LaSalle County History

The LaSalle County Historical Society campus is located on the banks of the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal and is situated in the quaint village of Utica, Illinois. Bordering beautiful Starved Rock State Park with an annual attendance of 2.2 to 2.8 million, it sits at the heart of one of Illinois’ top tourism destinations. Utica is easily accessible and conveniently located near where Interstates 80 and 39 meet. The Society’s exhibits and activities include: Canal Warehouse, Heritage Center, Canal Market, Blacksmiths Shop, One-Room Schoolhouse, our Annual Burgoo Festival and Wild Bill Hickok Days and much more.

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Historically important and architecturally unique, the Reddick Mansion anchors  Washington Square, the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas Debate.  Built in 1855, this lovely 22-room Italianate mansion was possibly the most expensive and ornate private home built in Illinois before the Civil War.

Take a step back into the 19th century and visit the Reddick Mansion, where numerous rooms have been restored to their previous grandeur.

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The Westclox Museum is proud to present to you a history of the Western Clock Company, better known as Westclox, that was founded in Peru, Illinois and continued to operate in this location for nearly a century!  The museum is located in a portion of the historic Westclox building, so don't miss out on your chance to see and learn about the company that began waking up America, and eventually the world, in 1885.

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Discover the Hegeler Carus Mansion, an 1876 Second Empire masterpiece and National Landmark by architect W. W. Boyington. With seven levels, fifty-seven rooms, and 16,000 square feet, this impeccably preserved mansion showcases intricate parquet floors and hand-painted ceilings. Beyond its architectural splendor, the mansion played a pivotal role in industry, philosophy, publishing, and religion. Immerse yourself in the grandeur of a bygone era and a family's captivating history, both locally and internationally.

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Ottawa was Incorporated in 1853  and was the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate. The Ottawa Historical and Scouting Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of scouting and the beginning of the boy scouts in America. The Ottawa Scouting Museum was founded to promote and preserve the colorful and proud traditions of Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting and Camp Fire, via exhibition of the past of these organizations with memorabilia from its vast collection. In June of 2002, the museum opened a new exhibit area. Commonly referred to as the North Wing, this area has a re-creation of a room in the W. D. Boyce home in Ottawa (created using a family photo of Boyce in this room) and many artifacts and pictures of Ottawa's rich history.

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The Norsk Museum is in the first permanent Norwegian settlement, in LaSalle County around the Fox River, which is now Norway, Illinois. This first pioneer group, called “Sloopers”, was led by early explorer Cleng Peerson. The Sloopers came to America primarily for religious freedom. This group of 52 immigrants was a combination of Quaker and Hauge Lutheran, both outcasts of the time by the State Church.  The museum is in the oldest Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, built by the first Norwegian Lutheran minister in America, Rev. Elling Eielsen (Hauge Synod).

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The village of Seneca has left its mark on America by serving as a thoroughfare for the I&M Canal, railroads, and Illinois River traffic.  The land surrounding Seneca is some of the most productive agricultural land in the country, supporting a strong farm economy and agribusiness.

The Seneca Port Authority worked diligently to rehab the Seneca Station (train depot) in order to establish a museum of Seneca history and a welcome center. 

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The Mendota Museum & Historical Society offers three sites including the Union Depot Railroad Museum, Hume-Carnegie Museum, and Breaking the Prairie Museum. The collections, displays and events highlight Mendota's rich past history of people, industry, railroading, agriculture, natural resources, commerce and culture for the purpose of education, innovation and enjoyment.

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The Seattle Sutton Marseilles Museum helps us remember our rich history. That history starts in the 1830's when settlers in built a cabin by the Illinois river. The arrival of the Illinois-Michigan Canal (1848), the railroad (1853), and the Nabisco factory (1902) are also milestones in our city's history.

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