Big Things Small Town
Casey, Illinois
As I have proven in the past, I enjoy traveling to the middle of nowhere for that interesting small town USA experience. To that end, somewhere on the great plains of Illinois, you will find the city of Casey, Illinois. Casey has a population of about 3,000. The city is halfway between Indianapolis and St. Louis…really near no major metropolitan areas.
The tag line of the city is “Big Things Small Town.” The town draws in travelers by creating many greatly, over-sized objects that are sprinkled about the town. While many of the objects are just large oddities, about 10 of them are actually Guinness World Book of Records certified. So, I gathered up my good friend, Goosebuster, and we headed out to the great plains of Illinois.
Credit Where Credit is Due
The credit for creating all of the big things goes to a local business man, Jim Bolin. Mr. Bolin owns a pipeline and tank maintenance company. To give back to the city where he has lived his whole life, Jim uses his company to fabricate the big things that give this small town fame. The best example and arguably the most iconic big thing in Casey is the mailbox…
To get an actual Guiness World Book of Records certification, the enlarged object in question has to be a functional version of the standard object. And, as we discovered, this mailbox is fully functional. There is a winch system that can open and close the big lid. Further, there is a small mailbox within the big mailbox that allows for letters to be received and mailed. Thus, it can be certified as the World’s Largest Mailbox. Furthermore, if you are willing to climb the stairs, its the best view of the fine town of Casey.
Expected Fun in Casey
While I expected to see record setting attractions on my visit to Casey, I did not expect to participate in the fun…
The back wall in the pictures is actually the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle is 8 feet tall and 29 feet long, consisting of 60,000 pieces. For the affordable price of $7, I was given the honor of participating in the jigsaw puzzle. My purchase entitled me to place 4 pieces into the record setting puzzle. My first Guinness World Book of Record participation event. I am so proud.
Guinness Walk About
The entirety of Casey, IL, is within easy walking distance. So, as the weather was favorable, Goosebuster and I enjoyed a very pleasant walk exploring the town and noting all the Guinness World Book attractions.
You can not tell from the picture, but the barber pole was spinning. Furthermore, most of the big things were placed where they made sense. The barber pole was at the barber shop…the crochet/knitting needles were at the women’s clothing store…etc. The wind chimes were particularly impressive. There was not enough wind to get them to chime. However, there is a handy do it yourself rope to get them going manually.
The rocking chair had its own park. As with most areas in Casey, the landscaping and sidewalks were meticulously maintained. The teeter totter was particularly impressive. It was huge. You can walk all over the teeter totter, but it did not move. They didn’t want us to break it. There are published hours each week when they allow the teeter totter to teeter.
Just in case you doubted the authenticity of the Casey attractions, the Guinness World Record certificate is usually on display somewhere near the iterm. Also, Goosebuster would not forgive me if I did not pass along one last detail on the attractions. Each record setting attraction also came with scripture quote somewhere near the item. So, you can get your biblical inspiration as you admire the big items.
Honorable Mention
As I mentioned earlier, big items are not eligible for Guinness consideration unless they function as intended. Well, to ensure that you understand this concept, here are two big things that are not Guinness worthy.
The mouse trap outside of the visitor center is not threat to large vermin. It does not snap. Furthermore, as the large taco sculpture is metal, most humans wouldl not be able to consume it. Therefore, NO Guinness record for you.
Wrap It Up
To be clear, I did not want to overwhelm you with too many pictures. There are more big things in Casey that I have not published. You will need to visit Casey on your own to get the full experience. So, if you ever find yourself on the plains of Illinois and want to visit a great small town…go to Casey, Illinois, for “Big Things Small Town.”
Oh, I almost forgot. For full disclosure, I did have one complaint on Casey. Its practically “dry.” You can grab a cup of fine coffee and some wonderful ice cream. But, Casey does not have a quality dive bar…or any decent bar for that matter. There are two family restaurants that have a liquor license. But, there is no quality dive bar to belly up to and have a few cold ones after seeing big things in a small town. Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed “Big Things Small Town” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
Here was another one of my small town USA visits https://travelingwithpt.com/just-a-great-fishing-town/
If you want to plan your own visit to Casey, here you go https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/
