Trivia

• Abraham Lincoln (twice)
• Ulysses S. Grant
• Andrew Johnson
• Rutherford B. Hayes
• William McKinley
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Richard Nixon;
• Barack Obama (numerous times)

• General Alexander Macomb decorated general from War of 1812
• McDonough County named for Commodore McDonough from War of 1812

Elizebeth Magie, who was born in Macomb in, created The Landlord’s Game. The original board game, that closely resembles the layout of Macomb’s historic downtown square, eventually evolved into the game we know today as Monopoly.

Kelly Wagel died from two blasts from a double-barreled, sawed off shotgun, murdered on Macomb Street in downtown Colchester.

Macomb is home to one of the original Andrew Carnegie Libraries.

Famous jazz saxophonist Big Al Sears was born in Macomb and went on to become one of Duke Ellington’s best-know soloist, a record label owner and played rock & roll in Alan Freed’s touring band.

In 1936 the former Lamoine Hotel at the corner of Randolph & Carroll streets was once host to the famous pilot Amelia Earhart.

Lawrence Welk and his band played in Macomb in 1931 at the Zahren’s Rooftop Garden, which was on the rooftop of the building at the corner of Washington St. and Lafayette.

Minister, author, and close friend and lieutenant of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, C.T. Vivian was born in Macomb in 1924.

One of Macomb's most famous photographers was a woman. Laura Gaites operated a photography studio in Macomb, during her long career she took 35,000 photographs working until her death at the age of 90.

Camp Ellis in Fulton County, a military training facility had a prisoner of war camp. At its peak in 1944, almost 5,000 prisoners were housed at the camp.

Macomb got its first fast food restaurant in 1964 it was the The Satellite opened on 700 W Jackson Street

Elizabeth Miner was the first female physician in Macomb. She entered school using her initials to register.

Several potteries have been located in the Macomb area—including Buckeye, Macomb Stoneware and the most recent Haeger Pottery.

The WIU campus and its Hanson Field Stadium were home to the St. Louis Rams football summer training camp from 1996-2004. 

Nagel Roller Mills of Bushnell, IL invented the processing of Rolled Oats which was sold to Quaker Oats.

In 1867 the DeHaven & Johnson Circus was formed in Macomb, IL