Bishop Hill, Illinois

Bishop Hill is a National Landmark Village, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and it is an Illinois State Historic Site. It is located approximately 12 miles east of I-74 in northwest Illinois. Because of its rural location, this is the small town to visit if you want to avoid the crowds. The biggest attraction of Bishop Hill is its history, founded in 1846 by Swedish immigrants seeking religious freedom. Like so many interesting small towns in the country, its unusual architecture is a reflection of the idyllic and utopian aspirations of its founders. Visitors can make self-guided tours of the Colony Church, the Colony Hotel, and the Museum. This small town offers a few, but adequate, variety of retail shops and eateries. But children and teenagers would probably be bored silly in this small town.