Discover Beardstown: History, River and Things to Do

Beardstown is located on the Illinois River. Three distinct themes can shape a stay here: history connected with Lincoln and local collections, viewpoints along the river, and things to do. If you’re looking for a hotel in Beardstown, this overview offers a factual starting point for planning your trip. You can decide whether historic sites, getting your bearings along the river, or activities will define your stay.

Historic Sites and Collections

The Old Lincoln Courtroom & Museum is located on the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Trail. The Lincoln Courtroom houses a museum. If you’re planning a guided tour, check the schedule before your trip. The courtroom where Lincoln defended Duff Armstrong is still used as a courtroom. It was also the setting for the famous Duff Armstrong case. Historic significance and continued use as a courtroom come together here, making it a notable point of reference for travelers interested in Lincoln’s history.

The Beardstown Historical Museum in the Courthouse offers a different focus. Its collections include historically and culturally significant objects and artifacts relating to the local community, including artifacts connected to Indigenous heritage. So the focus here is not just on one historic case, but also on objects connected to the community. For planning purposes, this offers a clear distinction between the history of the courtroom and the local collections.

The Beardstown Grand Opera House is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Together, the courtroom, museum collections and opera house offer different points of connection with the past. You can shape your stay according to whether you’re most interested in the Lincoln connection, the history of the local community, or a listed historic building.

The Illinois River and Getting Your Bearings

There are several viewpoints along the Illinois River near Beardstown, also referred to as Mile 88. A prominent observation deck is downtown at the end of State Street, near the Beardstown Post Office. These location references emphasize different details: Mile 88 identifies the river area, while State Street and the Post Office pinpoint the deck’s location downtown. If you include these points in your trip plans, the names and landmarks can help you tell them apart.

Comparing Things to Do

Beardstown offers several different options for activities. Roy Roberts Park has a fishing pond. The Beardstown Park District lists an 18-hole disc golf course and a driving range among its offerings. The Sudbrink Waterpark is also part of the Park District’s offerings. The choices range from fishing at the pond to disc golf, the driving range and the waterpark. If you’re planning to visit one of these attractions, check the latest operating information beforehand.

The differences between these offerings can help with planning: the fishing pond is for fishing, while the disc golf course and driving range offer two other specific leisure options. The Sudbrink Waterpark offers a different experience. This way, you can consider the activities that interest you as a separate part of your stay, alongside the historic sites and viewpoints.

Getting Here and Finding a Hotel

Beardstown is located at the junction of U.S. Highway 67 and Illinois Routes 100 and 125. These road references provide a specific point of reference for locating the city as you plan your trip. When looking for hotels in Beardstown, you can connect the destination with the themes that suit your stay: history, viewpoints along the Illinois River, or things to do.

For the broader travel overview: Cass.