Red and photographer for the Blessings on State Bed and Breakfast, Tiffany Warmowski, headed to the Illinois College Campus to explore the grounds and learn a bit of interesting history behind the founding of the college.  The first president of Illinois College was Edward Beecher who left his position at the Park Street Church in Boston (Red loves when it can tie things to home!) and helped shape the new College with New England traditions and academic foundations. His sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the influential anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, visited the campus, and his brother, Henry Ward Beecher, preached and lectured here. Beecher Hall, the first college building in Illinois, was built in 1829 and is still used today. ​  Red just loved exploring the campus with Tiffany so much that they decided to head to another campus nearby to check out Tiffany's Alma Mater, MacMurray College.  MacMurray is home to a beautiful campus and also the Annie Merner Chapel.

The Innkeepers of the Fountain Chateau Bed and Breakfast explained to Red that no stay would be complete without a visit to the Burr Oak Winery in nearby New Lisbon, Wisconsin. Owner, Steve Kennedy, while stationed in Germany, really liked the architecture.  He wanted the winery to be made of real stone, wood and glass.  This winery features eleven stained glass windows from a local church built in 1882, one of those windows was given to the church in memory of church members serving in the Civil War.  Burr Oak opened in 1997 and definitely worth the stop! 

It was a beautiful day to visit the lagoon on the campus of Northern Illinois University with the innkeepers of the Parkside Bed and Breakfast ~ Red was hoping to see the geese but it was a very quiet, serene day.  Just up the hill, Red admired the architecture of Altgeld Hall and Swen Parson along with the Dog outside Still Hall. Red enjoyed the company and they compared notes about the Lagoon that they were overlooking.  Red was intrigued and took a break from the touring and enjoyed a few moments reflecting at the edge of the beautiful Lagoon.  Now Red just needs to pick a major so it can enroll here and enjoy a view like this every day!

The Red Chair enjoys the view from the 7th hole at Hidden Lake Country Club, only less than a mile away from the inn and built along the Mautino Fish and Wildlife Preserve which was really neat.  Mautino Fish and Wildlife Preserve offers great hiking, biking, walking and fishing opportunities as well as spectacular nature viewing.  The best part of all is that it was so close to the Chestnut Street Inn, that Red could easily visit both the Golf Course and the Preserve, allowing for Red to really enjoy the outdoors on those beautiful summer days.