Visit Westville Vermilion Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Westville, Illinois: Experience Old Settler's Park's historic farm landscape and visit Ancient Courthouse Square. Eat traditional specialities at the local restaurant "The Country Cafe".
Honestly, if you’re looking for “Westville Sights”, you’re probably not here to read a boring poster, but to sniff a little real midwest feeling. Westville is located in the heart of Georgetown Township, Vermilion County, and was founded in 1869 when the railway finally broke through the dusty preriens – a bit like the first time you leave the highway and suddenly see a field full of corn. The city grew thanks to the coal and grain industries, and today it is still felt in the old brick buildings that tell more stories than some expensive city tour.
I don't understand the hype about the small city festivals, but the weekly peasant market meeting next to the old post is really great: fresh apples, homemade jams and a touch of nostalgia that reminds you that not everything has to be digital. When you arrive by car, take the I‐74 – it takes you directly to the center, and parking is almost never a problem because there is enough space for a few old pick-up trucks.
A short trip to the nearby Vermilion River lets you enjoy nature without having to hit a tent for it; a walk along the river is almost like a mini holiday, only that you can then return to the cozy Westville. And yes, if you ask where to go next time, remember: the “Westville Sights” are not just a keyword, but a promise for authentic, slightly cynical discoveries that you don’t find anywhere.
I have to admit that my favorite place in Westville is not some hipest café, but that Westville Public Library – an inconspicuous brick box on Main Street that has more character than some overpriced art gallery complex. I once borrowed a book about the history of the railway in Illinois, just to find out that the real highlight is the creeping wooden staircase that gives you a slight squeak every time you get up. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday morning when local seniors stop their weekly bingo rounds there and turn the small car park into a battlefield.
A short walk further Westville City Park, a piece of green that is more than just a playground for the kids – here the locals meet to the Frisbee, to grill and, yes, to loudly discuss the best way to eat a hot dog. I once made a picnic with my neighbor, who told me that the real secret of the park is the old metal bank, which has been standing there since the 70s and gives every time a slight clue of itself when you sit down – an acoustic sign that you are really “secret” here. The baseball fields are well maintained, and the car park next to the entrance area is a real blessing if you do not want to land in the mud after a long day in summer.
If you ask yourself why I even talk about a museum in a city of about 4,000 inhabitants, then let me tell you that Westville Historical Society Museum introduce. This is not a huge, air-conditioned palace building, but a small, lovingly restored house, which used to serve as a primary school. There are old black-and-white photographs of people you still see on the main road today – this gives the whole an almost surreal touch. I found an old school uniform there that I tried out of pure curiosity; the staff only laughed and said that the “real Westville feeling” is not too serious.
Another jewel I don't want to conceal is that St. Mary’s Catholic Church. It has been in the centre of the city for over a century and is what is called “so-good-as-ist” Church in small communities – not a spectacular glass window, but a simple but solid building that throws a little dust every time you open the door. I took part in a Sunday Mass there, only to find out that the organ has a self-contained fool that sounds almost like a secret applause when the organ game ends. The small cemetery behind it is a quiet place where you can read the names of your neighbours from past generations – a bit melancholic, but somehow soothing.
Now comes a place that I personally call the “secret heart” of Westville: Westville Fire Department Museum. Yes, you've read correctly – a firefighter museum in a city that has hardly more than a few fire trucks. There are old, bright red extinguishing vehicles from the 50s and 60s, which you only know from old film classics. I once talked to a young recruit who explained to me that the real highlight is not the vehicles, but the collection of old helmets, which each time give a light crawl of themselves when you touch them. Parking is a children's game here, because the terrain is large enough to accommodate a few cars, and the staff even lets you take a few photos with the old trucks – a real Instagram moment when you get the right light.
