| Pioneer Gothic Church |
| The Keeley Building |
| The Keeley Building is located at 310 South Prairie. Built in the 1890s by John R. Oughton as a residence for his mother-in-law, Mrs. Bennett. In 1920 it was remodeled into the administration building of the Keeley Institute. It was redesigned and remodeled again in 1942. After the closing of the Keeley Institute in 1966, it was converted into a general office building and now houses an investment firm, attorney, insurance and previously housed newspaper offices. |
| The Pioneer Gothic Church is located at the corner of Franklin and Seminole, it was built in 1857. This is a fine example of Carpenter Gothic Architecture. Pointed arched windows and doors as well as board and batten frame construction characterize this style. The steeple is 80' high. Richard P. Morgan, Jr. donated the land for the church. The cost of the building was $2,650 and became the Presbyterian Church, which maintained a congregation until 1890. From 1891 - 1893 the Keeley Company used the church as a clubroom. In December of 1893, the Danish Methodist Episcopal Church bought the building for $700. The building was then sold to the Christian Science Society in 1924 and was again sold in 1956 to the Calvary Baptist Church who sold it in 1964 to Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Jensen.Mr. & Mrs. Jensen sold it in 1966 for $6,264.00, given by Charles McWilliams in memory of his Uncle Edward, to the Dwight Historical Society. The Historical Society raised $29,000 to completely renovate the building. In order to insure the future of the building, the Historical Society gave the church to Dwight Township to be used as their Town Hall. On July 1, 1977, James H. Oughton, President of the Historical Society, presented the deed to Clement J. Steichen, Township Supervisor.The Prince of Wales, son of Queen Victoria and later to become King Edward VII, arrived in Dwight on September 22, 1860 and visited the church. The Prince spent a week in Dwight "shooting on the prairie." |
| The Country Mansion is located 101 East South Street. Built in 1891, The Country Mansion originated as the Scott House, a twenty room Victorian boarding house, located one block northeast of its present location. In 1894, the three story structure was moved to its current site by the use of horses, according to town historians. In 1895, the home was elaborately renovated under the direction of Joliet architect Julian Barnes, to become the residence of John R. Oughton, one of the founders of the Keeley Institute. In 1977, the home was purchased by the Ohlendorfs, remodeled and reopened as The Country Mansion. The Bakery has been in the same family since 1907. On September 23, 1980 the home was placed, and remains today, on "The National Register of Historic Places." |
| Weese Blacksmith Shop |
| Oughton Estate Windmill |
| The Weese Blacksmith Shop is located at 100 North Franklin Street. For many years it was the Reeb Monument works. Peter Riccolo worked here as a stonecutter. The building currently houses Grieff's Precious Monuments. |
| Mickelson Building |
| The Oughton Estate Windmill is located behind The Country Mansion. It was built in 1896 to supply water for the Oughton Estate and grounds. In 1975, the head of the Windmill was destroyed. In 1977 the Ohlendorfs had a new head shipped from South America to replace the old one. This head was again repaired in June of 2003 to begin the restoration and renovation of the Windmill. On September 23, 1980, the Windmill was placed on the "National Register of Historic Places". |
| The Mickelson Building, located at 160 - 162 East Main Street, was built in 1880 and is known as a flat-iron building. This building was purchased in 1938 by Forrest Klingler and used as a jewelry store for many years. It also housed a restaurant which is now the Hair Affair and an insurance office. There are also several apartments upstairs. Bob Klingler sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Hahn who own it now. |
| Baker Building |
| Oughton Estate Carriage House |
| The Baker Building is located at 144 East Main Street. It presently houses Emling Florist. In April of 1854, Isaac H. Baker, a railroad surveyor and carpenter, built a hut at this location that came to be known as the Baker Cabinet and Coffin Shop. Charles M. Baker joined the business in 1872. Roy M. Baker continued the business until James Baker took the business over in 1945. |
| The Oughton Estate Carriage House is located on Carriage Way. This building presently houses the Prairie Creek District Library. Built in 1896 as a carriage house where it housed prize cattle and horses for the Oughton Estate, it was later transformed into a treatment and recreation building for the Keeley Co. In 1989, the Oughtons donated the building to the library. On September 23, 1980, the Library was placed on the "National Register of Historic Places". |
| Miller Brothers Store |
| Railway Express Office |
| The Miller Brothers Store is located at 140 East Main Street. It was operated by Joe and Carl Miller as a clothing and dry goods store. It housed Kaiser's 10c to $1.00 store for many years. It presently is occupied by Candy Bouquet and Custom Framing. |
| The Railway Express Office is adjacent to the Depot. This building was built about 1892 or 1893. In 1986 the building was remodeled to become the home of the Dwight Chamber of Commerce. It presently houses the offices of the Dwight Main Street Program. |
| The Depot |
| The Bank of Dwight is located at 132 East Main Street. It was founded April 10, 1855 and was next door to the David McWilliams store. This is the 5tholdest bank in Illinois. The bank remained in the McWilliams family until 1963 when it was sold to independent investors. In 1965, control was sold to the Murphy familyThe current building was built in 1910 and remains the same except for two canopies. In 1974 the interior was expanded and remodeled into the adjoining building which was the site of the David McWilliams store, the first store built in 1855 in DwightPlease note the farm scene murals, painted by Vienna-born Oskar Gross, one located above the front windows and one directly across from it inside the bank lobby. |
