James Lapine and music by Stephen Sondheim Grace Performing Art Center July 26th - August 3rd, 2014 There’s a Christmas Tree in Terminal C! by Dexter Brigham Grace Performing Art Center December 12th December 20th, 2014 On the tenth anniversary of its first production, we are happy to bring back our most popular holiday musical about four strangers stranded in an airport terminal on Christmas Eve. Featuring everyone’s holiday favorites, including “O Holy Night,” “O Christmas Tree,” and many, many more! Worlds collide when everyone’s favorite storybook characters come together for a timeless and relevant musical fairy tale. The baker and his wife wish to have a child; Cinderella wishes to attend the King’s Festival; and Jack wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch’s curse, they set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone’s wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them. Love, Loss and What I Wore by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron Grace Performing Art Center Featuring more musicals and a new Broadway Pass November 14th November 22nd, 2014 The dress she wore to senior prom, the heels she wore on that last first date, the purse she carried at her mother’s funeral: a woman’s life is reflected in the contents of her closet. This funny and powerful play explores the pivotal moments of women’s lives and how they become connected to those items that were worn, the ghosts in the closet. Please visit the website for details and to purchase tickets. Rounding Third by Richard Dresser Grace Performing Art Center November 28thDecember 6th, 2014 Good through Dec 20, 2014. The tumultuous journey of two Little League coaches through an entire season, from Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 33 www.bureaucounty-il.com Great Great Steak! Steak! Great Great Fun! Welcome Welcome to Madison! Princeton! The Prime Prime Quarter Quarter Steak Steak House House isis aa one-of-a-kind one-of-a-kind dining The dining experience. Any Any time time of of year year isis the the right right time time to to “Grill “Grill Your experience. Your Own” Own” USDA Choice Choice Steak Steak on on one one of of our our inviting inviting hickory hickory charcoal charcoal grills. USDA Gather 'round 'round the the grill grill with with family family and and friends friends after after selecting Gather one of of nine generous one nine generouscuts cutsofofsteak steaktotoprepare prepareitittotoperfection. perfection. Our Unlimited Unlimited Salad Salad Bar, Bar, Baked Baked Potato Potato and and hearty hearty Texas Texas Toast are Our all included. You You can can contemplate the Seafood Choice ofday, the Day, all included. contemplate the Choice of the but but you won't won't want want to to miss miss one one of of our our decadent decadent Desserts! you Dining Hours: Hours: Dining M -- FF 5-10 5-10 PM PM M Sat. 4-10 4-10 PM PM Sat. Sun. 4-9 4-9 PM PM Sun. 250 Backbone Rd., Princeton, IL 3520 East Washington Avenue (Minutes from I-80) Square) (10 minutes from Capitol Major Credit Credit Cards Cards welcome. Major Reservationsaccepted: accepted: Reservations www.primequarter.com www.primequarter.com (815) 244-3520 872-3500 (608) Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Lounge Hours: Lounge M -- FF Opens at 4 PM M Sat. & Sun. Sat. at 3:30 PM at 34 www.bureaucounty-il.com 2014 e c a R Schedule walking, running, biking March 29 Walleye Run 5K Race. 9 a.m. Check in 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at Hall High School Contact Penny Weger 815-664-1707 www.springvalley-walleye.org April 12 St Margarets 2nd annual 10k race and fun run, St. Margaret’s Health Habit For Health 10k Race will take place at 415 East 2nd Street, Spring Valley, IL 61362. There will also be a 3 Mile Fun Run/Walk. Questions? Contact Gina Mudge by phone 815-220-1005 or email gcmudge@gmail.com. Register Online www.runrace.net/findarace. May 24 Get Your Rear in Gear 5K Run/ Walk in Ladd. Registration: 7:00 a.m. 5K Fun Run/Walk: 9:00 a.m. Location: Ladd Community Center 303 S. Central Ave., Ladd, IL 61329. Pre-Registration (closes Wed., May 21 at 6 p.m. CST) The course is an out and back with a gently rolling hill, west of Ladd on blacktop, which is accurately measured. This is an event to raise awareness and funds for colon and rectal cancer. Contact Kathy Martin at phone 815-878-0268 or email kmartingyrig@hotmail.com. May 30 & June 20 Susan G Komen Double Breasted Track Walk at Sunset Ridge Motorcross Track – Walnut, IL 815-379-9534. June 7 Buffalo Days 5K Stampede Fun Walk/Run– register at 7 a.m. and race at 8 a.m. Register at LaMoille High School. June 14 Neponset Picnic Days 5K - 8 am at Scott Park, Neponset. $20 will get your race registration, shirt and snacks after the race. Send registration to Village Hall, PO Box Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 20, Neponset IL 61345. For info call Annie Pickering 309-854-2848 or email amp_books7@hotmail.com June 28 Walk for Cystic Fibrosis - 10 a.m. Zearing Park July 5 - Walnut 5K Run/Walk for ALS. All money goes to ALS.TDI for research (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Race begins at 8:00am, check-in begins at 7:00am. Contact Julie Von Holten, 815-379-2269, or email at julievonholten@yahoo.com. July 6 – Hometown Celebration Tour Family Bike Ride – length of rides from 10 miles to 45 miles extending north and south of Walnut. Different lengths for different abilities. Not a race, just for fun. Register from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and the ride begins at 9 a.m. There will be rest stops with snacks and water and a bicycle mechanic available. Watch for more details www.villageofwalnut.com July 12 Nancy Jo Olds-Bohm 5K Fun Run/Walk 1-Mile Memory Walk & Kid’s Fun Run Wyanet Memorial Park Wyanet, Illinois. 