Dixon in Lee County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Nachusa House
1837
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023
1. Nachusa House Marker
Dixon Hotel Company by an act of the
General Assembly of Illinois.
1837 Foundation begun.
1853 Hotel built and opened for business.
1867 Building enlarged by rough stone
addition, top story and mansard roof.
1915 Addition of the south wing.
This hotel has operated continuously
since 1853
Erected 1939 by Dixon Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the National Register of Historic Places series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1853.
Location. 41° 50.528′ N, 89° 28.931′ W. Marker is in Dixon, Illinois, in Lee County. Marker is on South Galena Avenue (U.S. 52) south of West 2nd Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 215 S Galena Ave, Dixon IL 61021, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dixon Memorial Arch (a few steps from this marker); Our Fathers Veterans of 1861-1865 (within shouting distance of this marker); Ward T. Miller (about 300 feet away, measured in
this page online
Regarding Nachusa House. Excerpts from the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the property:
This hotel was named for John Dixon, founder of the city of Dixon. Na-Chu-Sa" is the name given Mr. Dixon by the Indians; it means head white hair.
The Nachusa House waa built in 1853 as a simple 4 story structure with primitive wood sill and lintel window detailing and indigenous limestone masonry. In the early 1850's, the hotel was used primarily by stagecoach travelers enroute from Peoria and Chicago to Galena. In 1855, trains commenced running from Dixon to Chicago on the Air Line Road; the Nachusa House grew in popularity with both rail and coach travelers.
The hotel has social significance because of its many notable guests. The following is a partial listof the people who registered at the Nachusa House:Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 20232. Nachusa House Marker
Abraham Lincoln U.S. Grant Theodore Roosevelt Wm. Howard Taft Gen. Leonard Wood Stephen Douglas John A. Logan Cassius M. Clay Horace Greeley Helen Keller Billy Sunday Marquis of Queensbury James Doolittle Jefferson Davis Gov. Richard Oglesby J. Edgar Hoover Oliver Wendell Holmes
The hotel closed in 1988 and sat vacant for almost a decade. The Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois acquired the building in 1996 and partnered with a private developer to restore it into senior apartments.
Also see . . . Nachusa House (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the property, which was listed in 1983. (National Archives) (Submitted on August 15, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023
3. Nachusa House
Unknown via National Park Service (Public Domain), 1883
4. 18th Illinois Infantry Reunion at Nachusa House
Credits. This page was last revised on August 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 74 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 15, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
