Visit Fisher Champaign Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the "Fishing Capital of the World" - Fisher, Illinois! Experience the excellent fishing opportunities at Lake of Egypt and the Carlyle Lake. Trust in local specialties such as the fish soup or the "Fish Sandwich". Not to miss: The Fish & Nature Festival in July!
Honestly, if you ask yourself why I'm talking about a tiny village like Fisher, it's his story: in 1883, when the railroad finally broke through the prairie, a few brave settlers jumped out of the train and laid the foundation of this town – named after John Fisher, a local businessman who probably had more money than charm. Today, Fisher is in the heart of Brown Township, Champaign County, and looks like a forgotten chapter I like to hit again.
I usually drive by car over the I‐57, then a short trip to the US‐150, and suddenly the sign “Welcome to Fisher” appears as if it were saying: “Here there are more than just grain fields.” The villagers are proud, but not exaggerated – no joke, they even have a small community place where you can sniff the real country life with a coffee from the local bakery (which I personally consider to be the best cinnamon cake).
When you arrive by train, the Amtrak will get off in Champaign, and a short bus (or a friendly taxi driver who won't let you in the rain) will take you to the village. And yes, I don't understand the hype about the big cities, but the Fisher sights I mean here are just what you need after a long road trip: authenticity, a touch of nostalgia and freedom to do nothing.
I must admit right at the beginning that I always start the first stop in Fisher with a light eye role – the old Fisher Public Library is what you expect from a small town if you think of a dusty bookcase that breathes more history than the city itself. And yet, when you get there on a rainy afternoon, you are almost hypnotized by the high ceilings and the original Carnegie windows. Parking is usually a Klacks, because the car park next to the town hall barely holds more than a few cars, but this is just the flair: you stroll through the narrow alleys, hear the sound of the old wooden doors and realize that not every day is an Instagram post.
A short walk further (approximately five minutes, if you don't want to flash by bike through the cornfields) leads you to Fisher Community Park. There is a baseball field, a small playground construct and a picnic area overrun by families looking for the only green in the area in the summer. I once made a picnic with a friend, and while we were talking about the “big” view of the surrounding corn fields, an older gentleman came by with a barbecue and offered us hot dogs – no joke, that was the highlight of the day. Parking is available on the outskirts of the park, but on Saturday night, if the local football team has a game, that will be a real problem.
If you are interested in history (or just looking for a reason to distract you from the heat), then that is Fisher Historical Society Museum A must. The museum is located in the former school building from the 1920s and shows artefacts ranging from old school benches to handwritten diaries. I discovered an old photograph where a tractor from 1915 can be seen – an image that immediately gave me the image of a city that has more to do with earth and less with WLAN. The museum has no fixed entrance, and parking is right in front of the building where you can almost never find your car because the locals always reserve a place.
Another relic I can hardly overlook is the Fisher United Methodist Church. The building from 1885 has a simple but impressive brick roof and a bell-play that sounds at 10 a.m. on Sundays – a sound that immediately reminds you that someone still believes in something bigger. Once on a Sunday I opened the door to take a short look and was greeted by a friendly lady who told me that the church organized a charity concert every year for the local school. Parking is a bit of a labyrinth from small side streets, but if you are lucky, you will find a free space next to the cemetery.
A little off the center, almost like a silent guard over the city, stands this Fisher Grain Elevator. This massive wooden and steel structure on the platform is what you expect from a typical “Midwest city” when you think of endless corn fields. I watched a sunset there once, while a train with full silos passed – that was a picture I can't get out of my head. The best thing about it: you can see the whole thing from the main road without looking for a parking space because you can just stand at the edge of the road as long as you don't block the road.
If you're looking to celebrate all year round, that's it. Fisher Corn Festival what you need. The festival takes place every August and attracts visitors from all over the region – a bit like a mini-state fair, only that the main attraction is a huge maize flask that is almost as high as the town hall. I was there last year, cost me through corncakes and then spent me in a round of cornhole with a few locals. Parking is a mess, because the city sets up extra temporary parking spaces on the edges of the field, but that's part of the charm if you don't want to upset too much about the crowd.
Last but not least, Fisher Diner Forget that is hidden directly on Main Street, between a gas station and a small building market. The diner is not a Michelin restaurant, but the homemade pancakes and the coffee are really great – no joke. I spent one morning there while watching the road flooded by tractors and vans, and I thought: “There is more character here than in some of a big city.” Parking is practical because you can simply turn off on the street in front of the diner, as long as you do not miss the sign “No Stop Zone”.
All this together Fisher sights to a small but fine kaleidoscope of history, nature and local lifestyle. I know that this is not the next paradise for hipsters, but that's the charm: you get a real piece of illinois that is not overrun by tourist crowds, and you can enjoy a bit about the peculiarities of the city while you feel the real life here at the same time.
The first stop I put to every visitor is that Crane Art Museum in Urbana – a place where I spend more time with amazement than with Instagram posts. The collection of modern and contemporary art is surprisingly extensive for a small town, and the building itself looks like an ambitious attempt to transform an industrial building into a temple of aesthetics. Parking is usually easy as long as you don't come on Friday night after a university event, then the car park becomes a battlefield.
A short walk further leads to Japan Housea tiny but incredibly quiet retreat that reminds me every time that I live not only in the corn landscape of Illinois. The traditional Tatami mats and the delicate cherry blossom arrangement are a real contrast to the wide fields I see otherwise. I don't understand the hype about Japanese tea ceremonies, but sitting here while a quiet waterfall is just fantastic.
If you are traveling with children (or simply wanting to find the inner child), this is Orpheum Children’s Science Museum A must. I once tried to start an experiment that allegedly “requires the laws of gravity” and the result was a sticky glue that ruined my shoes – a small price for the pure joy that the kids radiate when playing with the interactive displays. The museum has a free parking deck, but it is quickly full on Saturdays, so be there early.
A little further north, almost in the heart of the region, this is Champaign County Historical Museum. Here you not only collect dusty artefacts, but you get a real insight into the life of the pioneers who made the land crawl around Fisher. I have visited an old barn, which once served as a meeting place for the first peasant clubs – a place where you can hear almost the rustling of hay when you enjoy the silence enough.
For those who have enough of walls and exhibitions, there are Morrow Plots – the oldest continuously cultivated field in the USA, maintained by the University of Illinois. I once made a picnic there, while a professor told me why these parcels have been testing the same cultivation methods for over 150 years. This is not only a piece of agricultural history, but also a silent proof that some things should simply not be changed. The field is freely accessible, and parking is a field path that can hardly accommodate more than a few cars.
A bit further west, in Union, this is Illinois Railway Museum. I'm not a big train fan, but the huge collection of historical locomotives surprised me – especially the steam-powered models that still work. The museum park is huge, so plan enough time, otherwise you miss the highlight where an old sheepman tells you a story from the 1920s while offering you a piece of chocolate. The museum has a large parking lot, which is rarely full except for the summer weekends when families from all over Illinois come in.
And if you're looking for a place where you can escape everyday life, that's it. Kickapoo State Park That's right. The lake, the hiking trails and the old hunting cottage offer a welcome change to the fields around Fisher. I once made a campfire there that was almost extinguished by a passing tractor – a small reminder that still blows real land air. Parking is free at the main entrance, but at the weekends it can come to a small reservoir if all want to reach the lake.
Whether you're looking for art, history, science or pure nature, Fisher's environment has more to offer than you would suspect at first glance. These Fisher sights show that the small village in the heart of Illinois provides a surprisingly diverse range of experiences that enthuse every modern traveler, even if he remains a little cynical.
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