Northwest Territory Museum, Dixon

I’d driven through Dixon, IL, previously, en route to the John Deere Historic Site (a wonderful place to visit, if you like agricultural history, which I do). But on that earlier visit, I’d read in a brochure on the area that there was a Northwest Territory Museum in Dixon, so I was determined to return. Last week, after a speaking engagement in Tampico, I came home by way of Dixon and located this wonderful museum.

The building, which was once a school, is imposing. It’s located within a block of Ronald Reagan’s childhood home and is, in fact, where he attended school. But while that is acknowledged, the museum is about the Northwest Territory, the region that would become Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The museum is actually a Smithsonian affiliate, which means it is impressively sophisticated. On the first floor, there is an exhibit about the building of the Lincoln Highway, then upstairs, there is a series of rooms that move from wilderness and Native Americans (including a young Black Hawk), up through settlement, conflict, and development of the area. Displays are detailed, with figures beginning to talk as soon as you approach, to introduce you to what is happening in the time period you’ve just entered.

That history follows one side of the large building, with the other side offering more focused exhibits. One room celebrates veterans from the area. One room looks at the rise of chautauquas (events where people would gather for a week or two for lectures, plays, music, and book discussions), Dixon having been the site of one of the largest ones. And there is one room about building the town.

The NW Territory Museum is definitely worth a couple of hours. Added to the John Deere site, plus a couple of other historic sites I’ve seen on other visits to the area, I definitely recommend this area for a visit, if you like Midwestern and American history. And then there is the bonus of the possibility of enjoying a drive along the Rock River, which offers a beautiful setting of small towns and handsome forests. Delightful area for a day trip or weekend away.

Tampico, Illinois

One of the great things about having speaking engagements take me on the road (aside from meeting nice people) is that it gives me repeated opportunities to prove that there really is something to learn wherever you go. Last week, I was in Tampico, a small (population just over 700) farming community in west-central Illinois. I arrived early because I’d been offered a tour of the local historical society, which occupies a couple of historic buildings on Main St.

Of the two buildings, one is converted into a museum but the old bank next door has been restored to what it was like 100 years ago. However, it was the tenants in the apartment above the bank that has made the spot something of a destination. This is where Ronald Reagan was born. Both Ronald and his older brother were actually born in this bed.

Lots of history, both of the town and of the Reagans. One of my favorite stories, of the many I heard, was about Reagan working as a lifeguard. Living at this point in nearby Dixon, on the Rock River, a teen-aged Reagan looked impressive in his lifeguard uniform. He saved 77 people from drowning during his seven years of lifeguarding. But the tale that made me chuckle was that one girl was rescued three times. Can’t help but think she enjoyed being rescued by the future movie star.

So many other stories, plus the usual fun of visiting a restored building, with antique furniture an old ice box, old irons that one heated on the stove, and so much more, plus the equipment in the bank downstairs.

Here’s the website for the museum, with a few photos, additional history, and links to other area sites—plus info useful if visiting. https://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.com/R_Reagan_Birthplace_Museum.html

If you’re in the area, especially if you have an interest in Ronald Reagan, the museum is worth a visit. And should you visit Tampico, know that the restaurant across the street, The Break Room, is a dandy option, offering hearty but surprisingly imaginative food.

Return to Bishop Hill

Several years ago, on the return from a speaking trip to Iowa, I routed myself toward a town I’d read about—the Swedish settlement of Bishop Hill. This was a great idea, as Bishop Hill, a State Historic Site, is glorious. It’s also small, so easily explored—but really beautiful. Lots of historic buildings, tree-filled park, gardens, museums, shops.

That first trip, amid my exploring, I stopped for lunch at P L Johnson’s. This delightful little shop offers classic Swedish dishes, and it became my go-to place on return trips.

Because I have returned. In fact, if you’ve read my book Destination Heartland, you’ll know that Bishop Hill—and P L Johnson’s—are included in the book. Just too much history to not have it in a book on the region’s history! (And if you haven’t read my book, I figure your two options are getting my book or visiting Bishop Hill. Maybe both. Because there is a lot of very interesting history here.)

