
Welcome To The LaSalle County Historical Society
Discover LaSalle County's Rich History
The LaSalle County Historical Society campus is located on the banks of the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal and is situated in the quaint village of Utica, Illinois. Bordering beautiful Starved Rock State Park with an annual attendance of 2.2 to 2.8 million, it sits 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 Society’s exhibits and activities include: Canal Warehouse, Heritage Center, Canal Market, Blacksmiths Shop, One-Room Schoolhouse, our Annual Burgoo Festival and Wild Bill Hickok Days and much more.

Hours of Operation
Museum Complex open to the public Friday through Sunday 12-4pm and by appointment Monday-Thursday by emailing office@lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org (two weeks notice needed for staffing).
Admissions
There is no admission to visit our museum, but we ask that you consider making a donation while enjoying our many exhibits and buildings that house our local history! Those donations are what keeps our museum doors open to the public.
Upcoming Events
- Sat, Oct 07North Utica
- Sat, May 27North UticaMay 27, 12:00 PM – May 28, 4:00 PMNorth Utica, 101 E Canal St, North Utica, IL 61373, USAJoin the LaSalle County Historical Society for our 4th Annual Wild Bill Days on Memorial Day Weekend in Utica! Special re-enactments of the life and times of LaSalle County native, Wild Bill Hickok, will be performed. Family friendly entertainment and special exhibits too!
- Sat, Apr 29North Utica
- Sun, Mar 26Oglesby
“The Land and the People Hold Memories,”
A Illinois State Historical Society Initiative
In the spring of 2023, the Illinois State Historical Society will launch a statewide project to encourage local historical societies to promote the writing of short memoirs—roughly one to three typed pages—by older residents which reflect their Illinois experience in the post-World War II era (the later 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s). A selection of those will then be published, either in a collection devoted to memoirs of that area within the state (which would be locally funded and sold) or in a series for a local newspaper or a society newsletter. The submitted typescripts will all be donated to, and preserved in, a regional library archives, so that future historians and genealogical researchers can benefit from those writings.
This memoir writing and publication project is being developed for a variety of reasons:
To increase general awareness of, and interest in, local history in areas throughout the state.
To draw public attention to the varied experience of Illinois residents in a remarkable era of cultural change—involving women’s roles, the Black experience, the Viet Nam War, TV, etc.
To foster appreciation for older residents, who have experienced so much significant cultural change—and can often benefit psychologically from the experience of memoir writing.
To foster a meaningful belonging among residents of all ages, who will read the memoirs.
To promote the importance of membership in historical organizations throughout the state.
This project is titled “The Land and the People Hold Memories,” which is a line by Carl Sandburg, from a poem that promotes meaningful belonging through remembered experience. The Illinois State Historical Society advisor for this statewide effort is the organization’s vice president, John Hallwas and will be promoted through Illinois Heritage magazine.
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