Arcola's small town atmosphere conveniently located
Nestled just off Interstate 57, Arcola marks the entrance to Illinois Amish Country. Our quiet central location is just a little more than two hours from St. Louis, Indianapolis and Chicago. Tucked between the University of Illinois and Eastern Illinois University, our quaint community offers a variety of opportunities for working, relaxing, dining, shopping and learning for residents and visitors alike.
Broom Corn Festival brings visitors from far and wide...
Arcola celebrates its heritage as "broomcorn capital of the world" with the renowned Broom Corn Festival. Visitors pack in every year the weekend after Labor Day. They come for numerous broom activities, unique arts and crafts, free entertainment, and great food. The festival's parade is Central Illinois' largest and is home to the world famous Lawn Rangers, who twirl and toss their brooms. The community still boasts ties to broomcorn and the broom industry with companies such as the Thomas Monahan Company and the Libman Company as well as Humboldt Broom Company.
Raggedy Ann got her start right here
The community is also the birthplace of Johnny Gruelle, creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy. And every year, the community honors all three with the Raggedy Friendship Gathering. The gathering, held in June, brings collectors from the world over to trade dolls and priceless stories of Raggedy Ann and Andy. The gathering also provides a number of activities for Raggedy Enthusiasts to ensure that the National Toy Hall of Fame characters remain enamored in the hearts and minds of generations to come.
Historic features make Arcola's downtown unique
With its original brick street, Arcola’s Main Street business and shopping district features well-kept, recently renovated historic buildings, including the Otto Building. In 2009, owner of the building and local businessman, Wilmer Otto, received national attention. He headed a group that arranged to have an authentic Mesker Bros. Iron Works storefront (located in the neighboring town of Stewardson) restored and moved to Arcola to replace the facade of the landmark Arcola building. The Mesker storefront in Stewardson had graced the quickly deteriorating former Opera Hall there. The Otto Building’s original Mesker storefront was destroyed by fire in 1950. A special community ceremony dedicated the restoration project made possible through the collaboration of the two towns. There are also several other historic Mesker storefronts in Arcola where you'll find a host of unique shops that offer shoppers opportunities to home decor items, art, antiques, locally made Amish baked goods and hand-crafted Amish furniture.
You'll find a trip to the Arcola countryside to be more than a breath of fresh, country air. Farming styles are diverse: everything from the latest in farming technology for planting and harvesting to the horse-drawn machinery of Amish farmers. Douglas County is home to Illinois' largest Old Order Amish settlement. The rural area is lined with Amish homes, businesses, and schools, plus horse-drawn buggies.
If you require something with a little more activity, novel adventures are right around the corner at Rockome Gardens. The theme park offers a chance to learn about the local Amish community at the Amish Interpretive Center where you can schedule tours of Amish homes, barns and schedule a traditional meal in an Amish home. Additionally, visitors may experience firsthand a number of traditional Amish activities including live demonstrations such as cheese production, candy making, baking, and the production of corn meal. These items will also be available for purchase in the Rockome Food Store, which features the largest bulk food inventory in the area. including buggy ride and visit Amish shops. Traditional favorites at Rockome will remain including the annual quilt show, antique barn, buggy and train rides as well as a large selection of locally produced Amish crafts.