Two days ago, I was back in Bishop Hill, this time giving a presentation. Happily, agricultural history is a popular topic out here, so I’ve had the pleasure of a couple of visits through the Illinois Humanities “Road Scholars” program, in addition to my earlier visits, when I first explored the town. Of course, I had to go to P L Johnson’s. While I don’t have Swedish meatballs every time I visit I go, I did this weekend. The side salad had the option of lingonberry vinaigrette, which was my choice, and having had some wonderful soup there over the years, I couldn’t resist getting a cup of Swedish cheese soup. Yum.

But if you have an opportunity to be anywhere near Bishop Hill, I highly recommend a visit. There are B&Bs, if you want to stay a little longer. It’s a peaceful, lovely place, so a great option for a weekend away, and the wealth of history makes it a remarkable stop.

Mount Carroll, IL

The wonderful advantage to having speaking engagements all over Illinois is I get to see a lot of remarkably wonderful old towns (as well as, of course, the beautiful countryside). The downside is that I rarely get enough time to truly explore some of these delightful places. But I do see enough to be glad I visited—and learn enough to know that I need to eventually get back.

One example is a recent trip to Mount Carroll. This delightful, historic town, founded in the early 1800s, is a beautiful example of a small but prosperous, Midwestern town of the era, with a handsome business district, brick streets, elegant old homes, a nice history museum, and a downtown square with government buildings, monuments, and a Carnegie Library. I had the opportunity to walk around the square, gave my presentation in one of the old downtown buildings, and spent the night in a historic hotel, but I didn’t have time for the museum. That said, while I didn’t see everything, I was delighted by what I did see.

As is common across the upper Midwest, there is a Civil War monument in front of the County Courthouse. (If you don’t know how important this region was during that war, I recommend a visit to the Civil War Museum in Kenosha, WI—the upper Midwest supplied stunning numbers of volunteers and resources).

Across the street from the County Courthouse is the Bridgewater Inn, first opened in 1886, which is where I stayed. The necessary things have been updated, but every effort has been made to preserve the charm of that earlier time.

Happily, there is more to discover if I get back there. Also happily, if I don’t get back, I’m delighted with what I have seen. Traveling around the Midwest continues to support my belief that this is a delightful region.

Marbold Heritage Festival

I’ve mentioned visiting local history museums as a way of learning more about a place, but I recently had the pleasure of exploring another method of discovery: a history festival. Near Greenview, Illinois, a town not far from Springfield, I had the very great pleasure of attending the Marbold Heritage Festival. In this case, I had learned about the festival because they wanted to have a speaker, and they invited me to give two presentations over the two days of the festival. While it’s always fun to share with an appreciative audience, I was also delighted to both learn more about the purpose of the event and enjoy the community gathered to support that purpose.

The Historic Marbold Farmstead was built in 1850 by German immigrant John Marbold, who was a successful local businessman and farmer. The house had fallen into disrepair, and the festival was part of the ongoing effort to raise funds to fully restore it. There is still a fair bit of work to be done inside, but the house is beautiful and definitely taking shape.

The festival involved tours of the house, but also featured amazingly talented local artisans (beautiful carved wood, woven wheat, hand-made jewelry, rugs), purveyors (local honey, pies, BBQ), plus wonderful musicians, a Civil War reenactment group, and antique tractors from local collectors. One individual had an impressive collection of corn-related items, and since I was there to talk about the history of corn, I of course had to visit his display. Most of what he had was familiar, from years of research—devices for shelling corn, gloves and hooks for protecting hands while shucking corn, and more. But proving my contention that there is almost always something new, I found that he had a device I’d never seen before. I’d seen large-scale systems for bagging corn, from the days when all grain was shipped in two-bushel bags. But here was a small-scale device for a lone farmer bagging his own crop. I’d never seen it before.

So next time you see a promotion for a heritage festival, consider going. You never know what you might learn.

Wheeling History Museum

In my book, Destination Heartland, I encourage people to visit smaller, local museums—places that include “Historical Society” or “Historical Museum” in the name. Often, these museums offer collections that hark back to things I remember from childhood: a ViewMaster, an old phone book, savings stamps. But even in very small museums, I always find something I’ve never seen before.

Today, I visited the Wheeling, IL, History Museum, and while there were numerous things that were familiar, either from life or from other museums, there were a couple of things I’d never seen before.

