History in the Making

Tricia Kelly of Oglesby shows off an example of crosshatch writing found at the Hegeler Carus Mansion in LaSalle.

Tricia Kelly keeps the past alive in the Illinois Valley

Story and photos by Shannon Serpette

For some people, history isn’t just an interesting subject – it’s their livelihood. Tricia Kelly is one of the Illinois Valley residents who makes her living by bringing the past to life.

She’s been on the staff of the Hegeler Carus Mansion in LaSalle for 17 years now.

“I started out as a volunteer on weekends, and now I’m the full-time tour director,” Kelly said. “It’s odd; when I was a kid, I didn’t care for history. I had no appreciation for it. It wasn’t until seventh or eighth grade that I started to think, hey, maybe there’s something to this history thing.”

Kelly also keeps the past alive at other Illinois Valley historical hotspots.

“I’ve also done guided hikes and trolley tours at Starved Rock and was a costumed interpreter on the Volunteer, the replica packet boat on the I&M Canal. Both jobs were great fun, but sadly, I don’t tolerate heat terribly well. That, and my hours were increasing here at the mansion, limiting my time,” she said. “I’m also a part-part-part time volunteer at the Reddick Mansion in Ottawa. I don’t have the time to give tours anymore, but I love being part of their annual Ghost Walk.

“In a totally different arena, I also get to

See KELLY PAGE 20

The laundry room at the Hegeler Carus Mansion allows Kelly to entertain guests with information about what the equipment in there does. It also shows how much more difficult it was to clean laundry in the olden days.

Kelly

FROM PAGE 19 work with Lynn Sheedy, that fabulous, delightful Children’s Services Manager at the Peru Public Library. We do all kinds of fun stuff with local kiddos. I’ve been ridiculously lucky to have been surrounded by so many smart, fun, and amazing people. More often than not, I’m soaking up the rays of folks with way more talent than me,” she said.

Kelly grew up in Oglesby, so she’s well aware of the rich local history residents can enjoy in the Illinois Valley. She attended Illinois Valley Community College before heading to Illinois State University and moved around for a while before relocating back to the area about 15 years ago. She ended up living only seven houses south of her childhood home.

“What’s neat about it is that, for the most part, the same people who were around when I was a kid are still around today. There’s a genuine sense of community. We look after each other and support one another. It doesn’t escape me how special that is,” Kelly said.

One of Kelly’s favorite aspects about living in the Illinois Valley is being surrounded by well-documented history.

“This whole area is loaded, just loaded with history. We’ve got great scenery thanks to the glacier that came plowing through here a few million years ago. We’ve got our connection to Chicago – and everywhere else – with the I&M Canal. We’ve had everyone from Al (Capone) to Zez (Confrey) hanging about,” she said.

See KELLY PAGE 22

This whole area is loaded, just loaded with history. We’ve got great scenery thanks to the glacier that came plowing through here a few million years ago. We’ve got our connection to Chicago – and everywhere “ else – with the I&M Canal. We’ve had everyone from Al (Capone) to Zez (Confrey) hanging about. ”

The garage at the Hegeler Carus Mansion is an interesting structure. The Hegeler Carus Mansion has continued to fascinate Tricia Kelly for the 17 years she’s worked there, first as a volunteer and now as the full-time tour director.

Tricia Kelly’s favorite local haunts

Looking for a fresh perspective on the Illinois Valley? Local historian and tour guide Tricia Kelly of Oglesby shares her favorite well-known and hidden places to visit to celebrate the charm and history of the area. “Thanks to social media, our treasures aren’t as ‘hidden’ as they once were, and that’s a good thing. Everyone knows Starved Rock State Park, of course, but have you been out to the campground?” she asked. She also recommends visiting Buffalo Rock, Matthiessen State Park, downtown Utica, the Reddick Mansion in Ottawa, St. Patrick’s church in LaSalle, Ted Weber’s house and gardens in Streator, and of course, the Hegeler Carus Mansion. The Westclox Museum in Peru is worth a trip, too, Kelly added, and she highly recommends trying the cocktails at Star Union Spirits, which is located in the Westclox building. Kelly is a huge fan of mom-and-pop restaurants like Sammy’s Pizza in Oglesby, Verucchi’s in Spring Valley, The Lone Buffalo in Ottawa, and Uptown in La Salle. “We might be called ‘Starved Rock Country,’ but nobody starves around here,” she said, adding that she also enjoys other local restaurants such as Garzanelli’s, Double Country, Lou’s La Grotto, and the Root Beer Stand. If you have some time on your hands for shopping and sightseeing, she recommends First Street in LaSalle, the Lock 16 Visitor Center and Café, Prairie Fox Books in Ottawa, the I&M Canal, and local theatres. “Don’t miss NCI Artworks,” she said. “They’re in the Westclox building in Peru, and they’ve got great events going on all the time, including fabulous art exhibits by talented folks,” Kelly said. “If you’re here on your motorcycle, Mix’s Trading Post in Utica is a mandatory stop. For a quick moment of reflection, be sure to visit the Maud Powell statue in Peru. She’s a much bigger deal in the world of music than most people realize. “With all that being said, here’s the very best advice I can give you: If you’re a guest in our area, and want to know where to go, what to see, where to eat, and where to shop, just ask any one of us,” she said. “We’re a friendly bunch out here and want visitors to have a great experience and come back again and again. Each time, it’ll be a new adventure.” FROM PAGE 20

The area has had its highs and lows, and both have led to its current course.

“Great things happened here, and awful things, too, and the thing I think I like the most is that our history is ours. Everything that has come before has shaped us as a community. As long as we celebrate what went right and make amends for what went wrong, we will always have a pretty solid story to tell,” she said.

