Casey & Galena, IL: A Really, Really Big Time!

In Illinois, dare we say that the big city of Chicago gets alllll the attention. But two other towns — Casey and Galena — snagged our love for their BIG big things and BIG big fun!

Casey, IL: Big Things in a Small Town

Ohhhhh boyyyyyy! Who is ready for some really, really BIG fun! A stop in Casey, Illinois (pronounced KAY-ZEE) -– midway between St. Louis and Indianapolis off I-70 — lets you check off ten of the “World’s Largest” Things, as certified by the Guiness Book of World Records, plus dozens other supersized attractions. 

All! In! One! Place! That’s right, it’s the lazy person’s scavenger hunt, right here.  You won’t be alone – small groups can be seen darting around downtown, feverishly marking the items off their checklists (available online or in town).  The population of this small town can more than double on summer weekends, thanks to visitors with a BIG appetite for big things!

The creator of all this fun is one Jim Bolin, born and raised in Casey, who brainstormed a way to bring intrepid travelers into his small, farming hometown from the nearby interstate highway.  He started with the 54-foot-tall World’s Largest Wind Chime in 2011, which he thought would be a “one and done,” but it was such a hit, drawing visitors from far and wide, that the envisage and creation of giant things became his lifelong passion. 

Believe it or not, it can cost $18,000 or more to bring Guiness Book of World Records officials to town, house them, and create the required special event, in order to determine World Record status.  Most of the materials used are recycled; almost all of the wood use is old telephone poles, and much of the metal is damaged pipe or out-of-use oil tanks.

Perhaps the most impressive giant is the World’s Largest Rocking Chair, nestled in a beautiful garden space. It took over two years to build this masterpiece of gigantic relaxation – besides being a tremendous amount of work, these creations are also being done on the side, in Bolin’s free time.  In order to claim the record for world’s largest, the 56-foot tall chair actually had to rock!  It took ten burly, full-grown residents to make this happen, but they got it done.

You can’t miss the World’s Largest Mailbox on Main Street.  The best part: the Mailbox isn’t just for gazing upon. Enter from the rear to climb the spiral staircase up-up-up, right into the open mailbox, for a great view of downtown Casey below!  To claim the title of world’s largest, this postal goliath had to be fully functional.  Bring a stamped letter to drop into the slot, and the red flag on the outside of the box will go up. But wait – there’s more!  The Casey post office also stamps these letters ‘Mailed from the World’s Largest Mailbox’ and sends them on their way. 

The greatest concentration of colossal things is found within just a few walkable blocks of downtown Casey.  Here, you’ll easily spy the World’s Largest Barbershop Pole, suitably situated in front of the town’s longtime barbershop.  The 26-foot-tall World’s Largest Key is an exact replica of the creator’s work truck key, and required Chevrolet’s approval to use their logo in the creation.

Many of the giant attractions are interactive, and you can touch, enter, ride or climb to your heart’s content.  Take a ride on the World’s Largest Teeter-Totter.  “Trap” yourself in a big mousetrap by sliding behind the bar of the trap (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt).  Perch yourself on the swing inside an enormous birdcage.

A visit to Casey is a favorite of parents and grandparents, with many of the giants being kid-centered – and all of them a lot of fun!  Inside an arcade, you’ll find the World’s Largest Pac-Man Game.  Take a seat inside the World’s Largest Pokemon ball. Pose with a giant Minion from the Despicable Me series. Or check out the giant spinning top, which actually spins!

Not all of the attractions are visible from the street; some are found indoors within the shops lining Casey streets, but don’t be shy – they are accustomed to people dropping in simply to see one of the giants.  The World’s Largest Wooden Shoes are within a bakery; 15 grown adults could fit into one shoe, but they ask that you simply lean over the edge and throw a dollar or two in.  You’ll be helping to fund the food bank or other charitable initiatives in town.

Many of the giants include inspirational verses or religious symbols themed to the item; for instance, the World’s Largest Windchime braces include the Star of David and the Christian fish symbol.  Some of the items are “to-scale,” like the Big Yardstick, where each inch of a standard yardstick was converted to a full foot.

A few of the giants are a short distance from downtown, placed in their “natural habitats.”  The World’s Largest Golf Tee, at 30 feet tall, resides outside the pro shop at the Casey Country Club golf course.  Laminating lumber together for the tee’s rough form took five months alone! 

The World’s Largest Pitchfork, made primarily from parts of old streetlight illuminator arms, adorns Richards Farm Restaurant. 

A giant bookworm, sporting studious eyeglasses, undulates through the front lawn of the Casey Public Library. 

Casey has you covered for big, big fun … and it’s all free to visit!  While here, let your childish imagination run wild.  How do they sharpen an enormous No. 2 pencil?  What tune would the World’s Largest Windchimes sing?  Is that enormous taco – weighing 3,500 pounds – made of chicken or beef?

Certainly, Casey, Illinois is not the only place you’ll find the World’s Largest things. Throughout the country, towns vie for attention with their creations. For a comprehensive listing of World’s Largest attractions by state, a great resource is bigroads.com. 

For overall trip planning to include fun attractions of all types, try roadtrippers.com.  And for quirky, interesting attractions, roadsideamerica.com, which bills itself as the “guide to uniquely odd tourist attractions,” can be a great help.  Roadside America also has a map devoted strictly to the 180 or so Muffler Men, the fiberglass giants that are a classic piece of Americana, frequently gussied up as characters such as cowboys, baseball players or lumberjacks.

