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America's premier particle physics laboratory, home to the Tevatron accelerator that discovered the top quark in 1995, located on 6,800 acres of restored Illinois prairie.
37 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Get ready to step back in time! This isn't just any building; it's the Two Brothers Roundhouse, a piece of railway history right here in Aurora. Built in 1856, it started life as a roundhouse for the Chicago & Aurora…
Prepare to be dazzled! This is the Paramount Theatre, a stunning example of Art Deco design that has been entertaining Aurora for nearly a century. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Rapp and Rapp, the…
Ever wonder how car dealerships came to be? This stretch of LaSalle Street in Aurora offers a glimpse into the early days of automobile retail. Between about 1910 and 1930, fifteen buildings sprung up here, all…
This little island in the Fox River, Stolp Island, was once the heart of a bustling industrial center, changing Aurora forever. In 1834, Joseph Stolp, the island's namesake, arrived and quickly recognized its potential…
Once the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago, the Leland Tower offers a glimpse into the state's architectural ambition. Conceived in 1926, the Leland Hotel project aimed to create a landmark in Aurora. It…
Imagine farmers from all over Illinois coming to this very spot, browsing the latest technology that would feed the nation. This is the former International Harvester Showroom and Warehouse. Around 1905, International…
Built in 1860, this store was part of a once-thriving woolen mill industry. The Stolp Woolen Mill Store was constructed on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. The mill contributed to the local economy and provided jobs…
Prepare to be amazed! Right here in Aurora stands a Mayan-style building that looks like it belongs in Central America, not Illinois. This unique structure is the Aurora Elks Lodge No. 705. Construction finished in…
Ever wonder how Aurora became a manufacturing powerhouse? This unassuming area, the Middle Avenue Historic District, holds the key. In the early 1900s, this area sprang to life alongside a Chicago, Burlington and Quincy…
America's premier particle physics laboratory, home to the Tevatron accelerator that discovered the top quark in 1995, located on 6,800 acres of restored Illinois prairie.
This unassuming schoolhouse was once a hub for more than just kids learning their ABCs. For 85 years, the Louise White School also hosted the Chautauqua movement, a popular adult education movement in the early 1900s.…
Get ready to learn about the hand lotion that soothed a nation's cracked hands, and the factory where it all began. The Campana Company built this streamlined factory in 1936 to produce Italian Balm, their flagship…
Step back in time at Naper Settlement, a living history museum that lets you experience pioneer life in Illinois. Founded in 1969, Naper Settlement is a 12-acre outdoor museum. It's made up of thirty historical…
Naperville, Illinois, though now a bustling suburb, carries echoes of its 19th-century roots, a time when German immigrants heavily shaped its identity. Drawn by the promise of fertile farmland along the DuPage River,…
Prepare to glimpse a unique piece of architectural history! The Fabyan Villa showcases an early remodeling project by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Around 1907, George and Nelle Fabyan commissioned Wright to…
From grinding grain to powering automobiles, this mill has witnessed the evolution of industry on the Fox River. Gray–Watkins Mill, or Gray's Mill, began its life sometime around 1846 to 1848. It was an early turbine…
Step back in time as we explore the Central Geneva Historic District, a treasure trove of architectural styles! This area represents the heart of southern Geneva. The district is made up of over 100 buildings, with the…
Imagine the bustling activity at this 1868 grain elevator, a testament to the region's agricultural heritage. Built in 1868 by Lemuel Potter and Henry Barker, it was strategically located next to the La Fox train…
Ever wonder what it's like to step back into the roaring twenties? This is the Hotel Baker, a jewel of St. Charles, Illinois, and it's got stories to tell. Built by Edward J. Baker, it opened in 1928 after he made a…
Imagine stagecoaches rumbling up to this very spot, weary travelers eager for a hot meal and a soft bed. This is Garfield Farm and Inn, a vital stop for teamsters in the 1840s. Joseph and Lovina Garfield established…
Pulling up near Stacy's Tavern, you're driving through a place that once offered respite to weary travelers on the long journey west. Built around 1846, Stacy's Tavern served as a stagecoach inn. It was strategically…
Prepare to be amazed by architectural innovation! The Farnsworth House, a glass and steel masterpiece, stands as a testament to modern design.Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, this house was commissioned by Dr.…
Imagine staking your claim on untouched land. That's exactly what Robert Corron did here, becoming one of Kane County's very first settlers.He arrived in 1835 and began purchasing land from the government throughout the…
Pull over and step back in time! This 14-block area is the heart of Lemont, a downtown that’s been buzzing since the mid-1800s. The opening of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in the 1850s kicked off a boom here. Suddenly,…
Ever wonder how Chicago avoided becoming a stinky swamp? This powerhouse is a big part of the answer. In the late 1800s, Chicago's waste was flowing into Lake Michigan, the city's drinking water source. To fix this,…
You're driving near a spot that once changed the fate of the Midwest! This is where the Illinois and Michigan Canal played a pivotal role in connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. Construction started in…
Peer into the past at this observatory, built to ensure the precision of Elgin watches, once a symbol of American ingenuity. Built in 1910, the Elgin National Watch Company Observatory served the nearby Elgin National…
Get ready, because right up ahead looms Joliet Prison, a place that's held some of the toughest criminals in Illinois for over a century. Built by convict labor starting in 1858, Joliet Prison housed inmates for nearly…
Look to your left! You're passing a church designed to resemble a pocket watch. The First Universalist Church was built in Elgin in 1892. George Hunter designed it in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, which emphasizes…
This spot whispers tales of Joliet's glory days, when steel forged the city's identity. From 1869 to 1936, the Joliet Iron Works roared, eventually becoming the Joliet Steel Works. It was the second-largest steel mill…
Imagine the laughter and tears echoing from this very spot – this is the former site of the Larkin Home for Children. Founded as the Elgin Children's Home Society in 1898, the home initially operated out of a donated…
Pull over for a second and take a look around; you're in the heart of Elgin's history! This downtown commercial district tells the story of Elgin's growth from a small settlement to a bustling city. Development here…
Joliet, Illinois, a city carved from limestone and ambition, owes its name to the French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. While he never settled there, his expedition down the Mississippi River in the late 17th century,…
Prepare to be amazed! This isn't just another building; it's the Rialto Square Theatre, a dazzling movie palace that once reigned supreme during the Roaring Twenties. Opening its doors in 1926, the Rialto was designed…
Imagine setting up camp on the shores of a now-vanished lake, over three thousand years ago. That's essentially what happened here at the Evelyn Site. In the mid-1970s, while building power lines, workers stumbled upon…
Get ready to tee off at a true Illinois treasure: Wing Park Golf Course! It's not just a place to play; it's the oldest and best-preserved nine-hole municipal course in the entire state. Back in the early 1900s, golf…
Check out that stunning building! Joliet Union Station stands as a monument to the glory days of rail travel. In 1912, this Beaux-Arts masterpiece was built to consolidate six different railroads converging here, making…
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