Autumn Weekend in the Country

Mt. Carroll is located about 2 ½ west of Chicago, in the northwestern corner of Illinois. The town was established in 1832, and was served by a stagecoach route from Dixon, Illinois to Galena, Illinois. Early inhabitants of the town worked at farming and mining, with mining continuing sporadically in the area until about World War II. The buildings in the downtown area date from the 1880’s, and some of these are historically significant structures. The town is centrally located in Carroll county, with Highway 78, Route 52, and Highway 64 all running through the town. In fact, Highway 64 comes to Mt. Carroll all the way from Chicago, where it’s known as North Avenue, continues through the town, and on into the state of Iowa.

Quick Tips:

If you have time, drive along the country roads and stop in some of the other towns along the way. If you enjoy state parks, in Mt. Carroll you'll find yourself a short drive away from five different state parks. Stay in one of the town's charming bed and breakfasts, walk down Market Street, then drop in at the Mad Hatter for tea.

Best Way To Get Around:

You'll definitely need a car for transport both to Mt. Carroll and getting around the neighboring towns. Once you leave the traffic of the big cities far behind, you'll actually enjoy the journey through the gently rolling hills along the country roads.

From the moment you arrive at this cozy 1870’s Victorian home until your departure, you will feel welcome. DeLos (Buster) and Fern Stadel treat their visitors as cherished friends rather than paying guests. Upon my arrival, Fern invited me to join her for a chat and coaxed me to try some just-made brownies. The house is furnished with antiques and chock-full of country furnishings.

My room was done predominantly in peach. Peach lace-trimmed curtains framed the windows; a border of peach and burnt orange tulips meandered across the wall. The bedroom was furnished with an antique dresser, a bed with an ornate headboard, bedside table, and chair. A beautiful quilt, in colors to compliment the decor, adorned the bed. The quilts in all the guestrooms are Fern’s creations. Many touches are added to each room to make them unique: my room had shelves with antique children’s toys, dolls, as well as an antique doll’s carriage (complete with dolls) resting against one wall. Each room has a TV and VCR with a selection of videos, as well as a "communal" video library in the hallway outside. My bathroom (just down the hall from my room) was so roomy I wished my stay were longer so I could simply luxuriate in all that space. Cheery flower-patterned wallpaper in tones of pink, apricot and orange accented the walls. A tower of thick, plush towels in a rainbow of pinks, reds, and oranges was stacked against upon the countertop. The full basket of bath goodies - body lotions, shampoos, and shower gels – caused a quandary of what to try first.

Breakfast the following morning was a mouth-satisfying array of Swedish pancakes with red raspberry sauce, bacon, sausage, baked apples sliced and cooked with cinnamon and spices, coffeecake with cream cheese, coffee, and juice. As each heaping platter was presented, I wondered if I’d be able to move from the breakfast table after such a repast. The tablecloth and place settings in a fall color theme added to my enjoyment of the feast. I also learned a bit more about the house, and about Mt. Carroll. In his book, Tell Me a Story When You Were Little, Stephen J. Warnock talks about growing up in Mt. Carroll, in fact spending his youth in the very house the Stadels now own. Fern gave me an autographed copy of the book, a collection of stories and cherished memories that Warnock has written for his grandchildren.

The Stadels are happy to offer advice to their guests on local activities, shopping and dining. Fern thoughtfully provided a selection of recipes, which I am anxious to try. Guests may use the computer to check email or browse the web. In warmer weather, the long porch off the second floor hallway looked to be a wonderful spot to curl up with a good book or sip a glass of lemonade. Checkout time is 10:00 AM; no children or pets are allowed. Smoking is permitted only outside the house.

www.bbonline.com/il/prairiepath

Fern, my congenial hostess at the Prairie Path Bed and Breakfast, had recommended Sievert’s so I decided to give it a try for dinner. When I arrived a little before 7:00 on a Saturday evening, the crowded front room announced the popularity of this local spot. Luckily there were still a few open tables in the back room, and I was soon seated and perusing the menu.

The selections are definitely meat-oriented, with a good selection of steaks and chops. Vegetarians won’t starve, though, as they can opt for salads, veggie-topped pizzas, or some of the seafood offerings. Sievert’s also offers a selection of bottled beers and wines, predominantly domestic, as well as mixed drinks. This isn’t a luxury spot, but the basic light-colored wood paneling and comfy chairs and booths give a cozy feel to the space. Patrons are a relaxed, friendly bunch as they discuss their day of fishing success (or lack thereof) at a nearby lake.

For an entree, I choose jumbo shrimp, which comes with a choice of potato (natural cut, American fries or baked) and salad (with a choice of homemade dressings). The dinner salad was primarily lettuce, with a generous topping of croutons, and tomato. My selection, the homemade Italian dressing, added just the right touch. Dinner arrived with five very large shrimp in a light breading fried to a golden crisp perfection, the best I’ve had in recent memory. Natural cut fries were piled in a sizzling heap on the platter, along with a small cup of seafood sauce. A couple of domestic beers, and I was completely sated, all for under $15.00.

Sievert’s pizza is a popular item, and justifiably so. I happen to favor paper-thin crispy crust with the emphasis on toppings, and that’s how they make it here. All around me diners were eating pizza, and I was sorely tempted to change my order, but as things turned out, I got to sample the pizza anyway. After dinner, I left to walk off some calories and strolled around the downtown area until the near-freezing temperatures drove me into the bar section of Sievert’s in search of "warmth". A couple of alcohol-enhanced coffees allowed me once more to have sensation in my extremities. While I was sitting at the bar, one of the staff invited me to try a piece of the pizza she and one of the other servers were having. I did, and thoroughly enjoyed the sample.

