Visit Metcalf Edgar Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the small town of Metcalf in Illinois! Experience the annual balloon festival and enjoy the beautiful country around the city. The camping area "Kickapoo State Recreation Area" offers ideal starting point for hikes. Top recommendation!
Metcalf sights are not exactly what you expect in a guide, but that's what makes the charm. Honestly, the tiny village in Young America Township, Edgar County, was born around 1870 as a small stop point of the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railway and has barely won in size since then, but for that it is self-willing. I don't understand the hype around big metropolitan areas, but here, where the only sound is the distant mowing of a cow, you suddenly feel a real explorer. The journey is a little fun for yourself: Highway 1 leads you directly to the heart of the country, while public transport is more a rumor here – so grab a car or a bicycle if you feel athletic.
If you ask yourself what you can see here at all, let me tell you that the old railroad railroad, which today sounds as a narrow trench through the fields, is a perfect place for a photo that you can later show to your friends to prove that you were really “aside the tourist trails”. And yes, the small cemetery leg on the edge of the village, where the graves from the 19th century For me, more history than some overcrowded museums is still embraced by oak trees. I could continue to shimmer, but this is the real Metcalf experience: a mix of silent nostalgia and the silent realization that you have more time to think about life here – no joke.
I have to admit that my favorite place in Metcalf is not some hipster café, but that Metcalf United Methodist Church – a small brick building that has been guarding over the main road intersection for over a century. When you come from the US-150, you just turn left, and the nave appears almost like a relic from another time, only that there is a choir here every week and the pastor can talk more about corn than about theology. Parking is usually a klack, as long as you don't arrive on Sunday morning after the worship service – then the cars stack like pawn bottles at the Kirchhof.
A short walk further (about 200 meters, so practically a cat jump) leads you to Metcalf Cemetery. I once discovered an old tombstone, where there was a true pioneer in a dynamic calligraphy – a hint that more people lived here earlier than today fit into the whole place. The terrain is freely accessible, and shading of the lawn is done by the local volunteers who apparently have more time for tombhills than for Netflix. I have always wondered why most visitors are staying for a while; Perhaps it is the silence that almost forces you to think about your own life – no joke, that is almost meditative.
If you have enough of gravestones, look at this Metcalf Grain Elevator that thrones like a rusty giant on the edge of the city. The thing is not only a functioning grain silo, but also a piece of living history: The old wooden structure from the 1950s has since been lovingly renovated, so that today you can still hear the squeaking of the conveyor belts when the harvest time begins. I once met a farmer who told me that the silo can hold more than 30 000 tons of corn – this is almost as much as a small amusement park. Parking is available directly in front of the entrance, but be warned: On Saturday afternoons, when the harvest arrives, the terrain is a real battlefield from tractors and trucks.
A bit further, where the old railway line once shredded through the village, is that Metcalf Schoolhouse. The building is today a small museum operated by a group of seniors who still press the school bench – but only to roll the old class books. I once saw an exhibition on the school uniforms of the 1920s; that was a real eye-catcher because the skirts were almost as short as the patience of today's teenagers. The entrance is free because the village prefers to put the money in the annual barbecue evening, and parking is a small piece, so better take a small car.
A short detour to Metcalf Community Center is worth looking for a place where you can exchange with locals who know more about the weather than about the latest from Hollywood. There are regular bingo evenings and a weekly farmer's market where you can get fresh apples, homemade jams and one or other piece of cheese – all from people who will personally milk their cows. I once met an old man there who claimed he had never entered a supermarket; the conversation was a highlight because he told me how to heat the house without electricity in winter – a real survival guide.
And yes, if you ask yourself what else you can see in Metcalf, just look at the Metcalf Attractions that I have gathered here. Most aren’t exactly “tourist magnets”, but that’s what makes the charm: You get the feeling that you are not just a visitor, but a part of the small, slightly cynical village life that pulsates here. The last time in autumn I crossed the old wooden bridge cross over the small creek, and the bang of the planks was almost louder than the laugh of the children who played there. So next time you drive over the road and see the sign “Metcalf”, stop – you will not be disappointed, promised.
The first stop I recommend for every visitor of Metcalf is the imposing Edgar County Courthouse in Paris – a stone monument from the early 20th The century, which reveals more about the peculiarity of the region than any brochure. I stood there on a windy Tuesday morning, while some locals rushed past their dusty suits; parking was a Klacks, as long as you did not arrive on Saturday night, then the road turns into a small battlefield of parking cars and uplifting trucks.
Just a few blocks away, the Edgar County Historical Museum, which resides in a former Carnegie library building. I have learned more about the agricultural roots of the area than I would have thought possible – from old barn plans to handwritten diaries of the first settlers. The best thing: the entrance is free, and the staff makes you almost feel like being part of a secret society when they show you the yellowed photos.
A short detour to the north leads to Lincoln Trail State Parkwhere I tried to fish a little bit on a sunny afternoon, although I must admit that my fishing skills are more like the hobby gardener than the professional. The lake is clear, the water is cold, and the trails are so well marked that even I – whoever chooses the wrong path – did not lose. Parking is sufficient at the main entrance, but at the long weekends it can be narrow, so better early there.
If the water is your element, that is Kankakee River State Park south of Metcale a must. I rented a kayak there and pushed down the river, while the sun glittered over the trees – no joke, that was almost too beautiful to be true. The docks are well maintained and the visitor center offers maps that even point to an orientationless one like me.
A little further east lies the Vermilion River State Park, a place I would call the “green counterpart” to the flat fields of the environment. The trails extend through dense forests and small streams; I remember suddenly being watched by a curious roe that seemed to me from a safe distance. Parking is available at the main entrance, and the terrain is easy to navigate for families with children thanks to well signposted paths.
For those looking for the urban flair, Danville's historic city centre is a surprisingly charming destination. I visited the Danville Museum of Fine Arts, which houses surprisingly modern exhibitions in an old industrial building. The cafés along Main Street serve the best coffee in the region – strong enough to regain a tired traveller – and parking is almost always a children's game thanks to several public garages.
A last, slightly overlooked treasure is the old Union Church outside of Metcalf, a small wooden building from the 1880s, which is still used for worship and occasional concerts. I have seen a Sunday concert where a local folk trio played; the acoustics was amazingly good for a room that is hardly larger than a classroom. The parking lot is a simple gravel road, but this is just what makes the place so authentic.
Whether you are looking for historic brick buildings, quiet lakes or lively small town culture – the surroundings of Metcalf offers a colorful range of experiences that go far beyond the tranquil village. These Metcalf Attractions have convinced me, the easy cynical guide, that a detour here can be more than just a short stop; it is a small but fine trip to the heart of Illinois.
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