“Facing the Storm” Memorial
Chandler Park in downtown Macomb contains numerous statues many honoring deserving citizens including a memorial dedicated to the pioneering women of social activism in McDonough County. Dedicated in 2015, “Facing the Storm” created by the Women’s Memorial Committee which is part of the GFWC Macomb Women’s Club, which worked on the project with assistance from the…
Read MoreNeal Gamm ~ Governor of Forgottonia
Elected Governor at 25 years old, a young whippersnapper named Neal Gamm poised as the head of a rag-tag group of activists who would come to capture the attention of the nation. As Wikipedia notes, there has long been frustration with the lack of support for regional transportation projects. In 1971, the Republic of Forgottonia…
Read MoreCivil War Monument – Chandler Park
In 1899, Civil War veteran and prominent local businessman C.V. Chandler had a memorial statue to the county’s Civil War soldiers erected in the downtown park that now bears his name. The 20-foot high monument portrays a Civil War soldier at rest. It was dedicated on August 3, 1899 in Chandler Park. The monument is…
Read MoreRams Football Training Camp – Macomb, IL 1996-2004
From 1996 to 2004, the Western Illinois University campus and Hanson Field Stadium was home to the St. Louis Rams‘ football summer training camp. As part of the Rams’ training camp two NFL scrimmages were held on Hanson Field. On July 29, 2000, Hanson Field was the site of a Super Bowl XXXIV rematch as the Rams hosted the Tennessee…
Read MoreWhen The Chicago Cubs Played In Forgottonia
No one alive today can recall when the Chicago Cubs came to Forgottonia to play baseball, but they did just that, and not only once, but twice! For three seasons Macomb had a minor league baseball team in the Class D level Illinois-Missouri League. The Macomb Potters joined the league in its startup year, 1908 and folded on August 17, 1910. The Potters began play…
Read MoreUnderground Railroad In McDonough County
The Illinois leg of the famous Underground Railroad ran directly through McDonough County from it’s origin in Quincy, IL where slaves arriving clandestinely from the Southern Confederate States via the Mississippi River stopped seeking refuge in free Northern Union States and Canada. The County’s two most prominent conductors on the “railroad” were the Allison and Blazer families. As of…
Read MoreLooking For Lincoln Self-Guided Tour
Through the Looking For Lincoln offices in Springfield, IL and the U.S. National Parks Service, Macomb celebrates it’s designation as an Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area by way of it’s Looking For Lincoln Self-Guided Tour. This unique attraction allows users to experience 10 significant sites throughout Unforgettable Forgottonia‘s Macomb and McDonough County directly related and pertaining to Abraham Lincoln…
Read MoreBushnell Historical Society
Housed in the Bushnell Recreational Center facilities, the Bushnell Historical Society displays many photographs and artifacts pertaining to the Bushnell, IL area. Mailing Address: 22825 N 1900th Rd Bushnell, IL 61422 Staff Contact Donna Tracy 309-772-3782
Read MoreMacomb Murals Tour
Conceived in 2018, the Macomb Murals Project was initiated by the offices of Visit Forgottonia/Macomb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Beginning with the inaugural dedication of The Old Dairy Mural, the project was designed with the goal of inspiring other organizations and community members to create their own murals, and the plan worked. Since 2018…
Read MoreLiving Lincoln Topiary Monument
The Living Lincoln Topiary Monument is a 16 foot high by 8 foot wide bust of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It’s mixed media construction of durable cast stone and steel features a unique topiary aspect in which the 16th president’s beard consist of real living flowering plants and greenery, making it the only sculpture of…
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