Built by
Isaac Ellwood, one of the principal manufacturers (along with
Joseph Glidden) of barbed wire. He was a benefactor and major political influence in establishing Northern Illinois State Normal School in
DeKalb, which is now known as
Northern Illinois University.
Guided tours of the 1879 Victorian mansion include all four floors, highlighted by an English-style living room and a three-story rotunda. Featured on the grounds are gardens, a carriage house and the "Little House," a Victorian-era playhouse.
Please allow a 90-minute viewing minimum.
