Andover, Illinois - a hidden treasure you must see, where Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale, left a lasting legacy
Welcome
Andover, which celebrated its 185th+One birthday on June 5-6, 2021, is strategically located between the Quad-Cities (22 miles), Galesburg (28 miles), Geneseo (18 miles), and Kewanee (22 miles). Within this western Illinois area of over 400,000 persons, you will find the amenities usually only offered in large cities: shopping, educational opportunities, recreation, art, museums, healthcare facilities, and restaurants.
Served by Interstate 74 and IL Route 81, Andover is a community where some 600 persons live, work, raise a family, and retire. Old historic homes are blended with new homes and historic buildings as you travel in all four directions from the former colony square - now the beautiful ten-acre Andover Lake Park.
This brief video and these photos highlight Andover's tourist attractions.
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ANDOVER DAYS JUNE 3 & 4, 2023 - click on June Festival link at top of page to see the full schedule
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JENNY LIND CHAPEL TO HOST WILD COLUMBINE QUARTET IN JUNE
Wild Columbine, a Springfield area quartet, will give a concert at the Jenny Lind Chapel on Sunday, June 4, 2 pm. The group plays music from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including “Jenny Lind Medley.” The concert will include the stories behind the songs. It is described as parlor or traditional music, and easy to listen to. Music is history in that sense, and it’s interwoven with music. Wild Columbine tries to make sure people know where the songs they play come from. Playing in a small group setting is perfect for their goals.
Members of Wild Columbine are: Sally McDaniel Smith, flutist and vocalist; Megan Thornberry, violin and vocals; Emily Wheeler, mandolin, guitar and vocals; and William “Bill” Fury, leader, who handles a range of musical duties, including vocals, guitar, concertina, bodhran and harmonium.
Tourists Coming Back to Andover after Pandemic
This photo was taken on the front porch of the Jenny Lind Chapel on Saturday, March 5, 2022, when 15 students from Jönköping, Sweden and 20 students from Augustana College visited the Chapel and Augustana Church. Mark Safstrom, Associate Professor of Scandinavian Studies, was the leader of the group.