A DAY IN DWIGHT

A meadery, bank designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and more, all found in this village off Route 66

Story and Photos by Hannah Hoffmeister

Head southeast about 40 miles from Starved Rock State Park, and you’ll arrive in Dwight.

Dwight Harvest Days, a celebration held in late summer and scheduled for Sept. 16-19 this year, features the legendary Basset Waddle, in which basset hounds from far and wide are the main stars of the annual parade. “Dwight is a doggone good town!” became the town’s slogan, and in 2010, local artists painted 11 fiberglass dogs, which are now placed in prominent community spots.

Starved Rock Country Magazine spent a day in Dwight to see what it had to offer for readers in need of a fun day trip — what makes it so doggone good? Here’s what we saw along the way:

p Brian Galbreath, the owner of Unpossible Mead, stands behind the bar. He’s owned the 123-year-old space since July 2017.

UNPOSSIBLE MEAD

111 E. Chippewa St.

Brian Galbreath knew he was on the right track when he won the Mazer Cup — in his words, the “Super Bowl of mead” — in 2016 with what would become his Cherry Bomber mead.

Fast-forward to September 2018: Dwight Harvest Days and the opening of Unpossible Mead. He opened with three meads, a lineup that has only since grown.

Mead is an alcoholic drink made from honey, typically best served chilled. “My bees took off on me this summer,” says Galbreath. For about a year before their escape, he cared for them and used their honey for the mead. “I think I’ll get bees again; it’s enjoyable,” he says, adding his second hive might be more of a hobby hive than his main honey source.

Making mead is a lot like cooking for Galbreath, who’s from the Coal City area. For a traditional taste, try the Basswood Blossom. Tastes Like Toffee is a 2021 release; look for hints of butterscotch and eucalyptus. Cherry Bomber, bottled with a bright red and blue label, is another standout. “I tend to do cherry really well,” Galbreath says.

Unpossible Mead is open Saturdays from 3 to 9 p.m.; check back in the spring for updated hours. When you go, look for the two honey-themed baby photos on the walls, one of which shows a sleeping newborn in a pot labeled “honey.” That’s Declan, Galbreath’s 2-year-old son. The two photos were Father’s Day presents.

t According to the bank, First National Bank of Dwight printed $657,930 worth of national currency before it stopped printing money in 1935. p Frank L. Smith’s former office space is now used as a boardroom. It holds copies of original documents, including the bank’s blueprints and original charter.

q The beef short rib comes with carrots, tomatoes and a red wine sauce, all served over garlic mashed potatoes.

DWIGHT BANKING CENTER OF PEOPLES NATIONAL BANK OF KEWANEE

122 W. Main St.

Yes, we’re recommending a bank.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed this 1906 bank — known as First National Bank of Dwight until 2018 — for Dwight businessman Frank L. Smith, who operated the Frank L. Smith Agency out of one section of the building. It’s one of only two banks Wright is known to have designed. (The second is in Iowa, but it no longer functions as a bank.)

What was originally Smith’s office is now the bank’s boardroom, where you can see original currency (larger than today’s money!) and copies of the bank’s original charter and blueprints.

After a modernization in the 1950s, the bank remodeled again in the 1960s to restore many of the original features, including oak trim, yellow-green walls and skylights. In the main lobby stands a wooden table, one of two original pieces of furniture left in the building. Carol Dippon, a receptionist and longtime bank employee, says visitors from all over the world come to the bank while on trips along Route 66.

STATION 343

140 E. Main St.

This firefighter-themed restaurant is a must-have dinner on your trip to Dwight. Named Station 343 to honor the 343 firefighters and paramedics who died in 9/11, owners Peter and Joy Meister serve upscale meals in an inviting atmosphere.

The restaurant opened just over eight years ago on Main Street. In addition to growing through word of mouth in Dwight and the surrounding areas, the restaurant physically grew about two years ago with the addition of a banquet room.

Peter Meister’s eight years as a volunteer firefighter cemented the name and theme, displayed throughout the dining room with firefighter-themed decor. He also eats gluten- and dairy-free, so much of the menu can be modified to fit those needs. Having that option is a game-changer for people, he says. We’d recommend the beef short rib, a popular and delicious “fire station favorite.”

CS R n Franklin Corner, 162 E. Main St.:

Open since 2016, this boutique offers jewelry, trinkets, clothing, handmade soap and more. The styles and items available make it a great local spot to buy gifts for birthdays or special occasions.

n Pioneer Gothic Church, 201 N. Franklin St.: Built in 1857 in the style of Carpenter Gothic architecture, Dwight’s first church is just a few blocks from the village’s main streets. According to the Dwight Economic Alliance, the church serves as a meeting and reception space now.

n Prairie Creek Library, 501 Carriage

House Lane: This library is home to one of the 11 painted dogs, appropriately named “A Fine Feathered

Friend.” The library was first a carriage house and then a recreation building.

Behind the library sits a towering windmill. “It was built in 1896 to supply water to the Oughton

Estate,” reads a sign near the windmill, which adds that the landmark was given to Dwight in 2003.