One of the things on my bingo card this year was “kitsch girls’ trip,” and a journey to the town of Casey, Ill., more than scratched that itch. Casey has marketed itself as “Big Things, Small Town,” and the “big things” part is quite literal. Think: a mailbox the size of a studio apartment, a rocking chair with a seat as large as a city transit bus, and a truck key that towers over the auto shop it advertises.
Located about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Nashville, Casey is often a pass-through locale for Midwest travelers, so locals were surprised to learn that it was, in fact, our destination. In Casey and its neighboring Greenup, we found a reprieve from Nashville’s heat, plentiful gambling options, a hefty dose of Midwest Nice — and yes, plenty of kitsch.
The Candy Kitchen
Stay
Even locals have embraced the treat that is The Candy Kitchen, an Airbnb rental located just 15 minutes from Casey’s big things. It’s not uncommon for Casey’s residents to book a staycation there, I’m told. It’s located in a converted 1940s soda parlor with the tin ceilings, kitchen and soda counter still intact, and The Candy Kitchen’s owners honor its history with antiques adorning the space. The hosts are kind enough to keep the joint stocked with some sweet treats too.
Part of the reason I chose this spot is because my grandma would always talk about how much she liked working as a “soda jerk” in my own small Midwestern hometown. Standing behind the counter of the now-defunct fountain, I caught a small glimpse of the dexterous and exciting work she did. (The 1950s-ambiance YouTube video that played when we entered certainly didn’t hurt either). A family could easily produce a home-cooked meal in the space, or just pretend to be soda parlor employees, as we did. The assortment of beautiful glass ice cream dishes added retro flair to the ice cream we bought at the grocery store down the street. If you have a bigger party, might I recommend including the Cumberland Road Guesthouse — a refurbished gas station Airbnb nearby?
Casey's "Big Things in a Small Town" sign
Do
One thing about the town of big stuff is that the size of said stuff varies greatly. The World’s Largest Rocking Chair is probably my favorite, because it is the biggest. (At least to my eye. I admit I didn’t bring a tape measure.) The World’s Largest Mailbox, Pitchfork, Barbershop Pole and Golf Tee have a similar grand effect. They’re among the 12 items that have the official Guinness World Records certification, but there are another 20 or so additional big things you can find in and around Casey’s Main Street (including the unofficial Big Minion). The Big Bat is located outside the USA Softball of Illinois Hall of Fame Museum, and the Big Knitting Needles and Big Crochet Hook pique customer interest at a local gallery called Under His Wings. (Each item has a Bible scripture engraved on it. Big things do stand a higher chance of being visible to the man upstairs, I suppose.) After an hour on a rented golf cart near the building housing the World’s Largest Wooden Shoes (optional, but a very enriching experience), we checked off almost the entire list.
Casey’s “Big Things, Small Town” pitch started in 2012 with the World’s Largest Windchime, which used some old pipes from local Jim Bolin’s pipe-laying company. In fact, he built almost all of the big things and used mostly recycled materials in the intervening years. I was so sad to hear that Bolin passed earlier this year, which added a little bit of gravity to these sites.
The Hub Cap
While the giant things in Casey were the draw of the trip, Greenup, Ill. — also known as the “Village of the Porches” — is not to be missed. Staying on the main drag of the tiny town, we were able to fulfill a bit of a walkable-city fantasy. We relished the opportunity to gamble at the American Legion Post 566 across the street, with slot machines and tiny pull-tab gambling tickets, each the size of a piece of confetti. We also got drinks at The Hub Cap just down the street, where the canned seltzers cost “no money” by Nashville standards. Further down the road, you’ll reach the Longest Covered Bridge in Illinois, a recent addition that locals are quite proud of.
We liked local haunt Chances R Sports Bar & Grill so much that we left with merch. We tried a local delicacy, “the Horseshoe” — Texas toast, hamburger, shredded cheese, fries and a cheese-sauce topping. It was bar food at its finest, chased with some great cocktails, including a peach-ring-flavored concoction that I was thinking about for days to come.
At the bars in Greenup, my Tennessean friends were able to experience a true Midwestern goodbye — we thrice headed for the door and ended up pausing to chat with locals about our trip. We felt a bit famous, and as a former small-town Midwesterner myself, I felt a familial tie to the people there.
Casey Coffee Co.
In Casey, we sniffed out more pull-tabs at the VFW Post 5762, not far from the World’s Largest Swizzle Spoon. Casey Coffee Company in downtown Casey was incredibly good — another recommendation from locals. They serve up a killer bagel sandwich and have an expansive menu of coffees and teas. On the site of the aforementioned pitchfork, Richards Farm Restaurant was excellent. The highlight was a salad bar with deli salads galore and several soups and breads. For small-town folks like me, Richards has more of a special-occasion price point, but it was one of my favorite meals in quite some time — and I loved the cozy interior.
There was one more big thing to see before we reached Nashville: a Superman statue at the Super Museum in Metropolis, Ill. And we couldn’t re-enter the casino-free state of Tennessee without hitting up Harrah’s Metropolis.
Standing next to big things, you’ll feel small in stature — but the Casey locals made sure we felt large in spirit.
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