Illinois

Destination Illinois: The Covered Bridges of Central Illinois

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2022

Destination Illinois: The Covered Bridges of Central Illinois

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — To ensure grain, corn, and different items acquired to the place they wanted to go, bridges had been wanted to make that occur. A few of these bridges had been lined bridges that also stand to this present day. Vacation spot Illinois’ Jack Gerfen takes us on a tour to 4 bridges in Central Illinois.

Lake of the Woods Coated Bridge

What was as soon as an important method to cross a river is now a well-liked kind of sight-seeing vacation spot.

And whereas a few of the lined bridges in Central Illinois are too outdated, this one in Mahomet, Illinois is one you possibly can nonetheless drive over.
Jack Gerfen, Mahomet, Illinois for Vacation spot Illlinois

Their development not solely makes them photogenic, it’s essential to their design to distribute the load to hold a heavy load. Some could not serve the unique goal they had been constructed to do, however they do give us a cause to take the backroads for a glance again in historical past.

Whereas Indiana is understood for his or her lined bridges, 4 of those bridges nonetheless exist in Central Illinois.

SUGAR CREEK COVERED BRIDGE

Sugar Creek Coated Bridge to the southeast of Chatham is the oldest one on the listing. Constructed by Thomas Black in 1827, it spans 110 toes over the Sugar Creek. It has been closed to visitors since 1984, however could be loved in a park on foot. With it solely minutes from the Glenarm exit off of I-55, it’s straightforward to get to.

THOMPSON MILL COVERED BRIDGE

About an hour and 20 minutes southeast from there’s the Thompson Mill Coated Bridge in Cowden.

It’s solely in Central Illinois that you just’ll discover the Thompson Mill bridge. That really is the narrowest lined bridge in all of Illinois.
Jack Gerfen, Cowden, Illinois for Vacation spot Illinois

In-built 1868 at a price of $2,500, this bridge crosses the Kaskaskia River to supply the close by Thompson Mill an entry level to the necessary Springfield to Effingham route. Now, you possibly can solely stroll throughout it.

From the narrowest lined bridge, we are going to go 50 minutes east to the longest lined bridge within the state, the Cumberland County Coated Bridge following Outdated Freeway 40.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY COVERED BRIDGE

Spanning 200 toes over the Embarass River, that is the most recent bridge. It was accomplished in 2000 to duplicate the unique Jackson Coated Bridge from 1832 that suffered quite a few washouts. It was even a part of the route for the 2021 Sizzling Rod Energy Tour!

The ultimate bridge on the listing is one other hour and 20 minutes to the north, within the lovely Lake of the Woods Forest Protect in Mahomet.

Simply a good way to get the group and the world concerned. Folks come right here for footage, whether or not or not it’s for senior footage, household footage, promenade.
Lisa Sprinkle, Advertising and marketing Supervisor, Champaign County Forest Protect District

LAKE OF THE WOODS COVERED BRIDGE

This bridge was initially constructed within the Sixties over 18 months to attach the 2 sides of the forest protect. Designed by College of Illinois Civil Engineering teacher German Gurfinkel, it’ll bear some roof renovations later this yr and is probably going the busiest by way of visitors on the listing.

All of those bridges are free and look nice in all 4 seasons!

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Illinois

Two Morrison seniors attend Illinois Premier Boys State

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Two Morrison seniors attend Illinois Premier Boys State

MORRISON – Two Morrison High School students participated in Illinois Premier Boys State, which was June 8-14 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Gavin Streets Wood and Blaine Williams, who will be seniors this upcoming school year, were selected to attend and were sponsored by American Legion Post 328 in Morrison.

American Legion Illinois Premier Boys State was founded in Illinois in 1935 by three Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy, Harold Card and Matthew Murphy, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. It is a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of city, county and state governments, according to its website.

American Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program in June right after their junior year. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring Legion post, a local business or another community-based organization, according to the website. At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privilege and responsibilities of citizenship. Fictional political parties are created and the citizens are randomly assigned to one.

Boys State activities include various levels of legislative sessions, political party caucuses, four election cycles, general assemblies, band concerts, law enforcement presentations and recreational programs, according to the website.