5K & Memory Walk Start, Kids’ Fun Run to follow app. 9:00am. Run/Walk starts and ends at Wyanet Memorial Park. Must register early to guarantee shirt size. All proceeds will go to The Believe Foundation of Princeton, IL and the 35 www.bureaucounty-il.com 5K (3.1 miles) ~ The race begins and ends at the Bureau County Metro Center. Course includes 3 water stations with Splits at miles 1 and 2. RACE DAY SCHEDULE: 6:45 - 7:30 a.m. Registration & Packet PickUp 8:00 a.m. Race Starts - Walkers will follow. Mail registration form to: Princeton Park District Attn: Underground Railroad 5K, 837 Park Avenue West, Princeton, IL 61356 Wyanet Community Club Mail with payment to: Karen Russell, PO Box 255, Wyanet, IL 61379. Email us at oldsbohm5k@yahoo.com July 19 4th annual Z-Tour bicycle ride starting at Princeton’s Zearing Park. Not a race, just for fun. Each year the scenic Z-Tour begins and ends at Princeton’s beautiful Zearing Park. Details www.z-tour.org. This road ride provides you a chance to enjoy some of the best bike roads that northwest Illinois has to offer. July 26 4th Annual DePue Celebration 5K Run/Walk 8:00 a.m. DePue Fire Station. Registration from 7:00 a.m.to 7:45. Contact Information Call Michael Rodriguez (815)8789024, Ann Rodriguez (815)447-2312 or email rodrig.87@comcast.net Checks Payable to: DePue Men’s Club Mail to: Michael Rodriguez P.O. Box 506 DePue, IL 61322 or P.O. Box 328 Aug 2 – Manlius 2nd Annual Color Race 5K Fun Run/Walk. Registration at Bureau Valley High School at 6:00 a.m. Race begins at 8 a.m. All ages invited to participate. Run through Manlius and be splashed with colors during the race. July 1st registration deadline to get a race Tshirt or sign up on race day without guaranteed shirt. See www. Getmeregistered.com for race sign up Oct 4 – Color Splash Dash 5k Princeton Arts’ Academy, 230 Backbone Rd. Race starts at 5 with after party to follow. The website is www.colorsplashdash.net Oct 4 – 5K Run Walk & kids 3K fun walk for SIDS Awareness begins near Hall High School at 9:30 am. Strollers welcome. There will be a fun run for children, ages 4-11, after the race. All proceeds from this event will be used to create safe sleep packages for new parents and will be given out at the local hospitals before babies are discharged. We have partnered with SIDS of Illinois, Inc. to make this possible. Contact: Ashley Lamps (815)712-7701 ashley.lamps@gmail. com Register online at sidsillinois. org Aug 2 – Pow Wow Days 5K race 8 a.m. www.powwowdays.com The race is to bring people together and raise money for a scholarship fund. Oct 11 – Conquer the Hill Park District Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles. Kiddie Fun Run: Ages 5-12. Course begins & ends at Zearing Park, at the South pond. Will run 1 lap on the path around the pond. South Euclid St., Princeton, IL 61356. Hydration stations will be located along the route. Start Time - 8:30 AM. Kiddie Fun Run - 11:30 AM. Sept 13 - Underground Railroad 5K Princeton Park District. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. at the Bureau County Metro Center, Princeton with a race time of 8:00 a.m. COURSE: Oct 25 – Halloween Hustle 5k Walk/Run – 9 a.m. at Ladd Grade School. Race sponsored by the Ladd Community Education & Enrichment Foundation to benefit Ladd Grade School. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 36 www.bureaucounty-il.com 43 RD ANNUAL HOMESTEAD FESTIVAL Hike the Canal with the Friends of the Canal PRINCETON, IL Take a hike with your family and enjoy the sights and sounds that you will see along the banks of the Hennepin Canal. See the wildlife and enjoy nature at all times of the year. You need not be a member of the Friends of the Canal to join us in any of the hikes. There is no fee for the hikes. We ask that you dress weather appropriately. For more information, contact Ed Herrmann at: hikes@friends-hennepin-canal.org (email) or 815-664-2403 (home). Sept. 12-14, 2014 LAKE DEPUE'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BOAT RACES JULY 25-26-27, 2014 SPONSORED BY THE DEPUE’S MEN’S CLUB A UNITED STATES TITLE SERIES EVENT Come Spend the Weekend With Us! - Food Stands - Live Bands - 5K - and Racing, Racing, Racing www.depuemensclub.org Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Visit us at www.avantifoods.com 800-243-3739 Cheese and Specialty Gift Shop 109 Depot Street, Walnut, IL HOME OF GINO’S PIZZA 37 www.bureaucounty-il.com MUSEUMS Bureau County Historical Society & Museum 109 Park Ave West, Princeton 815-875-2184 The Bureau County Historical Society Museum occupies two historic homes on Princeton’s Courthouse Square--The Clark Norris Home, a handsome Prairie Square mansion built in 1900 at 109 Park Avenue West, and the Newell Bryant House, a stately Greek Revival house dating back to 1853, just next door at 634 South Pleasant Street. Hours: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. WednesdaySaturday (The Museum is closed in December, January, and February) Admission: $3.00 for adults and $1.00 for children 12 years and under. features the original wood floors and the teacher’s desk from the early 1900’s, along with all the other items found in a one-room school. Mineral Pride Historical Society Museum 115 Main Street, Mineral Open First Saturday of Every Month Noon to 4:00 p.m. Devoted to the preservation of the memories and history of those who were raised or spent a part of their lifetime in Mineral, Illinois. www. illinoishsglorydays.com/mineralhistoricalsociety Henry Thomas Museum North King St., Wyanet Henry Thomas was the first permanent settler in Bureau County. Born in Virginia; he settled in 1828 in Bureau Township. He was man of many firsts. Among the firsts in Bureau County, Thomas was responsible for the first furrow plowed; his daughter, Mary was the first settler child born; and the first post office was located at his Bureau County Township home. View a wonderful museum of Bureau County Township and Thomas Family memorabilia. By appointment only by calling the Wyanet Village 815-699-2631 Bureau County Genealogical Society 629 South Main, Princeton 815-879-3133 or 815-303-7386 bureaucounty@gmail.com The Society is devoted to the preservation of historical and genealogical records for Bureau County. Hunting for your family history? A free library specializing in local genealogical research records consisting of obituaries, burial locations, church histories, marriage records, historical plat maps, county and town historical records, county newspapers on microfilm, family history books, and national and international research sources including Internet searches. Trained volunteers to assist as desired Mon.Tues,Thurs., Fri., and the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Call (815) 879-3133 to arrange for offhour visits or ask for further information. Wyanet Historical Society 320 East Second Street, Wyanet 815-699-2559 or 815-699-2459 History of town, schools, genealogy, Obituaries, Veterans WW I & II history, uniforms, Civil War diaries, Hennepin Canal, Railroads and various memorabilia. Open April thru October Friday & Saturday 1-4 PM, or by appointment. Donations are welcome. Owen Lovejoy Homestead Rt. 6 East & Rt. 26 815-875-2616 or 815-879-9151 A Former Station on the Underground Railroad, the Lovejoy Homestead is located at the eastern edge of Princeton, IL, and was the home of the Denham and Lovejoy families for nearly 100 years. Colton Schoolhouse The Colton