Visit Hindsboro Douglas Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Hindsboro, Illinois: An idyllic village in the Shelby county! Discover the nature and rural charm of Lake Shelby. Rent a Cabin and enjoy the outdoor life.
Honestly, if you think that the real heart of Illinois is hitting Chicago, you haven't experienced Hindsboro yet. The city was founded in 1858 when the railroad slit the prairie and a few brave pioneers decided to colonise a piece of land here. I find it fascinating that the small village still preserves the charm of its founding time, although most people here only look past as a transit station for Highway 24.
I like to drive out with the old Diesel truck from Springfield – the country roads through Bowdre Township are a bit like a set of films from the 50s, only that the cows do not always stay in the picture. As soon as you are in the centre of Hindsboro, you immediately feel that more than just crop fields grow here: People are proud, a bit self-willing and have a dry humour that takes you right away.
A short trip to the old town hall, which still houses the original from the 1880s, is a must for me. There you can literally smell the story – not in the cheesy museum style, but real, with a flaking color and squeaking wooden floors. And yes, I don't quite understand the hype about the annual harvest, but the small cafes next to the station where you get a freshly brewed coffee are just fantastic. So if you're looking for an authentic Slice of Midwest, then the Hindsboro sights are just the right one – without a buckling taste, for that with a lot of character.
I have to admit that I would never have thought that a tiny spot like Hindsboro has anything to offer – until I do Hindsboro Community Park have discovered. There is a small but surprisingly well maintained baseball court, surrounded by a lawn-edge path, which is perfect for a cozy walk. Parking is usually a Klacks, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the whole village comes together to grill. I once made a spontaneous picnic with some locals, and while I ate my sandwiches, I heard the distant squeaking of a cow that somehow rounded off the rural flair perfectly.
Right next to the park you stumble over the United Methodist Church of Hindsboro, a brick building from the early 1900s, which breathes more history than so many city temples. I don't quite understand the hype about church architecture, but the simple, almost sober facade has something honest that calms me a bit every time I open the heavy oak doors. The small cemetery behind the church is also worth a glimpse – the tombstones tell stories that can only be found in dusty history books.
If you ask yourself where to sniff a bit of industrial charm in Hindsboro, then look at this Hindsboro Grain Elevator on. The silver silo shafts project like a modern monolith from the flat landscape, and the whole thing is a popular photo pot for Instagram-Aficionados who like to pose with the hashtag #ruralvibes. I once saw an old tractor that seems to have been parked there since the 70s – a real relic that reminds you that there is still real work here, not only tourist-selfies.
A short detour to Historical Society Museum (yes, there is really, hidden in the former school building) is a must if you want to learn a little more about the local history. The exhibition is small, but the artefacts – from old school books to handwritten diaries of the founding families – are surprisingly well preserved. I found a handmade wooden chair there, which was supposedly carved by the first mayor himself; I didn't take him because I didn't want to be a thief, but he still impressed me.
A little away from the center lies old railway depot, a rusted relic from the time when the railway was still the backbone of the region. The place is not exactly a tourist magnet, but that's exactly what makes it so appealing for me. I once met a local historian who told me that there are still the original tracks that once brought trains to Chicago. Parking is a bit tricky here – you have to go a bit further along the road and then park a few meters backwards, but this is part of the adventure.
Another highlight I don't want to conceal is that Hindsboro Volunteer Fire Department – a small but proud building that hosts a firefighter festival every year. The guys and girls there are real characters, and the annual barbecue on the parking lot is legendary. I once tried a piece of self-made apple cake that was so good that I almost forgot that I was here because of the “sights”.
Finally, and this is perhaps the most underestimated, Hindsboro Cemetery. It is a bit off, surrounded by high corn fields, and the old mossed gravestones give you the feeling of wandering through a living history book. I have discovered a small, hand-carved wooden bench there, which invites you to stay perfectly – a place where you can stop for a short time and think about life, while the sun goes over the wide fields.
So, next time you drive to Hindsboro, don't forget that the Hindsboro Attractions not only consist of a single highlight, but of a series of small, self-willing places that together draw a pretty charming picture of this sleepy village. And yes, I know that sounds almost too poetic now, but believe me – the real life here is just as rough and yet somehow lovable.
The first stop of my little Odyssey leads me to Illinois Railway Museum in Union, about 20 miles east of Hindsboro. Whoever comes here should be aware that the terrain is larger than the ego of some big city museums – and that's not a joke. I lost myself between steaming steam locomotives and squeaking rails, while an older gentleman in overalls told me that most of the trains here were never tied to the tracks of regular traffic. Parking is a children's game as long as you don't come on Saturday night, then the field becomes a battlefield of SUVs and caravans. The entrance is free, but the heart requires a guided tour that is best reserved in advance – otherwise you are like a lost tourist in front of a rusty emitter.
A short trip to Tuscola brings you to Douglas County Historical Museum. At first glance, the building looks like an old school house, but inside there is a collection of farm artefacts, old maps and an amazingly well preserved barn from the 1880s. I discovered a photo of my grandfather that he had never shown – proof that history not only holds dusty books, but also forgotten family stories. The museum has a small parking lot behind the building; this is practical because the main road is sometimes blocked by tractors.
If you have enough of dusty halls, the path continues to Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park. The canal, a relic from the time when you thought waterways could make competition to the railways, winds through the flat landscape like a rotten river. I made a picnic there on one of the few but well-kept meadows, while an older couple in the background loudly discussed the “good old time”. The park offers free parking at several entrances, but on sunny weekends it can become narrow – a good warning signal if you don't want to stand in traffic.
A little further south lies the charming town Arcola, which with its historical grain store and the old railway bridge looks a little like a film set from the 1930s. I discovered a small coffee shop that has more character than some big city chain – the staff serves coffee with an eye-catcher and likes to tell about the annual “Corn Festival” celebrations that turn the whole village into a colorful mess. Parking is a bit of an adventure here, because the streets are narrow, but a free space in front of the store is almost always to be found when you come early enough.
For nature lovers who prefer to see the green on a larger scale, the Kankakee River State Park A must. The river, which flows through wide meadows and dense forests, offers both fishing opportunities and hiking trails that wind through the damp underwood. I spent a couple of hours inspecting an old wooden boat that seems to have been on the shore for decades – a perfect place to turn off the phone and enjoy the quiet stroller of the water. The parking lot is well signposted, but at the summer holidays it can be full quickly, so prefer to get back early.
Whether you are looking for raw locomotives, forgotten family stories, quiet river banks or a small but fine café – the surroundings of Hindsboro offer more than just what you would expect at first glance. The mixture of history, nature and local characteristics makes the region a surprisingly rich field of experience. So the next time Hindsboro Attractions thinks not only about the city itself, but about all the small jewels that are only a stone's throw away.
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