Des Plaines History Center to visit Ottawa's murals
The Des Plaines History Center's next Historic Adventures trip will take residents to Ottawa, to tour its eight outdoor murals and historic Reddick Mansion. Participants will meet 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the History Center, 781 Pearson St., and carpool to Ottawa, which is 85 miles southwest of Des Plaines. Estimated return time is 5:30 p.m.
This outing will also include spending time browsing through quaint shops and enjoying the town's pretty public parks. To view the murals, participants will walk up to eight blocks outdoors. Costs are $20 for History Center members, $25 for nonmembers and $15 for youth, ages 16 and under. Participants will pay for their own lunch. Carpool drivers will be reimbursed for gas.
The large and colorful murals decorating the town invite residents and visitors to reflect on the past. One mural features Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas as they debated each other in 1858 in Ottawa's Washington Square Park. All the murals highlight significant people or events that occurred in the town.
The Reddick Mansion, which was built in 1856, includes 22 rooms and is made of red brick and limestone. According to the website, "The Reddick Mansion has been known to be one of the most expensive and ornate Italianate residences ever constructed in the Midwest during the mid-1800s. Few other pre-Civil War homes in Illinois compare to architectural quality or complexity to the Reddick Mansion."
Registration and advance payment are required. Please call the History Center at (847) 391-5399 or visit www.desplaineshistory.org to register or for more information.
The History Center gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Des Plaines, the Des Plaines Park District, its members, and other contributors.
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