Schoolhouse is located on the property of the Owen Lovejoy Homestead on the east side of Princeton, Illinois. It was moved to that site in 1970 when the Lovejoy home was restored and opened to the public as a museum. Today, after careful restoration, the schoolhouse Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 38 www.bureaucounty-il.com MUSEUMS Neponset Township Historical Society PO Box 105, Neponset 61345 309-594-2197 The Neponset Historical Society is located on Commercial (Main Street) in the former Bertelsen’s Manufacturing Co. building in downtown Neponset just across from the Post Office. Hours are by appointment by calling 309-594-2197 or email mainst5@mchsi.com. Some of the items to view are genealogical information WW II history. The board is also working on a farm room, complete with a focus on the Neponset elevator, with all kinds of artifacts, documents and photos. Sheffield Historical Society 325 Washington St., Sheffield 815-454-2850 Historic Danish church built in 1880 and museum with 10 exhibit areas and a research and reference room for local history of ten towns and genealogy. Admission is $1 per person. Research fees may apply. Hours are Thursday-Saturday 11a.m.-4p.m. Manlius Historical Society 815-445-4102 or 815-454-2532 April 1 - December 1 Thursday & Saturday, 10:00-2:00 or by appointment The 1915 First State Building was designed by Parker Noble Berry, a Prairie School architect, who was chief designer for Louis H. Sullivan. Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Buildings and Sites in the United States. Along with the bank’s old memorabilia inside the building, the historical society has included memorabilia of all things Manlius. The bank is open for the public to see and tour . At other times call for an appointment. www. Manliushistoricalsociety.org Spring Valley Historical Society 201 West St. Paul 815-664-4288 Open Wednesdays & Saturdays 1 - 4 p.m. Or by Appointment 815-830-4303. Featuring items related to John Mitchell, Coal Mining, Area Businesses and Schools. Tiskilwa Historical Society Museum Museum on Main “Where the past is present” 110 E. Main St. (former Methodist Church Bldg.) 815-646-4016 Tiskilwa Historical Society offers six galleries of hands-on experience with Tiskilwa’s colorful past: Native American artifacts, village, military and school memorabilia, Hennepin Canal construction photos, old farm implements, early domestic items and more. Visit anytime online at tiskilwahistoricalsociety.org or in person on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.Handicapped accessible. SHARON SMITH Floral Designer, Gift Specialist PO box 417, 118 S. Main St. Walnut, IL 61376 815.379.3066 815.379.2752 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Join us for a Day or Become a Member 815-872-0840 39 www.bureaucounty-il.com Bureau County Parks Princeton Park District Princeton Park District maintains over 192 acres of parks and its mission is to maintain and develop a creative, effective and responsive park, recreation, and nature resource system for residents and visitors to enjoy quality leisure opportunities. The Princeton Park District opened a 9 hole Disc Golf Course located at the Bureau County Metro Center and the adjacent Alexander Park in the fall of 2006. The object of the sport is very similar to that of golf, except that flying discs (also known as Frisbees) are used in place of clubs and balls. Joe Meyers Park 2625 East Street, South of Malden 30 Acres of preserved natural woods. Westside Park Randolph & Marion St. 3 Acres of ball fields with restrooms and concession stand. City-County Park Highway 26 North Bureau County Metro Center City-County Park is a 65-acre shady setting with trails, barbecue areas, log cabin shelter, playground, ball field, and restrooms. 837 Park Avenue West 815-872-0840 The Metro Center is an impressive 52,000-squarefoot complete recreational facility. Featured are a full-sized gymnasium for basketball and volleyball; a 25-yard indoor swimming pool with lap lanes, wading pool and observation balcony; racquetball courts; weight room; locker rooms; sauna; a cardiovascular room; and elevated walking track. For receptions, banquets or meetings, the center has a generous sized multi-purpose area. Admission: Family: $12.00 Adult: $5.25 Student/Sr.: $4.50. A daily admission includes the use of the: Pool, Sauna/Jacuzzi, Gym, Cardio Room, Track, and Weight Room. Children 7 and under are free when they accompany a paying adult. Resident member ship fees are available on their website. www. princetonparkdistrict.org Alexander Park and Pool Anderson St. Twelve acre Alexander Park has a skate park, six tennis courts which are also used as a multi-sport court, outdoor pool, horseshoe pits, barbecue and picnic areas, shelter, restrooms, playground and sand volleyball and fishing. Pool Admission. Zearing Park South Euclid Ave. A 72-acre park located in the southeast corner of Princeton offers the finest ball and soccer fields, shelters and picnic and barbeque areas. Also available on site is sand volleyball, horseshoe pits, playground and concession stand. Check out the new walking trail and lake. Trails are great for cross country skiing Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures Spring Valley Residents and visitors can enjoy outdoor sports and recreation at any one of the city’s seven parks that include ball diamonds, soccer fields, tennis courts, playground equipment, an outdoor swimming pool and a handicap accessible obstacle course. Kirby Park Devlin and Strong Three shelters, baseball diamond, playground, tennis courts, horseshoe pits picnic areas and the Coveny-Veterans’ Memorial swimming pool. Coal Miners’ Park East St. Paul St. A sensory delight, offering spectacular views over the Illinois River with a variety of trees, fishing ponds, beauty and serenity close to shopping. Spring Valley Mini Park This park is the heart of the downtown shopping district and host to many events throughout the year. Every summer, the park comes alive with music during the Friday evening Municipal Band Concerts. 