First and foremost was the Mignon typewriter. Created in 1902 in Berlin, this typewriter predates typewriters with keyboards. Below is a photo, but here is a link to some background, focused on a slightly later model than the one in the museum. This site also includes a link to a video that shows how the typewriter worked. Really remarkable.

Also, while I have seen a wide range of stoves over the years, especially old wood-burning varieties, here was one I hadn’t seen before. This one has a lid you can put down, to create more counter space—but the lid bears the warning “Extinguish fire before lowering lid.”

The little museum used to be the Village Hall, and as the center of all things legal, there is a jail cell inside. There are only three rooms, so you don’t need to allow a great deal of time. But that can be an advantage in busy lives. Nearby on the property, there is a lovely little barn and an old church that is now used as a community center.

So definitely get out there and check out local museums. To find one near you, just type the name of a town or county and the words “Historical Museum” or “Historical Society.” And after you discover a local museum, you may even consider joining. We need to keep these places alive.

Kaskaskia—and Lafayette

When I have a speaking engagement that takes me on the road, I always try to find something to visit at my destination or on the way home (on the way there, I’m usually just making sure I arrive on time). A few months ago, on my way home from Murphysboro, IL, (where, in addition to speaking, I enjoyed once again some of the famous smoked offerings at 17th Street Barbecue), I turned my wheels west, heading toward the Mississippi River and then up toward Kaskaskia, one-time Illinois state capital and the only part of Illinois west of the river.

During my drive, I was struck by just how big Illinois is. In the southern part, the unbroken vistas stretch astonishingly far. Lovely farm country, but daunting. Can’t even imagine what the psychological impact must have been for people who visited before highways and automobiles.

Even after reaching and crossing the Mississippi, I had a fair bit of driving to do before reaching Kaskaskia. As remote as it was, I was surprised to run into other visitors there. But that underscores its importance. In addition to its former status as a capital, it was also the site of the farthest west conflict—and victory—of the American Revolution, thanks to the efforts of George Rogers Clark and company.

When I arrived, I viewed the “Liberty Bell of the West” and read all the historic markers. I was also pleased to see a sign memorializing LaFayette’s visit. In 1825–1826, the great French general made a return visit and tour of the country he aided in achieving liberty. Frenchman Julien Icher has followed the route taken by LaFayette during this “farewell tour,” and having seen a few episodes of his video diary of the effort (Follow the Frenchmen), I was delighted to see that he’d made it to Kaskaskia before I arrived. And so I now turn over the tale of this town to him—to share more about Lafayette but also to explain how Kaskaskia ended up on the other side of the Mississippi.

Where the Wild West was Born

You might be surprised to find out how far east the Wild West actually began.

Annie Oakley was born in Darke County, Ohio. You can learn more about the legendary sharp shooter at The National Annie Oakley Center at the Garst Museum, in Greenville, Ohio.

Wyatt Earp was born in Monmouth, Illinois, in a lovely Victorian house on a quiet suburban street that doesn’t hint at the adventurous future (other than the large picture of Earp, to make sure you know you’re in the right place). He grew up in Iowa, which is where his youngest brother Morgan was born. Older brother, Virgil, was born in Kentucky. Like many in the 1800s, the Earp family just kept moving west. Wyatt Earp first became a lawman in Kansas—and would later offer advice about recreating the Wild West to another Iowan, John Wayne.

Wild Bill Hickok was born in Mendota, Illinois. There is a statue of him outside the Mendota historical museum. (A delightful museum that is a good reason to stop in Mendota.)

Buffalo Bill was born in Le Claire, Iowa, where you can drive down Cody Road to the Buffalo Bill Museum. The bar that lays claim to being a favorite hangout, Glur’s Tavern, is in Columbus, Nebraska. (And you can still dine at Glur’s. Pretty good burgers.)

Calamity Jane was born and raised in Missouri, a pretty wild place in the early 1800s.

Jesse James was also born and raised in Missouri, and died there, as well. (The last place James lived is just out the back door of the outstanding Patee House Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri.)

Another notorious outlaw, Harvey Alexander Logan, better known as Kid Curry, was born in Iowa. Curry was said to be wildest member of The Wild Bunch.

Zane Grey, the writer who created the Western literary genre was from Ohio—near Zanesville, which was named for Grey’s grandfather, explorer Ebenezer Zane. (If you want more on Grey, he is remembered in a section of the National Road & Zane Grey Museum in Norwich, Ohio.)

