Decatur Travel Guide, Illinois

Decatur, Illinois Travel Guide – About the City

Decatur is the largest city in Macon County, in the U.S state of Illinois. Called “The Soybean Capital of the World”, it was founded in 1823 and it has a metropolitan area population reaching 110.000 inhabitants. Being located in the Heart of Illinois along with Forsyth, it is the perfect hub to explore the central part of the state. Among its many cultural sites and places, the city has a strong resonance within the United States because it was the subject of “All-America City Award” in 1960, a distinction given to the cities whose citizens work together in order to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon results, and because Abraham Lincoln settled to the west side of the city along with his family, and practiced law before moving to Springfield, Illinois’ capital city.

Decatur, Illinois Travel Guide – Brief Geography and Civic information

Decatur has a total area of 46 square miles, of which 9% consists in water. The most significant lake is Lake Decatur, formed in 1923 by the damming of the nearby Sangamon River. It’s central positions also makes it an important hub within the state, being 3 hours South-West of Chicago and 2 hours North-East of St. Louis.

The city has received several mottos and nicknames during the past years, such as “Illinois’ Central City”, “The Pride of the Prairie” and the most popular one: “The Soybean Capital of the World”. It is also a sister city to Tokorozawa (Japan) and Seevetal (Germany).

Decatur, Illinois Travel Guide – Culture, Historical Heritage and Points of Interest

A significant event taking place every year in Decatur is “The Decatur Celebration” which is the largest free street festival in the state of Illinois. It gathers 150.000 people who come to enjoy numerous live bands and a big variety of fun activities for the whole family.

The city is also home to numerous parks and recreational areas, such as Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial, located along the Sangamon River, Lake Decatur, Rock Springs Conservation Area, a parkland parcel along the Rock Springs, which is a natural flow of water. Another important site is the Spitler Woods State Natural Area, which is a home to a big diversity of fauna such as squirrels and deer. From an architectural point of view, the city is known for its historic landmarks. You can find here buildings of every style, ranging from Civil War buildings, Depression era to Contemporary styles.

The city has been also featured or referred in a few notable shows and movies such as “Saturday night Live”.

We hope that you will enjoy your stay in Decatur, a city suitable for everyone, where you can find peace and recreation as well as fun and pleasant and enriching cultural experiences.