40 www.bureaucounty-il.com Illinois River-Barto Landing nine-hole disc golf, high ropes and zip lines are some of the activities you find here. For more information, call Mgr. 815 252-3894 or 815 663-2085 Private parties are available. Contact us at echobluffproject@comcast.net www.echobluff.org West side of Route 89 Barto Landing offers a lagoon for launching from three ramps and is the only calm-water public access to the Illinois River for forty miles of boating, water skiing, fishing or swimming enjoyment. For more than 20 years it has been the first stop on the Cabela’s MWC Tournament Schedule, the biggest Walleye competition in the state, drawing fishermen from all over the United States. ESPN reporters covering the tournament dubbed our stretch of the river the “Sauger Capital of the World”. In addition to the MWC several other fishing tournaments are held here annually. The landing also offers excellent boating, fishing and watersports opportunities. Echo Bluff Park is located in beautiful and historic Hall Township, off Route 29 between Spring Valley and DePue, Illinois Private parties available/High Ropes/Zipline by appointment. Trails, paintball, ice skating rink, WALNUT Walnut Park District 403 Sunset Ave 815-379-2213 Outdoor swimming pool, ball diamonds, community shelter, playground, tennis courts and restrooms. Ladd Veteran’s Park South Main and Cleveland Sts. Located at the south entrance to the village, Veteran’s Park has tennis courts, a playground, a large picnic shelter, smaller individual shelters and restrooms. The park is also the site of the World War I Monument, the Veteran’s Memorial Monument and a World War II Army tank. Wyaton Hills Golf Course - 815-872-2641 17879 1500 North Avenue, Princeton Chapel Hill Golf Course - 815-879-6531 12927 Illinois Hwy. 26, Princeton Hidden Lake Country Club - 845-454-2660 12985 645 East St., Sheffield Spring Creek Golf Course - 815-894-2137 286 Golf Course Rd., Spring Valley Indian Hills Golf Course - 815-646-4856 9468 1725 East St., Tiskilwa Green River Country Club - 815-379-2227 15212 IL Hwy. 92, Walnut Mendota Golf Course - 815-538-7241 35666 Route 34 West, Mendota Just south of Sheffield 815-454-2660 18 Hole Public Golf Course 12927 IL Hwy 26 Princeton, IL 61356 815-879-6531 Beautiful Public 18 Hole Course Restaurant, Bar and Banquet Room. Great for outings, receptions and banquets. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 41 www.bureaucounty-il.com Kennedy Park East Locust St. The park contains two ball diamonds, a large picnic shelter, playground and restrooms and is home to the Ladd Youth Baseball/Softball league. Bureau Children’s Memorial Park Upper level playground area of Hormel Ponds offers a basketball court, shelter and picnic facilities. Cared for and developed by the Bureau United Men’s Society and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Hormel Ponds The ponds are nestled in a secluded basin surrounded by wooded bluffs, marshland, the Hennepin Canal and a bottomland woods that beavers have flooded. The setting is relaxing and invites one to explore its diversity and offers a pleasant location for family outings. A state fishstocking program supplements the ponds’ natural restocking that results whenever the Illinois River exceeds its banks. Miller-Anderson Woods Along Route 29, at the Bureau-Putnam County border, wooded bluffs rise above the broad Illinois ic Publ rse Cou River valley to create MillerAnderson Woods Nature Preserve. The preserve protects oldgrowth upland forest, ravines, valley forest and a floating bog. A narrow, ribbon-marked, moderately difficult trail guides one through the woodland variety which displays endangered plants and Ohio buckeye in its most northern range. Once on top and near the bluff’s edge, one is treated to a panoramic view of some of the Illinois River valley’s richest wetlands. Very often seen riding the air currents are turkey vultures and, occasionally, bald eagles. DePue Donnelley/DePue State Fish and Wildlife Area 1001 W. 4th St. 815-447-2353 The Donnelley/DePue State Fish and Wildlife Areas complex is managed primarily for migratory waterfowl. Since the areas border the Illinois river, boating and fishing are also popular. Wyaton Hills Golf Course Just 1 mile west of Princeton off Route 6 & 34 Pro Shop • Lessons Driving Range 815-872-2641 wyatonhillsgc@comcast.net Max and Linda Halberg - Owners Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 42 www.bureaucounty-il.com Lake Front Park The Witness Tree First St. A scenic park stretching along Lake DePue with playground equipment, picnic areas and restrooms. Mineral McCune Sand Prairie 150 East Street Rural Mineral offers two truly unique features, an Illinois desert with cacti, and a more than 200 year old oak tree that was already rather large when Native Americans crossed the Illinois prairies on the Sauk Trail. North of Mineral about five miles on county 150 East Street is the McCune Sand Prairie where native Illinois cacti, the prickly pear, grow in abundance. This was once pasture, but due excessive grazing, the soil became especially sandy, making it too well drained and dry for many native Illinois plants. Today, there are more than 200 acres to explore with native grasses, shrubs, trees, and prickly pear cacti. This is not a good place to wear sandals, as some of the prickly pear are rather small and hidden in the grass. From on top of the hills there are some scenic views of the farmland off to the west. County Road 10 and County Road 1300 The Witness Tree is a more than 250-year-old giant burr oak tree at the junction of County Road 10 and County Road 1300 three miles south of Mineral. This large oak tree along the trail was supposedly a meeting place for Chief Shabbona and the Sauk and Fox tribes. Later on, when the railroad was being built south of Mineral, surveyors used this tree as a “witness” or reference point for their line, from which it now gets its name. Sheffield Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area 16006-875 E. St. – 815-454-2328 Mautino State Fish and Wildlife Area was dedicated in 1991 and covers more than 900 acres. This park offers 15 lakes that have been stocked with a healthy population of fish. Park guests use the lakes for boating (electric boat troll motors only), fishing and canoeing. Other park activities include hiking, hunting, picnicking (bring your own blanket), and wildlife observation. • Botanical Gardens • Arboretum • Garden Center Princeton, Illinois • 815-659-3282 • www.hornbakergardens.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 43 www.bureaucounty-il.com Compassionate. Qu Perry Memorial Hospital offers Compassionate and Quality healthcare services with Experienced staff and physicians. Perry is pleased to offer the following services: • Radiology and Laboratory • Surgical • Orthopedic • Endoscopy • Medical Rehabilitation • Ambulatory Care Services • Respiratory Care • Emergency Care • Sleep Center • Pain Clinic Choose Perry Memorial Hospital for your Healthcare Needs. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures x www.bureaucounty-il.com uality. Experienced. 