Oglesby Mansion to Host Additional Open Houses

The Oglesby Mansion

     The Governor Richard J. Oglesby Mansion located at 421 West William Street will be hosting Open Houses each Wednesday and Saturday in June from 2pm to 4pm. A $5.00 donation per adult and $2 per child is requested. Members of the Board of Directors and community volunteers are docents during the tours. The home is also available for private group tours or for rent for meetings or parties.
     “Our mission is to educate the public about the amazing life of Governor Oglesby. We add these addition open houses during the summer to allow more visitors, summer school programs and families additional opportunities to visit the mansion,” says board President Carol Pelz.
     The mansion is the only surviving home the Governor lived in. In 1873, Oglesby married a young widow, Emma Gillett Keays, who came to the marriage with a son, Hiram Keays. She was the daughter of John Dean Gillett, an extensive landowner, and cattle baron. They had four children: Felicity, Richard, John, and Jasper. As their family increased, they built a new house joined to the one they were living in on West William. The original architect was William Le Baron Jenny of Chicago, who later became known as the father of the modern skyscraper. They lived in Decatur until 1882.
More information about the Mansion is available at www.oglesbymansion.org