Ever been to Troy Grove, IL?

[Joe308]

Birthplace of Wild Bill Hickok!

Nice ride out route 52. Not much to see however I did enjoy the ride.

 

[DavidLSI]

Was this your destination or did you just happen upon it like I did?

SeeYa
DavidLSI

[Joe308]

David,

Actually, that was our destination and I had lunch in Peru, IL. Troy Grove has a population of 300.

Joe

[Playinthestreet]

Is the billboard still there which alledges "home of the world's biggest ham sandwich"?  

[Joe308]

Sorry, didn't see anything related to a Ham Sandwich.

[Jeff]

I live not far from there in Ottawa, IL - about 15 minutes east of Peru.

Jeff

[RickC1957]

 :thumbsup:cool a destination ride

[Playinthestreet]

Sorry, didn't see anything related to a Ham Sandwich.

There was a bar in town (perhaps the only one) that had a small billboard as you came in off of I-55 that proclaimed it was the home of said sandwich.  I suppose that was at least 10yrs ago however.

[Joe308]

Are you sure Playinthestreet you are thinking the same town? Troy Grove is about 45-50 miles west of I-55.

 

[DavidLSI]

Are you sure Playinthestreet you are thinking the same town? Troy Grove is about 45-50 miles west of I-55.

 

He is correct,  I looked at my ride report and have it notes as Troy Grove too.

From Wikipedia
Early life
James Butler Hickok was born in Troy Grove, Illinois on May 27, 1837. His birthplace is now the Wild Bill Hickok State Memorial, a listed historic site under the supervision of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. While he was growing up, his father's farm was one of the stops on the Underground Railroad, and he learned his shooting skills protecting the farm with his father from anti-abolitionists. Hickok was a good shot from a very young age. Unknown to most, he was one of the earliest champions of equal rights for blacks during the latter days of slavery.

[Playinthestreet]

I usually went to a guys place on the west end of town at the intersection with 51 so didn't remember that it was quite that far off the 55.  Also home of Howard Linne, second in all time wins as a car owner in the USAC midget division. (gotta be a real gearhead to know that!)

[rabbott5]

Yep!  I live in Peru.  In the spring and fall (when the kids are in school) I ride 200 + miles 2 to 3 times a week.  I'm a fireman and have a couple days off a week.  So while the wife is at work and the kids are in school I love to find and ride state and county roads in the area.  There are a lot of seldom traveled roads between Rte 80, Rte 88 and Rte 55.  South of 80 a lot of the roads are straight and flat.

[Joe308]

It was an interesting ride for once I was west of Joliet on route 52, for around 60 miles just a couple of churches, farm houses and farm fields. Perhaps a couple of small towns until I headed south on 251 and encountered the traffic and shopping centers of Peru. Wow, what a difference between rural areas and busy city traffic in Peru.

Overall it would be a nice area to live in and lots of nice roads north, west and northwest of Peru. I have not yet ventured in the area south of Peru. Perhaps that will be a spring ride.

 

[rabbott5]

A few good roads along the river going to Peoria.  A great little road south of Bureau that head to Tiskilwa.  Rte 71 at Starved Rock is ok, just not on weekends.

It was an interesting ride for once I was west of Joliet on route 52, for around 60 miles just a couple of churches, farm houses and farm fields. Perhaps a couple of small towns until I headed south on 251 and encountered the traffic and shopping centers of Peru. Wow, what a difference between rural areas and busy city traffic in Peru.

Overall it would be a nice area to live in and lots of nice roads north, west and northwest of Peru. I have not yet ventured in the area south of Peru. Perhaps that will be a spring ride.