Between Rockford And Peoria, Illinois Is A Historic City With River Views, A Unique Museum, And Fun On The Water

The Illinois River flows 273 miles from northeast Illinois southwest to the Mississippi River. Along the way, backwater lakes, marshes, and river towns hug its scenic shoreline. Ottawa and Peoria are among the most notable, but one small city in Marshall County has plenty of history and charm of its own: Henry, which sits along the banks of the Illinois River in central Illinois, with Sawmill Lake just to the east.

Henry's slogan is, "best town in Illinois by a dam site," a nod to its historic lock and dam legacy. In the mid-1800s, Henry became a commercial hub for shipping grain, livestock, fish, and even winter ice to Chicago restaurants. But the river often receded low enough for people to ford across, creating a major hindrance to shipping vessels. In 1870, Henry became home to the first lock-and-dam system on the Illinois River, a massive engineering project that helped control water levels and aid ships traveling downriver. A thriving river town sprang up around this system. The original lock and dam was demolished in 1928, but sections of the old brick walls remain a historic centerpiece where residents and visitors can now fish.

Much of Henry's heyday centered on its role as a river town, and since the departure of its lock and dam, it has remained small and quiet for nearly a century. Still, beyond its scenic location along the Illinois River, there are reasons to detour to Henry. It's home to the Marshall-Putnam Fair, which has hosted an annual summer fair for well over a century and is known for events such as its famous tractor pull. Beyond that, Henry offers a unique museum, downtown dining and shopping, plenty of parks, and easy access to the outdoors. 

Henry, Illinois, with a population just over 2,300, offers several parks and a scenic riverfront where people can often be spotted paddling or fishing off the historic lock for channel catfish, bluegill, and crappie. Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech in Henry's Central Park shortly after the city was formally established in the mid-1850s, and a historical marker commemorates the occasion. Central Park also features historic memorials to military service members and hosts an annual summer concert series called "Brown Bag It." The riverfront Waterworks Park is a scenic area featuring a boat ramp, picnic shelter, and playground, with views of the Henry Bridge. It also serves as the northern trailhead for the 16-mile Greater Peoria Canoe and Kayak Trail, which follows the Illinois River south to Chillicothe. There are no boat rentals available in Henry, but Hennepin's Big Bend Marina (formerly Henry Harbor Marina), 16 miles upriver, offers pontoon rentals and excellent fishing in its canal.

For more outdoors adventure, the Illinois River backwater forms nearby Sawmill Lake, another fishing destination. About 9 miles up the road, Condit's Ranch offers family-friendly camping, RV sites, trails, and stocked fishing lakes along with a swimming beach. For an ideal add-on to your Henry trip, Starved Rock State Park, a destination-worthy wildflower wonderland filled with scenic trails and waterfalls is just 35 miles away and a must-visit.

Henry also enjoys easy proximity to larger hubs: 5 miles south along the Illinois River lies Peoria, a lively and memorable city that ranks one of the best places to live in America, while roughly 100 miles north sits Rockford, Illinois' "city of gardens" with its prolific green spaces and outdoor recreation. Both cities have commercial airports, and downtown Chicago is just 125 miles northeast.

One of Henry's most unique attractions is the Charles Perdew Museum. Perdew, an Illinois River Valley local, spent a decade in Chicago working as a meatpacker while studying at the Chicago Art Institute before returning to Henry. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Perdew and his wife, Edna, earned a reputation for their exquisitely crafted duck decoys and high-quality bird calls. Charles carved the decoys, while Edna painted them. Today, their work is considered high-value, and their former home and workshop near the Illinois River now showcases not only many antique decoys and bird calls but also their tools and other relics they used, plus a hand-written letter from Eddie Bauer. The museum operates limited hours, so it's best to plan ahead.

Downtown, Henry offers a number of shops perfect for an afternoon of browsing. The 505 on Edward is a boutique that exemplifies the region's aesthetic. Shop for Illinois apparel, locally branded merch, and a variety of goods and accessories. Inside the ACE Hardware Store, Duke Brothers Trading Boutique offers clothing, gifts, décor, and more. While you're downtown, get a bite to eat and meet friendly locals at Grandma's Bar & Grill, serving classic American pub fare alongside rotating karaoke, bingo, fish fry, and live entertainment nights. Order pizza with a cold beer or country-fried steak and a fresh salad. Off Illinois Route 29, Chestnut Family Restaurant is the kind of casual spot where you can sink into a red-vinyl booth with a mug of hot diner coffee and order breakfast or a bowl of homemade veggie soup with lemon merengue pie. Shandy's Pub & Grub offers small-town tavern atmosphere, with slot machines, shuffleboard, and billiards.