'Easy to find, hard to leave'

Looking for just the right venue for a corporate meeting that offers a little something different compared to the places you go every year? There are plenty to consider in Kankakee County.

Kankakee County is a destination that's "easy to find and hard to leave," said Staci Wilken, executive director of the Kankakee County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

She added that tourism is thriving in the area that features the Kankakee River. "The beautiful river flows through our eastern border town, Momence, and runs 57 miles throughout the county. The river is one of our most precious resources," she said.

Hotel Riverview and The European have become destinations for travelers seeking finer accommodations. Frank Lloyd Wright built two homes in the historic Kankakee River District including the B. Harley Bradley House, the first Prairie School style home.

Over the years, the county has drawn a great deal of positive attention. Kankakee County has been the backdrop to 16 feature films. A few of them include "Sinister 2," 2014; "Knight and Day," 2010; "Public Enemies," 2009 and "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," 1987.

There are an array of options to choose.

B. Harley Bradley House, Kankakee

A highlight in the area is the B. Harley Bradley House. Public tours have been provided for the past six years and the location is open for events.

Wright In Kankakee is a community nonprofit organized to purchase, open to the public, and manage the home, said Laura Golowski, operations manager for the organization.

She said the home is considered by most experts the First Prairie Design by Frank Lloyd Wright. This is the house that changed the face of American architecture because it was such a departure from the classic architecture of the day. It has long low horizontal ridgelines defining the roof, which mimic the lay of the land or prairie.

The house has an earthy stucco exterior, blending in with all the trees on the property. The interior uses organic colors and oak trims on all of the architectural features, such as box beam, banded, and vaulted ceilings. Floors, windows, doors, and stairways are similarly appointed with luxurious oak.

There is a central massing chimney, deep overhanging eaves, and banding which runs horizontally across the front facade of the house and joins together all of the windows and doors in what are referred to as ribbons. Wright designed the 111 art glass windows in a stylized tulip to be unique to the Bradley House.

All of the exterior walls of this structure lean in at an 89 degree angle. The house appears to grow from its site, like a tree trunk is wider at the base and narrower as it extends skyward. Wright referred to this as organic architecture.

The atmosphere outside and inside the house is awe inspiring, Golowski said. The floor plan is very open, with a large living room flanked by twin libraries, open also to a music room on one side and french doors opening up to the dining room on the other.

The house, with a breezeway connecting the stable/carriage house, is situated on a one-acre lot on the bank of the scenic Kankakee River. The overall size of the structure is impressive and one of Wright's largest residential complexes. Adjacent to the property is a second Wright design, the Hickox House, a private residence.

Architect and his wife, Gaines and Sharon Hall spent almost five years restoring the property to the original blueprints. The carriage house and stable was saved from demolition and the Hall's restoration of it resulted in them receiving the Richard Driehaus Award given by Landmarks Illinois for Historic Preservation.

A one hour tour at the Bradley House is $15 per person. Tours focus on architectural details plus colorful backgrounds of the nine principal owners during the last 115 years.

Tour times are Thursday at 1 p.m. and Friday through Sunday hourly from noon to 3 p.m., or by appointment Monday-Wednesday. There is also an electric boat at the Bradley House dock, ready to take guests on a half-hour cruise on the scenic Kankakee River for $10 each.

Corporate executive conferences and a variety of events are a special feature at the Bradley House.

The board room has large picture windows facing the river. It is appointed with 12 executive chairs, and will accommodate up to 20. For larger groups or all day conferences the living room with its distinctive art glass windows will seat 75 classroom style or 60 at roundtables. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner can be provided by several approved caterers. Audio- visual equipment is available upon request.

The Bennett-Curtis House

The Bennett-Curtis House, an 18 room mansion that was built in 1900 by George M. Bennett, offers elegant settings for events as well.

The home was purchased by Illinois Sen. Edward C. Curtis in 1919 and is set on spacious grounds shaded by 100 year old maples flanked by bubbling fountains, sweeping lawns, lush cool ferns, and colorful flowers. The home is at 302 W. Taylor St. in Grant Park.

The interior of the home is beautifully decorated featuring crown molding, oak trims inlay wood floors, moray cloth covered walls, stain glass, velvet drapery, and more, said owner Scott Zizic.

Corporate meetings are customized with budgets and menus in mind.

"We can rent out the whole mansion or by room the hold a meeting or for lunch or dinner," Zizic said.

He added that they offer a Mystery Dinner that can be a fun outing, or Psychic Luncheons & Paint By Wines.

Other features include ice sculptures and martini bars, chocolate fountains, and other fun interactive and unique stations. To find out more about the business venue, that opened in December, 1992, go to www.bennettcurtis.com.

Olivet Nazarene University

Olivet Nazarene University provides comfortable accommodations for conferences, retreats, seminars, weddings and much more.

And sports fans can visit the 7UP Chicago Bears Training Camp held at the university in Bourbonnais during the late summer.

The camp attracts more than 100,000 visitors of all ages.

And after years of hosting the Chicago Bears each summer for training camp, Olivet Nazarene University recently announced a new phase in the relationship between the university and the team: Olivet and the Bears have established Olivet as a Proud Partner of the Chicago Bears.

Olivet's presence at Bears events will extend beyond this year's 7UP Chicago Bears Training Camp to include official sponsorship of the 2016 Chicago Bears Ladies Night at Soldier Field, and involvement with this year's Moms Football Safety Clinic at Halas Hall. Additional hospitality opportunities will be planned throughout the season.

"Olivet has shared a wonderful relationship with the Chicago Bears since we began hosting their training camp in 2002," said Ryan Spittal, vice president for Strategic Expansion.