Stuff to See and Do Around Momence, Illinois

The region drained by the Kankakee River in northeastern Illinois embraces some of the most beautiful and fertile land in the country. The Kankakee, which was the home of the Potawatomi Indians and the road through which early settlers pushed into the area, rises in Indiana marshes; joins the Iroquois River below Momence Illinois hospital, and flows to the Illinois near Manteno. An odd feature of the Kankakee River Valley is the absence of any ponds or lakes. This region is underlaid with a limestone formation which can vary from several feet to over fifty feet beneath the surface. Kankakee County soils can be classified in one of three groups: marsh and sandy land; light black earth; and a heavy black soil which is the highest in fertility. The sandy soils are found in low-lying ridges which are covered by oak forest; the ridges themselves are separated by areas of heavy dark muck. While much of the original forest of Kankakee County has been cut down, there remains substantial tracts of oak, ash, elm, hickory, maple, walnut and other hard woods. The rocky banks of the river feature stands of cedar and pine. With the exception of sandy soil areas and a few limestone outcroppings, the soils in Kankakee County are the most productive in Illinois. All north temperate crops do very well here. The average rainfall is half again less than in southern Illinois.

Among mineral deposits there are deposits of potters' clay in many areas, which led to the establishment of several brick and tile factories in Kankakee city from its earliest days. The limestone deposits are mined to manufacture lime, and for gravel for macadamizing and ballast. Kankakee limestone is in fact quite well known for its high quality and beauty, and is used in many of the private and public buildings in northern Illinois and Chicago such as Momence hospital. The western part of the county has substantial coal fields which are highly productive, the coal being located just beneath the surface.

In 1834 settlers came for the first time to Kankakee County, following the federal government's signing the Treaty of Tippecanoe in 1832. The promise of cheap land brought many immigrants from Vermont and New York who located in Momence Illinois. Today visitors come from all over the country to enjoy the scenery and tranquility of Kankakee. Students of architecture will find many notable and historical structures worth visiting, including the Kankakee County Courthouse and Frank Lloyd Wright's Bradley House in Kankakee (one of the earliest Prairie Style designs). Besides traditional recreational activities such as boating, fishing, and hunting, agritourism has become a major local industry. This tourism features visits to local farms and farmers markets, such as Kankakee Farmers Market, Meadowview Farmers Market, Manteno Illinois hospital Farmers Market and Mary's Berries are just a few of the many great area farmers markets. There are also wonderful bargains at the many local antique shops such as Antiquery Collectibles & More, Castle Antique Mall, Indian Oaks Antique Mall, Olde Barn Antiques, and Manteno Antique Mall.