And because I don't just want to tell the usual suspects, I still have to Westville Diner mentioning that since the 80s regulates the city’s breakfast and lunch break. This is not a gourmet restaurant, but a classic diner with vinyl mills, a jukebox that still plays “Sweet Caroline”, and pancakes that are so big that you need almost a second sheet of paper to stack them. I drank coffee there once while watching the local newspaper boy writing his column – he said that the diner was the “official center of rumors” because everyone exchanges their latest stories here. So if you're looking for a place where you can feel the true everyday life of Westville, you're right here.
Finally, a brief hint for those who wonder what else to do in this small town: Westville Sights can best be explored on foot because the main road is so compact that you come from the library to the diner, from the park to the museum and back in less than an hour. And if you're lucky to come by a Friday night, there's often a small street festival where the locals sell their homemade jams and you'll ask yourself why you haven't been here before. Anyway, I found my favorite places – and that, my friend, is worth more than any brilliant brochure.
The first stop of my little Odyssey was the Kickapoo State Recreation Area, a piece of land that spreads between the fields of Vermilion and the gentle hills of Danville. I have to admit that I cannot fully understand the whole hype about “unguided nature” – there are still some well-developed trails, a lake where you can swim in the summer, and a campsite that offers more electricity than an average city park. Parking is usually easy, except for the long weekends in July, as the campers stack like cups in the closet.
A short detour to Danville brought me to the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, an old bank building that now houses more works of art than I saw in my entire life on postcards. The exhibition on local industrial history is surprisingly captivating – who would have thought that the old sugar factory was once the heart of the region? I stood there half an hour ago in front of a painting showing a field worker from the 1900s, and thought that this is probably the only museum here that brought me to amazement and to dig.
A few streets on, hidden behind an inconspicuous wall, lies the Vermilion County War Museum. I have never held much of military museums, but here there are more than helmets and uniforms; there are personal letters from soldiers I almost read with my own eyes. The scent of old wood and the quiet sum of air conditioning give the whole an almost sacral atmosphere – almost as if one were standing in a forgotten basement of an old mansion. Parking is a Klacks because the museum sits on a former school grounds and there is still a free parking for visitors.
The Danville Riverwalk is what I would call “city curse with style”. The path winds up along the Vermilion River, past old factory ruins that have now been reworked into art installations. I made a picnic there while a few joggers cried past me and an older couple comfortably fed the ducks. The path is well illuminated so that you can still run safely even after dark breaks – a small bonus if you don't have enough of nature after a long day in the kickapoo.
The Prairie State Park is located a little further north, almost on the border with Champaign County. There are no exaggerated numbers of visitors here, but endless prairies that pass into a sea of gold in summer. I spent a few hours photographing the rare wild flowers there, and had to find that parking here is almost never a problem – a few empty pitches are always ready as long as you don't arrive at lunchtime with a school class.
The historic Danville Train Station, an impressive brick building from the 1890s, is another highlight that I could not leave. The railway station serves today as a venue for local concerts and exhibitions, and I accidentally discovered a small jazz quartet that played in a corner of the old waiting area. The charm of this place lies in its mix of history and modern life – a place where you almost feel the time would go a little slower.
If you're in town in summer, you can't miss the Danville Farmers Market. The market is not what you would call “tourist attraction”, but the fresh products from the environment and the friendly sellers make it a real experience. I bought a particularly crisp corn that later made the difference between “okay” and “wow” when grilling in the kickapoo. Parking is a bit tricky here because most visitors arrive by car, but a few free places are still at the edge of the marketplace.
Another rather seasonal highlight is the Vermilion County Fairgrounds. During the annual fair, the grounds are transformed into a colorful drive from rides, cattle shows and local food stands. I went to a pumpkin competition where a 30 kg pumpkin took the first place – a sight that impressed me at the same time and a little scared. Parking is a real adventure here: On the main days there is a huge field full of cars, but the organizers have created extra parking space, so you don't have to look for too long for a free space.
All in all, the surroundings of Westville and Georgetown Township offer a surprisingly diverse range, ranging from natural paradises to historical museums to lively marketplaces. So next time after Westville Sights search should not only keep the city in mind, but also dare a detour to these places – they are the true heart of the region you should not miss.
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