Illinois - Northern including Rockford & Galena Attractions

Amboy is home to a historical museum and wood carvings done from tree trunks.

The 19 room Amboy Depot Museum is housed in the Illinois Central Railroad Depot, built in 1876. The restored building features many historical artifacts from Amboy and surrounding area such as a one-room country schoolhouse, a retired steam engine and a caboose.

Belvidere has been designated Illinois City of Murals, it has 15 historic murals throughout the downtown area.

The Boone County Historical Museum, founded in 1968, features local memorabilia including Civil War artifacts, historical dolls, clothing, tools and transportation methods.

Located in an old stone jail house, a permanent exhibit honoring Jane Addams, who was born and raised in Cedarville is on display. The exhibit includes personal items and memorabilia from her life and the life of her family. Jane Addams was an internationally famous humanitarian and social work pioneer who founded Chicago's Hull House and won the Nobel Peace Prize.

DeKalb was home to the barbed wire industry, which began in the 1870's as well as the nations first farm bureau. DeKalb is home to The Egyptian Theatre, a fully restored, Egyptian Art Deco movie house as well as Glidden Homestead and Historical Center.

Ellwood House is a Victorian mansion, built in 1879, by barbed wire millionaire Isaac L. Ellwood. The bedrooms, servant's rooms, and service areas of Ellwood House have been restored to provide a glimpse of how the Ellwood family lived decades ago.

Fulton is home to Cattail Park, located on the Mississippi River. The town is known for its pride in its Dutch heritage, this is most evident from the Dutch Windmill, which was manufactured and pre-assembled in the Netherlands.

Grand Detour was originally known as Great Bend and is located on the Rock River.

The John Deere Historic Site features a blacksmith at work in a replica of the blacksmith's shop where John Deere made his historic plow in 1837.

An archaeological team from the University of Illinois unearthed the exact location of the blacksmith shop. The complex includes the restored Deere homestead, and an archeological exhibition building on the excavated site.

The Blackhawk War Monument is located on the site of Kellogg's Grove, an early settlement established in 1827. The monument honors those killed in the Blackhawk War, including in the final Illinois battle which occurred at this grove in June, 1832. The Blackhawk War Monument was erected and dedicated in 1886.

Situated along the I & M Canal, Morris is a scenic town. The downtown district in Morris is one of the few historically intact downtown areas in Illinois.

The Ottawa Scouting Museum highlights the history of scouting with exhibits that include uniforms, badges, canteens, and historic photographs. The museum pays tribute to Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting and Camp Fire through its vast collection and educational programs.

Farnsworth House was designed by the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1949. It is constructed of steel, glass and Roman travertine marble, and also contains furniture designed by the architect.

Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum is located at the Poplar Grove Airport and features a variety of vintage autos, trucks and other equipment.

"Long John" Wentworth was instrumental in getting the trains to stop in town, which caused the town to grow rapidly and he named the town after his hometown of Sandwich, NH. Home to the Sandwich Fair, the oldest continuously run fair in Illinois.

The Sandwich Stone Mill building is home to the Sandwich Historical Society Industrial Museum. The building is 125 years old and features local manufacturing, memorabilia, photos and historical artifacts.

Sterling is an industrial town located on the north bank of the Rock River. It is a national producer of builders' hardware.

Dillon Home Museum is the former residence of P.W. Dillon, son of the original owner of the Northwestern Steel & Wire Co. Built in 1857 in the Italian Renaissance-style, the home contains original furnishings and accessories. Local history exhibits are located in the museum carriage house.

Streatorland Historical Museum displays 19th Century clothing, a music room, and photographs depicting Streator history.

The Illinois Waterway Visitor Center allows visitors to view the locking-through process. Displays devoted to the history of the region, a towboat pilot house and slide presentation.