Reddick Mansion in Ottawa to host Ghosts of Ottawa Past

The Reddick Mansion Association in Ottawa is hosting its ninth annual Ghosts of Ottawa Past program on Friday, Oct. 6, and Saturday, Oct. 7.

Two tours will be given each night at 7 and 9 p.m. The cost is $25 per person, and because of the subject matter, participants should be at least 12 years old. Each tour is limited to 20 people and reservations are strongly recommended.

This year’s event will focus on three episodes in Ottawa’s past. The Radium Dial story will be told in two vignettes showing two dial painters at work, as well as the hearing held at the home of Catherine Donohue featuring the painters who called themselves the Society of the Living Dead.

Another episode featured this year will be the wounding of General William H.L. Wallace of Ottawa at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee and his subsequent death with his wife, Ann, at his side. The audience will portray the soldiers who fought in the Hornet’s Nest at Shiloh. Also making an appearance will be Wallace’s horse, Prince.

The final episode will be a presentation of an Orphan Train arrival in Ottawa. RMA board member Darlene Halm researched the story at the La Salle County Genealogy Guild, so the vignette will feature volunteers and audience members portraying real-life orphans who were taken in by real-life families in Ottawa.

“This event has become very popular through the years,” said Lorraine McCallister, Reddick Mansion Association president and the event’s guide to the past. “It is a unique way to introduce the public to Ottawa’s rich history. We encourage audience participation, too.”

For reservations, call the Reddick Mansion at 815-433-6100 or visit the website at www.reddickmansion.org. Parking will be reserved on Lafayette Street and on Columbus Street for guests.

The Reddick Mansion, 100 W. Lafayette St., is open for tours and has rental space available for special events.