Awesome Ottawa Tours

Starved Rock Country’s Only Guided history Tours

Tours offered seasonally 7 days a week from 10am-6pm

For more information call or text 815-343-4940

Graveyard Stories: Heroes, Hobos, & Murderers

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new tours for 2024

Graveyard Stories and Steeples & saloons!

Awesome Ottawa Tours offers visitors an opportunity to discover the rich history and charm of Ottawa, Illinois. Our tours cover a variety of themes, including Ottawa as a canal town, The Radium Girls, Ottawa’s Underground Railroad, Tangled Roots Brewery Tour, Wine Through Time Prohibition Pub Crawl our seasonal haunted tour and MUCH MUCH more.

Overall, Awesome Ottawa Tours offers something for everyone, from history buffs to thrill-seekers, hikers to bikers, walkers to riders. Your knowledgeable and friendly guide will ensure that you have a memorable, enjoyable and FUN experience. Click some links, check us out or give us a call or text!

Browse/book here or call/text 815-343-4940

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Radium Girls of Ottawa, Illinois

During the early 1900's Radium Dial Corp. chose Ottawa, Illinois, in the heart of Starved Rock Country as the site of its largest luminous watch dial plant. The product used to make these dials glow, pure poison, radium! The result was prolonged gruesome death, contamination, and unthinkable cover-up. The Radium Girls of Ottawa, Illinois, puts you in the footsteps of these brave women. Learn More

Forgotten Graveyards and trail Blazers of Starved Rock country!

This tour takes you on a journey through history, with a focus on long-forgotten graveyards that tell the story of the people who built and shaped Starved Rock County. You’ll visit the unremarkable yet poignant LaSalle County Asylum graveyard, where you'll learn about the tragic and sad stories of those who were buried there. We'll visit private burial grounds of some of Ottawa's most illustrious citizens, where you'll see beautifully preserved graves and hear about the people who made a significant impact on the community.
We'll then head to the burial grounds of the hard-working Irish immigrants who built the I&M Canal, where you'll learn about the challenges they faced and the vital role they played in the canal's construction. Finally, we'll explore one of Ottawa’s oldest graveyards which still holds on to its rich past.
This drive/hike tour is perfect for history buffs who want to learn about the often-overlooked stories of the people who helped build and shape Starved Rock Country. Please note that some of the graveyards in remote locations and require short walks on uneven ground.

Tangled Roots Brewery Tour/Tasting

What makes a brewery tour AWESOME? A journey that goes beyond the hops, barley, and yeast, you’ll see our state of the art brew facility and much, much more. Of course, your tour includes a complimentary flight of our farm to foam craft beer.

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