Lee County: Prairie, Trails and History

Lee County can be explored in two appealing ways: outdoors on prairie and hiking trails, or through its mills, railroads and regional history. Nature destinations offer a variety of experiences, while historic sites bring technical and personal stories to life.

Prairie and Trails with Their Own Character

Nachusa Grasslands encompasses more than 4,000 acres of restored and preserved prairie. Five trails and trail access points offer different ways to explore the area; visitors can also observe bison there. It’s a distinctive destination for an outing focused on landscape and wildlife viewing.

Franklin Creek State Natural Area has four and a half miles of marked and maintained hiking trails. The area also includes a 198-acre Illinois Nature Preserve, designated in 1970. For those who enjoy getting out on the trails, it offers both a clearly stated trail length and a protected natural area with a history of its own.

The individual trails explore different themes. The paved, accessible Mill Springs Trail leads to Mill Spring. The scenic Pioneer Pass Trail crosses streams. The Seasons of Change Trail explores how habitats change throughout the year. Families who would like to add stories to their walk can find illustrated stories on signs along the family-friendly Storybook Trail.

Mill Technology and Regional History

At the Franklin Creek Grist Mill and Interpretive Center, a reconstructed, four-story, wood-frame grist mill dating to 1847 is on display. Visitors can watch the waterwheel drive the four-ton millstone through belts and gears to grind corn as it was done in the 19th century. This brings the mill’s process to life: water power is converted into work at the millstone through several mechanical steps.

The Amboy Depot Museum is housed in a former Illinois Central Railroad depot built in 1876 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum includes a freight house with additional artifacts, a fully restored one-room country schoolhouse, a retired steam locomotive and a caboose. Each of these features offers a distinct perspective on railroad and school history.

Chaplin Creek Historic Village preserves historic buildings that illustrate everyday life from the 19th to the early 20th century. Tours are available by appointment. The Lincoln Highway Interpretive Center and Headquarters is open through the end of October on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; check the hours before your visit.

Places and Stories in Dixon and Grand Detour

The John Deere Historic Site is in Grand Detour, where the company founded by John Deere got its start. The original John Deere home was built in 1836; the historic site also includes a working blacksmith shop. At the Old Settlers Log Cabin, located on the original grounds of Fort Dixon, you’ll encounter another story from the region: the log cabin was built in 1894 as a lasting tribute to the early settlers. The grounds also feature a statue of 23-year-old Abraham Lincoln, who served as a volunteer soldier in the Black Hawk War of 1832.

In Dixon, the riverfront trail connects with Heritage Crossing Riverfront Plaza, which runs along the Rock River. The Lincoln Highway Scenic Byway reaches Dixon on Illinois 38, where it meets the Blackhawk Trail. These descriptions provide different points of reference: one highlights the connection along the river, the other the route’s designated course.

Personal and Indigenous History

The Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home and Visitors Center preserves the restored home where the Reagan family lived from 1920 to 1923. Tours include a four-room Presidential Timeline exhibit. The Northwest Territory Historic Center is located in Ronald Reagan’s former South Central School, which he attended as a child, and features an interactive exhibit about Indigenous people and the Black Hawk War. Together, these places offer different ways to explore biography and regional history.

When looking for a vacation rental in Lee County, you can plan your stay around the experience you’re seeking: days in nature among prairies and hiking trails, technical insights at the mill, or excursions to historic sites.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Dixon, Franklin Grove, Mchenry, Jo Daviess County, Lake, Bond County, Wayne County and Coles.

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