Henry

Henry, along Route 29 and on the Illinois River, was surveyed in 1834 and named after General James D. Henry. Besides Ronald Reagan visiting Henry and traveling through town dozens of times on the way to and from Eureka College, Abraham Lincoln spoke to the citizens on a least one occasion.

Henry was an excursion stop for steamboats coming from Peoria, and the Henry baseball team played both the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox. The town with tree-lined streets and stately old mansions, at one time was a favorite location for gathering clam shells from the river for button making.

Sites to Visit
Charles Perdew Museum

914 Front St., Henry, IL
309-274-9076
Charles and Edna Perdew combined their talents to become famous folk artists in Central Illinois and throughout the rest of the United States. They produced thousands of examples of painted wildfowl sculpture, originally purchased mainly by hunters to attract ducks, geese and crows to within shooting range.

Where to Stay

Steamboat Landing Properties

202 Conrad St, Henry, IL - 309-364-4055
Condominiums (daily, weekly, or monthly rental) adjacent to restaurant and marina.