Settled by Europeans since 1680 and a state for nearly 200, Illinois has been shaped by successive waves of history. In the 19th century, the hopeful days of early statehood, the glory of Abraham Lincoln’s election and the boom and bustle of post-Civil War building gave rise to a wide variety of fanciful Victorian architecture. Toward the end of that century a devastating urban fire was followed by a World’s Fair that engendered a renaissance in architectural styles, with Chicago ushering in the age of the skyscraper with its Art Deco edifices. The capitalist tycoons of the pre-Depression era constructed mansions and pleasure grounds in every style imaginable.
Each of these eras has left behind impressive monuments to its creativity, and today attendees can step right into history with group activities and historic venues in every region of Illinois.
Chicagoland
Chicago’s colorful history, with its triumphs of art and invention, its tragic disasters and its seamy underworld of corruption, has captivated the world for generations. Groups can take advantage of endless options to discover the Windy City’s storied past.
“The multitude of historic options really sets Chicago apart from other destinations,” says Mark Theis, executive vice president of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CTB). “We have everything from opera houses to train stations to mansions that survived the Great Chicago Fire.”
The 2004 book The Devil in the White City has fueled many visitors’ imaginations, and its real-life hero, 19th century architect and urban planner Daniel “Make no small plans” Burnham, had a significant impact on the way the city has evolved.
“Burnham exemplifies Chicago’s spirit,” Theis says. “Burnham was a true leader and visionary for the city of Chicago. He accepted the responsibility to produce and oversee the plan of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and published the 1909 Plan of Chicago, which influenced not only how Chicagoans have shaped their city, but also how they have envisioned urban life.”
The Chicago Architectural Foundation offers a very popular The Devil in the White City bus tour for groups as large as 106. Groups will learn about the World’s Fair and how it shaped today’s Chicago, see buildings fair-goers would have seen, and find out about the world’s first mass murderer, the “devil” of the title.
On O’Leary’s Chicago Fire Truck Tours, passengers get the details about the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871 while riding through the city on antique fire trucks seating up to 36.
Given Chicago’s long and checkered history and reputation for fabulous architecture, distinctive venues are plentiful here.
The Civic Opera House was built in 1929 as a fusion of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, both popular at the time. Recently restored and more splendid than ever, it offers a 3,600-seat theater, a grand foyer capable of welcoming 700 for receptions, and two smaller spaces suitable for 250 and 75, respectively.
Designed by Burnham himself, the fantastic Union Station is widely reckoned to be one of the most awe-inspiring indoor spaces in the U.S. Its 20,000-square-foot Great Hall is designed in the Beaux Arts style and features 18 columns, a pink marble floor and a vaulted five-story ceiling sure to make any event a memorable one.
The Museum of Science & Industry is housed in the Palace of Fine Arts, originally built for the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 and now its only remaining building. The entire museum can accommodate 5,000. Receptions in the Rotunda can be as large as 2,500 beneath a British “Spitfire” fighter plane suspended from the dome. The U-505 Exhibit welcomes 500 and gives groups a chance to explore a real German submarine. An 850-seat auditorium and a 325-seat Omnimax theater are among its other spaces.
Chicago’s suburbs offer a wealth of opportunities to explore regional history, with links to the metropolis and its legacy of culture and architecture.
To the south lies a mecca for railroad enthusiasts.
“The Pullman Factory area is now a Chicago neighborhood that is carefully preserving its history,” says Jim Garrett, president and CEO of the Chicago Southland CVB. “Short tours and interpretive facilities are available, and events can be tailored to meeting planner needs.”
The town of Pullman was built in the late 1880s as a model industrial town for Pullman’s Palace Car Company in the days when sleeper cars enabled travelers to cross the country in comfort and style. Guided group walking tours for as many as 100 give insight into this chapter in American history.
Oak Park has a most unique place in both architectural and literary history. The town is not only the birthplace of writer Ernest Hemingway, but can also boast the world’s largest collection of Prairie Style houses and buildings designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust offers both guided and self-guided walking tours, and private custom tours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more.
West of Chicago, DuPage County provides several attractions of historical interest.
“Even without its proximity to Chicago, DuPage could easily stand on its own as a destination with its broad variety of historical venues—from military to religious to simply relating how life was for those who came before us,” says Skip Strittmatter, executive director of the DuPage County CVB. “A few of our historical sites, like Cantigny and Mayslake Peabody Estate, also provide architectural interest and beautiful, peaceful gardens.”
Cantigny Park in Wheaton unites several sites in one area. Built in 1896, Robert R. McCormick Museum is the former country home of the family that made the Chicago Tribune the “World’s Greatest Newspaper.” Group tours are available for 25 or more. The First Division Museum memorializes the heroism, achievements and sacrifices of the 1st Infantry Division. Groups as large as 200 are welcome.
Some communities just live and breathe history, and groups feel a difference from the moment they arrive.