One of the cornerstones of the history of the Illinois Valley was the Hegeler Carus family and its imposing, spectacular mansion.

“I am forever spellbound by its magnificence,” Kelly said about the mansion. “The family’s legacy is impressive too, but I’ll tell you the honest truth: For me personally, it’s the stuff. I love stuff, and the mansion has some of the coolest stuff I’ve ever seen – the static electric generator, the Buddhist shrine, the Alexander Graham Bell graphophone, the cameras, the books.

“Everything in here has its own tale to tell as well as its importance to the history of this house. It’s no exaggeration to say that there are artifacts here that rival those in more nationally

known museums “like The Smithsonian,” she said.

While the mansion will always hold a special place in her heart, she also enjoys widespread success as a storyteller and historic presenter.

“I have two first-person, costumed, PowerPoint presentations as Lizzie Borden and Nellie Bly, and then I have a few biographical talks about Robert Louis Stevenson and Orson Welles. I have a disgusting but utterly fascinating and funny talk about the horrors of Victorian medicine, and finally, I tell stories that I’ve written – ghostly tales and Irish tales and such,” she said.

“For the most part, I get booked at libraries in Illinois, but I’ve been to Iowa and Wisconsin, and this fall, I’ll be in Michigan. I’ve just barely begun work on a new historical figure – Madame Tussaud. It could take up to two years before she’s ready to launch,” she added.

While Kelly has fun with all her roles, giving tours is still her favorite way to share history.

“I love the energy that builds when guests are excited right off the bat, and I love the challenge of converting the otherwise unimpressed, you know – the one guest who didn’t really want to come but got dragged along, or the teenager who would rather eat dirt than hear about history. They are often more fun than the guests who were excited to begin with,” she said.

“There are moments along the tour where I can visibly see a change in them. Their eyes get wider, they look around more, and by the time we hit the dining room, I’ve got them. They love this place,” Kelly said. “It’s never about me, you see; it’s always about the mansion itself and the family’s legacy and the global impact they have made. I’m just the voice of a story that’s way better than anything I could write, and I never lose sight of that.” Great things happened here, and awful things, too, and the thing I think I like the most is that our history is ours. Everything that has come before has shaped us as a community. As long as we celebrate what went right and make amends for what went wrong, we will always have a pretty solid story to tell. Tricia Kelly ”

ADVERTISEMENT The Three Most Common Medical Spa Procedures to Treat Sun Damage

Summer is fading fast, and with that our sunkissed skin. Unfortunately, our summer days in the sun may leave us with new wrinkles and more brown spots. We asked Dr. Norris at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa what she recommends for clearing up summer sun damage.

Dr. Norris explains, “There is always an influx of sun lovers who come to see us in September feeling not so sun loving. These patients want to know if their sun damage is reversible and what their options are to treat it. Sun-damaged skin is often heavily pigmented with brown spots, is thin, has loss of elasticity and fine lines are apparent. There is not one treatment to address all these concerns, so I recommend a series of three different procedures to get them started, each separated by about one month. In my office, we call this series of procedures ‘The Flight.’ It is not a flight of wine or beer, but a flight of three popular medical spa procedures! Even better!”

Dr. Norris goes on to explain each procedure of “The Flight,” “The three procedures of ‘The Flight’ may be done in any order, but often patients start with microneedling. Microneedling is also referred to as collagen-induction therapy. We use an FDA-cleared microneedling device to make .5-1.75 perpendicular perforations in numb skin. The body responds to the injured skin by sending in healing forces to make brand-new skin. This means new collagen (fewer wrinkles), improved elastin (tighter skin), and less pigment (lighter brown spots). Patients realize the results of microneedling 1-3 months after their treatment. Often a series of microneedling treatments are needed, but it is still beneficial to do one. There is little or no pain or downtime with microneedling. Another procedure that is part of ‘The Flight’ is IPL (Intense Pulse Light). IPL is a light energy treatment with multiple wavelengths of laser energy. The light energy from this laser destroys tiny red vessels and brown pigment on the face. The tiny vessels collapse and disappear immediately, and the large molecules of pigment are broken into microscopic particles that work their way out of the skin over two weeks. I explain to patients that an IPL treatment makes skin all more one color and is best done when they are not at all tan and will not be in the hot sun a few weeks before or after the treatment. IPL feels like warm rubber band snaps. You can expect to be a little red and slightly swollen after the treatment. The third procedure that is part of ‘The Flight’ is a medical-grade chemical peel customized for your specific sun damage and skin issues. When peels are done correctly, they are not painful but can provide extraordinary results with an average of three days of micropeeling. Think eraser shavings! Our patients all receive a post-procedure kit of products to use after the peel for 10 days, so their deeper skin layer heals well. We do not expect patients to be red or peeling in sheets with these peels. We do expect their skin to be glowing, with fewer fine lines and less pigment after a few weeks. It is not necessary that the peel be done last, but if done three weeks after an IPL, removal of brown spots/pigment is maximized.”

Dr. Norris concludes, “Especially if you are new to medical spa procedures, ‘The Flight’ is a perfect way to try three results-driven procedures and see what you like best. If there is one treatment that your skin responds best to, you can go on to do more of those. Many of our long-standing patients do ‘The Flight’ every Fall/Winter to clean up their summer sun damage, and some of them do two Flights back-to-back when they have more significant sun damage!”

If you are interested in treating your summer sun damage with medical-grade treatments, contact Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa for a consultation with Dr. Norris to see if “The Flight” is right for you and get fabulous Flight promotional pricing! 815-780-8264