Visit Bement Piatt Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Bement, Illinois: Small, idyllic village in the heartland of American culture! Experience the farm landscapes, historical buildings and the annual cake festival. A beautiful region for hikers and lovers of peace!
What makes Bement sights so special is the almost ironic mixture of historical silence and the quiet drones of the agricultural machinery that shape the image of the small city. I remember driving over the dusty main road for the first time, while I thought this is probably the heart of Piatt County – and indeed, Bement was named after the early settler William Bement in 1854, just before the railroad in 1859 slit the area and transformed the small village into a local trading centre. Today, you can still feel the old wooden buildings that witness the former flowering period, and the feeling that time is slower here is almost calming.
When you arrive by car, take the I‐72 until exit 165 and then follow the County Road 12 – this is the fastest route, but I recommend driving a piece over the old road to enjoy the fields that form the backbone of Bement Township. I have the feeling that the locals are a bit skeptical about tourists, but as soon as you discover the small café on the corner that exists since the 60s, you will notice that hospitality here is real – no joke. And yes, the Bement sights are not to be found in a shiny guidebook, but in conversations with the people who live here, and in the quiet moments when the sun goes over the corn fields.
This guide invites you to stroll with me through the inconspicuous but self-willing bement – yes, just the small town you would easily overlook if you don’t accidentally cross Highway 124 and suddenly discover a sign with “Welcome to Bement”.
I must confess, my personal favorite spot is that Bement Historical Museum. The old school building, which is housed there, still smells like chalk and dusty yearbooks, and if you're lucky, you're just getting a tour where a retired teacher with dry humor tells the story of the city from 1850 to the present. I don't quite understand the hype about high-tech muses, but here you get real, handwritten diaries and an original school boat that was used for sports lessons – no joke, the thing is still in the basement.
A short walk further leads you to Bement Public Library. This is not only a place for bookswühling, but also the unofficial meeting place café for those who spend too much time in the car. I met an older gentleman there who told me about his youth as a tractor driver, while he offered me a homemade bread from his kitchen – this is the kind of hospitality you rarely find in larger cities.
If you're looking for something that you call "Looking out the window", that's it. Bement City Park That's right. The park is small, but it has a playground, a baseball field and a small pond in which ducks lazy their rounds. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the annual “Bement BBQ” takes place and everyone tries to get a place on the grill. I tried a piece of barbecue sausage there, which was so good that I almost forgot that I actually wanted to make a short photo stop.
A little away from the hustle Bement Community Center. Most local events take place here – from bingo to art exhibitions from hobby artists from the area. I was there at a “art-and-wine night” where the participants drank more wine than art, and the result was a rather colorful mess of brushstrokes and empty glasses. The Center is also a good place to use Wi-Fi if you suddenly need to post your Instagram story.
A walk down the main road leaves you the historical Main Street discover, lined with old brick buildings that used to serve as a bank, pharmacy and grocery store. Today they host a café that serves the best apple cake in the region (I tried it, and it is actually better than most urban patisseries) and a small antique shop where you can find a real 19-year-old tea kettle sign that you can later use as a dinner party conversation.
A short detour to Sangamon River completes the picture. The river is not just a wild water paradise, but it offers quiet fishing areas and a few shaded places where you can spread a picnic from the local Deli-Delikatessen. I caught a huge carp there that was almost as big as my bike, and that was definitely the highlight of my stay – until I realized that I could not find the picture anymore because I had forgotten the camera in the car.
If you ask yourself what you can see in Bement at all, just look at the Bement Sights that I have gathered here. They are not spectacular in the Hollywood sense, but they have character, a bit of self-willingness and above all the feeling that you are not just a tourist here but a short part of history.
The first stop I put to every new man's heart is that Piatt County Historical Museum in Monticello – a small but surprisingly well-stocked museum, which is housed in the former prison of 1868. I've learned more about the pioneering period than I've ever found in a textbook, and the old brick building has this slightly muffy smell that gives you the feeling of really traveling to the past. Parking is almost always a Klacks as long as you don't come on Saturday afternoon when the museum is overrun by school classes.
Only a few road kilometers further attracts this Piatt County Courthouse, an imposing brick building that has been the heart of justice since 1868. I have to admit that I can't fully understand all the hype around historical court buildings until I saw the artfully carved wooden railings and the old clock in the tower that still ticks as if it were a relic from another era. The small parking lot behind the building is usually free, but on the days when the County Fairgrounds event takes place, it can become narrow.
A short detour leads to Bement Bridge, a Pratt-Tragwerksbrücke built in 1905 over the Sangamon River. I stood there once in autumn, while the leaves whipped over the water like a fireworks, and thought that this bridge has more character than some modern highway. The footpath is well preserved, and parking is virtually right on the river bank – a perfect spot for a spontaneous photo if you don't want to be crossed by a tractor.
If you have enough of history, Lake Decatur the next destination I recommend to anyone looking for some water and fresh air. The lake is located about 20 miles east and offers fishing spots, boat rental and a small beach bath, which is surprisingly busy in summer. I packed out my fishing rod and captured the greatest pike of my life – no joke, the particle was almost as big as my head. The visitor centre has a parking lot, which is quickly full on weekends, so be there early.
Another highlight is the Piatt County Fairgrounds, which every August turns the whole area into a colorful mess of rides, cattle shows and local delicacies. I tried the famous caramel apple for the first time there and was immediately addicted; the atmosphere is a mix of nostalgia and pure chaos that you only find in small districts. Parking is available in abundance, but you should count on traffic when you arrive in the afternoon.
For those who want to continue a small trip, this is Scovill Zoo in Decatur a charming, though not particularly large, zoological experience. I saw the free-running giraffes there and wondered why you could not just build a larger animal enclosure – but that is what makes the zoo so personal. The parking lot is directly at the entrance, and the entrance system is uncomplicated as long as you do not arrive on the first Saturday of the month when the school classes flood the terrain.
Whether you are looking for history, nature or a little rural hustle and bustle – the surroundings of Bement have more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. These Bement Sights show that the small heart of Piatt County is full of surprises that challenge and delight every modern traveler at the same time.
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