Looking to move to Havana IL (Peoria, Springfield: house, theater, schools)

[jennym]

New to the area would like some feed back on this area. schools? marinas? things to do? Thankyou

[BUalumni]

Havana is located deep in Mason County alongside the river. I have never really stopped to really the explore the town, but I can tell you that you would better off not looking into the area. Many parts are run down, and is known by many people to be very hick. The school system is terrible, and the town has nothing to do. It is almost a hour and a half from Peoria, and slightly farther from Springfield. If you are into a "backwoods" kind of life that offers nothing in terms of cultural attractions then Havana is for you. There is a marine type of facility in town due to its location to the river.

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by BUalumni

Havana is located deep in Mason County alongside the river. I have never really stopped to really the explore the town, but I can tell you that you would better off not looking into the area. Many parts are run down, and is known by many people to be very hick. The school system is terrible, and the town has nothing to do. It is almost a hour and a half from Peoria, and slightly farther from Springfield. If you are into a "backwoods" kind of life that offers nothing in terms of cultural attractions then Havana is for you. There is a marine type of facility in town due to its location to the river.

Huh??? What a ludicrous post. You admit you haven't even spent any time there and then you proceed to trash it???

I don't think the picture is nearly that bleak. There are many nice, big old homes at affordable prices. It's quite a nice setting along the river. Sure there is some poverty but it doesn't seem to me to be completely pervasive, and actually is just slightly over the state average.

Lots of good outdoor opportunities all around that area. Havana seems a nice rural town, if you like small towns, although surely it's not as polished and snazzy as a place like Dunlap .

A place like Havana may be "backwoods" and "hick" to you, but it's very appealing to lots of other folks.

[BUalumni]

Originally Posted by runninfiend

Huh??? What a ludicrous post. You admit you haven't even spent any time there and then you proceed to trash it???

I don't think the picture is nearly that bleak. There are many nice, big old homes at affordable prices. It's quite a nice setting along the river. Sure there is some poverty but it doesn't seem to me to be completely pervasive, and actually is just slightly over the state average.

Lots of good outdoor opportunities all around that area. Havana seems a nice rural town, if you like small towns, although surely it's not as polished and snazzy as a place like Dunlap .

A place like Havana may be "backwoods" and "hick" to you, but it's very appealing to lots of other folks.

I feel very comfortable using the word 'hick' to describe the town, because I know that most there are very comfortable having that title.

I haven't spent any time in Havana because there isn't anything to do with your time. Sometimes when I travel to Springfield I go through the area. Like I said, I haven't taken the time to really get to know that place, but that doesn't mean I can't be granted an opinion on the matter. You can tell much about a place just by looking at the streets.

I also feel very comfortable in saying that it isn't that great of place to live. I guess if you like living in a town with bad schools, no economy, no buisness district, no commercial district, and no real signs of progress over the past decade, than this town might be for you. But that doesn't quite sound like a welcoming place to me.

[runninfiend]

Originally Posted by BUalumni

I feel very comfortable using the word 'hick' to describe the town, because I know that most there are very comfortable having that title.

I haven't spent any time in Havana because there isn't anything to do with your time. Sometimes when I travel to Springfield I go through the area. Like I said, I haven't taken the time to really get to know that place, but that doesn't mean I can't be granted an opinion on the matter. You can tell much about a place just by looking at the streets.

I also feel very comfortable in saying that it isn't that great of place to live. I guess if you like living in a town with bad schools, no economy, no buisness district, no commercial district, and no real signs of progress over the past decade, than this town might be for you. But that doesn't quite sound like a welcoming place to me.

Just a few facts rather than just snap judgments rendered from a car window:

No business district? The chamber of com. website lists 23 pages businesses. See that here:

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF HAVANA ONLINE

Nothing to do? From the library website:

Abraham Lincoln stayed here (private residence) 117 W. Washington
Stephen A. Douglas stayed here (private residence) 111 W. Washington
Senator Scott Lucas Home (private residence) 388 S. Plum


Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge 8.5 miles North of Havana on the Manito
Blacktop.
As many as 80 eagles have been sighted on the refuge between October and
March; this is a bird-watchers paradise. Hike the wheelchair accessible nature
trail, watch waterfowl, pick mushrooms and berries, and fish in Lake
Chautauqua.
(309) 535-2290

Dickson Mounds Museum 6 miles North of Havana on highways 78/97
Dickson Mounds, a branch of the Illinois State Museum and National Historic
Site, is one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the country. The
museum offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of the American Indian
in an awe-inspiring journey through 12,000 years of human experience in the
Illinois River Valley.
(309) 547-3721

Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge 2 miles West of Havana on highways 78/97
This still-developing refuge system features the Frank Bellrose nature trail high
lighting Spoon River plant and wildlife communities.
(309) 535-2290


Havana Public Library 201 W. Adams
The oldest continuously-used Carnegie library in the State of Illinois.
(309) 543-4701


Historic Havana Water Tower The corner of Main and Pearl
Built the same year as the Eiffel Tower (1889), the fourth oldest water tower in
Illinois is still in use.


