Arcola
Arcola is a city in the Central Illinois region of Illinois with about 2,900 residents in 2020. Visitors will get a sense of small-town Midwest as they walk or drive down the streets of Arcola. The countryside surrounding the city houses the largest Amish population in Illinois with many small shops operated by Amish craftsmen in and around the area.
Understand
Arcola is located in Douglas County, Illinois. Mostly surrounded by farmland, the town is roughly a 40-minute drive from Champaign-Urbana.
History
Arcola was founded in 1855 when the Central Illinois Railroad company built a railroad through the area. The Illinois Central Railroad Company was responsible for surveying and selling plots of land in the development of the town.
Arcola was the birthplace of John Barton Gruelle, creator of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. His family still operates the Raggedy Ann Museum in Arcola. Arcola is somewhat famous for the Lawn Rangers, a "precision lawn mower drill team" that marches in formation with brooms and lawnmowers while wearing cowboy hats. Every year since 1980 the Lawn Rangers have marched in the Arcola Broomcorn Festival Parade.
Visitor Center
- 1 Arcola Historic Train Depot & Information Center (Arcola Chamber of Commerce), 135 N Oak St, ☏ +1 217 268-4530. M-Sa 10AM-3PM. This train Depot was built in 1885 for the Central Illinois Railroad that ran through town. It holds CIR memorabilia, the largest Louis Klein collection of antique brooms and brushes in the United States, and Arcola relics. Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls and collectibles are also on display.
Get in
By car
Most visitors to Arcola can drive into town from the north from Champaign and from the south on either US highway 45 or I-57. Illinois Highway 133 allows access to Arcola from east and west.
By plane
Arcola is not serviced directly by an airport. The closest airport is 1 Willard Airport 
CMI IATA, 28 mi (45 km) north in Champaign, with flights to and from Chicago and Fort Worth daily. The airport also houses multiple rental car companies to travel around the local area.
Get around
Like most Illinois towns, Arcola is easiest to maneuver via car. Many of the roads in town also have sidewalks that allow for walking around the city center and some residential areas. There are no widespread public transit that services the city.
See
- 1 Hippie Memorial, N Oak St (from E Main St, turn north on N Oak Street, memorial is to the left). Claims to be the only memorial to hippies in existence. Created by Bob Moonmaw to honor the artists and free spirits of the Hippie Movement.
- 2 A Walk Through Time, featuring Raggedy Ann and Andy (The Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum), 110 E Main St,. A small museum dedicated to the Raggedy Ann and Andy line of dolls.
- 3 Arcola Public Library (Andrew Carnegie Library), 407 E Main St, ☏ +1 217 268-4477. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. Arcola's public library was built by Andrew Carnegie in 1905.
- Arcola Broom Corn Festival. An annual event held on the weekend after Labor Day each September. Foot races, live music, contests, and a parade featuring the Lawn Rangers.
Do
- 1 Moore Memorial Park, Kelly Moore Dr. Sunrise-sunset daily. A nice park that has a two baseball fields, a playground, basketball court, four tennis courts, and a soccer field.
- 2 Arcola Architectural Tours, 229 E. Jefferson St, ☏ +1 217 268-4876, william@arcolaflowerpatch.com. A tour that goes through the architectural history of small-town america.
- 3 Aikman Wildlife Adventure, 125N N Co Rd 425E (head west out of town on Illinois 133 towards Arthur then turn left on N Co Rd 425E; the park will be on your left down the road), ☏ +1 217 268-3500, info@aikmanwildlife.com. Sa 10AM-4PM. A drive-thru wildlife adventure park.
Buy
- 1 My Favorite Things, 124 E Main St, ☏ +1 217 268-3576. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. A gift shop near the center of town.
- 2 Friends in High Places, 116 W Main St, ☏ +1 217 268-4851. Tu-Th 11AM-7PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM. A cannabis boutique
- 3 Yonder's Homestead Shop, 117 E. Main St, ☏ +1 217 268-3841. M-Sa 10AM-5PM. This store sells handmade Amish furniture and artisan goods.
Eat
- 1 Broomtown Cafe, 130 E Main St, ☏ +1 217 518-1022. M-Th Sa 6:30AM-2PM, F 6:30AM-8PM.
- 2 El Taco Tako Mexican Food, 202 S Chestnut St, ☏ +1 217 268-4900. W Sa 11AM-9PM, Th F 9:30AM-9PM, Su 8AM-noon.
- 3 Vita's Food Taqueria, 221 E Springfield Rd, ☏ +1 217 460-0244. Tu W 11AM-7PM, Th-Sa 11AM-8PM.
- 4 Monical's Pizza, 528 E Springfield Rd, ☏ +1 217 268-4141. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM.
- 5 Hen House Restaurants & Gifts, 547 E Springfield Rd, ☏ +1 217 268-3712. Everyday 5:30AM–3PM. A bar and grill with good food and a giftshop.
Drink
- 1 It'll Do Bar & Grill, 620 Schrock Dr, ☏ +1 217 543-4059. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F 11AM-1AM, Sa noon-1AM, Su noon-10PM.
- 2 Back Alley Saloon, 128 E Main St, ☏ +1 217 294-5919. M-Th 2-10PM, F Sa 2PM-1AM, Sun noon-10PM.
- 3 Shae's Pub and Grub, 126 N Oak St, ☏ +1 217 268-3177. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-9PM.
- 4 Big Bufords, 620 Schrock Dr, ☏ +1 217 268-4322. Tu-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-6PM. A nice bar and grill serving mostly tavern food.
Sleep
- 1 Best Western Plus Green Mill Village Hotel & Suites Convention Center, 917 Green Mill Rd (exit from I-57 onto Illinois 133 and head east; turn right onto Egyptian Rd and then the first right onto Green Mill Road; the hotel will be to your left), ☏ +1 217 268-5000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $98 per night for a single room, and up.
- 2 Quality Inn, 610 E Springfield Rd (exit I-57 and head west on Illinois 133; the hotel will be to the left just past the Phillips 66 station), ☏ +1 217 268-400. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $87 per night for a single room, and up.
Go next
- Illinois Amish Country The surrounding countryside is home to the largest Amish population in Illinois.
- Champaign-Urbana
- Effingham
| Routes through Arcola |
| Urbana ← Tuscola ← | N  S |
→ Effingham → Mount Vernon |
| Champaign ← Tuscola ← | N  S |
→ Effingham → Paducah |