Streets Wood said he decided to go to Boys State for a chance to win scholarship money. His plan is to attend Sauk Valley Community College and work toward earning a degree in cybersecurity, possibly at the University of Illinois.

Williams said he is unsure as to what he wants to study after high school, but the Boys State experience has him thinking about politics.

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Illinois

Its official, Chick-fil-A is Illinois’ favorite chicken sandwich

Published

10 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Its official, Chick-fil-A is Illinois’ favorite chicken sandwich

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A new fast-food study from Richfield Research confirms what many Illinoisians could’ve guessed, Chick-fil-A is the king of chicken sandwhiches.

According to the study, Illinois isn’t alone. 30 other states ranked Chick-fil-A as the best place to get a chicken sandwich.

Popeyes and Wendy’s took home the silver and bronze, respectively.

In spite of the love Illinois has for chicken sandwiches, the state doesn’t even crack the top five states for consumption. The top five are Florida, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia.

On average, 14% of Americans are eating a chicken sandwich at least once a week.

The full results of the study can be found below:

Illinois’ favorite fast food chicken sandwich hails from Chick-fil-A, the preferred choice in 30 other states
Popeyes (21%) and Wendy’s (8%) follow CFA in 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.
Over 40% of Florida residents consume fast food chicken sandwiches on a weekly basis, the most among all U.S. States
43% of Americans admit to consuming a fast food chicken sandwich on a monthly basis

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Illinois

Looking to live off the grid? 3 Illinois counties are among the country’s top choices

Published

17 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Looking to live off the grid? 3 Illinois counties are among the country’s top choices

Looking to get away from the bustle of the city? Suburbia just not for you? An off-grid lifestyle might appeal to you.

According to a recent poll, three Illinois counties are among the best for off-the-grid living, including one in the top 10:

Top Illinois counties for off-grid living

In its poll of 3,000 people nationwide, BusinessElectric.com says these counties were the most popular choices in the Land of Lincoln:

No. 9, Pope County: The southernmost county in Illinois sits on the border of Kentucky, along the Ohio River. It has 3,763 people — second-fewest people in Illinois, according to the 2020 census. The entire county is hilly and during rainy weather, “rivulets cascade down the hills in the park forming waterfalls of varying sizes and heights,” according to Wikipedia. The county contains Dixon Springs State Park and is part of the Shawnee National Forest.
No. 36, Johnson County: The immediate western neighbor to Pope County has 13,308 people, according to the 2020 census. It includes part of Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and Shawnee National Forest.
No. 124, Jo Daviess County: Let’s go to the opposite side of the state with the northwesternmost county in Illinois. Part of the so-called “Driftless Area,” the county contains “rugged terrain compared to the rest of the state,” says Wikipedia, including Charles Mound, the highest natural point in Illinois. The county has a population of 22,035 and sits in a tri-state area including Dubuque, Iowa, and Platteville, Wisconsin.

The top 5 locations nationwide to live off the grid

No. 1, Wasco County, Oregon: The county gained significant attention as the setting for the Netflix series “Wild Wild Country,” which documents the controversial Rajneeshpuram community led by Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in the 1980s. Despite the community’s tumultuous end, the show has appeared to have sparked renewed interest in off-grid lifestyles in Wasco County, according to Business Electric.
No. 2, Hot Springs County, Wyoming: Ranked second, Hot Springs County in central Wyoming offers a rural environment enriched with natural hot springs, rivers, and mountains. The county’s remote areas provide the essential seclusion and resources necessary for off-grid living.
No. 3, Meriwether County, Georgia: Located in west-central Georgia, Meriwether County offers a rural setting with large parcels of land available for purchase. The county’s strong agricultural community and abundant natural resources support a sustainable off-grid lifestyle.
No. 4, Bienville Parish, Louisiana: Situated in northern Louisiana, Bienville Parish provides a rural environment with access to plentiful natural resources like forests and bodies of water. The parish’s remote areas offer privacy and opportunities for alternative living.
No. 5, Somerset County, Maine: Completing the top five, Somerset County in central Maine boasts a rural environment with vast forests and access to rivers and lakes. The county’s low population density and natural beauty make it an ideal location for off-grid living.