Historic Havana

Discover all Historic Havana Illinois has to offer!

Known for its rich history, red brick streets and beautiful Riverfront Park, Havana has much to offer.  Once a town known for its cigar manufacturing businesses and notorious gambling nightlife, where Al Capone would visit to hunt, fish and gamble, Havana has grown into a charming, classic All-American small town with direct access to a playground of natural resources, boutique shopping and exciting local amenities.

Watch the full episode of Mark McDonald’s Illinois Stories: Main Street Havana

Havana’s historic downtown, lined with vintage-style lighting and quaint shops, reflects a passion for its historic buildings, 150+ year history and links to Abraham Lincoln. At the foot of Main Street is the Illinois River and Riverfront Park where you can amble the sidewalk pathways, cross the footbridge and enjoy scenic overlooks which provide a panoramic view of river traffic.  Riverfront Park also boasts the nicest boat ramp to launch from within a 64 mile stretch of the Illinois River, with easy parking for vehicles and trailers and public restrooms.

Read Tim Shelley’s recent 2021 article resulting from a radio interview with folks from Havana entitled: Havana Looks to Reinvent Itself as an Outdoor Tourism Destination

Havana is proud to have three sites on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Historic Havana water tower at the top of Main Street hill, the Havana Public Library and Rockwell Mound where Lincoln and Douglas both gave noteworthy speeches, all have a rich historical significance and are listed on the registry.

Nick Vlahos dives into history in this October 1, 2022 Peoria Magazine feature on one of Havana’s most unique downtown features, its landmark ancient water tower: Havanans are Looking Up!

Outdoor recreation opportunities are abundant, and include canoeing, bird watching, hiking and biking. Hunting and fishing are also popular activities, as well as pleasure boating and jet skiing.  Havana is home to a beautiful marina, where you can easily stop in and tie off for the day or the weekend, to enjoy Havana while you are traveling by river.  We also boast the wonderful Havana Regional Airport where you can fly in for a day or a weekend getaway!

Read the Pantagraph’s article: Emiquon Preserve, near Havana, attracts migrating waterfowl

Havana plays host to an assortment of festivals and events throughout the year, including the annual Oktoberfest the first weekend after Labor Day each year and our annual classic car show in August.  We also host a fun filled day highlighting local small businesses, shopping, dining and an annual Holiday Boutique Crawl on Small Business Saturday every year.  If shopping and eating are your kind of recreation, we have plenty of that!  Havana’s historic downtown district is in the midst of a large revitalization effort, which has brought about much change in the past few years, with more improvements on the way!

On the cover of Illinois Country Living magazine, in August 2021, Havana was the full feature article!  Mayor Stadsholt, Economic Development Coordinator Brenda Davenport-Fornoff and Chamber of Commerce President April Burgett give a tour and information on the newly awakened Havana and the process it took to get to this point.  Check out this amazing coverage here! Havana Reawakened

Havana is currently focused on its historic downtown business district and an aggressive revitalization campaign, attracting new businesses and entrepreneurs.  Locals and visitors alike can enjoy the wide array of natural resources, recreation on the Illinois River, relaxing in our beautiful parks and at the marina, boutique shopping, investigating our links to Abraham Lincoln, discover historic architecture, craft beer, delicious wine and great eateries!  Our town has many new shops, boutiques and dining choices, as well as unique lodging options.

To discover all Havana has to offer, please visit www.historichavanaillinois.com.