10 Reasons Why You Should Call Durand, Illinois Home
Last Friday I had an amazing experience. Steve and I were broadcasting live from Durand, the winning town of the Small Town Showdown. I had never been to Durand before so I was excited. I had no idea what to expect, especially since as I drove into town at 4:30 in the morning, I really couldn't see a thing except; I just knew I was looking for one thing- Cimino's.
As I walked into Cimino's I was greeted by Benny, who immediately offered me coffee along with a candy store like selection of coffee creamers; it was then that I knew that I was definitely in good hands for the rest of the morning. I mean...whoever keeps a bottle of crème brulee creamer on hand is definitely a friend in my book.
That was just the beginning of a great day that was yet to come. I won't bore you with the details because if you search our website enough, you'll see posts from Steve Shannon along with photos and videos that show just how much fun we had that day. So much fun that by the end of the day I wanted to move there.
If you're looking to get out of Rockford or just want a change of pace, you should consider moving there too; here are the top 10 reasons why:
- Linda Carey Smith via Facebook
Linda Carey Smith via Facebook 1The People
Everyone in Durand, and I mean everyone, in Durand is so friendly and welcoming; I felt like I had 1500 new friends when I left that morning. I was actually sad to leave them behind.
- Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media
Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media 2The History
Did you know that Durand was home to the first volunteer fire department in Illinois or that families have lived their for generations and generations?
- Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media
Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media 3The Charm
Durand prides themselves on keeping the town exactly the way it is- totally charming. They have an incredible group of volunteers who continue to work very hard to restore downtown Durand as "the jewel in a picturesque community."
- Mandy James, Townsquare Media
Mandy James, Townsquare Media 4The Attractions
Durand's mission is to be a destination for visitors through fun events, businesses and attractions like 5K Runs and duck races in the summer, haunted hay rides in the fall, movie nights, and canvas painting, just to name a few.
- Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media
Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media 5Their School Spirit
They've got spirit, yes they do, they've got spirit; how 'bout you? You can just tell that all the students in Durand love being a Bulldog; you'll always see the kids wearing their blue and white Bulldog gear. Go Bulldogs!
- Catherine Yeulet, ThinkStock
Catherine Yeulet, ThinkStock 6Saelens Park
Ask anyone in Durand what they love most about their town, especially the children, and they'll tell you it's Saelens Park. Run or hike their trails, take the kids to the playground or play a game of baseball.
- Mandy James, Townsquare Media
Mandy James, Townsquare Media 7Amazing Annual Events
The have World famous 4th of July outhouse races; need I say more? Who else can say they have an entire event to celebrate being the outhouse capital of the world?
- Ryan McVay, ThinkStock
Ryan McVay, ThinkStock 8It's Affordable
You can buy a beautiful ranch home for $110,000 from Chilton Realty; a family owned business who's been helping families find the perfect home in Durand for years. The homes are beautiful and full of charm and character.
- Alexander Milanese, ThinkStock
Alexander Milanese, ThinkStock 9It's Close to Everything You Need
Everything you need, like big box retail stores, maybe your job; are just a short 20-25 minute commute to Rockford. You can take highway 70 all the way into town.
- Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media
Steve Shannon, Townsquare Media 10The Food
Downtown Durand is two streets of nothing but deliciousness. Enjoy dinner or breakfast pizza at Cimino's, get an amazing Blitz Burger from Ref's (which you have to be 21 to order) or the biscuits and gravy from Hogs and Hydrants; all at mouth dropping prices.
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