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Where is the Reddick Mansion located? The Reddick Mansion is located at 100 W. Lafayette Street in Ottawa, IL 61350.
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Where do we park when visiting the Mansion? Diagonal parking is available across the street from the Mansion on Lafayette Street. Limited parallel parking is available directly in front of the Mansion and along Columbus Street to the east.
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When are tours offered? How long are the tours? How much does a tour cost? Tours are offered Friday through Monday at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Tours generally last 60 to 90 minutes. The tour prices are: Adults - $15.00 Students (Grades K-12) - $10.00 Children 4 & under – Free
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Will the regular tour schedule ever change? Always check the website homepage for special announcements.
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May we just look around the Mansion by ourselves without paying for a tour? No, only paid guided tours are offered of the Mansion. The grounds and gardens are open to the public without a fee.
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Will we see the whole house today? No, the tour includes the ground floor, main floor, and third floor. The fourth floor is not open to the public.
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May we take photographs? Non-flash photography is allowed.
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How did William Reddick make his fortune? Various jobs held by Reddick included glass-maker, farmer, tax collector, sheriff, land appraiser, merchant, and Illinois state senator. However, it is believed that William Reddick amassed a good deal of his fortune thru land speculation.
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How much money did it cost to build the Reddick Mansion? $25,000
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Why did he build such a large and ornate home? It is believed thatReddick aspired to become the governor of Illinois or a U.S. senator. He did serve two terms as an Illinois senator, but ran unsuccessfully in 1852 and 1854 for the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Was Abraham Lincoln ever a visitor in the Reddick Mansion? While Lincoln visited Ottawa at least seven times and was an acquaintance of William Reddick, it is highly unlikely that he ever visited the Reddick home as the two men were on opposing sides of the political spectrum. Mr. Lincoln did recognize in a speech at the third Lincoln-Douglas Debate that William Reddick was on the speaker’s platform at the first of their famous debates which took place directly across the street from the Mansion. Therefore, Lincoln would have seen the Mansion as it had been completed that summer.
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Did William and Eliza Reddick have children? William and Eliza Collins Reddick had no children. They “took in” Elizabeth Funk shortly after her mother’s death in 1844. She was raised in the Reddick household but never formally adopted. In 1884 Elizabeth legally changed her name to Elizabeth Funk Reddick at the request of William Reddick. By 1887 these members of the immediate Reddick family had died.There are no surviving direct descendants of William Reddick.
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What happened to the Mansion after William Reddick’s death? In his will, Reddick left his mansion to the city of Ottawa to be used as a public library. The Mansion was opened as a library on September 19, 1888, and continued to serve the citizens of Ottawa until 1974. The Reddick Mansion Association leased the building from the City of Ottawa for 42 years. In 2017 the RMA Board of Directors purchased the building and property preparatory to commencing a $1.4 million exterior restoration of the Mansion which was completed in 2020.