Astoria 61501
It was organized by special charter January 24, 1839. Astoria is one of only nine municipalities in the state to retain its special charter, granted prior to 1872. The shady park in the middle of town has an old fashion band stand.
It is located on U W West 24. There is plenty of free parking, camping facilities are available. Main Street has a variety of retail shops and a restaurant.

Sept. 15-18 2004, Astoria’s Homecoming Contact 309 329 2768 - Y
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
Horse Creek Trails - R

Canton 61520
The largest city in Fulton County is the City of Canton. Canton has a large variety of businesses which provide great shopping opportunities to residents and visitors. Graham Hospital, Fulton County’s only hospital is located in Canton. Canton boasts an excellent public park system with extensive playground equipment and fishing lakes. Spoon River College is a public Junior College with its principal campus located in a rural setting near the southwestern edge of Canton. Click on the Jones Park Bandstand below to link with the Canton Profile webpages which contain detailed information about Canton.

The original town of Canton was laid out in plots on December 10, 1825, by Isaac Swan and a man named Kinney Harrison Hughland, a blacksmith and a maker of cow bells. This was the first manufacturer of any; kind in the township. The Public Square was deeded to the city by Deacon Jones around 1836. Soon after a store was opened by two men named Brooks and Cogswell which was the beginning of many businesses on the Square. The P&O plow factory which later became International Harvestor was for a long time one of main employers in our area. Canton was hit by two destructive tornados, in June of 1835 and again in July of 1975. Canton has many things to be proud of including excellent park system with playground equipment and fishing lakes. The Parlin Library has many things to see and read about Canton. The public park now called Jones Park is still in the center of the business district, has a nice new gazebo. We have both a Y. M.C.A. and Y. W. C.A. with various programs for everyone. They have a new swimming pool and water park, along with a new teen and senior center. Canton can be reached by Route 78 and Route 9. ? We have several motels, a bed & breakfast, along with a campground at Lake Canton.


Canton Historic Train Depot 309-647-1756 - H
Civil War Monument, Greenwood Cemetery - H
Farmer’s Market JC Penny’s parking lot. Every Saturday morning from June to September
Canton Friendship Festival Parade, Carnival, rides, food, games and exhibits.
Contact 309-647-7409 - Y
Parlin-Ingersoll Library, special exhibits 309-647-0328 - H
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
September Canton Ingersoll Airport - Steerman Dawn Patrol Pancake Breakfast. Planes on display & rides. Contact 309-647-0804 - Y
Westside Neighborhood Historic Homes 309-647-2710 - H

Lakeland Park -R
South Park -R
Pictures by Crystal Hardesty
Lake Canton -R
Pictures by Larry Rilea

Ellisville 61431
Ellisville Library Smallest Library in Illinois ~ 309-293-4783 - H
Opera House restored to turn-of-century ~ 309-293-2088 - H
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
Ellisville’s Old Post Office Converted into a Museum  - H
Ellisville's Spoon River Scenic Drive Scarecrow Contest Application  - Y
Ellisville's Spoon River Scenic Drive Scarecrow Examples  - Y

Fairview 61432
The Village of Fairview is the site of the oldest Dutch Reformed Church west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Fairview Dutch Reformed Church, was built in 1838. Visitors are invited to worship there whenever they are visiting the Fairview area.

Fairview is rare among many small rural towns and villages with many active businesses still operating in the old and picturesque business district. There is a restaurant, small grocery and butcher shop, library, insurance office, an accent and decor shop and a large antique store.

The unusual design of the octagon-shaped Fairview Village Hall can be seen by visitors to Fairview when visiting Fairview.

Reformed Church, oldest Reformed Church West of the Alleghenies - H
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
Spoon River Drive Sleigh  - H
Esther's Place -A&C
Pictures of Fairview - H

Farmington 61531 http://www.farmingtonil.com/
Farmington, along with Lewistown, rounds out the three largest towns of Fulton County. Farmington has a number of fine stores and shops to provide shopping and services for its residents and visitors. Farmington played a major role in the Underground Railroad in the mid-eighteen hundreds. Click on the picture of Farmington’s Reed Park below to link to the Farmington Chamber of Commerce/ Farmington Betterment Association website for more Farmington information.

