Birkey's Community Chronicle: Casey, IL
Birkey’s began in the small town of Fisher, Illinois, in 1954. Since then, we’ve expanded to 17 stores and an administrative office location, but we still have small town heart.
Our communities matter to us. We’re delving into the history and little-known-facts about each Birkey’s community.
Casey, IL
The historic National Road opened up settlement in Illinois as the first federally-funded road in U.S. history. When the portion that went through what is now Clark County in 1834, settlements sprang up, including the Cumberland settlement—named “Casey” several years later. The road is also known as “The Road that Built the Nation,” “The Cumberland Road,” and “The Old Pike.”
The community of Casey was named for former Illinois Congressman Zadok Casey. Born in Greene County, Georgia, Zadok Casey moved to Illinois in 1819 and settled near what is now Mount Vernon, 100+ miles from the Casey city limits. He served as a state senator, a member of the state house of representatives, and was also Illinois’s lieutenant governor in 1830.
Communities weren’t the only thing springing up in the area. The first oil well in the U.S. was drilled in Pennsylvania in 1859; the earliest oil drilling in the Casey area followed suit soon after. While early methods were unsuccessful, as more sophisticated tools and equipment came to town, drillers from Pennsylvania began the search for oil. Oil bubbled forth from Clark County, making Casey a “boomtown” around the turn of the century. By 1907, 2,000 wells had been drilled in a 9,000-acre area between Casey and Westfield. The immediate prosperity affected every aspect of local life.
With the oil surge, the railroad depot in Casey had more freight business than larger towns. John D. Rockefeller bought a local oil field in 1910 for more than $1M, which was deposited in one of the Casey banks. An abundant stream of infrastructure was created during this era and some buildings, like those along Central Avenue and Main Street, still exist in Casey today.
Big Things, Small Town
Casey is the official home to 12 of the world’s largest attractions, including:
World’s Largest Windchime
World’s Largest Golf Tee
World’s Largest Rocking Chair
World’s Largest Wooden Shoes
World’s Largest Pitchfork
World’s Largest Mailbox
World’s Largest Key
World’s Largest Gavel
World’s Largest Twizzle Spoon
World’s Largest Golf Driver
World’s Largest Barber Shop Pole
World’s Largest Teeter Totter
Jim Bolin, a Casey local, felt like he owed something to the community, and had the idea for Big Things, Small Town. All of the record-breaking items in Casey were constructed by Jim and his crew from Bolin Enterprises, Inc; and much of the materials used are recycled.
Softball Legacy
Softball is an important part of Casey’s community history. In 1976, the Softball Hall of Honor and Museum was completed. In September 2007, the museum was refurbished and a Hall of Honor Donor Board was added.
In late 2009, the Illinois Amateur Softball Association suggested placing the state amateur softball museum in Casey. The Illinois Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame Dedication was held in 2010.
Interesting Locations Off the Beaten Path
The Oilfield is a historic restaurant housed in what was once a one-room school house built in 1866. It was turned into a café in 2007. The restaurant boasts great hamburgers, sandwiches, homemade pie and daily specials.
The Moonshine is a historic restaurant located about 12 miles southeast of Casey in Martinsville and is home of the Moonshine Burger. Located well off the “beaten path,” Moonshine’s grill shuts off at 12:30 p.m. and according to the restaurant, “you can never be too early, but you can be too late.”
The Birkey’s Evolution
What started as KZ International became Farm Pride, which was then purchased by Birkey’s in 2016 when they also purchased Newton, Shelbyville, and Arthur dealerships.
Ed Wilson, Setup Technician, has been with the store since August of 1993. “The equipment keeps getting bigger, and the technology has become really advanced,” Ed said of the changes he’s seen in the nearly 30 years of service.
The parts department focused on smoother service and more parts in stock customers need on hand with the transition to a Birkey’s store.
Sales Representative Hannah McConchie grew up in nearby Greenup, Illinois, and says she’s been coming to this store her whole life. “We’d drive through the lot to see what they had and get parts… it’s huge for farmers in this community. Having a local Case IH dealership makes a big impact in our area.
Visit Today
Today, Birkey’s in Casey serves the counties of Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Sullivan, and Vigo, and is ready to serve all of your equipment needs. The store sells Case IH, Bush Hog, Exmark, Kinze, MacDon, Unverferth, Geringhoff, and Remlinger equipment.
Learn more: https://www.birkeys.com/map-hours-directions-tractors-combines-planters-dealership--hours-casey