Funk’s Grove Pure Maple Sirup, Shirley IL

Located Just southwest of Bloomington IL, and a good three house southwest of Chicago, Funks Grove is a historic purveyor of pure maple sirup located on Route 66 in Shirley Illinois. The Funk family has been making the stuff since 1824, and selling it as a business since 1891. That said, check their website before arriving, because they only sell their product and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Personally, I had no idea that you could even make maple syrup this far south.

And here’s an interesting tidbit from Wikipedia, back when he was a young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln worked for the Funk Family. (Actually they have quite the family history, it’s worth reading)

I arrived there in late October without first checking their web site, to discover that they were completely sold out. The owner, who lives on the property, said that they start selling it in mid-March and they’re usually sold out by mid August, and gave me permission to take my photos… but said the store was closed.