Historical Markers
Two people at a traditional pub's ornate wooden bar - historic taverns

Self-guided · County in Illinois

Historic Taverns in Lee County, IL

Taverns and saloons on the record near you, the places where travelers rested and towns argued their politics.

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Photo: Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Most residents could not tell you which local buildings are on the National Register. Lee County is one of 102 counties in Illinois. The record can, and the closest listings to Lee County, IL are below.

Men gathered at tables in a dimly lit bar - historic taverns
Photo: The New York Public Library on Unsplash
Man entering the old western saloon building - historic taverns
Photo: Leo_Visions on Unsplash
An illuminated pub building at dusk with people gathered outside - historic taverns
Photo: Md Akdas Arman on Unsplash

On the record near Lee County, IL

The 12 nearest

24 listed sites on the record match historic taverns within 120 miles of Lee County, IL, out of 40 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 7 listed sites carry Lee County as their county.

  1. Peacock Brewery36 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Rockford · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
  2. Moran's Saloon51 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Beloit · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
  3. Dugan's Saloon64 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Grand Mound · listed 2001National Register of Historic Places
  4. Littig Brothers/Mengel & Klindt/Eagle Brewery65 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Davenport · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
  5. Frick's Tavern65 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Davenport · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  6. Stacy's Tavern69 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Glen Ellyn · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  7. Dubuque Star Brewery80 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Dubuque · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
  8. Deerpath Inn85 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Lake Forest · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
  9. Old Spring Tavern86 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Madison · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  10. Plough Inn86 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Madison · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  11. Puerner Block-Breunig's Brewery88 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Jefferson · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
  12. Potosi Brewery91 miles from the center of Lee County · Building · Potosi · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Lee County, IL. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Taverns in Lee County, step by step

  1. 1

    See every listed site of this kind in the area

  2. 2

    Sort by distance and pick the closest few

  3. 3

    Read the record for the year, the builder and the use

  4. 4

    View from the public way and note what has changed

  5. 5

    Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Lee County, IL ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Lee County, IL?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Lee County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Lee County, IL the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Lee County, IL are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Lee County, IL

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Historic Taverns near Lee County

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