Henry County, Illinois
A Desirable Place to Live, Work and Explore
Blessed with lush natural surroundings and making strides towards continued economic vitality
Henry County, with its fertile farmland, lush woodlands, and abundant waterways, is a rural gem embracing growth and opportunity. With approximately 50,000 residents, the county’s prime location features Interstate Highways 80 and 74, freight and passenger rail, and easy access to the Quad Cities International Airport.
Combining deep agricultural roots with vibrant industry and tourism, Henry County stands out for its strong sense of community support. Kippy Breeden, Henry County Board Chairman boasts, “We’re a group of wholesome communities that work together. Your neighbor isn’t just the person next door. Throughout the county, we’re there for everyone.”
Fostering Growth
Jim Kelly, Economic Development Director, emphasizes, “We want to sustain Henry County, maintain our current employment levels, and add opportunities for increased employment. We do this through a number of mechanisms, but driving growth with local incentives is a key factor.”
He notes that although the county itself does not operate TIF (Tax Incentive Financing) districts, there are 24 of them in its 15 municipalities. The Enterprise Zone, which covers much of the county, is another valuable tool, offering tax abatements and helping to offset building expenses for up to five years.
“We’ve had some pretty large projects with that,” he continues. “We have one facility, it was over a $15 million build. That became extremely substantial, because the Enterprise Zone allowed this company to stay in Henry County and continue to manufacture their product here.”
Along with these, a revolving loan fund (RLF) supports businesses by addressing financial gaps. “I’m the administrator of this, but it’s a team effort,” Kelly relays. “We have been able to grow the revolving loan fund from approximately 10 or 11 loans to where we are currently operating at 53 active loans in the county.” Notable successes include Uniflyte, Revolute Machine, and Midwest Massage Therapy.
“Uniflyte is a prime example of why this works,” expands Kelly. “They won the bid for CNH combines to make the augers, which were being made overseas. We were able to help them buy the machine to make these augers and bring 10 to 15 jobs into the town of Orion.”
The County is fortunate to have the Hammond-Henry Hospital in its boundaries. Celebrating 125 years in operation in 2026, it is one of the County’s largest and most valuable employers.
Midwest Massage Therapy not only attracts local customers but also draws visitors from the surrounding area, making it a destination for wellness services. All RLF loans undergo a review by a loan board, the county Finance Committee, and ultimately a roll call vote by the full county board.
“I’m very happy and proud to say I can’t think of one time that any board member has ever voted no on a development project that we’re doing. So that huge support from the county board allows me to operate within the parameters of this revolving loan fund, and it’s a huge success story,” he asserts.
Organizations such as the Henry County Economic Development Partnership (HCEDP) play a pivotal role in Henry County’s economic development strategy, facilitating collaboration and strengthening relationships. “I’m an employee of the county, but I’m also part of HCEDP,” Kelly conveys.
“It consists of mayors or city managers and business leaders, and it’s a nonprofit organization. We have a very strong relationship with everyone within the county. ”
Infrastructure Investments and Revitalization
Infrastructure improvements are a top priority in Henry County, and municipalities are enhancing their town centers and updating critical infrastructure. In Geneseo, projects include new sewers and pipes. Kewanee has focused on downtown revitalization, while Atkinson has rebuilt roads and installed updated sewer systems. Colona is preparing for a multi-million-dollar beautification project in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Additionally, Henry County is expanding broadband connectivity, a vital resource for modern agriculture. “A lot of farming is done by the internet,” explains Breeden. “I was just in a combine yesterday and was amazed at how far we have come from the days of horses. The acreage is already GPS mapped, and it just takes the combine where it needs to be. It’s amazing, and it is all because of the broadband that we’re able to offer.”
Kelly reports that $3.2 million from Cares Act funding was earmarked for high-speed internet expansion, providing access to rural communities and heavily populated corridors throughout the county.
Henry County’s commitment to connectivity didn’t stop there. In partnership with Geneseo Communications and Woodhull Telephone, the county secured nearly $10 million in state grants and contributed an additional $1 million towards a project to further extend broadband to deep rural areas.
“We’re going to connect our farmers. We’re going to connect our grain bins. We’re going to connect all the western sides of Henry County. And we’re extremely excited about that,” touts Kelly. “And we’re not done. We’re going to continue. We’re going to find even more areas to get the deep rural connectivity where these farmers need it.”
