Why visit Bushnell
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 3 parks and trails and 2 places to eat in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 21 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Bushnell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bushnell
Bushnell is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,718 at the 2020 census, down from 3,117 in 2010.
From the Wikipedia article Bushnell, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship4
Bushnell United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist
390 North Crafford Street, Bushnell
History
The town was founded in 1854 when the Northern Cross Railroad built a line through the area. Nehemiah Bushnell was the president of the railroad, and townspeople honored him by naming their community after him. The railroad later became part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which continues to operate through Bushnell under the name Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Bushnell was also served by the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway, now the Keokuk Junction Railway. Amtrak trains pass through the city but do not stop.
The Nagel Brothers of Bushnell were the first to invent a process of making rolled oats without having to steam the oats. Up until this time, the oats were first steamed to separate the groat from the hull. The patent for this new process was later sold to the Quaker Oats Company.
From the History section of Bushnell, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Bushnell
20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 16°F | 1.9 in | 5.7 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 1.9 in | 6.0 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 29°F | 2.7 in | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 1.0 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 43°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 31°F | 2.4 in | 1.1 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 1.8 in | 5.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Prairie City 2S (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
McDonough County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Macomb Municipal Airport (MQB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Macomb 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Canton 25 mi east, about 40 min by car
- Galesburg 28 mi north, about 46 min by car
- Burlington 37 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Beardstown 38 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Fort Madison 44 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Bartonville 45 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Pekin 46 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Peoria 49 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- East Peoria 51 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- The heart of rural Bushnell Illinois, bisected by two active railroad lines. One being Amtrak, Ron Frazier, CC BY 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.