Farmington Carnegie Library 309-245-2175
Farmington All Wars Memorial - Reed Park - H
Farmer’s Market Bank of Farmington parking lot - Every Friday from June to August
7 am to mid morning.
Farmington’s Italian Fest Jacob’s Park Farmington Sports, Talent Contest
Sponsored by: the Farmington Chamber of Commerce Contact 309-245-2441 September- Y
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
Underground Railroad Home, South Main Street - H

Lewistown 61542
Lewistown is the county seat of Fulton County and is located in the east-central area of the county at the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Illinois Route 97. The Fulton County Courthouse, built in 1897, is pictured to the right. The home of Edgar Lee Masters is a historical site in Lewistown; it is, however, not open to the public. The Lewistown Society for Historical Preservation continues to maintain the Rasmussen Museum and Original Blacksmith and Wagon Shop. The Shop is one of the few blacksmith shops left in a state of nearly original condition. Call (309) 547-2596 for information about public tours of the shop and museum.

The Lewistown Society also has a continuing project of restoring the old Fulton County Railroad Narrow Gauge Railroad Station located one block west of the Northwest corner of the public square in Lewistown.

The Oak Hill Cemetery which is located west of Illinois Highway 97 in the north part of Lewistown is another visitor attraction located in Lewistown. Oak Hill Cemetery is located relatively near the Masters Home and was undoubtedly a major influence on his Spoon River Anthology.

Lewistown achieved several “firsts” in the State of Illinois including the first American Legion Post, the first Volunteer Fire Protection District and Central Illinois’s first newspaper, the Fulton Democrat. Lewistown offers a number of stores and shops to provide area residents and visitors shopping opportunities.

Fulton County Courthouse - H
Carnegie Library
Carillon Music, Lewistown United Methodist Church
Central IL Dirt Riders Assn. Hare Scrambles Contact 309 647 3009
Dickson Mounds Museum, 4 miles Southeast of Lewistown, 309-547-3721 - H, A&C
Hickory Ridge Coffeehouse Performance Dickson Mounds Museum 7:30 pm
Adults $4.00 Children $2.00
Fulton County Playhouse, 309-647-6032 - A&C
Edgar Lee Masters Information, 309-547-2860
Glen Hillig Lawn Mower Poker Run Second Weekend of September - Y
Mountain Dulcimer Workshops Dickson Mounds Museum
Beginners and Advanced Contact Steve Endsley 309 668 2362 - A&C
Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot 547-4300 - H
Old Fulton County Courthouse Pillars, Oak Hill Cemetery - H
Rasmussen Blacksmith Shop Museum 309-547-4300 - H
Self guided historic tour available 309-547-4300 - H
Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive - First two weekends of October - Y
Waterford 1839 School 309-547-3721 - H

St. David 61563

Table Grove 61482

The Village of Table Grove lies near the western boundary of Fulton County and on U.S. Highway #136 seventeen miles east of Macomb, Illinois which is the home of Western Illinois University. Table Grove has a rich colorful history. It was first platted in May of 1837 as Laurel Hill. In July of 1881, it became the Village of Table Grove. Table Grove lies in the eastern portion of the prime farm land of West Central Illinois and served the surrounding farm population for many years as a trading center. As family farms consolidated and agriculture underwent changes toward larger farms with increased mechanization, the importance of Table Grove as a trade and service center for farm families declined as it has for most small towns and villages in the heart of rural America.

The 2000 census population of Table Grove was 396; a great turn downward from those days of yyesteryear when it was over twice that figure. Table Grove is incorporated as an Illinois village and is governed by a Village Board of Trustees and Village President. The Village of Table Grove lies in the V.I.T. School District which also includes the Villages of Ipava and Vermont along with the community of Bernadotte which is on the Spoon River. The Village population consists of a large number of retired persons and a large number of working people who commute to Macomb, Peoria or Beardstown to work at various jobs.

The Village owns and maintains a spacious and beautiful Village Park lying at the west edge of the Village. The Table Grove Community Church, on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as a center of focus for the community’s religious and social activities. The church is pictured to the right. The businesses which still operate in Table Grove are few; the bank, an insurance agency, a beauty shop, the Post Office, a dog kennel, a tire and farm store and a convenience store are the community’s businesses. The Table Grove community is serviced by Mid-Century Telephone Cooperative which provides a full range of telephone and communications services including DSL internet connections.

The building and operation of Camp Ellis during World War II produced an exciting chapter in the history of Table Grove. Camp Ellis changed the community drastically and very quickly as the area made its contribution to our Nation’s war efforts in the 1940’s. In the history pages of this site, some of the information and history related to Camp Ellis may be
found.

Table Grove Community Church - on National Registar - H