Like many of its central Illinois neighbors, CASS County revolves around Communities, Agriculture, Scenic views and Sites of interest. Add Lincoln to the mix, and you’ve got a CLASS in history.
Cass is one of the state’s smallest counties, but its Illinois River western border and fertile land ensured early settlement. Before 1823, Cass was part of Sangamon County but came into its own in 1837. Virginia and Beardstown have traded being the county seat, and both towns are worth a bit of exploring.
Virginia became the permanent seat of government in 1872 and boasts a brick courthouse on the downtown square. A gazebo and historical markers share the central plaza. Surrounding blocks are a mix of refurbished buildings and those awaiting repair.
The Cass County Historical and Genealogical Society also maintains space across from the courthouse. It contains local artifacts, photos, memorabilia and research tools but has hours limited to 1-4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday from April to November.
Duck your head into Now and Then, a combination gift shop and café to gander at the restored pressed ceiling and soda fountain equipment. You can pick up a sandwich or ice cream treat to enjoy at the Jennie Marr Dunaway Park and Rexroat Prairie. A walking path, pool, sports field, playground and a log cabin settlement await.
Virginia hosts a barbecue June 6-8 and farmers markets the second and fourth Saturdays from April to October on the square.
From Virginia follow Illinois Route 126 for 12 miles through some productive farmland to Beardstown, where history meets new cultures. The town served as the county seat from 1843 to 1872, long enough for Abraham Lincoln to make his mark as a prairie lawyer with the famous Almanac Trial.
You can step into the courtroom where in 1858, Lincoln successfully defended William Duff Armstrong, who had been charged with murder the year before. The state based its case on a witness who said he saw the murder by the light of a nearly full moon. After Lincoln brought out an 1857 almanac showing the moon would have been too low in the west to illuminate the scene, Duff was acquitted.
The small second-floor room still hosts court once a month, making it the only working courtroom where Lincoln practiced. The building also holds the jail where Duff spent months awaiting trial and extensive exhibits about Cass County history.
Different rooms showcase collections of arrowheads, antique firearms, household goods, frontier tools, military uniforms, vintage clothing and memorabilia about the Beardstown Ladies, a group of local women who enjoyed fame in the late 1990s for their stock market success.
A special exhibit on the Underground Railroad in Illinois will be at the museum through June 6 on Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Wednesday and Thursdays night from 6-8 p.m. Like the museum itself, the exhibit is free. Normally the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
A small gallery in the back of the museum devotes itself to river life as a nod to Beardstown’s spot on the Illinois River. Flood walls prevent any access to the actual river, but the “Beardstown River Look” provides a covered viewing area a few blocks west of downtown.
Also downtown is the Grand Opera House, established in 1872. It had fallen into disrepair over the years, but restoration began around 2007, according to Paula Woods, chair of the Old Lincoln Courtroom and Museum Foundation. “We are in the process of restoring it bit by bit,” she said, with plays and music performances happening as the building is operational.
Like many communities, Beardstown’s commerce seems to have migrated from the downtown square to highways passing through it, but the central area does have some thriving Hispanic restaurants. The JBS meatpacking plant just south of town attracts immigrant workers from Spanish-speaking countries, French-speaking African countries and Myanmar. They have added population and varied cultures to Beardstown, according to Woods.
The new Carniceria Neylan Hispanic Market opened in December and offers fresh-cut meat and spices and snacks from various countries. The town’s library has tried to include titles in Spanish and French to serve the diverse population.
Beardstown hosts an annual Fall Fun Festival with music, car and motorcycle show, carnival and parade. This year’s dates are Sept. 26-28. The town also celebrates Mexican Independence Day as part of Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15.
Nearby Arenzville claims to be the site of the world’s best burgoo, this year Sept. 5-6. Burgoo is a stew with a variety of meats and vegetables, usually cooked for hours over an open fire for large gatherings.
For some outdoor fun, visitors can head to Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area near Chandlerville. The 26-square-mile site offers camping in tents, campers and cabins; three lakes that are home to muskie, catfish, bass and sunfish; an archery range; and biking and hiking trails. The vast area also attracts bird watchers, hunters in season, wildflower lovers, horseback riders and picnickers.
Jake’s Point on the site’s western side features views of the original Panther Creek valley. The state acquired the site after Commonwealth Edison dropped plans for a coal-fired power plant there in the 1980s.
Jim Edgar Panther Creek, like some other spots in Cass County, makes for a good day trip from Springfield.
Mary Bohlen of Springfield writes about travel for REGEN and other publications. She is retired from University of Illinois Springfield, where she taught journalism for 30 years.
This article appears in Summer 2025 June 2025.
