The City of Murals in downtown Belvidere began with ten murals created during a festival in June 1997. Also in 1997, Belvidere received the Governor’s Art Award and was designated Illinois’ “City of Murals.” These two milestones give the mural art a specific historical date and lead to further traces of architecture and local history in Boone County.
Murals and Architectural History
Historic Baltic Mill stands in Belvidere Park. Built in 1845 as a grist mill, it is part of a park that also features a historic suspension bridge, an accessible fishing pier and disc golf. The Belvidere Park District extends along sections of the Kishwaukee River and Mill Race. Park amenities may change; check the latest information before your visit.
Another architectural landmark is Pettit Memorial Chapel in Belvidere Cemetery. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the chapel, which was built in 1907. Together with the mill, whose origins date back more than six decades earlier, it offers another perspective on Boone County’s architectural history.
Museums, Events and Local Culture
The Poplar Grove Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum focuses on transportation history from 1903 to 1957. This period provides a clear frame of reference for a museum visit and sets its subject apart from the buildings and public art in Belvidere. The Boone County Museum of History aims to inspire interest in Boone County history through education and research, and to preserve artifacts and archival materials. Duxstad Cabin was built in Manchester Township in 1840 and later moved to this museum.
Events also shape the cultural offerings. The Boone County Fair takes place every August at the Boone County Fairgrounds. The grounds host, among other things, car, arts and crafts, and ethnic festivals, livestock shows, and other events. The One Room Schoolhouse is a fair attraction; as access may change, check the information for the specific event in advance.
Since 1991, the Boone County Arts Council has held the free Summer Concerts in the Park series at various locations throughout the county. For a different kind of outing, Funderburg House offers tours scheduled on Saturdays; advance reservations are recommended. Check the dates before planning your visit. McEachran Homestead Winery offers wine tastings. As visitor offerings may change, it is recommended that you check availability before your trip.
Trails Through Boone County
The Long Prairie Trail is a 14.2-mile hiking and biking trail that runs east-west through northern Boone County. It passes through wooded areas, cultivated fields and native prairie, as well as Capron, Poplar Grove and Caledonia. The Kishwaukee Riverfront Path follows a different route: this 3.5-mile paved path is used year-round by walkers, joggers and cyclists. It begins at the State Street Bridge in downtown Belvidere, passes through Doty Park and Belvidere Park, and continues to Spencer Conservation Area.
Length, surface and route are useful points of comparison between the two trails: the Long Prairie Trail winds through several types of landscape and communities, while the paved Riverfront Path connects Belvidere with Spencer Conservation Area. You can use these described trail features as a starting point when choosing between them.
The wider landscape offers a variety of scenery, too: Boone County encompasses rolling hills, flat farmland, numerous streams, ponds and wetlands, as well as substantial wooded areas. Flora Prairie is one of three formally designated nature preserves in the county. Open fields, wooded areas and wetlands thus sit alongside a landscape explicitly designated as a nature preserve.
Travel Planning Information
Major road connections in Boone County include Interstate 90, US Highway 20, and Illinois Highways 76 and 173. Poplar Grove Airport on Highway 76 serves the surrounding communities.
Discover more destinations: Belvidere, Garden Prairie, Poplar Grove, Bond County, Washington County, Marion County, Jackson, Cook.
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