Monticello

MONTICELLO: PIATT COUNTY Monticello: Take In All The City Has To Offer

Monticello, the Piatt County seat, offers a breath of fresh air with a town square built around a refurbished courthouse in an area that invites guests to slow down and relax. The downtown has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Monticello has the added distinction of having two of its residential areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places. North State Street and South Charter Street each feature homes with a wide array of architectural styles.

On and off the square, downtown Monticello’s one-of-a-kind shops, galleries and restaurants provide a diverse array of things to do and see. Visitors will want to stop at Out of The Blue for the largest selection of Polish pottery and gifts, and enjoy its new location at 223 E. Livingston St. If you are lucky, when you visit Prairie Fire Glass at 217 W. Washington St., you may get to see a new hand-blown creation being made. Also, swing by one of the many local eateries for lunch or a sweet treat, while you are there.

Monticello is a “Lincoln Storyboard” community. Lincoln storyboards, each telling a part of the Lincoln Monticello story, are located in the downtown Rotary Park, at the downtown Wabash Depot, and at the Railway Museum.

The unique charm of nearby Allerton Park, an extensively landscaped park mixed with ornaments, fine art and a manor house modeled after Ham House in England, provides visitors with a grand tourist destination. The park was donated to the University of Illinois for public use in 1946 by Robert Allerton, the son of a well-established banker and livestock baron.

The park is open to the public daily until sunset. The park can be entered from town on its south side or from the north. Formal gardens and more than 100 sculptures are located near the mansion.

Allerton House is used as a retreat center and is the perfect place for a wedding or conference. The main facade of the 40-room Georgian mansion overlooks a reflecting pool and meadow. The native forest, a 50-acre restored prairie, Lost Garden (a wilderness garden) and 1,500 acres of woodland, following the Sangamon River with numerous hiking trails, make the park a great attraction.

The Allerton forest supports an extensive animal population. Bird species unusual to the area can be seen in the forest, and the migratory bird population is impressive in the spring and fall. Allerton Parkand Retreat Center is one of the “7 Wonders of Illinois.” The park holds many

educational and music events throughout the year. For an upcoming events lists, visit allerton.illinois.edu/events_archive/. The Monticello Railway Museum, an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization, is also a popular tourist attraction. The museum is located just north of Monticello at exit 166 off Interstate 72. Since the museum’s founding in 1966, one of its goals has been to preserve and restore the nation’s railroad heritage, with a focus on the Midwest. Of course, the highlight of a visit to the museum is a train ride. Passengers may board the train at either the restored Illinois Central Depot at the museum grounds or the historic Wabash Depot in downtown Monticello for a round-trip train ride. The museum is open weekends, May through October. For more The Piatt County Courthouse in Monticello information, visit mrym.org. Railroad history runs deep in the area. In 1880, the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad purchased the Chicago & Paducah Railroad, which was the north-south line through Monticello. Later in the decade, Jay Gould, known as one of the famous “Robber Barons,” purchased the line. Gould lost control of the Wabash in the late 1880s, and the subsequent owners found much financial success. A new station was planned for Monticello and built in 1899. That depot was moved to museum property in the late 1980s. Eventually, the depot was restored and still stands today as a testament to a bygone era in railroading. Along with Allerton Park, the community features Nick’s Community Playground near the downtown area, and Lodge Park, which is a 500-acre park north of Monticello. Lodge Park offers camping, hiking and biking and serves as the site of the annual Independence Day celebration on July 3.

2022 Monticello Calendar of Events

Visit monticellochamber.org, for more information on all events. Dates are tentative and subject to change. Please call ahead for specific information and additional activities. Every 3rd Saturday April-October: Garden Tours. Allerton Park. Most Saturdays and Sundays, April 23-September 25: Throttle Time. Monticello Railway. Every Saturday and Sunday, April 30-October 2: Weekend Train Rides. Monticello Railway Museum. Diesel most weekends. Every 3rd Saturday: Storytime at Bryant Cottage. Geared to kids 5-10. Thursday Afternoons, June 16-Oct 6: Farmers Market. Downtown. April 1, 2:Allerton Races: Trail Glo, Half Marathon, 10K. Allerton Park. April 3: Mudpuppy Festival. Monarch Events Center, downtown. April 10: Community Yoga. Allerton Park. April 16: Full Moon Yoga. Allerton Park. April 17: 3rd Saturday Garden Tours. Allerton Park. April 23: Youth Art Studio. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Allerton Park. April 23, 24: High School Rodeo. Piatt County Trailblazers. April 29: Arbor Day Tree & Bird Hike. Allerton Park. May 1: Boutique Bash and Market on Main. Spring shopping, music. May 6: Kirby Derby Packet Pickup. Piatt Co. Forest Preserve Pavilion. May 7: Kirby Derby-15th Anniversary. Kids fun run, walk, 5K and 10K. May 7, 8: Moms Ride Free. Monticello Railway Museum. May 13: Container Gardening Workshop. Allerton Park. May 15: Community Yoga on the Bowling Lawn. Allerton Park.

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