The 6th graders took a field trip to downtown Macomb to learn about its history on Monday, September 22, 2025. Students were asked to write about their favorite experience. What was your favorite place to visit during the 6th grade field trip and why?
The most fascinating and personally my favorite was the city building. We got to meet Mayor Inman and look at this office. We got to take a class picture in his office.
We even got to go to a fancy room and Mayor Inman told us that they host live streams on YouTube here every Monday evening. He let us sit in the fancy chairs with microphones in front of them and he told us all of the different people that occupy the chairs on Mondays during the town hall meeting. He talked to us about the history of the building, and I learned that it used to be a house! - Evan K.
I experienced some cool stuff on Monday during our field trip on the square in Macomb. I learned that Abraham Lincoln stayed in Macomb. My favorite place to visit was the art gallery because our guide talked a lot about the building and its history. She talked about how sometime around the 1900-1950’s they added a third story to the right side of the building. Then they were able to combine the two buildings and finished it by placing a metal at the front of the building.
- Gibson D.
Our group first went to the McDonough County police station. We went to the place where they take mugshots of people. Also, we learned about how they get fingerprints of people who committed a crime. Then we went to the fire station where we learned about the fire station and how back then they used horses before they had fire engines. They told us about how they used dogs to help keep the horses from getting scared during a call.
These are just a few things we learned during our field trip.
- Abigail H.
I went on a field trip yesterday. I went to the city building. I got to see the mayor there and he talked about how at one time the city building was a house and then a hospital. He showed us pictures of the building’s architecture and talked to us about the renovation of city hall. I got to see his office and then visited the meeting room. I saw where we pay our water bill before we move on to the next place.
- Matthew T.
My favorite thing we did in town square was the fire house. The fire house was cool there was an upstairs room that looked amazing.
It’s interesting to me that their bedroom is set up as a sleeping quarter as well as a study area. This building has a rich and vibrant history; for example, I got to see the original firefighters jacket used once at the fire station. It was a really cool place that I would definitely consider going back to.
- Adalynn H.
The Macomb fire department was the place I enjoyed the most on the field trip to downtown Macomb. I enjoyed it because there were lots of things to learn about and to see. Something I learned was that firefighter equipment is always changing because chemicals and materials are changing. It was fun because we got to go into the firefighter’s living quarters.
- Jaxon W.
I went on a 6th grade field trip and the most memorable place for me was the Macomb fire department. During the tour we got to visit the upstairs and downstairs of the fire department. Did you know that before firefighters used fire trucks they had horses and round bottom buckets?
You may wonder why they used round bottom buckets, do you? They had round bottom buckets so that people didn’t steal them. If you ever went to a Macomb parade you probably have seen Freddy. Freddy is the oldest fire truck at the station. Also, we go to go where they train, sleep, and hang out. I hope you visit the Macomb fire department soon.
- Addie S.
I was really pulled by the number of historical facts discussed at the Western Illinois Museum in downtown Macomb.
When I first walked in the museum, I was star-struck by the various art exhibits all over the walls and around the museum. We got to participate in a creative learning activity. We received photos and were asked to place them in the correct timeline along with some short descriptions. We learned about the history of Macomb and some of its buildings as well as place during the 1850’s to the 2000’s era.
- Evie O.
When I went to Chandler Park, I looked around in great awe. I was overwhelmed by the delicious pizza smell in the air and the looks of our park.
Personally, I love nature and being outside.
- Maddie P.
My favorite place during our field trip was the Western Illinois Museum.
I liked it because I got a chance to play the role of a detective. We were looking for small details in photos and were asked to find out what period these photos were from. The photos we organized were between the 1850’s till 2024. When I entered the building, I felt a breeze of warm air hit me. As I walked around it felt as if I was traveling through time. I noticed how Macomb changed a lot through these decades.
I learned the importance of looking at small details to appreciate the changes in our town.
- Autum O.
I found the trip fun and loved the fire house. They had a very nice and cozy space upstairs to stay. Also, they must work nonstop for 24 hrs. and sometimes it can be more than that.
In the courthouse on the square, we got to learn about Abraham Lincoln and more about Macomb during the 1800’s. We seen the rooms where we kept all of the important documents for all of the stuff like, houses, cars, pets, and pretty much anything. Walking around the square I got a bit hungry because of all the delicious smells coming from the different restaurants on the square.
- Ollie S.
