This column originally appeared in the August 20, 2020 edition of the “Greenville Advocate”.
Two of my annual rites of spring, that have usually occurred by now, happened recently, when major league baseball began and I made my annual sojourn to Moonshine, IL (population 2).
Even if you don’t like baseball, you will be a fan of the Moonshine Store, especially if you have an over-sized Moonburger and then complete your trip with a stop in Casey, IL (pronounced Kay-zee by many; population 2,635) to see the World’s Largest…well…almost anything.
1. Trip to Moonshine – An annual rite
I’ve made the trip to Moonshine annually for the last few years and it makes a great day trip, whether it be on motorcycles with buddies or time well-spent with your best girl, such as this year’s trip. It seems COVID-19 sacked our longer, planned 25th anniversary trip and I thought maybe this short trip could serve as a down payment on the larger trip that will have to wait until…well…who knows?
2. Store founded in 1889
Moonshine Store was founded in 1889 and later burned down, but was rebuilt in 1912. The store sold in 1982 and the menu was expanded to offer more variety. Their one-day record for burgers is 3,250 on April 14, 2014 and they currently use from 500-800 lbs. of hamburger a week.
The store is a celebrity in its own right, having been featured on the CBS Sunday Morning Show in 2003; the Travel Channel; the Food Network; and in “A Taste of Chicago” magazine.
3. Follow the crowd heading down I-70
The Moonshine Store can be reached by taking I-70 (or US Highway 40, i.e. The National Trail) to exit 129 at Casey, heading south on Illinois Route 49 and going six miles, then hanging a left and going east until you reach the junction of N600th St and E 300th Roads. Don’t count on signage getting you to it, just plug the store’s name into your cell phone and when you get there, don’t be surprised to find a vintage building.
The reward: an honest-to-goodness-delicious hamburger is worth potentially getting lost on your way to this “throw back” country store turned “burger place”. And their variety of meat sandwiches should fill the needs of nearly every diner, so don’t go expecting a salad bar.
4. Try the fried bologna
You will have a hard time finding a sandwich on the menu that is over $10 and most are in the $5 range which includes: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pork burgers, polish sausage, ham & cheese, ¼ pound hot dogs, corn dogs, grilled chicken, pizza burgers, fried thick bologna w/cheese, and a variety of multiple meat sandwiches often with bacon added.
I had a double-cheeseburger and my better half enjoyed the rarity of the bologna offering, but if you prodded the cooks, I think they’d build you a “Tower of Pisa” looking four-burger affair that would total two pounds of meat. You won’t go home hungry!
5. A picnic six days a week
The grill is on from 6 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday and has been offering lunch for generations, serving the farmers and oil field workers who once heavily populated this area. Today hundreds of tourists and tour buses make the trek weekly to this outpost.
The owners have worked around the coronavirus regulations, since their dining was already outside on picnic tables and drinks and chips are packaged, so they had few adjustments to make to remain operating this spring compared to other more traditional restaurants.
6. Casey re-invents its downtown
With a full stomach and half the day gone, the remainder of your day can be well-spent discovering the merits of the nearest town to Moonshine: the county-seat town of Casey, IL.
Kudos to this rural town, which like 100s of others in Southern Illinois, saw their downtown businesses district disappearing, but with some aggressive brainstorming, decided to add attractions that would draw visitors into town.
7. Steady assault on Guinness world records
Locals can point with pride to their smartly decorated downtown area that features eight attractions certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest in the world. But on top of that, they have added sidewalks, rock, landscaping and large murals to help showcase each of these curiosities and dress up their town center. Unveiled in 2011, the first item was a wind chime that stands 55’ tall.
8. Not your grandma’s rocking chair
Across the street stands the world’s largest rocking chair at 32’ and weighing 40,000 lbs. It replaced a chair on Route 66 near Fanning, MO, as the largest. Some of the other attractions on the “largest” list, include: 12’ wooden shoes, crochet hook, knitting needles and a mailbox. On the edge of town near Richards Farm Restaurant is the world’s largest pitchfork at about 60’ long.
9. Get teed off…if you can
At the local golf course, you can see the largest golf tee, standing 30’ tall. Other large items include: a gavel, a 32’ long pencil, a bird cage, a 36’ long yardstick, a spinning top, a barber pole, and a minion. Some may well be added to the Guinness record book in the future.
10. Do a walk-about in downtown Casey
Most of the attractions are within walking distance. But after you’ve seen them all, take a stroll through the downtown specialty shops, especially those serving up ice cream, to complete your day-long adventure. You can stop and mail a letter in the largest mailbox, if you are so inclined.
11. Write this down
Grab the 32’ pencil and write this down: the synergy between Moonshine and Casey is obvious. The Moonshine Store needs Casey to have tourist attractions, just as much as Casey needs a steady flow of burger seekers passing through in search of a tasty culinary treat. The combination of the two, makes for a full and interesting day.
