Check out these unique destinations that reflect the genuine character of our region.
The Bess Bower Dunn Museum
1899 W. Winchester Road, Libertyville, (847) 968-3400, lcfpd.org
To tell Lake County’s story properly, the Bess Bower Dunn Museum starts about 4 billion years ago, in a time when dinosaurs like the museum’s life-sized Dryptosaurus roamed the area with impunity.
From there, visitors are whisked ahead to explore an authentic wigwam like those of thePotawatomi people who once lived here. Visitors can also sit in a reproduction of a one-room schoolhouse, examine a gatling gun and other artifacts from the Civil War, or take in the stunning landscape in the Woodland Theater.
The museum’s namesake, Bess Bower Dunn, was recognized as the county’s first official historian. It was one of many firsts for Dunn, who was also the first assistant probate clerk for Lake County, one of the county’s first genealogists and, after appearing in a film shot by local inventor Edward Amet, one of the first women to be recorded on film.
The museum is operated by the Lake County Forest Preserves, which protects nearly 31,000 acres of natural land.
While the museum is always worth an in-person visit, a YouTube channel, called DunnTV, offers another avenue to see inside. Through short videos like its Historymakers series, the Museum is reaching beyond Lake County to continue its role as a place for explorers, storytellers, stewards and educators.
Carousel Horses at the Woodstock Public Library
414 W. Judd St., Woodstock, (815) 338-0542, woodstockpubliclibrary.org
Libraries are more than just a treasure trove for books. They’re also a repository for eclectic artifacts collected in the communities they serve.
Woodstock Public Library is no exception. There are several interesting pieces of art hidden among the stacks and common areas. The most prominent is a pair of carousel horses, frozen in mid-trot, around the adult collection. The red horse, named “Jigsaw” sports a coat of jigsaw puzzle pieces, while “Under the Sea” has an underwater theme, with sea life swimming along its watery sides.
The horses were originally part of a fundraiser held at Main Stay Therapeutic Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding facility in nearby Richmond. As part of the fundraiser, carousel horses were painted by local artists, displayed around Woodstock, then auctioned off. “Under the Sea” was painted by local artist and art teacher Kathy Algrim, while “Jigsaw” was decorated by Nancy Steinmeyer. Both horses were donated to the library by an anonymous benefactor.
The carousel horses are not the only unique finds inside. A small food pantry is in its foyer, and a Library of Things, stocked with tools and devices that people may only need to use once or twice, is available for cardholders to rent out and return.
‘From the Water Comes My Bounty’
414 W. Judd St., Woodstock, (815) 338-0542, woodstockpubliclibrary.org
Libraries are more than just a treasure trove for books. They’re also a repository for eclectic artifacts collected in the communities they serve.
Woodstock Public Library is no exception. There are several interesting pieces of art hidden among the stacks and common areas. The most prominent is a pair of carousel horses, frozen in mid-trot, around the adult collection. The red horse, named “Jigsaw” sports a coat of jigsaw puzzle pieces, while “Under the Sea” has an underwater theme, with sea life swimming along its watery sides.
The horses were originally part of a fundraiser held at Main Stay Therapeutic Farm, a therapeutic horseback riding facility in nearby Richmond. As part of the fundraiser, carousel horses were painted by local artists, displayed around Woodstock, then auctioned off. “Under the Sea” was painted by local artist and art teacher Kathy Algrim, while “Jigsaw” was decorated by Nancy Steinmeyer. Both horses were donated to the library by an anonymous benefactor.
The carousel horses are not the only unique finds inside. A small food pantry is in its foyer, and a Library of Things, stocked with tools and devices that people may only need to use once or twice, is available for cardholders to rent out and return.