“Since the turn of the last century, historic St. Charles has been a destination for travelers seeking a comfortable haven in a scenic setting,” says Carol Mitchell, senior sales manager at the St. Charles CVB. “Public art and historic architecture help define the downtown districts of St. Charles. Historic downtown St. Charles includes brick, riverstone and clapboard dwellings dating from the 1850s.”
The 900-seat Arcada Theater is available for rentals. Its large stage makes it versatile for nearly any type of performance or presentation. Located across the Fox River from the theater, Hotel Baker was built in 1928 and offers 53 guest rooms and meeting space for 300 maintained in vintage, timeless elegance. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Northern Illinois
Rockford, until recently Illinois’ second-largest city, has strong cultural ties to Scandinavia reaching back nearly two centuries.
“When Swedish citizens were immigrating to North America, they asked the railway workers on the platform where to go,” explains John Giantonio, vice president and chief sales officer at the Rockford Area CVB. “The answer was, ‘The end of the line,’ which was Rockford, Ill. To this day, Rockford maintains a large population of Swedish-Americans and a strong connection to the country of Sweden.”
Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens is a rare example of Victorian exotic architecture. Built in 1865, the “cottage” was built by early Rockford industrialist and then-Mayor Robert Tinker. It features parquet floors, ornate woodwork, murals, sculptures, and a spiral staircase. Groups as large as 50 can meet in the rebuilt 1870s barn, and outdoor gatherings find a perfect backdrop in a grove of 200-year-old oaks.
The history of the Quad Cities of Moline and Rock Island, Ill., and Bettendorf and Davenport, Iowa, is tied to the Mississippi River and to agriculture.
“At the Putnam Museum and IMAX Theatre, attendees can explore the Quad Cities’ history, from the early Native American settlements to the 21st century in the River, Prairie and People permanent exhibit,” says Lynn Hunt, vice president of sales for the Quad Cities CVB. “Moline is also the home of John Deere.”
Putnam Museum can host banquets as large as 200 and receptions as large as 500.
John Deere shaped the history of the Midwest when he invented his self-scouring plow in 1848. The John Deere Pavilion can welcome as many as 200 guests. Blacksmithing demonstrations are available.
Jo Davies County and its principal town of Galena, nestled into the state’s northwestern corner, has its own angle on history, with a wide variety of historic architecture and the unique distinction of having produced nine Civil War generals, including Ulysses S. Grant, who later became the nation’s 18th president.
“This destination’s 19th century history and architecture landed much of the region on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to be a draw for meetings, group tours and leisure visitors,” says Michael Leyva, director of sales at the Galena/Jo Daviess County CVB. “The architecture here ranges from the elegant mansions on Galena’s “Quality Hill” and elsewhere—in a variety of styles including Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, and Italianate—to tiny brick or frame miners’ cottages.”
Having opened for business in 1855, Galena’s De Soto House Hotel is the state’s oldest operating hotel. The stately brick property offers 55 Victorian-style rooms, a ballroom suitable for gatherings of 175 and six smaller meeting rooms.
Galena Trolley Tours, narrated by experts in local history and architecture, give groups as large as 135 the opportunity to learn about this charming town in an open-air replica cable car.
Kept fresh and cool in the summer by Lake Michigan to the east and the Chain O’Lakes to the west, Lake County has been a popular summer vacation destination for wealthy Chicagoans for generations. Today it boasts several grand estates that have been restored and made available for private event rental.
“We offer some wonderful historic settings for off-site events, elegant summer homes built in the 1920s that have been restored to their original grandeur,” says Maureen Riedy, president of the Lake County CVB. “Additionally, the Deer Path Inn, located in charming downtown Lake Forest, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This landmark hotel, built in the style of an English Manor House, features 55 finely detailed rooms and 8,000 square feet of meeting space. It’s an ideal venue for meetings and special events of up to 350.”
Cuneo Museum and Gardens in Vernon Hills was built as a Venetian-style private home in 1914. Today its antique furnishings bring the decadent air of the Gilded Age to groups of 150 and larger. Built in 1912 as a summer home, the stately Lehman Mansion is available for indoor banquets as large as 72 and receptions as large as 300. An outdoor tented space has a capacity for 400.
Central Illinois
Although Illinois is the Land of Lincoln, the central region of the state is where Honest Abe primarily lived and practiced law during his adult life. Fierce pride in the 16th president is a virtue here, and a wide variety of attractions and historical buildings furnish groups with opportunities to explore the life and times of the state’s favorite son.
Lincoln moved to Springfield in 1837 when it was designated the state’s new capital, due in part to his lobbying efforts. He lived and worked there as a lawyer and congressman until 1861, when he was elected president.
“Many of Springfield’s historic sites and attractions are available for special events,” says Gina Gemberling, director of sales for the Springfield CVB. “The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum offers a spectacular setting for convention functions. Lincoln’s New Salem is an excellent setting for a picnic or a unique themed event. Of course, a convention in Springfield would not be complete without a visit by a Lincoln presenter or interpreter.”
The 215,000-square-foot Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum offers a number of event spaces. The 4,500-square-foot rotunda of the museum can welcome receptions of 500. Its Exelon Union Theater seats 250. The library features a soaring atrium for receptions as large as 250 as well as several conference rooms.
