top of page
Canal Warehouse Utica, IL _June 2023_Doc


LaSalle County Historical Society

The LaSalle County Historical Society's campus is located on the banks of the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal, and is situated in the quaint village of Utica, Illinois. Neighbor to the beautiful Starved Rock State Park, with an annual attendance of 2.2 to 2.8 million, we are 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 campus consists of our Canal Warehouse, Heritage Center, Canal Market, Blacksmith Shop/Barn, and One-Room Schoolhouse. The society also holds several events throughout the year, most notably our Annual Burgoo Festival and our Wild Bill Hickok Days.

Discover the rich history of  LaSalle County

Welcome to the

website in process of being updated

Hours of Operation

​

Our Museum Complex is open to the public Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 12-4pm.

We also open by appointment Monday - Thursday, kindly email us at

office@lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org

(two weeks prior notice is needed for staffing)

​

Admissions

Visiting the LCHS Museum Campus is free- we charge no admissions fee. In return, we ask that you consider making a donation while enjoying the many exhibits and buildings that house our local history!  It is these donations which keep our museum doors open to the public.

​

​

E.B. Thornton Endowment 

The LaSalle County Historical Society announced a $25,000 Endowment has been established in memory of local historian, preservationist and long-time supporter of the Historical Society, Edmund B. Thornton. The Endowment, received from the Edmund B. Thornton Foundation, will be used for reimbursement of compensation paid for interns.

The Officers and Board of Directors along with the Staff and Members of the Society are honored to have received this generous gift from Susan and Taylor Thornton, the wife and daughter  of Edmund, on behalf of the Thornton Foundation.

Beginning in 2025, the Society will utilize endowment funds to hire interns who will assist in the collection, preservation, and education of LaSalle County history. College students studying history, or a related subject will have priority in filling these part-time or short-term paid positions. Important duties such as assisting with collections research & digitization projects, drafting articles, and helping with Museum events are examples of jobs interns perform.

a photo of several society members, including Thornton stand next to a sign proclaiming their location the future home of the LCHS

2024 Events

  • 54th Annual Burgoo Festival
    54th Annual Burgoo Festival
    54th Annual Burgoo Festival
    Sat, Oct 12
    North Utica
    Oct 12, 2024, 11:00 AM – Oct 13, 2024, 5:00 PM
    North Utica, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Oct 12, 2024, 11:00 AM – Oct 13, 2024, 5:00 PM
    North Utica, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Join the LaSalle County Historical Society for our 54th Annual Burgoo Festival. One of Northern Illinois largest and longest running Fall Festivals occurring every Columbus Day weekend. Our famous Burgoo Stew is slow cooked along the I & M Canal and served only on Sunday.
  • Utica Garden Club Plant and Vendor Faire
    Utica Garden Club Plant and Vendor Faire
    Utica Garden Club Plant and Vendor Faire
    Sat, Jun 08
    North Utica
    Jun 08, 2024, 9:00 AM – Jun 09, 2024, 4:00 PM
    North Utica, 208 S Clark St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Jun 08, 2024, 9:00 AM – Jun 09, 2024, 4:00 PM
    North Utica, 208 S Clark St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Join the Utica Garden Club for their annual plant sale and vendor faire! The UGC will have plants, herbs, and flowers available for purchase and the LCHS Canal Market will host vendors with vintage, antique, plants, and garden themed vendors!
  • Wild Bill Days
    Wild Bill Days
    Wild Bill Days
    Sat, May 25
    North Utica
    May 25, 2024, 12:00 PM – May 26, 2024, 4:00 PM
    North Utica, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    May 25, 2024, 12:00 PM – May 26, 2024, 4:00 PM
    North Utica, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Join the LaSalle County Historical Society as we celebrate the life and times of famous LaSalle County Native, Wild Bill Hickok. A live eight scene re-enactment of Wild Bill Hickok's life will take place 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Antiquin' Weekend
    Antiquin' Weekend
    Antiquin' Weekend
    Sat, Apr 27
    North Utica
    Apr 27, 2024, 11:00 AM – Apr 28, 2024, 5:00 PM
    North Utica, 210 S Clark St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    Apr 27, 2024, 11:00 AM – Apr 28, 2024, 5:00 PM
    North Utica, 210 S Clark St, North Utica, IL 61373, USA
    The LCHS Canal Market will have vintage and antique vendors set up throughout the weekend!

LCHS Business Partners

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by

the compassionate actions of its members" -Coretta Scott King

Thank you to our local Business Members! 

It is with your support that we are able to preserve local history!

LaSalle - 90.44.4.tif

LaSalle

EUREKA SAVINGS BANK
HARTAUER INSURANCE
LASALLE STATE BANK

XPO

an old photo of a street in Peru, IL

Peru

DUFFYS AUTO SALES
EUREKA SAVINGS BANK
LASALLE STATE BANK

an old photo of a street in Mendota, IL

Mendota

EUREKA SAVINGS BANK

an old photo of a street in Utica, IL

Utica

JOHN & RINA'S

LASALLE STATE BANK

LODI TAPHOUSE

THE ROCK AND SOUL

THE VILLAGE OF NORTH UTICA

UTICA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

BRUCE & OLLIES

STONEHEAD LEATHER

JOY N' EDS 

​​

an old photo of a street in Streator, IL

STREATOR

BECOME THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR STREATOR

an old photo of a street in Ottawa, IL

Ottawa

DUFFYS AUTO SALES

an old photo of a street in Cedar Point, IL

CEDAR POINT

BECOME THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR CEDAR POINT

an old photo of a street in Marseilles, IL

MARSEILLES

BECOME THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR MARSEILLES

an old photo of a street in Seneca, IL

SENECA

BECOME THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR SENECA

A photo of a man in a suit standing at the edge of a small waterfall. Tonica, IL

TONICA

BECOME THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR TONICA

Photo of Cement Mill, Oglesby IL

Oglesby

EUREKA SAVINGS BANK

STARVED ROCK MEDIA

Photo of old Earlville train station. a train is coming down the tracks, and a conductor awaits it on the left side of the image.

EARLVILLE

BE THE FIRST BUSINESS TO JOIN FOR EARLVILLE!

Contact Us

Thanks for reaching out!

A collage of production photos (actor getting makeup applied, cast groupings), tickets, and newspaper clippings is laid out on a table. It is for the play Heartsease, produced in 1912 at LP Twnshp High School
bottom of page