About Rockome.com

Rockome.com keeps the memory of Rockome Gardens, a rock-garden and farm park near Arcola in Douglas County, Illinois.

The original Rockome Gardens website first went online in 1998 and was rebuilt several times over the following years. It described a garden of hand-built rock formations, a working crafters' hall, shops and a restaurant serving family-style meals, and a long calendar of festivals from spring plowing days to an autumn pumpkin festival. Later editions of the site also promoted a cheese factory and bulk food store, an antique barn, an Amish interpretive center and educational programs for schools.

What this site contains

The pages here are restored from copies of the original website preserved in the public web archive between 1998 and 2011. We removed old scripts, counters, advertising and out-of-date contact details, kept the descriptions, photographs and practical notes, and organized them into a clean, mobile-friendly layout. Where several small pages described one subject, they were merged into a single page so the information is easier to read.

The journal contains new articles written for this site. They draw on the restored pages and give background on the rockwork, on a slow day in Amish country, on the education programs and on the festival tradition.

A note about accuracy

Everything on the restored pages describes how Rockome presented itself during the 2000s. Admission prices, opening hours, event dates and menus have changed since then and should not be used to plan a visit. If you want to check a detail, contact the local visitors' bureau in Arcola or Arthur.

Who runs this site

Rockome.com is an independent historical and travel resource. It is not affiliated with the original owners of Rockome Gardens. Questions, corrections and photographs are welcome; write to [email protected]. Our contact page explains what we can and cannot help with, and the privacy page explains how we handle mail we receive.

If you are just getting started, read the history of Rockome Gardens, then take a look at the gardens and rockwork and the journal.