530 Park Ave. East • Princeton, IL 815-875-2811 www.perrymemorial.org Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures x www.bureaucounty-il.com FUN There are so many fun things to do across Bureau County all year long. We want to salute the many volunteers who work behind the scenes to make all of these events so successful. You will find many events that the whole family will enjoy – from events that may only be a couple of hours long to multiple day events. We are going to highlight a few of them here. Be sure to take a look at our calendar of events on our web page www.bureaucounty-il.com or our Bureau County Tourism Facebook page for week by week updates of events that didn’t make this guide. There are fun family events going on weekly here in the heart of Illinois. Stop out at Echo Bluff Park near Spring Valley and take the family for an afternoon of ice skating during the winter months. In the summer you can hike the trails there, BUREAU IN COUNTY take in a ropes course or even shoot paintballs. They have events year round that the public can participate in. One of the first events of the year is the Walleye Fishing Tournament in Spring Valley in March. Fishermen (and women) come from across the nation to compete in the fishing tournament at Barto Landing and to take home the large cash prizes for the largest catch of the elusive Walleye. You will see hundreds of fishermen out on the Illinois River in all kinds of weather during the weekend. Stop by the fish weigh in later in the afternoon and see what they have caught. They have an amazing system in place to weigh the fish and sort the males from the females so that they can be sent to a breeding facility. There are many different running, walking and bike riding events planned with the first 5K race during the Walleye tournament WALT MARINI, MAyoR City of Spring Valley 215 North Greenwood Street, SPRING VALLEY, ILLINOIS 61362 City Hall • (815) 664-4221 Fax • (815) 664-2114 e-mail: svclerk@comcast.net • http://www.spring-valley.il.us City Clerk–Rebecca L. Hansen • City Attorney–James Andreoni; • City Treasurer–Jack Boroski • Aldermen–Dan McFadden, Mike Herrmann, Chuck Hansen, Tom Nesti, Jack Narczewski, Mark Actis, Dave Pellegrini, James Taliano Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 46 www.bureaucounty-il.com and the last ones in October. We have a special section in our tourism guide with info on the area races. You can come out and participate or just cheer the competitors on. A new bicycle ride has been added during Walnut’s 4th of July Hometown Celebration on Sunday, July 6th. You can stop for breakfast at their Rotary breakfast and then hop on your bike for a 10 to 100 mile (non-competitive) bike ride. You will be back in plenty of time for their huge fireworks display at dusk on Sunday night. The 4th annual Z Tour Bike Ride returns to Princeton’s Zearing Park on July 19th which also has many different length bike tours planned for Bureau County. Many of the local communities have 5K Run/Walks planned during their local festivals. Watch our web site at www. bureaucounty-il.com for more details as we get closer to their events. Many of the fairs and festivals have a long history in Bureau County. Dover Day was being held in their town park in the early 1900’s. The Bureau County Fair started in 1855 and will celebrate their 159th anniversary this August. They only took off one year during that time when the fairgrounds was being used for the troops mustering for the Civil War. Princeton’s Homestead Festival will celebrate their 43rd anniversary this year in September. Last year was LaMoille Buffalo Days 11th year. Pow Wow Days in Tiskilwa began in 1976 as part of the nations’ bicentennial. We hope that when you come to visit Bureau County that you will plan your visit around one of our local festivals. Buffalo Days in LaMoille got its start because of a herd of buffalo that were brought to town in the ‘70’s. A festival was started which featured buffalo burgers and now has expanded to a three day event with a parade, Prairie Princess Pageant, craft and vendor shows, a 5K race, beer gardens, music, tug of war and a tractor show. It will be held June 6, 7, & 8th, 2014. One of the highlights of Saturday afternoon at Buffalo Days is the Firemen’s Water Fights. Firemen & women use a stream of water from their hose to try and push a small ball down a wire to the opposing team’s side. The first one to push that ball across the other team line wins. Grab your lawn chair and relax and enjoy the day of water fights. This fun event is on Saturday afternoon June 7 @ 1pm. If you enjoy car shows you can see FUN➤ FRANK J. MAUTINO DISTRICT OFFICE 221 E. St. Paul Street Spring Valley, IL 61362 815/664-2717 FAX: 815/663-1629 patti76th@ivnet.com STATE REPRESENTATIVE 76TH DISTRICT Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 47 CAPITOL OFFICE 300 Capitol Building Springfield, IL 62706 217/782-0140 FAX: 217/557-7680 KLARGE@HDS.ILGA.GOV www.bureaucounty-il.com ➤ FUN moreon34.com for a list of sales or watch our a show that’s a little different than usual on Facebook page “More on 34 Bureau Co” for May 3rd in Ladd. The Convoy for Cancer big a list of sales. A lot of people make it a two truck show will spread out all over Ladd’s day shopping excursion, starting at one end Main Street. Stop out and see the shiny trucks of the route and spending the night in Bureau and trailers, farm equipment County before heading out to and more. Buy a 50/50 ticket shop the rest of the route the and help out the fundraiser next day. to combat cancer. The 34th The 4th of July means annual Homestead Festival fireworks and you will be car show is held on Sunday, able to see them all over the Sept. 14th during Princeton’s county – some on the 3rd and Homestead Festival. Main continuing through Walnut’s Street downtown is closed Hometown Celebration down to traffic because there massive fireworks display are many beautiful cars, on Sunday night. Walnut has trucks and motorcycles on added a family bicycle ride display on both sides of the as part of their celebration street. If you walk the length on Sunday morning. They of Main Street you will find will also have beer gardens, 2014 a craft and vendor show in Bureau County Visitors Guide a car show, a 5K race, an AdonSize = 1/8 Page front of the courthouse ATV raffle, food stands and a Questions: Call Denise Ward @ 309-944-1673 ortoo. e-mail: the south end and the Rib great parade Cook off at the north end, denise.ward@central-bank.com When we are making across from the post office. the plans for all of these Grab a pork chop and enjoy events the ground is covered the show. with piles of snow and