Missouri (St. Joseph) is where the Pony Express originated. (Another great museum.)

Iconic Western towns such as Wichita and Dodge City are in Kansas.

Just to say that its worth remembering that much of the history of the Wild West is, in fact, the history of the Middle West.

Of course, it’s also worth remembering that the speed with which the Midwest grew meant that you had to keep moving if you wanted to stay wild.

(Above photo was taken at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Le Claire, IA.)

Pontiac, Illinois

A friend who had introduced me to a number of historic locales in central Illinois had told me I needed to stop in Pontiac next time I was nearby, and so on my way home a couple of months ago from a conference in Springfield, I did just that—and was, as always, pleased that I had. Because Pontiac offers a number of delights—not least of which is its position on the historic Route 66.

One of the things for which Pontiac is famous is its glorious murals. There are dozens, all over town, celebrating various aspects of the town’s history.

But the real draw, for most folks, is the Pontiac Museum Complex. This complex includes most notably the Route 66 Museum and Hall of Fame, which is packed with information about every iconic stop along the Illinois section of the Mother Road, along with a considerable amount of memorabilia from Bob Waldmire, an artist most noted for his detailed art capturing the essence of just about every inch of Route 66—but the whole thing, not just the Illinois section.

Equally remarkable is the War Museum, in the same building, and covering every era of conflict from World War I to the present. Hundreds of uniforms fill the many rooms of this section of the complex, representing all those from this area who served in every branch of the military. The volunteers in this museum are themselves veterans, and so they are happy to share their part of the story. In addition to information on service, there is also a section that recreates life on the homefront during the 1940s.

Small but still worthwhile museums within the complex include Music of the Civil War, Life on the Titanic, and more on artist Bob Waldmire. So definitely a worthwhile stop. Allow yourself a couple of hours to see it all—especially if, in addition to exploring the museum complex, you want to use the available map of murals to try to see them all.

The museums are free but, of course, donations are welcome. Volunteers are enthusiastic, but money is needed to keep the lights on.

I didn’t make it to the Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum on this trip—but I have to leave something for next time.

Glenview Naval Air Station Museum

A couple of weeks ago, I sought out a place I’d learned about online but had never seen before: the Glenview Naval Air Station Museum. Hadn’t seen it before and almost didn’t find it while looking for it. Having spent years admiring the activity that occurred at the Glenview Naval Air Station, I had expected something more impressive, but what I found was a tiny cubbyhole that was all but hidden at the back of an otherwise unremarkable parking lot, next to Chuck’s Auto Repair. It seemed rather underwhelming, and almost insulting, for the once might military base.

However, I soon learned that, while it seems unprepossessing, it’s absolutely worth a visit—and maybe a little more attention than it has received. (Visitors are the life blood of every museum.) Because here, it’s the history that makes it big, not the building. A lone docent, Irving, long-retired airplane mechanic, was a wonderful combination of enthusiastic about the tale and indignant about how overlooked the museum has become, and shared an endless flow of stories. The tiny space wouldn’t take much time to study, but try to allow yourself at least an hour, as there is a wonderful 40-minute movie (narrated by Bill Kurtis) about the importance of Chicago and Lake Michigan during World War II. Because before there was Top Gun, there was Glenview Naval Air Station.

Lake Michigan, being virtually an inland sea, would become the training ground for the thousands of pilots —because where else could you train flyers to land on aircraft carriers without any chance of a German or Japanese submarine attack. (And in case you always wondered how Navy Pier got its name—now you know.) The film also covers salvage efforts to save the hundred planes that ended up at the bottom of the lake, where the ongoing threat is being consumed by zebra mussels. (Because there is no real museum here, the salvaged planes all end up in Kalamazoo, Pensacola, or D.C.) But the film was stunning to be reminded just how much of the nation’s military might passed through this area. Really remarkable. Also a fair number of interesting and worthwhile artifacts in the museum itself. Absolutely worth a visit. And if you know anyone with a few extra million dollars, they could certainly use a real museum. Open on Saturday and Sunday, 1-4.

https://www.facebook.com/Naval-Air-Station-Glenview-Museum-139960772688126/

And in case you can’t get to the museum but would still like to see the movie, it is available on DVD—and buying it helps fund the museum. https://www.heroesondeck.com/