Wild Bill Days return to three Starved Rock Country destinations

“Wild Bill” Hickok, the legendary folk hero and Old West gunfighter, will be honored across Starved Rock Country during the return of Wild Bill Days - held May 30 to 31, now at three unique destinations.

The LaSalle County Historical Society, Mendota Museum & Historical Society and the village of Troy Grove invite the community to commemorate its native son, the renowned Wild Bill Hickok, during this unique weekend of family-friendly activities. The weekend’s festivities will include historical reenactments, live performances, special exhibits and more.

Born James Butler Hickok in Troy Grove, son of farmer and ardent abolitionist William Alonzo Hickok and wife Polly Butler, Hickok spent his formative years working as a mule tender along the I&M Canal, which passes directly through downtown Utica, next to the LaSalle County Historical Society’s museum campus. After an altercation along the banks of the waterway, Hickok fled to the Western territories in 1855. There, he would spend time as a scout, anti-slavery militia member, actor, professional gambler and, famously, a gunfighter who played a key role in several legendary shootouts.

The festival celebrating Hickok’s lasting legacy is a family-friendly event, geared at entertaining diverse age groups with free crowd-pleasing shows. This year’s festivities have expanded to include attractions in Mendota, Troy Grove, and Utica - with a complimentary trolley service operating continuously between all three locations.

Located just a few miles southeast of Wild Bill’s birthplace in present-day Troy Grove, Utica will play host to a wild west show, just a few blocks away from the LaSalle County Historical Society museum complex.

On Saturday and Sunday, Buffalo Bill’s Best of the Wild West Show will offer an 80-minute live arena performance showcasing horse acts, rolling stock, trick shooters, and legendary performers who defined the original Wild West extravaganza. This show will take place at 2 p.m. daily at Jamie’s Outpost. Additionally, LCHS will present a special exhibit on Wild Bill Hickok at the Canal Warehouse, open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Just a short drive away in Mendota, famed soap star and Starved Rock Country native Walt Willey will tread the boards at the Mendota Museum & Historical Society, mounting his one-man biographical monologue. Willey, who has previously toured his “Wild Bill!: An Evening With James Butler Hickok” play across the country, including a popular run in Ottawa back in 2017, returns to the area with “End of the Trail” – a new script that sees Hickock rhapsodizing about his childhood in the region and his final days in Deadwood. Two daily performances will be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at 901 Washington St. in Mendota.

Nearby Troy Grove invites guests to visit the birthplace of Wild Bill Hickok and enjoy daily presentations of “Life & Times of James Butler Hickok,” hosted by the Old West Regulators. These free talks will be held near the Wild Bill Hickok State Memorial at 1 p.m. daily. The Memorial, located in a small park, marks the site of the birthplace of James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok. A plaque on the granite monument honors Hickok as “a scout and spy in the western states to preserve the Union in the Civil War,” praising “his services on the frontier as express messenger and upholder of law and order.” The monument was dedicated Aug. 29, 1930, and in 1999 a large carved-log bust of Hickok was added to the park.

For more information, please visit our websites: mendotamuseums.org and lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org.