Where is the Illinois River Road?
Traversing both east and west sides of the Illinois River from Ottawa, 150 miles south to Havana, the Illinois River Road has spurs to the communities of Princeton and Canton. The Illinois River Road corridor has over 100 natural and historic sites and numerous unique communities located throughout its 10-county region.

The Scenic Byway is conveniently located between Chicago and St. Louis, but just far enough to get away from it all. So get off the beaten path and see what the Illinois River Road has in store for you!

Experience the Canton Gateway Along the Illinois River Road

Canton is rich with history and has been home to citizens of great character and ambition, including Charles Duryea, inventor of the first practical automobile, Elizabeth Magie, who developed the game of Monopoly, and William Parlin, an agricultural equipment innovator during the 1800's. Parlin's legacy lives on through a generous endowment supporting Canton's exceptional park district. The Canton Park District manages more than 1600 acres of park and open space that enhance the quality of life within the community, including: Wallace Park, the park district's operational hub; Big Creek Park; Athletic Park; and Lakeland Park.

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Canton Gateway Itineraries

Below are PDF files containing predefined itineraries for the Canton Gateway area. Please download and print these helpful guides for your journey. Each itinerary requires the use of the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader software available here.

Central Southern Byway Itinerary

Canton Gateway Maps

Below are links to Canton Gateway PDF maps to assist you in planning your journey. PDF maps require the use of the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader software available here.

Canton Photos Canton Gateway Resources

Below are links to Canton Gateway resources to assist you in planning your journey.

Area Links