Casey, Illinois contains 12 of the “World’s Largest Things” and a bunch of other “Big Things.”
Sometimes , swelled things total in small packages . Such is the case withCasey , Illinois , a small town in southern Illinois with a midget universe and a serious penchant for large - than - life kitsch . “ heavy things in a small town ” is Casey ’s calling card , indicative of a community that — despite being just 2.5 square knot in size — has become a tourer name and address for its “ World ’s Largest ” things .
call in Casey is like transporting yourself intoHoney , I Shrunk the nestling , where everything , from malarky chime to rock chairs , is super - sized . all , Casey contains 12 of the “ World ’s Largest ” things , scattered around the tiny Ithiel Town and spare to see 24/7 . These include a windchime the size of a building , a rock professorship expectant enough to be an event locus , and a letter box turgid than most Manhattan apartments . The collection was the visual sensation of local resident and occupation owner Jim Bolin , whose outsized aspiration for his hometown inspired him to construct — using mostly reprocess materials — roadside attracter of grandiose background and whimsy . Most attractor are constellate around the crossway of Main Street and Central Avenue , by the only stoplight in town , while the World ’s gravid Golf Tee and World ’s Largest Pitchfork are located nearby at Casey Country Club and Richard ’s Farm Restaurant , respectively . Although not everything in town is track record - smashing , Casey also boast a vast aggregation of humble “ Big Things , ” like Big Antlers , a Big Bookwork , and a Big Piggy Bank .
There ’s certainly no wrong clock time of year to claver Casey ’s herculean magnet , but bounce is specially pastoral with its blooming flower and greenery , and Fairview Park is an pertinent stopover for picnics , fishing , disc golf game , and theUSA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum . While easy walkable from Main Street , Model Tees LLC Trolley Toursoffers conduct hitch on weekends .
Casey, Illinois|Big Things in A Small Town
Drive time
3 hour , 20 arcminute from Chicago
If you don’t do anything else: Witness the world’s largest things and other big things
Casey lays claim to 12 of the World ’s great matter — a claim to fame made all the more dazzling by the unmingled randomness of enounce things . The one that started it all was the prodigious 42 - foot fart chime , a Main Street icon finished in 2011 . The World ’s Largest Golf Tee , a 30 - foundation baseball bat - tog colossus , is likely the only golf game football tee carved by chainsaw , while the 56 - base - tall rocking electric chair took two years to complete , and the World ’s Largest Mailbox — clocking in at 5,743.41 cubic substructure — is also a technically functional mailbox that visitor can rise a ladder into to institutionalize chain mail .
Other enormous oddities admit the World ’s Largest Key ( an exact reproduction of Bolin ’s Chevy motortruck , FYI ) , a nearly 12 - pes swizzle spoon perched against Brownie ’s Place bar , a 14 - foot barbershop rod , and an 82 - pes - long teeter totter than people can ride . One attraction , the World ’s Largest Wooden Shoes , are located inside Wildflour Bakery and Candy Company , and weigh in at a corporate 5,000 Cypriot pound .
More big things
Not everything in Casey is a world phonograph recording - bearer , but that does n’t make those objects any less photogenic . Alongside the World ’s expectant detail , the Ithiel Town contains a plethora of disproportionately large ephemera , including a birdcage with a baseball swing that you may sit around on , a giant softball bat outside the USA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame , a giant bespectacled bookworm in front of the town library , a rocking sawhorse the size of it of an actual buck , and a mousetrap large enough to entrap a grizzly bear .
manoeuver inside to witness a jumbo Pokeball at Model Tees , complete with a cunning Pikachu you may nonplus with , or the large toy sailplane befittingly parked at Casey Municipal Airport . Things only get zanier from there . Like a 16 - animal foot wetback , a 450 - pound piggy bank outdoors of The Hometown Butcher Shop , and an unnervingly large pizza pie slicer perched in front of The Greathouse of Pizza . fundamentally , anywhere you go in Casey , there ’s an applicable large matter wait for you .
Fill your days
In between handsome things , Casey conjures quintessential diminished - townsfolk charm with its indie businesses and issue . TheUSA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fameis Americana at its pure , and Main Street is delineate with boutiques and old - timey storefront , likeOlive Tree Marketplace , which is essentially Casey ’s version of Rose Apothecary with its potted lavender , esoteric acetum , and tabletop interior decoration . TheFD Boutiqueis a woman ’s vesture shop , Terra Cottageis teeming with flowers and flowered decor , andCasey ’s Candy Depotis a nostalgic sweet shoppe satiate with fudge , gummies , popcorn , and taffy .
The small town also throws big events . TheCasey Popcorn Festivalis a Labor Day custom in Fairview Park , with family - well-disposed amusement , circus rides , a automobile show , tractor pull , prestidigitator , and all the spare Zea mays everta you could eat . get along holiday season , Candy Canes on Mainis another popular pastime — complete with parade , level with Santa , a giant snowball driblet , and assorted gift and goody .
Eat, drink, and sleep
Restaurants and bars in Casey
If you get thirsty , just espouse the World ’s Largest Pitchfork toRichard ’s Farm Restaurant . Located in a ‘ 30s - earned run average barn , the homelike American restaurant specialize in Angus bitch , for everything from burgers and steaks to prime rib au jus . As evidenced by the giant taco out front , Cilantros Grill & Cantina is the town berth for tacos and Mexican grub , andBurger Shackis a frills - free sea chantey for burgers with child enough to match their environment . by and by , Brownie ’s Place — home of the World ’s Largest Swizzle Stick — is a folksy bar with a pool tabular array , garish beer aplenty , and surprisingly late 60 minutes . In the morning , mount and beam with a mugful atCasey Coffee Company .
Where to stay in Casey
The ultimate spot to spend the Nox in Casey is theEighteen - Ninety Sleepover , a former encounter hall — built by the Knights of Pythias in 1890 — that now contains a handful of lofty , brick - lined room with modern agreeableness , four - poster layer , and select views of Main Street and its myriad super - sized attracter . Some room come with kitchenette , rainfall - way showers , and volute staircase into loft bedrooms , while Room 303 is the property ’s sole themed room , the Harry Potter - style “ Gryffindor Room ” bedecked with wizarding decor and a crimson - crimson color schema .
In the nearby town of Charleston , McGrady Innis a quaint bed & breakfast in a former United Brethren from 1919 . Stained field glass and 23 - substructure ceiling remain , but clawfoot bathtub and cherry tree sleigh bed are fresh .
Various chain motels and hotels can also be found in Casey and Charleston , andUnique Suiteshas a particularly squeamish outdoor puddle when in time of year .
Casey, Illinois|Big Things in A Small Town
Casey, Illinois|Big Things in A Small Town
Casey, Illinois|Big Things in A Small Town