Stockton Heritage Museum
Stockton Heritage Museum
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Visit the Stockton Heritage Museum and learn about the important people and events that shaped Stockton and the surrounding area in Northwest Illinois. The Stockton Heritage Museum: -Collects and preserves the oral, written, and pictorial memoirs and data of the past, relating to Stockton and Northwestern Illinois. -Assembles and displays artifacts that provide a window into Stockton's past -Encourages and aides individuals interested in historical research -Presents programs that share the stories and rich history of Stockton and the area.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,509 contributions
Jul 2022
Stockton once had a reputation for being a speed trap for tourists driving between Chicago and Galena. I learned about Stockton through its high school football team. John O'Boyle coached from 1963 to 1997, won 279 games and two state championships and lost only 13 games in 13 years. Today, you can learn about Stockton at the Stockton Heritage Museum. Founded in 2003 and located at 107 West Front Street, at Main Street, off U.S. Highway 20, it is open from 10 to 2 Saturday and 11 to 2 Sunday, from May through October. Stockton was incorporated in 1890, created because of the railroad. The original Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad built a depot in Stockton in 1887. Five years later, it became an early hub for the Chicago Great Western. Train service to Stockton lasted for 85 years. The museum displays many railroad artifacts, including telegraph equipment, photographs, maps, lanterns, signs, spikes, signal equipment and the large bell from the last steam locomotive that you can ring. Also see one of the largest collections of Kraft memorabilia and advertising in the country. In 1922, Stockton became the home of the first Kraft Foods cheese plant and Velveeta cheese. In 1998 Kraft sold to Brewster Cheese and has continued to grow. Also learn the history of Stockton. View model trains and a detailed miniature diorama of the 1930s era Niemeyer Drug Store that was opened in 1891. Did you know that Stockton's Main Street is the highest elevation of any main street in Illinois?
Written August 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RandyRoss
Ridgetown, Canada12,714 contributions
Jul 2022
On our 3 night stay in Galena, we thought that we should check out Stockton, the birthplace of Kraft. Unfortunately, the museum was only open on Sat. & Sun. and we were only there Tues.-Thurs. However, after talking with a resident we did find a sign and plaque.
Written July 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy M
41 contributions
Nov 2015 • Business
Love to see how these little villages were established. The museum has so much history to offer, way to go stockton!
Written November 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly R
Sebring, FL85 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
Nice museum in downtown Stockton. It is open on Saturday's and is really nice. Lots of history on the town along with history on Kraft cheese.
Written June 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,509 contributions
Aug 2018
There was a time when Stockton's claim to fame was its reputation as a speed trap on the route to Galena. No longer. At least I haven't been stopped in the last few years. In fact, my wife and I made a stop on our recent trip to Galena. As a retired sportswriter, I wrote a book on the history of high school football in Illinois. One chapter was devoted to John O'Boyle, who coached at Stockton from 1963 to 1997, won 79 percent (279-74-1) of his games and two state championships and once lost only 13 games in a 13-year span. In other words, O'Boyle, whose name is on the high school's football stadium, put Stockton on the map. Well, that's only partially true. There were others who had a hand in Stockton's history. Which is why we stopped to visit the Stockton Heritage Museum. Located at 107 West Front Street, off US Route 20, it collects and preserves the oral, written and pictorial memoirs and data of the past, relating to Stockton and Northwestern Illinois. Among the exhibits are the Chicago Great Western Railroad, model trains, the history of Kraft Foods and the history of the Stockton area. It was the railroad that established Stockton as the youngest village in Jo Daviess County in 1886. But the railway left in the 1970s. In 1914, the Kraft brothers opened their first cheese factory in Stockton and continued to operate it until Kraft sold the facility in 1998. Today, with a population of 1,862, Stockton clings to its rich history and fully supports its non-profit museum. Just talk to the townsfolk at Stella's Cafe at 100 North Main, an 1890s building that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, or the Stockton Bowling Lanes at 102 South Ward, the town's oldest continually operated business with eight standard lanes. And nobody blinks an eye if you drive through town a few miles over the speed limit.
Written August 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judith B
Stockton, IL4 contributions
Sep 2015
Open frequently. Very good programs are offered as well as good exhibits. Local people are present to answer questions.
Written October 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allen21096
Chicago, IL26,965 contributions
Aug 2019
We happened to be in Stockton and passed the Stockton Heritage Museum. We went in and found a time capsule of things from the Stockton area. We found the staff to be quite informative and helpful. You don't often give a lot of thought to a small town museum, but the Stockton Heritage Museum pulls it off very well.
Written August 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry B
Stockton, IL143 contributions
Aug 2017 • Solo
Stockton has a lot of history and the museum is trying to display and collect as much of it as possible. I am a member so I am biased but please stop by. It has limited hours but will open most times with a call to a board member. Stockton is the birthplace of Kraft foods, the first Kraft cheese plant was located here. Stockton also has the highest main street in Illinois. There are permanent and rotating displays and a new building was recently annexed to the original historical building. If you are passing through town or need to do family research, stop by. Many times someone will be working there.
Written August 4, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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