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Frank Lloyd Wright found some of his first Prairie-style clients on the riverbank in Kankakee, and the two houses he built here in 1900 still face the Kankakee River. The city of about 24,000, an hour south of Chicago, is the seat of Kankakee County and a working river town surrounded by flat cornfields.
Kankakee grew as a railroad hub on the Illinois Central line, and its 1898 depot now holds a railroad museum. The leafy Riverview neighborhood is lined with Prairie, Queen Anne and Craftsman houses, while the Beaux-Arts county courthouse anchors downtown. The sculptor George Grey Barnard grew up here, and the county museum keeps a large collection of his work.
The river itself is the big draw outdoors: anglers fish for smallmouth bass, paddlers drift past limestone banks, and Kankakee River State Park offers miles of trails a short drive upstream. Bourbonnais and Olivet Nazarene University sit just north, across the river.
Built in 1900, this house and its stable are among Frank Lloyd Wright's earliest Prairie-style works, with low hipped roofs, art glass windows and wide eaves facing the river. A local nonprofit restored it and runs guided tours. Book ahead, as tours are scheduled on select days only.
Next door to the Bradley House, this smaller 1900 Frank Lloyd Wright design shows the same early Prairie ideas in stucco with dark wood trim and a cross-shaped plan. It is a private home, so view it from the sidewalk on South Harrison Avenue. Visit together with the Bradley House tour.
A Beaux-Arts courthouse completed in 1912 with a columned stone front, set on a green square downtown. War memorials stand around the lawn. It is still a busy working courthouse; the exterior and grounds are the main attraction, and the square is a good starting point for exploring downtown.
A leafy residential area along the Kankakee River with dozens of well-kept houses from the late 1800s and early 1900s in Prairie, Queen Anne and Craftsman styles. It makes a pleasant self-guided walk or bike ride. Start near the Wright houses and follow the river streets south and east.
Set in Small Memorial Park, this county museum covers county history from Native American life through the railroad era, and holds a large collection of plaster works by sculptor George Grey Barnard, who grew up in Kankakee. The park grounds include a historic house and a one-room schoolhouse.
Housed in the restored 1898 Illinois Central depot, which still serves Amtrak trains, this volunteer-run museum displays railroad memorabilia, photos and model train layouts. Children love watching freight trains pass outside. Opening hours are limited, mostly on weekends.
A city park on the Kankakee River near downtown with lawns, shade trees and river views. It is an easy spot for a picnic, a riverside rest or fishing from the bank. Summer evenings bring locals out for walks, and the park links to nearby riverside streets for a longer stroll.
A state park a short drive upstream with more than 4,000 acres along both banks of the river. Trails lead to Rock Creek canyon and a small waterfall, and there are horse trails, campgrounds, canoe rentals and excellent smallmouth bass fishing. Fall color in October is outstanding.
A seasonal downtown market held on Saturday mornings from late spring into fall, with local farmers selling sweet corn, tomatoes, honey and baked goods, plus crafts and food vendors. Come early for the best produce and parking. It is a good way to see downtown at its most lively.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Teemu08, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu08, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: MrHarman at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jim Roberts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
