Community

There are still places where people say “hello” to everyone they meet, and aren’t afraid to walk anywhere, anytime. Prophetstown is such a place. Named for a Native American Prophet, Wa-Bo-Ke-Shek, the town was built near the site of the  Native American village overlooking the Rock River. The community’s pride is reflected in well-kept homes, clean streets and landscaped yards.

Prophetstown is on Route 78 in Whiteside County, 5 miles south of Interstate 88 and 20 miles north of Interstate 80. Prophetstown is approximately 45 minutes east of the Quad-Cities and two hours from downtown Chicago (90 minutes from the western suburbs). The town overlooks the Rock River which provides its residents with scenic beauty and recreational opportunities of the non-commercial waterway.

Prophetstown State Park located within the city limits is equipped with overnight camping, restrooms and shower facilities, a concrete boat launch with all weather parking, picnic tables and grills, picnic shelter, playground equipment and hiking trails.

 On the 4th of July, 10,000 people gather in the park and on the adjacent riverbank to watch fireworks exploding high above the Rock cascading into the water below.  On the first weekend in August it is the site of an annual Native American Pow Wow.

Prophetstown is a special place to longtime residents and newcomers attracted to the town by quality of life available here.

Prophetstown is surrounded by agricultural land, and agribusiness is an important contributor to the town’s commerce. Rock River Lumber and Grain operates from a new facility on the edge of town. Many local farmers are tilling ground that has been in their families for generations, using combines equipped with computers, and accessing the futures market electronically to make informed selling decisions. Quite a change from the farming methods used by Asa Crook, Prophetstown’s first settler-cultivator!

Prophetstown is an ILLINOIS MAIN STREET community. Over the last twelve years the town has received state technical support from experts in the fields of marketing and historic downtown renovation. Local expenditures include the hiring of a Main Street Executive Director, maintaining an office in the downtown, and developing incentives for downtown businesses to improve their business and preserve the downtown. Contributions come from organizations, individuals, industry, merchants, the Moore Foundation, and the City of Prophetstown. Hundreds of  hours are donated by volunteers, citizens and merchants, concerned with the future of the downtown as the core of the community..

Prophetstown is a member of the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone, which encourages commercial and industrial construction and rehabilitation by offering property, income and sales tax incentives.  For additional information check our enterprise zone page

If you’re looking for unique day trip, weekend getaway or a special place to put down roots, come visit us. For more information about Prophetstown, call Barb Ballew, Exec. Director at 815-537-5139 or email:  bbmainstreet@thewisp.net