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, located 20 miles northwest of Springfield, is a reconstruction of the 1830s community where Lincoln spent his early adulthood and studied law. Groups of 15 or more can arrange picnics and special tours, including night tours by candlelight. Weekend theater performances are held in the summer in a 475-seat amphitheater.
Peoria was settled by French explorers in 1680, making it one of the oldest communities in Illinois. President Theodore Roosevelt is said to have proclaimed the two-and-a-half-mile scenic Grand View Drive the “world’s most beautiful drive” during a visit in 1910. It is now a registered historic district.
Peoria’s imposing 288-room Pere Marquette Hotel was built in 1926 and offers 18,000 square feet of meeting space. The two-day Peoria Industry & Historical Tour comprises tours of historical sites such as the Caterpillar machinery plant, the Wheels O’ Time vintage automobile museum, the grand homes of great industrialists, and a cruise on a paddle wheel riverboat.
Champaign and Urbana are best known as the home of the oldest and largest campus of the University of Illinois system, founded here in 1868, but they claim their own share in Lincoln’s story, too. He lost his first case at Champaign County Courthouse.
“Champaign County’s history spans 200 years and is highlighted in part by Abraham Lincoln and his days of practicing law as well as many firsts courtesy of the University of Illinois,” says Scott Hockman, executive director at the Champaign County CVB. “Champaign County’s history is both unique and exciting to experience.”
Local history experts Richard and Kay McGuire offer guided group tours of the university’s historic buildings and nearby sites.
Bloomington-Normal is another thriving college town where Lincoln once practiced law.
What is now the McLean County Museum of History was once a county courthouse where a tall young lawyer with a penchant for stovepipe hats worked. The museum is available for private rentals, with the courtroom seating 100 or the entire facility open to as many as 350 for receptions.
Bloomington was also the home of one of Lincoln’s most important friends and supporters.
“The David Davis Mansion was the home of Judge David Davis, the friend, mentor and campaign manager for Abraham Lincoln,” says Jon Robinson, communications manager for the Bloomington-Normal Area CVB. “It stands as an impressive reminder of the important role that Illinois played in America’s history during the 19th century.”
Built in 1872 in a combination of Italianate and Second Empire styles, the David Davis mansion can host receptions for 200 inside or 500 outdoors. There is seated meeting space for 30.
Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois earned the nickname “Little Egypt” in the 1830s, when poor harvests in the north drove people to the area to purchase grain, reminding them of the biblical story of Joseph.
With a population of 26,000, Carbondale is the largest community in the region. Memorial Day was created in 1868 with a ceremony at Woodlawn Cemetery in Carbondale officiated by Civil War Gen. John. A. Logan. The cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Nearly 300,000 acres of Southern Illinois are covered by Shawnee National Forest, which was established in the late 1930s. The park preserves, in some parts, nearly pristine wilderness just as Native Americans and early settlers found it. Outfitters can provide guided tours for groups on horseback.
For More Info:
Aurora Area CVB 630.897.5581
www.enjoyaurora.com
Bloomington–Normal Area CVB 309.665.0033
www.visitbn.org
Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau 618.529.4451
www.cctb.org
Champaign County CVB 217.351.4133
www.visitchampaigncounty.org
Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau 312.567.8500
www.choosechicago.com
Chicago Southland CVB 708.895.8200
www.cscvb.com
Chicago’s North Shore CVB 847.763.0011
www.cnscvb.com
Decatur Area CVB 217.423.7000
www.decaturcvb.com
DuPage CVB6 30.575.8070
www.dupagecvb.com
Effingham CVB 217.342.5310
www.visiteffinghamil.com
Elgin Area CVB 847.695.7540
www.enjoyelgin.com
Galena/Jo Daviess County CVB 815.777.3557
www.galena.org
Heritage Corridor CVB (Joliet) 815.727.2323
www.heritagecorridorcvb.com
Kankakee County CVB 815.935.7390
www.visitkankakeecounty.com
Lake County Illinois CVB 847.662.2700
www.lakecounty.org
Lisle CVB 630.769.1000
www.lislecvb.com
Oak Park Area CVB 708.524.7800
www.visitoakpark.com
Prospect Heights CVB 847.577.3666
www.chicagonorthsuburbs.com
Peoria Area CVB 309.676.0303
www.peoria.org
Quad Cities CVB 309.277.0937
www.visitquadcities.com
Rockford Area CVB 815.963.8111
www.gorockford.com
Rosemont Convention Bureau Development Office 847.823.2100
www.rosemont.com
Southernmost Illinois Tourism 618.833.9928
www.southernmostillinois.com
Springfield CVB 217.789.2360
www.visit-springfieldillinois.com
St. Charles CVB 630.377.6161
www.visitstcharles.com
Williamson County Tourism Bureau 618.997.3690
www.wctb.org
Woodfield Chicago Northwest CVB 847.490.1010
www.chicagonorthwest.com
