What makes Foosland sights so special is the silent determination of a small town, which has hardly been detached from its rural core since the 1850s. I remember driving over the old railway bridge for the first time, which once formed the backbone of the Chicago-Alton line and today is only used by tractors and occasional cyclists. The history of Foosland is basically a chapter of pioneering humility and a bit of stubbornness: Founded by German immigrants who colonized the country in Brown Township, the village has never strived for the splendour of large cities – and that is also good.
If you take the Interstate 57 south from Champaign, the descent after about 30 miles is a small shock for the senses: suddenly the cityscape of College Campus changes to endless corn fields, and in the middle of the green is Foosland, surrounded by the wide fields of the Champaign County. I have always enjoyed the ride because it gives me the feeling of breaking out of everyday life without landing completely in nowhere. A short stop at the local diner, where the coffee is stronger than the weather, provides the perfect start for a walk through the main road that has more charm than any Instagram filter app. And yes, I don’t always understand the hype about “small city authenticity”, but here, between the old barns and the friendly faces, I find the real, unsightly Illinois – a place that has enough to tell despite its size, if you’re just ready to listen.
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To find the exact point where the sun disappears behind the skyline, use the azimuth display on poi-travel.de. In Foosland, the sun travels further northwest below the horizon in summer, while in winter it takes a more southwesterly angle. With the embedded line on the map, you can determine your tripod position down to the metre.
The first stop of my little Odyssey was University of Illinois Campus in Urbana – a place where the academic talk is almost as loud as the circle of students when the exam time begins. I visited the Krannert Art Museum there, which surprisingly offers more than just dusty sculptures; The changing exhibitions are a real eye-catcher, especially when you drive home on the dusty field roads from Foosland after a long day. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the entire campus life is pushing on the asphalt.
A short trip after Homer Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area showed me that Illinois has not only corn fields. The lake is crystal clear, fishing here is almost a ritual that I repeat every year, although I must admit that I don’t understand the hype around the “Wilde” – the water is rather a calm mirror, but the nature trails are really great for a walk if you want to get your head free.
Continue south Illinois Railway Museum in Union, the largest railway museum in the USA. I've seen an old steam train exponate there that snares more than an old armchair, and that reminds me of why I love the whole “Retro-Zeug”. The guided tours are informative, but you don't have to be too dazzled by the nostalgic sounds – the real highlight is the open terrain where you can admire the old locomotives from close proximity. A little note: The museum is easily accessible on foot when you have a bicycle, and parking is almost always free, except when a special event runs.
A bit further east, almost like a secret treasure, this is Cummings Arboretum on the edge of Champaign. I spent a few hours there to marvel at the local trees – especially the oaks that are almost monuments here. The paths are well marked, and the staff is friendly but not intrusive. I even watched a squirrel that was brave enough to steal a piece of nut while I tried to take a picture. This is the real “Midwest-Feeling” that you rarely find in travel guides.
If you are tired of urban driving, it is worth a detour to Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve south of Champaign. The lake is not huge, but the water is clear enough to count the ducks that swim there. I did a picnic there that was disturbed by a group of college students who were loudly discussing the latest football match – a real contrast to the otherwise so peaceful atmosphere. Parking is a children's game here as long as you don't come at the weekend, then it can be tight.
Another highlight I can't leave is that Japan House on the University of Illinois campus. The minimalist gardens and the tea house are a small retreat that looks almost too perfect to be real. I tried a traditional match, and although I'm not a big tea drinker, the experience was surprisingly soothing. Admission is free, but you should inform yourself if there is a workshop that can affect the number of visitors.
Last but not least a short trip to Orpheum Theatre in Urbana, a historical cinema that today serves as a venue for concerts and plays. I visited an indie film festival there that had more charm than most mainstream cinemas. The acoustics are impressive, and the old marquee still shines in its full splendour – a real eye-catcher when you stroll through the street at night.
Whether you are looking for cultural treasures, quiet natural scenes or a touch of nostalgia – the surroundings of Foosland offer a colourful mix that surprises every traveller. The places mentioned show that the region has far more to offer than just corn fields, and they are definitely worth a detour when you get the Foosland Attractions to explore.
This guide invites you to make a small but self-contained trip through Foosland, Brown Township, Illinois with me – yes, just the tiny village you can hardly find on the map because it seems to disappear between corn fields and endless highway sections.
I always start with what I personally consider to be the heart: Foosland Community Center. The building is an old, slightly sloping brick house, which used to be a school and today serves as a meeting point for everything possible – from bingo-ends to occasional country-band appearances. Parking is almost always a children's game as long as you don't come on Friday night after the weekly karaoke event, then the small car park becomes a battlefield quickly. I once met a 70-year-old veterans who told me that the center was the only “culture institution” in the whole of Brown Township – and that was good, because the acoustics are amazing when considering the old wooden beams.
A short walk further Fo Foosland Public Library, an inconspicuous cultivation to the Community Center, which is part of the Champaign County Library District. I don't quite understand the hype about libraries in rural areas, but here there is a surprisingly well-sorted selection of local history books and a small reading carousel for children who squeak every time you use it. The staff is friendly, but you immediately realize that they are talking more about the weather than the latest bestsellers – a real small-town charm.
If you have enough of dusty shelves, the path leads to Fire Department, a historical fire department store from the 1920s. The red brick building stands proudly on the corner of Main Street, and the old inflatable that still hangs in the shed is a popular photo for Instagram users looking for “authentic” land life shots. I once caught the fire brigade chief, as he explained to me, that most of the stakes here are actually only cows that have caught themselves in hay – no joke, that is reality.
Another must I look over again and again because it is so inconspicuous, that is Foosland Cemetery. Yeah, a cemetery, but not some. The tombstones tell stories of pioneers that the country in the early 20th Centuries have planted, and the artistically worked forging works at the gates are a real eye-catcher. I once met an old veteran who told me that his great-grandfather is buried here, and that the “crawling” feeling that you get when you enter only comes from the many oaks surrounding the terrain.
A short detour leads to Foosland Grain Elevatora silver monolith that protrudes beyond the fields like a silent guard. The elevator is not only a functional building, but also a popular photo motif for hobby photographers who want to capture the “rustic” flair. I once met a farmer who told me that since the 1950s the equipment has hardly been maintained, because the harvest yields here are simply too small to afford the latest technology – a bit of irony considering that the whole village is surrounded by corn.
For those who want to sniff a little culture, there are Foosland United Methodist Church. The white brick building with the pointed tower is the only religious landmark in the place, and on Sundays there sounds a choir that consists more of a sense of duty than of musical talent. I once met a pastor who told me that the church is just about to restore the old church organ cult – a project that has been in silence since 2018, because no one has enough money to buy the piece allegedly from the 19th century. The century came.
A little off the main road lies the Foosland Park, a small but fine green area with a playground, a picnic table and a tiny lake populated by ducks in the summer. I have often invited my friends to barbecues because the parking lot is practically free and parking on the outskirts of the park is almost never a problem – unless you arrive on the first Saturday of July, then there is a local street festival that turns the whole neighborhood into a colorful mess.
And yes, I must not forget: the Foosland Attractions not only are these individual points, but the whole feeling that arises when one strolls from one place to the next and hears the quiet sum of the agricultural machines in the background. It is a mix of nostalgia, light resignation and a sublime admiration for the people who live and work here.
At the end of the day, when the sun goes down over the corn fields and deny the barbecue smells from the park, I can only say: Foosland is not an Instagram paradise, but it is a place where you can feel the real, unsightly Illinois – and that, my friend, is worth more than any brilliant metropolis.
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