The museum was started as “The Piatt County Pioneers” on March 11, 1965. The name was changed in December of 1965 to “The Illinois Pioneer Heritage Center.” Through the years, many dedicated people worked to preserve the heritage and artifacts unique to Piatt County. The name was changed to “The Piatt County Museum” in January of 1996. They are currently erecting the old University of Illinois Beef Barn and in order to create a new facility for their museum near the Train Museum.

The Piatt County Museum in Monticello features artifacts from the last 100 years, dioramas and Standard Oil from the early days of the area. If you are eager to learn more about Lincoln’s Piatt County, there is no better place to start!

Address: Currently being built!	Contact: (217) 762-4731
Hours: Call for Hours.

James Piatt Sr. came to this Central Illinois territory in 1829 and called the area Piatt's Point. In 1837, a plat was registered by Piatt and it was named Monticello by Major James McReynolds, an admirer of Thomas Jefferson. Industry progressed with the incorporation of the Monticello Railroad Company in 1861 and by the 1880's, Monticello was a major business hub in Central Illinois.

Monticello joined the patent medicine boom in 1893 with the founding of the Pepsin Syrup Company by Harry Crea and Dr. W. B. Caldwell. They were later joined in partnership by John Hott and A. F. Moore. Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin, an early laxative, was one of the notable patent medicines produced in Monticello. Later brand recognition products among the Caldwell product line was Fletcher's Castoria and Campho-Phenique. In 1925, Moore and Hott sold their Pepsin interest to Sterling Products Company for $5,000,000.

Historic State Street Part 2

The continual success of the company helped spawn the construction of mansions on North State Street that became known as "Millionaire's Row”. Experience this evolution and growth of wealth on this one of a kind walking tour through Historic State Street in Monticello Illinois!

www.monticellotourism.net/
Walking Tour pdf

Address: State St., Monticello IL	Contact: (217) 762-7921
Hours: 24 Hours

Historic State Street Part 1

Everyone knows that Lincoln expanded the railroads and used them heavily during the Civil War as President, but before that he road the rails, as they arrived throughout the Eighth Judicial Circuit and even argued cases for and against the railroads in Illinois. Now visitors can experience a bit of the railroad magic in Central Illinois.

Visitors can ride vintage trains over former Illinois Central track. The Monticello Railway Museum is located on the north side of Monticello off Interstate 72 at exit 166, trains run weekends and holidays May through October. Visit the display cars and gift shop. The ride is 7 miles round trip and you may board at the museum site or the historic downtown Wabash Depot. The depot was built in 1899 and houses the Chamber of Commerce.

www.mrym.org

Address: 992 Iron Horse Place, Monticello, IL 61856	Contact: (217) 762-9011 (877) 762-9011
Hours: They are open all weekends over the summer, but have regular events scheduled. Check their website for regular track schedules or call for more information.

The 1500-acre woodland, garden, meadow, and prairie landscape that surrounds the Allerton Mansion was once the private estate of Robert Henry Allerton. Named “The Farms,” the estate was the center of the 12,000-acre Illinois agricultural enterprise acquired during the latter half of the 1800s by Robert’s father Samuel. The family wealth however, extended far beyond Illinois. Samuel Allerton owned more than 80,000 acres of farmland, was a founding principal of the First National Bank of Chicago, and held prominent leadership positions in five major stockyards, including the Union Stockyards of Chicago.

Today, Allerton is operated under the guidance of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Allerton Retreat Center (Mansion) is used as a retreat and conference facility by University, state, and corporate clients. The natural areas of the Park are used by a variety of University departments, as well as other universities and conservation agencies, for environmental study and for participatory student interactions. Both the Retreat Center and Park areas are used for wonderfully unique weddings and special events.

Allerton Park Part 2

What was once the private oasis for a single family is now a vibrant teaching, recreational, and celebratory sanctuary for nearly 100,000 guests every year. Allerton Park and Retreat Center is a unique cultural and environmental asset of the University of Illinois and serves as a bridge between the public and the educational and research resources of the University’s faculty.

allerton.illinois.edu/

Address: 515 Old Timber Rd., Monticello, IL	Contact: (217) 333-3287
Hours: Park : 8:00 am - Dusk Visitor Center : Sun - Sat : 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (staffed only on weekends, April – November) Closed on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Allerton Park Part 1

Bryant Cottage was built in 1856 by Francis E. Bryant a friend and political ally of Senator Stephen A. Douglas. According to Bryant family tradition, on the evening of July 29, 1858, Douglas and Abraham Lincoln conferred in the parlor of this house to plan the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates. The picturesque one-story, four-room wood frame cottage has been “restored” and is interpreted as an example of a middle-class life in mid-nineteenth-century Illinois. The furniture on display is of the Renaissance Revival style, appropriate for a small-town family of the mid-nineteenth century.

The cottage is accessible to persons with disabilities. The site hosts portions of a variety of locally sponsored events throughout the year.

www.bement.com/bryant.htm

Address: 146 E. Wilson Ave., Bement, IL	Contact: (217) 678-8184
Hours: March - May, Thurs - Sun : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm June - Labor Day in September, Wed - Sun : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Post Labor Day/September - October, Thurs - Sun : 9:00 am - 5:00 pm November - February, Thurs - Sun : 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

The first courthouse owned by Piatt County was begun in 1843 by Judge Rickets, on the site of the present courthouse. Finished in 1846 by Judge Ricketts was, at that time, a Monticello carpenter and only later became the judge to oversee cases in that very same building. Judge Rickets had ordered in 1856 that a new courthouse be erected on the old site, once the old courthouse had been relocated. The original, small, wooden courthouse, after being moved to the west side of the square to make room for the new courthouse, was destroyed in a fire in 1885.

The second courthouse was built at a cost of $10,936 and was a fifty by sixty-five foot brick structure, which included a first floor for county officials and two smaller adjoining rooms on the second floor. This courthouse lasted for a fair number of years before it was severely damaged by storms which tore off the cupola and a portion of the gable end and roof of the building. At this point, the citizens of Piatt County felt that a new building was absolutely necessary. In addition, it had become inadequate for the needs of county business, as the county had grown.

The old courthouse was sold at public auction and was bought by Lodge Bros. for $138.01, which included the heating plant and the plumbing. The building was entirely removed by the first of August of that same year. The corner stone of the new building was laid on September 22, 1903 and the new courthouse was occupied by the county officials in January of 1905.