Back in Casey, most of the items are outside and viewable 24 hours a day.  Free parking is available throughout town, and you’ll even find areas that can accommodate passing RV’s. Alternately, the tidy, tree-lined Casey KOA campground is conveniently located just a few miles from downtown. 

Casey is more than a collection of oversized objects—it’s a creative testament to what one person’s imagination can bring to life! It’s a place where art, community spirit, and roadside whimsy combine to create something truly unforgettable. You’re sure to have a really, really BIG time! For more fascinating information, including videos of the construction of some of these Worlds Biggest Items, visit bigthingsmalltown.com!

Galena, IL: Fun in Illinois’ Original Biggest City

Located in the upper corner of Illinois (and just over the state lines to Iowa and Wisconsin), Galena might not have big things like Casey, but in the 1800’s, it had Illinois’ BIGGEST population — outpacing even Chicago! A visit today lets you experience the heyday of bustling, sophisticated Galena – the so-called “Metropolis of the Midwest.”

But we’re not going it alone … we had friends from Chicagoland joining us here! I’ve known Beth for 27 years, and she came with her friend Sean. PLUS, my Aunt Dotty and Uncle Brian (my dad’s brother) joined us as well!

Galena got rich due to lead mining and its location off the Mississippi River between St. Louis and St. Paul. In fact, its county produced over 80% of all lead in the United States in the mid-1800’s. So it was really, really, really rich, and really really really important, with steamboats constantly coming into Galena. You can see a lot of the mansions of their newly rich, and other town treasures, via a 1-hour Galena Red Trolley Tour.

Over time, the Galena River became too shallow for steamboats, and commerce moved 12 miles away to the port of Dubuque, Iowa. Everything went dormant for a long time, but today, this incredibly preserved small town of 3,500 receives over 1,000,000 fun-seekers every year, becoming one of Illinois’ most popular towns. It’s the kind of feel-good place where even old-fashioned root beer is on tap.

85% of Galena’s buildings are in the Historic District and/or listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Galena’s “helluva half mile,” the main district of over 150 shops, restaurants and attractions, was voted one of “America’s Best Main Streets” by Fodor’s Travel. It was also named one of Illinois’ 25 Must See Places by USA Today Travel magazine.

Galena was home to nine generals from the Civil War, but their original homeboy is Ulysses S. Grant, the bada$$ general who turned the tide of the Civil War with his aggressive approach to battles.  He was only the second three-star general in the U.S. (the first one? George Washington), after rising quickly in the ranks of the Army to become the general who eventually accepted the Confederate surrender at Appomattox.

Shortly thereafter, in 1865, Galena citizens celebrated their hometown hero by presenting him the gift of a two-story house, which is available now for tours. **Still waiting** for friends to gift us real estate upon our return each fall.

He went on to serve two terms as President before dying young from throat cancer (as did one of his adult sons). This is not a shock, as he smoked up to 15 cigars a day, and a portrait in his home shows children smoking as well. This is the art that he felt moved to display in his family home. So, is anybody surprised by his cause of death? No.

Statues of Grant, a park named after Grant, a museum about Grant — Galena should just probably be renamed Grant, IL. Just sayin’! If Gulf of Mexico can be renamed Gulf of America, why can’t Galena be renamed Grant?

The best part of the Grant Home, in my opinion, was a lil display about the pets that various Presidents had, painted to accuracy! Teddy Roosevelt wins the quantity award … but John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator! OK then!

Chestnut Mountain Resort, ten miles from Galena out in the country, is a ski area that has summer activities. Although Galena is hilly, you would not expect a ski mountain here! It has a ski lift at the top, and the Mississippi River at the bottom. We combined BOTH by racing alpine sleds down 2,050 feet to the riverbank ….

… taking a 1.5 hour narrated Mississippi River Cruise down the Mighty Miss … and then returning to the top via the scenic lift. It was an awesome narrated tour, covering the river, wildlife, commerce, nature, and more.

Another Mississippi river town we really loved? Check out La Crosse, Wisconsin!

Galena has no shortage of restaurants, but the top of the list is Goldmoor Inn, which has a Mississippi River history as well. In the early 1800s, reportedly the riverboat captains rounding the bend on the Mississippi River near Galena would gaze toward “Signal Point,” the present site of this beautiful current B&B, to find the fire signaling them to stop for firewood or fuel for their steamboats just up the river.  

Edge by Goldmoor Inn restaurant is rated #1 of 43 Galena restaurants, and the #5 Date Night Restaurant in United States for 2022, on TripAdvisor.The current owner, Slobo Radin, welcomed us warmly and guided us to our VERY special seating. Can you guess where? It looks like an ordinary table, buttttt ………

this table is inside the kitchen!

From start to finish, we had dinner with a show. The show was Executive Chef Brandon Veitch, a Chicago transplant, and his small team, working their magic on the seasonal menu for all their restaurant guests. This amiable group chatted with us from behind the counter, answering our myriad of annoying questions with aplomb.

And what magic it was! The food was not only delicious, but gorgeous. Our only complaint was that it was very hot in the kitchen, but I guess that’s to be expected! If they can labor in the heat, we should have to wine and dine in the same conditions, right?

Of course, not every dinner is top of the line…. sometimes it’s just a good ole campground gathering or two! And we’re honestly fine with that. Especially with people we love.

If you find yourself in Galena without an RV, there are tons of AirBNB rentals around town — most as historically charming as the town itself, like this place by Suite Victory that Beth and Sean rented — right in the heart of Main Street.

Galena was a super-quaint and authentic tourist town, with plenty of interesting attractions, wonderful food and even local biking and hiking. It’s definitely worth working into your northern Illinois adventures!