Historic Lawford Theater 225 W. Main Street
This elegant building is home to the movies! Call for show
times!
(309) 543-0018


Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery Approximately 17 miles North of Havana near
Manito.
Located in Mason County, the hatchery includes 160 acres within the 7,280 acre
Sand Ridge State Forest. The fishery has an impressive indoor observation area
and many excellent displays, making it a must see for the entire family. Walk in
or scheduled tours.
(309) 968-7531


Lakewood Golf Course 5 miles South of Havana on Route 78
(309) 546-2274

Riverfront Park Riverwalk, footbridge, stage with seating, overlook sights. 4 park
pavilions, boat docks and ramps, and playgrounds. Call to reserve your next
event.
(309) 543-6240

Rockwell Mound N. Orange and Franklin
You can imagine Indian life as it was 2,000 years ago at the largest and best
preserved Indian mound in the Midwest. Also site of Lincoln/Douglas speeches.

Oh, and we all know towns going nowhere always have lots of community fesitvals throughout the year to celebrate their failings:

JULY
4th of July Heritage Day - Riverfront Park
Mason County 4-H and Junior Show - Fairgrounds - last week of month
AUGUST
Watermelon Festival - first Saturday
SEPTEMBER
Oktoberfest - first weekend after Labor Day
OCTOBER
Spoon River Drive - in nearby Fulton County - first two weekends
NOVEMBER
Christmas Parade & Court House Light Festivities - fourth Saturday
DECEMBER
Holiday Tour of Homes - second Sunday

[alymaibra]

i would like to offer an opinion.
i have lived in havana. i also have family that live in havana. i have two elementary aged school children. i was not happy with the way of life there. its nice if you are just driving through or spending an hour or so there. the park on the river front is ok as long as you dont mind bringing home sand. havana is mostly sand. and you will find that even if you didnt expect it, you will find yourself cleaning sand out of everything. there are some mom & pop stores and restaraunts (theyre better to eat at). you dont have many options to choose from with your shopping but theres nothing like a lil drive to get to a place that has it... you can travel on to springfield from there that will be about 45-60 min drive depending on your driving needs. there is also pekin which is about 30 mins away. it just depends on what you prefer.
if you like the farm life or small town living then its fine for you. i on the other hand was not happy with the area simply because i wanted something larger to live in. it was a transitional move for us so we stayed for 2 months while we were waiting to move to europe. when we arrived back from europe not long ago, we chose to move into the springfield area and only pass through havana on our way to do other things when we travel north. the children that are allowed to "hang out" with friends dont have too many places to be that they wont get into too much trouble so there is in my opinion a problem of the kids hanging out at night and getting in trouble and causing trouble. hey, its small town living at its finest lol. jk. if you plan to move there, your experience will only be what you make of it. if you go in with an open mind and make a real go at it, it could be the place for you. dont let anyone else tell you any different. your choice and opinion should be the one that truely matters.

[wiseone34]

There are definitely aspects of Havana that are welcoming...and there are aspects that aren't. Havana is like a lot of small towns in that it has it's cliques and is full of politics that span generations. For things to do...spend time at the riverfront just watching the barges, the people, etc. If you want to know everything that is going on in town, read www.62644.com--it's (broken link) a really great source for community event information complete with a lot of good photos. This site is updated regularly.

[jennym]

thankyou for your reply... Can you tell me anything about the marina?

[wiseone34]

Haven't really been to the marina...not a boat person.

[BUalumni]

Originally Posted by runninfiend

Just a few facts rather than just snap judgments rendered from a car window:

No business district? The chamber of com. website lists 23 pages businesses. See that here...

Well I don't think a place is good just because some presidents spent some time in the area. Many of those places are not in Havana and one of them is right the middle of one of the most impoverished areas of the state. All the others can be found in most any town and are not unique to Havana alone. As for the festivals, I know of towns smaller than Havana that have more so you really aren't stating anything impressive.