The use of COVID funding extended beyond broadband. Breeden recounts, “Henry County became a model for many counties on how to use this money. We were so diligent in looking at all possibilities. It wasn’t just broadband, but we returned money back to the residents to help with their utility bills. We used the money to help nonprofit organizations do expansions, and it’s been a blessing.”
The county courthouse also received upgrades, and a state of the art Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was built, creating space for training seminars, and streamlining operations. “That OEM office has become a model for other agencies,” Breeden outlines. “It’s not just Henry County. We have two other counties that have merged with us to be able to use our OEM services.”
Housing Growth and Challenges
Housing is top of mind, with ongoing efforts to address affordability and availability. “We are building homes in Henry County,” details Kelly. “In fact, the city of Geneseo has more new construction homes being built right now than they’ve ever had that they can remember.” He says these homes range from basic single family to multi family and luxury homes, but this still doesn’t meet current needs.
Transitional housing is one approach the county is taking, and the construction of 24 upscale condos is intended to provide suitable living spaces for seniors. By relocating, these seniors open up homes for new families, which also contributes to school enrollment, a collaborative goal between the school district and the county.
Another innovative strategy is the introduction of a residential TIF district in Colona, which encourages homebuilding by offsetting development costs. “Affordable housing is an issue and there’s not an overnight solution to it. It’s something we constantly are keeping our eye on and trying to figure out how to crack that code,” Kelly admits.
Recreation and Tourism
Recently, HCEDP formed a tourism board, hiring Kelly Wolf as a full-time tourism director, operating under the brand “Explore Henry County.” Kelly acknowledges, “She’s branding us, and making everything great. Henry County is rich in tourism, we’ve got many things that can be visited, and we want to draw people here.”
The county offers many attractions, including historical sites, unique communities, and year-round events. Victorian Christmas walks, canal rides along the Hennepin Canal, and ice fishing derbies showcase only a portion of the diverse activities available. The Back Roads Musical Festival in Galva is a popular event drawing national attention, while the county’s Swedish heritage is celebrated in communities like Bishop Hill, with its historic charm and events. “The King of Sweden has been there, and they hope to have him back in the next two years. It’s a beautiful little community in the hills, and they have a coffee shop and a couple of restaurants and an old time general store. It’s just a very unique atmosphere,” depicts Breeden.
Nearby towns like Ophiem and Hooppole add to the county’s distinctiveness, offering everything from agricultural innovation to cultural landmarks like the Rolle Bolle Rosary. “You just never know what’s around the corner in any of these communities,” she continues. “At any point in time you’re going to find something going on that’s of interest. You never know what you’re going to find.”
Future Priorities
Looking ahead, Henry County remains focused on preserving historic treasures like Bishop Hill, pointing out that tourism generates significant non-resident revenue, benefiting local businesses and boosting the county’s economy. The county will also continue its business attraction efforts, specifically in the area of renewable energy.
“Henry County is well known to the region and in the industry of sustainable energy. We have almost 250 wind towers and two ethanol plants in Henry County. We harvest the wind, and we distribute that energy back out onto the grid,” Kelly shares.
From the board perspective, Breeden summarizes, “It’s about reinvesting. It’s about keeping what we have in good shape, trying to keep things affordable, trying to keep our taxes down, and working together with everyone.”
AT A GLANCE
Henry County, Illinois
What: A rural county rebranding itself as a destination of choice
Where: County Seat in Cambridge Illinois
Website: www.henrycty.com
PREFERRED VENDORS
Apex Clean Energy; Big Bluestem Wind – www.bigbluestemwind.com
Big Bluestem Wind is a 300 MW wind energy project being developed in Henry County by Apex Clean Energy. Once operational in 2029, it will power approximately 104,000 homes and generate 30+ years of revenue for Henry County. Apex Clean Energy is a veteran-led company with projects across the country.
Hammond-Henry Hospital – www.hammondhenry.com
Hammond-Henry Hospital provides medical excellence close to home through the delivery of a broad spectrum of superior, evidence-based healthcare in an attractive state-of-the-art facility to all patients from our communities. Our hospital staff is focused on an excellent patient experience in an atmosphere of teamwork and innovative thinking, where staff and physicians alike can find inspiration and joy in their vocation on a daily basis.