Kankakee, County seat in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States
Description
Kankakee is a county seat in Illinois that stretches along the Kankakee River, connecting residential and commercial areas. The city covers 37.9 square kilometers (14.6 square miles) and sits about 100 kilometers south of Chicago on what was once marshland.
History
The settlement began in 1853 on former swampland and grew into an industrial center thanks to its river location. Factories and mills shaped the city during the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the river providing power and transport routes.
Culture
The city's name comes from the Miami-Illinois language and likely means "wonderful land" or "swampy land", reflecting the original landscape. Today locals use the river for fishing and boating, while the downtown area with its brick buildings recalls the industrial past.
Practical
Most points of interest are in the center and near the river, where parks and historic buildings concentrate. Visitors can explore the city on foot or by car, with parking usually available.
Did you know?
Two early Frank Lloyd Wright buildings from his Prairie period stand here, showing his first experiments with horizontal lines and open floor plans. The B. Harley Bradley House from 1900 is considered one of his first fully realized homes in this style.
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B. Harley Bradley House
908 m
Kankakee River State Park
17.2 km
Warren Hickox House
874 mIroquois County State Wildlife Area
28.5 km
Kankakee County Courthouse
93 m
St. Mary's Church
25.5 km
Peotone Mill
24.2 kmLaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area
29.5 km
Downtown Peotone Historic District
24.5 km
Hunter–Hattenburg House
1.2 km
Kankakee Downtown Historic District
328 m
Lemuel Milk Carriage House
170 m
Durham–Perry Farmstead
3.5 km
Charles E. Swannell House
1.1 km
Edward Chipman Public Library
17.4 km
Downtown Momence Historic District
17 km
Point School
22.3 km
Splash Valley Aquatic Park
3.6 kmCobb Park
1.5 kmRiverview Historic District
847 mWillowed Plains Observatory
15.2 kmKankakee Country Club
2.4 kmKankakee Elks Country Club
7.4 kmOak Springs Golf Club
12 kmMinne Monesse Golf Club
26.5 kmAspen Ridge Golf Course
7 kmSouth Shore Golf Course
13.3 kmShamrock Golf Club
9.7 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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