Explore Mansions and Museums in Starved Rock Country

Beyond the trails of Starved Rock Country’s famed state parks and nature preserves, you’ll find a wide variety of museums, mansions and tours steeped in the rich history of Illinois’ early years.

At these fun, all-ages attractions, learn about pre-colonial life in the Starved Rock region, the legendary first Lincoln-Douglas debate, the digging of the expansive I&M Canal and the crucial role the region played in the founding of the Boy Scouts of America.

Hegeler Carus Mansion – 1307 Seventh St, La Salle

Designed by W.W. Boyington, the famed Chicago Water Tower architect, La Salle’s Hegeler Carus Mansion has remained virtually unaltered since its completion in 1876. The 16,000-square-foot mansion features 56 rooms spread across seven levels. The interior is just as stunning as the exterior, with its intricate parquet floors and hand-painted ceilings. The national landmark is open for tours Thursday through Saturday throughout the season, offering general tours, themed holiday tours and special expanded tours.

These next few weeks are your last chance before the new year to experience The Hegeler Carus’ most popular tour. This is a 2 1/2 hour guided adventure begins in the Reception Room, covering areas of the home both public and private, all the way up to the 7th floor Cupola, immersed among the Mansion’s impressive architecture and artifacts. Two rooms have been set up with never before displayed items, the Expanded Tour is $100 a person, features two walking breaks with a complimentary bottled water and is limited to 10 people per tour. Pre-registration for the tours is required. For more info, visit HegelerCarus.org.

Reddick Mansion – 100 W. Lafayette St, Ottawa

The opulent Reddick Mansion, one of the most expensive and ornate private homes in the state constructed before the Civil War, stands at the corner of Columbus and Lafayette streets in Ottawa – overlooking the famed Lincoln-Douglas debate site. The more than 150-year-old, 22-room, Italianate structure has been meticulously restored to the 19th century, after decades of being used as the town’s public library. Now, the mansion is open year-round for tours from Friday through Monday – with sessions being offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tours are $15 for adults and $10 for students (K-12). For more info, visit ReddickMansion.org

Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum – 1100 Canal St, Ottawa

Head to the Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum to learn all about the history of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the town of Ottawa. You’ll find more than a century’s worth of Scouting artifacts and the largest collection of English Scouting memorabilia in the U.S., as well as rare artifacts from the famed Lincoln-Douglas debate. For more info, visit OttawaHistoricalScoutingMuseum.org

La Salle County Historical Society Museum – 101 E. Canal St, Utica

The La Salle County Historical Society campus, on the banks of the historic I&M Canal, consists of six attractions, exciting interpretive displays and some amazing relics from the history of the Starved Rock Country region. Onsite, you’ll also find the canal warehouse (used for artisan markets throughout the year), a one-room schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop and an original barn dating back to 1875. Popular exhibits on on display include The Radium Girls of LaSalle County and Looking For Lincoln. For more info, visit LaSalleCountyHistoricalSociety.org

Weber House and Garden – 1503 Baker St, Streator

Streator’s Ted Weber, formerly a nationally syndicated radio interviewer, began renovating his historic childhood home in 1983. The beautiful house now sports impeccably decorated rooms, each one reflecting a different period of design, along with a meticulously manicured English-style garden. The unique blend of architecture, horticulture, interior design and broadcast history is open for tours seven days a week from April through October. For more info, visit WeberHouseAndGarden.com

Union Depot Railroad Museum – 783 Main St, Mendota

Union Depot Railroad Museum is housed in a restored portion of Mendota’s original railroad station, built in the late 1880s and torn down in the early 1940s. The museum houses many railroad artifacts, an HO model railroad depicting Mendota in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an extensive railroad history library and many displays. A portion of the building is a waiting room for Amtrak passengers. For more info, visit MendotaMuseums.org

Westclox Museum – 350 Fifth St, Suite 265, Peru

Peru’s famed Westclox factory, makers of the beloved, cult-favorite clock, are honored in this fascinating museum. Through a vast collection of documents, artifacts and antiques, the Westclox Museum tells the story of the community that made the remarkable timepieces. For more info visit westcloxmuseum.com

Streatorland Historical Society Museum – 109 E. Elm St, Streator

Celebrate historic Streator at this riveting museum filled with thousands of artifacts, pictures and records dedicated to telling the story of the community. Some exhibits include artifacts from the local coal mines, glass factories, railroad industry, Pluto discovered and native Streator son Clyde Tombaugh and much more. Open for tours Tuesday through Friday. For more info, visit streatorlandmuseum.com