Whether you try the pizza or another selection, the food, prices and friendly service at Sievert’s are sure to please.

This 1850’s building was the former home of a furniture store/funeral parlor, where caskets and sofas were sold side by side in a space featuring wooden floors and a fantastic tin ceiling. Behind this well-preserved cast-iron storefront lies a treasure trove of fabrics, antiques, and other unique objects. Husband-and-wife owners Len and Linda Anderson offer tourist and locals "his and hers compatible shopping". While the guys peruse a good selection of toys, old gas pumps, and automobilia, the ladies will enjoy admiring Linda’s teapot collection, antique furniture and the marvelous fabrics for sale offered at a fraction of their original cost.

I was invited for a cup of tea in the "Mad Hatter Tea Room", a brain-child of Linda and Pat, and a must-visit in Mt. Carroll. A section of the store’s space is outfitted with old high-backed wooden booths and tables. Visitors can partake of such delights as scones, cinnamon streusel bread, cinnamon crunch bagels, cheesecake, Texas crunch almond cookies, as well as ever-popular favorites such as oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies. Different selections are offered daily, and a small but delightful variety of jams, jellies and other food items are offered for sale. Browsers might also enjoy a bit of quiet time relaxing in the "English Library", a small room near the back of the store outfitted with comfy chairs, and row upon row of bookshelves. The musically inclined are invited to take a turn at the piano unobtrusively placed against one wall.

The Andersons view the store as a social and cultural meeting place in addition to a retail business. They offer a traditional "High Tea" on a reservation-only basis, and this has become quite popular, especially around the holidays. They also envision poetry readings, book groups, and other gatherings to appeal to the growing community of artists in the area.

Ideas and Designs is open Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays from 12 noon to 5:00 PM and Saturdays from 12 noon to 8:00 PM. (815) 244-7875

The word palisades is used to describe a line of high, steep cliffs commonly seen along a river. Mississippi Palisades hiking trails give you an opportunity to walk where the Native Americans walked, nearly 1,000 years ago. The 2,500-acre Palisades are home to numerous varieties of birds, including wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and in January and February eagles. The day I visited, a hawk was majestically riding the wind currents, high above the Mississippi River. White-tailed deer, muskrat, and an occasional badger are spotted in the park as well. The best way to see all the park has to offer is by hiking its trails. There are five trails in the northern section of the park, and five in the southern section, with those in the north being wider and easier going than those in the south. The trails in the south are narrow and quite close to the bluff. If you don’t have a lot of time, drive through the park to one of the parking areas, then take a short walk to a nearby scenic overlook. Look for the rock formations of Indian Head and Twin Sisters on the bluff tops.

The Palisades offers over 200 campsites, with electrical hookups available at about half of those. There is a convenience store where campers can stock up on supplies and groceries; the store is open only during the summer. Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park, with toilet and play facilities conveniently located nearby.

(815) 273-2731

Set off a side street, this is a popular spot during the Halloween season, though it is open year-round. Tours last 1-1 ½ hours, and are commenced on a fairly ad hoc basis. I called the day before and Jim Warfield, owner of Ravens Grin, told me that since I was "solo", I cold just show up and they’d fit me in. Otherwise, reservations are the order of the day in "haunting season".

The tour begins in the living room, where Warfield talks about the history of the house. This is done in complete darkness; even on a sunny October day, very little light penetrated the gloom. While Ravens Grin has its quota of the usual fuax-scary fake skeletons, phony blood splatters and the like, it nonetheless caused more than a tingle of fear, at least in this writer. (The 10-year-old boy in front of me was undaunted; he happily opened closed doors, and poked around places I couldn’t wait to get past.) Ravens Grin also offers some thrills in navigation on the tour: there are several places where visitors slide down steep slides from one part of the house to the next. Patrons are cautioned that these slides can be dangerous; alternative stairway routes are available for those who prefer their bones in one piece.

The house has been the site of numerous supernatural events and sightings; one psychic reportedly identified over 30 separate spirits that roamed the house. Supernatural events have included ghost sightings, hair pulling, touches, and voices. The wine cellar, many feet beneath the ground, is by far the most haunted place, with more incidents there than any other location in the house. Again, whether due to things I’d heard previously or whether I actually felt something, I couldn’t wait to leave this room.

I’ve been to a few haunted houses in my day, and this might be the scariest yet. Sure, people may pooh-pooh the idea of ghosts or evil spirits, but I felt a presence in this place that was not benign, and I felt it as soon as I’d crossed the threshold. (The threshold in this case is a drawbridge-like door that is lowered to let visitors inside.) Did I feel uncomfortable because something was really lurking in a corner, perhaps just outside my vision, or was I allowing what I’d heard about the place to influence me? I don’t know, but I will say that I had to strongly fight my impulse to leave the house as quickly as possible. This feeling persisted throughout the entire tour.

On Halloween, Warfield offers a special event for a limited number of participants, who are invited to bring night vision cameras and other equipment to possibly capture a ghostly appearance. The tour is taken through the dark house with no employees on site performing their usual shenanigans. At dinner before the tour, Jim talks about the haunted history of Ravens Grin.

www.hauntedravensgrin.com

Hours: 7:00 PM-12 midnight daily; also 2:00 PM-5:00 PM Saturdays and Sundays $10