Hanson FieldMacomb, Illinois

Walk the historic campus quad and Sherman Hall.

A 16-foot bust of Abraham Lincoln with a beard made of real living flowering plants — the only sculpture of its kind in the world — commemorating Lincoln's deep ties to Macomb and McDonough County. Created by WIU professor Duke Oursler and dedicated August 29, 2020.

💡 Part of the Looking For Lincoln self-guided driving tour. The CVB (Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia) is located nearby at the historic train depot at 120 E. Calhoun St., where you can pick up a National Park Service Passport stamp.

A regional history museum with artifacts tracing the story of west-central Illinois, housed one block off Macomb's 19th-century Courthouse Square. The McDonough County Genealogical Society is also on-site.

💡 Open Tuesday through Friday 9 AM-5 PM and Saturday 9 AM-1 PM; closed Sunday and Monday. Plan around gameday accordingly. Free parking behind the museum on Lafayette Street.

A nature preserve featuring the nation's largest seven-circuit Prairie Labyrinth — 230 feet in diameter — set within a mosaic of prairie, wetland, and woodland habitats. The core Lakeview Nature Area is approximately 80 acres; the broader combined park area with adjacent Spring Lake Park totals approximately 350 acres.

💡 The labyrinth is open dawn to dusk year-round; morning visits before a midday kickoff are peaceful and uncrowded. Wear walking shoes — the prairie paths are unpaved.

A 1,700-acre Illinois state park centered on a 93-acre lake with 5 miles of forested hiking trails, fishing, and paddling — a scenic half-day escape just west of Macomb in Colchester.

💡 Well-suited for a morning hike before an afternoon game. Fishing and seasonal boat rentals are popular. No day-use fee. Home to over 200 bird species.