| The railroad depot is located at 119 West Main Street. The original depot, built in 1854, was a one and one-half story frame structure measuring 16' x 24'. A new depot was design by Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb who had also designed buildings at the University of Chicago, the Newberry Library, and the Chicago Post Office. Built in 1891, the depot was designed in the Richardson Romanesque style, measuring 75' x 25' surrounded by an 18' concrete platform. The foundation is Joliet stone and the building is made of Bedford bluestone from Indiana. Gables extend from each side with four double hung windows on the ground floor. The second story features two coupled windows with a fanlight over each. The facing stone above the fanlight has DWIGHT carved it in. Each gable has a Quatrefoil ornament on topThe Dwight Depot, placed on the "National Registry of Historic Places" on December 27, 1982, is one of only a few remaining railroad stations between Chicago and St. Louis featuring the architectural design of the 1890's. Southbound trains stop in Dwight at 9:39am and 6:39pm to pick up and drop off passengers, while northbound trains stop at 8:17am and 6:57pm daily. For reservations and information,1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) or call your travel agent. You can also visit Amtrak on the internet. In 1983, the Dwight Historical Society bought the depot from the town. Restoration began in 1984 to transform the building into our Village Hall. When the village built a new Village Complex in 1998, the Dwight Historical Society moved the Museum into the north end of the building. The south end is a meeting room for the Historical Society and also houses the office of the Dwight Chamber of Commerce. |
| Strong Bank Building |
| The Strong Bank Building is located at 106 East Main Street. Built in 1873, this was the site of the Strong Bank that operated one year before going broke. It is the only building on East Main Street that is mainly as it was in 1855. This building is the current office of Ron Wilder Insurance and Real Estate. |
| Keeley Office Building |
| The First National Bank of Dwight is located at 122 West Main Street. It was built in 1905 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Frank L. Smith commissioned the construction of the building. The bank stock was primarily owned by Oughton, Judd, Romberger, Miller and Ludington. This building remains much the same as when constructed. |
| Livingston Hotel |
| The Keeley Office Building is located at 128 West Main Street. The Keeley Institute was a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The original building was built in 1891. It was rebuilt as it is today after a fire in 1902. In 1919 the building was leased to the Veteran's Administration. The U.S. Government later bought the entire complex including the Livingston Hotel. Windows representing the five senses were from the studio of Louis J. Millet who worked with Tiffany but also had his own business in Chicago. He has windows in the Art Institute and in the Smith Art Glass Museum on Navy Pier. In July of 1965, the Veteran's Administration closed and the State of Illinois took over the building for the W. W. Fox Children's Center. It is presently called the W. W. Fox Developmental Center. |
| The Livingston Hotel is located at the corner of West Main and Mazon Avenue. At one time the hotel housed Keeley Institute patients and was later bought by the V.A. for patient rooms. |
| United States Post Office |
| The post office is located at the corner of Mazon and Prairie. The corner stone laying of the Post Office took place January 2, 1937, and the dedication was on April 10, 1937. The mural on the east wall was done by Carlos Lopez in 1937. The subject of the fresco is the off loading of mail. The small scenes below depict the dangers early mail carriers are said to have encountered. Mr. Lopez's most ambitious work is a Civil War scene in the Register of Deeds Building in Washington, D. C. |
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| Dwight is a quiet little town and an unexpected storehouse of architectural treasures. Check out the First National Bank of Dwight, opened in 1906 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright to convey the solidness of a small town bank. Another bank, the Bank of Dwight (1855), has farm scene murals created by Vienna-born artist Oskar Gross. And before leaving town, stop by the Dwight Railroad Depot, a Romanesque building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take our pictorial tour and see some of the pride of Dwight the friendliest town in the whole USA. Built in the 1920's, Route 66, also known as "The Mother Road" brought many people through Dwight on their way West looking for a more prosperous life. The road was originally built as Route 4 and has followed four different routes through Dwight. |
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| DWIGHT |
| An authentic 1930's gas station located on the corner of Routes 66 & 17has been restored to serve as a village welcome center. The station was named to the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. |
| Ambler-Becker Texaco Station |
| Stop by and visit the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant right on Old Route 66 in Dwight. Bring your camera for a memorable picture of you and your family by the famous mural on the side of the restaurant. |
The Route 66 Java Stop is conveniently located off
of I-55 and Old Route 66 in Dwight, Illinois. It is
presently closed and looking for a new owner but is
still a great photo op!
of I-55 and Old Route 66 in Dwight, Illinois. It is
presently closed and looking for a new owner but is
still a great photo op!
| To arrange groups tours of Dwight, contact Janice at the Main Street Office 815-584-1830. May 7 & 8, 2011 Saturday and Sunday – town-wide garage sales; Becker Texaco Welcome Center open 9 - 4PM. Visit and Discover Historic Dwight - the home of Windmills, Waddle & Wright! To get more info about the 2010 Red Carpet Corridor event, contact Contact Kevin McNamara, 815-584-3077. |
| DOWNTOWN JOLIET ELWOOD WILMINGTON BRAIDWOOD GODLEY BRACEVILLE GARDNER DWIGHT ODELL PONTIAC CHENOA LEXINGTON TOWANDA HOME LINKS |
| Click here to read a great article about Dwight. |