the If you enjoy hunting temperature is way below for bargains, take a trip 0. We are anxiously awaiting down Route 34 Friday and the Bureau County Garden Saturday during Father’s Day Walk on Saturday, July 12th. weekend in June and check Walking through the beautiful out the sales for “More on gardens will be even more 34.” There will be garage enjoyable after the long sales, flea markets, and food stands all along winter we have had. Gardens will be available Route 34 for the More on 34 event stretching throughout the county and as an added treat, from Galesburg to Aurora. See www. the barn quilt tour stops will be available too. BUREAU VALLEY ANTIQUE CLUB’S 37TH Locally Grown. Locally Invested. OL’ FASHIONED THRESHUN’ DAYS July 19 and July 20 Antique Tractors & Engines Threshing • Saw Mill Good Food • Flea Market 815-498-2013 317 South Main St · Princeton, IL 815-875-3333 www.central-bank.com Member FDIC · Equal Housing Lender Show Ph. 815-824-6810 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 48 www.bureaucounty-il.com A new activity that will be beginning in 2014 will be the Barn Quilt Tour of Bureau County. No, they aren’t nailing fabric quilts to their barns. The quilts are actually 4’ x 4’ or 8’ x 8’ hand painted wooden quilt designs which are hung up on farm buildings across the county. By this summer there will be over 20 quilt designs for the public to enjoy. If you want to see a couple of samples of what barn quilts look like, stop by the red building at the entrance of the Bureau County Fairgrounds. You can find a map of the farms with the quilts here in our guide or see their Facebook page at “Barn Quilts of Bureau County.” Boat racers from across the nation come to DePue July 25-27th for the Pro National Championship Boat Races. 2014 will be their 30th season for the DePue Men’s Club to host the US Title Series. Bring a blanket or your lawn chairs and sit on the bank of beautiful Lake DePue and watch the high speed boats make rooster tails in the water as they speed around the course. There are many great food stands with all sorts of tasty treats, craft vendors, beer gardens (starting on Wednesday and continuing through Sunday) musical entertainment, a 5K race, and carnival rides. Admission is only $3 and that will help the battle to save Lake DePue so the boat races can continue for many more years. Festival 56, Princeton’s famous theater group, returns for their 11th season with dramatic plays, musicals and comedies and we can’t forget the summer presentation of one of Shakespeare’s works too. Performances begin on June 22 and continue through August 3rd. This summer’s shows are listed within this guide. If you miss the summer shows, there will also be shows in November and Christmas shows in December. Two of the biggest events of the year are in August and September. The 159th annual Bureau County Fair is always a fun event with livestock shows, commercial and fine arts exhibits, great carnival rides direct from the IL State Fair, horse shows, bull riding, truck and tractor pulls, a community church service and it’s all topped off by the very popular demolition derby on Sunday afternoon. Be sure to get your tickets early for the Beach Boys concert on Thursday, FUN➤ come On in & See Our Full Menu! FAMILY DENTAL SERVICES Lunch Served Mon.- Sat. 11-1 Pipe’s Pub Timothy J. Puhr, DDS,PC 832 Sixth Street South Princeton, IL 61356 205 North Main Street • Ohio, IL 815-376-2072 815-875-1217 Daily lunch & Drink SpecialS! Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 815-872-0472 fax e-mail:timothypuhrdds@gmail.com 49 www.bureaucounty-il.com ➤ FUN August 21st. The Fair will be held August 20-24th. The 43rd annual Homestead Festival will be Sept. 12-14th and it features a two hour long parade, pork chop barbeque, 5k race, a blues concert, beer gardens, craft show, flea market and a huge car show. Both events have so many things going on we can’t even mention all of them here so be sure to check out their web pages for updates on activities that they will be having this summer. If you like to relax and are looking for a quiet place in the country to take your family, the Hennepin Canal Parkway is a great place. Bring your fishing pole and a lawn chair and while away the afternoon as you fish or just enjoy nature. The tow path along the canal is a great place to take a walk or ride a bike. You may scare up a great blue heron as you travel the path along the water. There are several locks along the Canal where you can park and picnic and that have restroom facilities available. This should give you an idea of the many diverse activities you can find in our little corner of beautiful Illinois. You will find many events throughout Bureau County whenever you come to visit. Be sure to stop and stay overnight so you can attend as many events as possible when you are here. Be sure to check our Bureau County Tourism facebook page or our web page www.bureaucounty-il. com for our upcoming events. Some events may have been changed following the printing of this guide. We hope to see you here soon and hope you come back and bring your friends. Geocache What is Geocaching? Geocaching (geo-cashing) is a great outdoor recreational activity that’s similar to a scavenger hunt. You search for a hidden object using clues and GPS (global positioning system) coordinates. It’s incredibly fun, and becoming more and more popular every day. Check out Illinoisriverroad.org for information on geocaching around Princeton which has 15 cache locations for you to search for. There are other websites that show cache’s around Bureau County. Munzee Munzee is a real world scavenger hunt game where items are found in the real world and captured using your smartphone. You then level up and gain rank based on your score. Points are obtained by capturing other people’s munzees or when your deployed munzees are captured by someone else. Munzee is based off of the fundamentals of geocaching and adds another layer of fun to the hunt. What do munzees look like? Munzees come in any size or shape but all must contain a QR-code style barcode. The barcode combined with your GPS coordinates are the essential gameplay elements of munzee. Munzees can be hidden in containers, camouflaged or even in plain view. They can also be found at your favorite local business. There are many Munzee’s hidden in the Bureau County area. Check out munzee.com for how to start your hunt. Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 50 www.bureaucounty-il.com South Main Street, Walnut, IL 61376 815-379-2148 | 815-379-9049 (fax) E-mail: vandc@thewisp.net Complete Building Service VandCconstruction.com Shopping • Dining • Theatre • History • Museums • Antiques Part of Your Journey … www.visitprinceton-il.com Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 51 www.bureaucounty-il.com Barn Quilts of Bureau County Now there is another good reason to visit one of the most picturesque counties in Illinois. Actually - 24 new reasons - in the form of Barn Quilts! Take your map in hand and follow the new Barn Quilt Trail through the rolling hills and over the many creeks in beautiful Bureau County. This is an easy-to-follow, self-guided tour that winds its way through all corners of this big county. Stop at each Barn Quilt along the way and feel yourself unwind, as you experience firsthand the sensation of seeing art, agriculture and history come together in these iconic images. Stay as little or as long as you’d like. Barn Quilts of Bureau County is designed to celebrate Bureau County’s rich agricultural heritage, showcase our rural areas, and promote agritourism, the arts, and a sense of community pride. The Barn Quilt concept originated in Adams County, Ohio in 2001 and has spread across the United States and into Canada. Barn quilts aren’t made of the traditional fabrics that you may have been expecting. These quilts are a piece of medium density overlay board, from 4 x 4 feet to 8 x 8 feet in size. They are painted with exterior paint and each displays a colorful quilt block, either one chosen from traditional quilt designs, or perhaps personalized in some way. It is then installed on a barn, corn crib or other agricultural building. You can see examples of barn quilt designs at Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton. The red building at the main gate of the fairgrounds on Route 6 has four of our designs on it. 2014 is the inaugural year for the Barn Quilts of Bureau County. We started the year with 6 quilts in place. Four more have been painted and are ready to install. The other 14 quilts on the map will be installed as quickly as possible. You should refer to Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures our Facebook page “Barn Quilts of Bureau County” to check on the progress of the installations. We can also be contacted by email at barnquiltsofbureaucounty@gmail.com or you may call Valerie Jensen at 815-303-4608 or Rita Dabler at 815-303-2845 to check our progress. Quilts will continue to be added in the upcoming years. Our goal is to have at least one barn quilt in each of the 25 townships in the county. So come back and see us again and watch us grow! We will kick off the Barn Quilt tour on July 12th, 2014. That day Princeton Tourism and Bureau County Tourism will work together to present the Bureau County Garden Walk. While you are touring the beautiful gardens around the county, you can also stop by our local farms with barns displaying the new quilts. Watch our Facebook page or the tourism pages for locations where maps can be picked up at. You can also do a self guided tour of the barn quilts at any time, summer or winter. The map in our tourism guide is for informational purposes to show you what road the quilts are located on. Please see the actual list of addresses for the best help for locating the farms. Note that the quilts are all to be visible from the road. Please drive safely and obey all traffic laws. If there is no safe place to pull off the road at the farm to view the barn quilt, you may pull into their driveways. Please remember to check for traffic as you slow down to stop to view a quilt. We are indebted to our barn hosts for their hospitality. We hope as you travel across Bureau County you will enjoy seeing our lovely landscapes, farms and villages. We hope you will stop and enjoy our local shops and restaurants too. 52 www.bureaucounty-il.com � 15 � � 6 � 23 21 � � 22 9 � 10 � 19 � 11 � 24 � � 20 � 2 Knights Inn 5 � � 17 13 Spring Valley Inn �� � 3 1 18 � 4 �� � 7 8 14 � 12 � 16 Barn Quilt locations: 1 Marge Albrecht 14973 Lover’s Lane Road Princeton, IL 61356 2 Hilding & Joann Allen Farm 17113 1700 North Avenue Princeton, IL 61356 3 Bill Brothers Farm 8071 1310 North Avenue Buda, IL 61314 4Arthur & Judy Bland 12966 IL Hwy. 26 Princeton, IL 61356 5 Melvin Carlson 24396 1900 North Avenue Princeton, IL 61356 6 Joe & Sandy Carpenter 27713 2350 East Street Ohio, IL 61349 7 Lawrence & Rita Dabler 16125 1100 North Avenue Tiskilwa, IL 61368 8Rex Elmore 10914 1575 East Street Tiskilwa, IL 61368 9 Jared & Jill Frueh 20824 2300 North Avenue Ohio, IL 61349 10 Jason & Sara Hildebrand 24889 2100 North Avenue Princeton, IL 61356 11 Sam & Sandra Hodgett 16716 300 East Street Sheffield, IL 61361 12 Scott & Valerie Jensen 6889 1475 East Street Tiskilwa, IL 61368 13 Jim & Jeannine May 16541 2750 East Street Princeton, IL 61356 14Aaron Menerey & Kathi Reed 16998 1110 North Avenue Tiskilwa, IL 61368 15Richard & Terri Molln 1452 Baseline Road LaMoille, IL 61330 16 Clem & Judy Newton 4271 Wyanet Walnut Road Bradford, IL 61421 Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures 53 17 Max & Marilyn Olds 12101 1550 North Avenue Wyanet, IL 61379 18 Fred & Carol Pierson 13336 Lover’s Lane Road Princeton, IL 61356 19Kevin & Teresa Pinter 26802 Angling Road Malden, IL 61337 20 Jim & Nancy Rapp 18762 2200 East Street Princeton, IL 61356 21 Lonnie & Linda Rieker 24373 2600 North Avenue Ohio, IL 61349 22 Cary & Beth Rosene 20280 2400 North Avenue Ohio, IL 61349 23 Bob & Janice Williams 25247 IL Hwy. 92 Van Orin, IL 61374 24Ron & Linda Wright 16732 645 East Street Sheffield, IL 61361 www.bureaucounty-il.com Haunted Lores of Bureau County Written by David Youngquist What makes a location haunted? What is it that draws or keeps spirits and ghosts here long after they should have followed the white light home? You could ask any number of experts in paranormal investigation, and get any number of answers. There are common themes that tend to come up in those answers though, and Bureau County seems to fit the bill. Keep these things in mind as you visit the towns, homes, and other places in our little corner of the world. Some researchers say that places of high emotional levels leave an imprint behind. Ghosts from a highly charged emotional life tend to stick around after they’ve left the physical world. In our past, Bureau County has been a hotspot of emotions. Some the result of tragedy, some political upheaval, and yes, even war has been a factor on our spot on the prairie. Prior to the Civil War, Bureau County was a hotbed of emotions with Owen Lovejoy rallying his abolitionist cry. He and his brother strove to end slavery. The Lovejoy home became part of the Underground Railroad and helped