The Paul W. Dillon Home, also known as the Colonel Edward N. Kirk House, is located in Sterling, Illinois

Sterling, Illinois

Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,370 at the 2010 census, down from 15,451 at the 2000 census. Formerly nicknamed "The Hardware Capital of the World", Sterling has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel...

. It was home to the late businessman Paul W. Dillon and was added to the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1980. The house is currently operated as a museum by the Sterling Park District.

History

The property the home is located on passed through the hands of many owners, even before the mansion was built. Dating back to Nelson Mason in 1841 the property has had 33 owners. The home on today's property was constructed in 1857 by Colonel Edward N. Kirk and is cast in the Italianate style. After Kirk built the home in 1857 the property was owned by eleven different people until Washington M. Dillon purchased it from Joseph Patterson in 1882. Dillon's son, Paul W. Dillon, was born in the house on June 3, 1883 and resided there until his death in February 1980. It was the consensus of the Dillon family heirs, after Paul W. died, that the home, its furnishings and all of its artifacts be turned over to the Sterling Park District for future generations to enjoy. The home was transferred to the park district on May 1, 1980. The Paul W. Dillon Home-Museum opened to the general public on 18 November 1980. Between Nov. 1980 and May 1981 over 5,000 people visited the home.

Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society Museum

The Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society Museum, located in the original carriage house and barn, traces local history from prehistoric days to the modern industrial era. The collection and exhibits include items related to medicine, family life, community history, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, local industries and businesses and more.

External links

• Dillon Home Museum
• Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society
• Potpourri: Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 May/June 1981
• Sterling Park District: Dillon Home Museum
• National Register of Historic Places: Whiteside County, Illinois