dozens of people to freedom. The home still stands to the east of Princeton. Some have reported footsteps in the home when they were the only ones there. Closing doors and moving books Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures have also been whispered about. Bureau County was swept up in the Black Hawk War as well. Troops marched through the area to clash with Sac and Fox warriors. Farmers and settlers fled to small military outposts scattered though the county. The location of one such fort is marked just to the north and west of Wyanet. Future President Abraham Lincoln was one of those soldiers who answered the call to arms and with his men put down the uprising. In 1909, hay which was being moved to feed work mules deep inside the earth at the mines in Cherry, caught fire from one of the kerosene lamps mounted on the wall. Attempts to put out the fire failed. An inferno raged out of control. Initial reports placed the death toll at nearly 500 workers. With heroic efforts, and some say God’s saving grace, more than two hundred escaped. In the end, 259 men and boys working that day were laid to rest in the nearby cemetery. The mine was sealed and closed, a monument was raised for the dead, laws were put in place to ensure no other tragedy like this would ever strike again. And yet there come reports of miners dressed in their work clothes walking the streets of Cherry as they head to the mines to clock in for work. 54 www.bureaucounty-il.com Some researchers say the presence of running water is another factor that helps keep ghosts in an area. The running water creates an energy that ghosts use. They can use this energy to make themselves strong enough to make themselves known. With Big and Little Bureau Creeks, the Green River, and the Hennepin canal all flowing though our area, Bureau County is a haven for the water sport enthusiast. But not all these enthusiasts are of the earthly origins. Reports come from all corners of Bureau County of ghosts in the areas where these bodies of water flow. Near New Bedford to the north, and old bridge crossed over the Green River. It was there Bureau County had its own “Cry Baby Bridge.” Legends vary as to how it originated. Some say a car with a family in it crashed near the site and all were killed. Some say there was a home on the banks of the Green River nearby. One night, the home caught fire and burned to the ground, consuming everyone. Before the new bridge was built, however, amateur ghost hunters parked their car on the bridge. They sprinkled powder on the rear of the car, took the car out of gear and waited. Sure enough, as the video camera rolled, the car started to move. Slowly at first, but then with some definite power. When they got off the bridge, the three got out, ran around to the back, and filmed the small fingerprints left in the powder. It was a great night for them. The new bridge constructed not long after doesn’t seem to have the same ghostly reputation, but one can wonder if the children are simply getting used to the new structure. Another reported encounter from the 1930’s has a devilish twist to it. A farmer on his way to the elevator from Tiskilwa had his truck overheat on the bridge over the Hennepin Canal. As he Simple Pleasures, Hidden Treasures got out of the cab to open the hood of the old truck, a stranger appeared from the other side of the bridge. Something about the man didn’t sit right with the young farmer as they talked. Something…just simply made his skin crawl. He was dressed in bib overalls with a plain shirt and a wide brimmed hat, but he just sent cold chills down the farmer’s spine. The young man retrieved some water from the canal to fill his radiator. The man offered to help start the old truck, so gave the old engine a crank. The farmer thanked the man, who leaned against the rail of the bridge. As the truck cleared the other side, the farmer glanced back. The man was gone. When he returned to the spot, the young farmer found a handprint burned into the railing where the other had leaned. He quickly hurried on his way. But there are anomalies to these rules. Outside of Spring Valley, nestled far back into the wooded hills, is the Lithuanian Liberty Cemetery. Established in 1914 by early immigrants, the stones are engraved in Polish, Lithuanian, and other eastern European languages. A lone crypt keeps its occupants safe for their eternal rest. Many legends abound about this crypt. Everything from voices coming from inside, to glowing orange orbs that pass through its limestone walls to chase away unwanted visitors. One legend which has been confirmed by researchers is the east wall is several degrees warmer than the other three walls. There is no real scientific explanation. So come to Bureau County. Visit our parks. Navigate our waterways. Enjoy our celebrations. Just remember, there are some places in the county, you may not be alone. 55 www.bureaucounty-il.com Bureau County Fair August 20-24 JOB Mark Your Calendars for these Events March 8&9 22 29 & 30 April 6 9 June 1 Winter Garage Sale Euchre Tournament Sauk Trail Gun Club Show Dave Lewis Auction Flea Market Starved Rock Radio Club Ham Fest More on 34 Garage Sale 13 & 14 July 24 – 27 4-H Fair August 3 Queen Pageant 20 – 24 Bureau County Fair September 14 Flea Market October 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 24 & 25 Nightmare on Fairgrounds Road 12 Flea Market 25 & 26 Sauk Trail Gun Club Show November 1&2 Winter Storage 1 Pigeon Show 8&9 Winter Garage Sale 15 Train & Toy Show 26 Angus Show/Sale 29 & 30 Sauk Trail Gun Club Show Thursday, August 21 Show Time 8:00 p.m. 40th annual show at this year’s Bureau County Fair Tickets On Sale June 7, 9 a.m. New this year… Bull Riding SEBRA Contact Us To Schedule Your Events: 815 875-2905 or 815 303-2905 Bureau County Fairgrounds PO Box 238, 811 W Peru St., Princeton, IL 61356 B U RE U FA I R Cell: 815-303-2905 Hours: July 21 to Aug 24 Mon – Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. C O U NT Y Phone: 815-875-2905 Email: bcfair@frontier.com Hours: June 9 to July 18 Mon – Wed – Fri 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Friday, August 22 Since 1855 Princeton, IL www.bureaucountyfair.com We Are With You All the WAY… • pre-admit contacts to Address Questions • skilled nursing care • physical, occupational and speech Therapy • state-of-the-Art Therapy equipment • comprehensive discharge planning New! 13 elegant & peaceful private suites including flat screen tVs with satellite in each room, & internet access - all so you can relax and recover quickly! . . . 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