THE FOLLOWING IS FROM JENNIFER BAILEY’S “BAILEY BUZZ” COLUMN IN THE NEWS-GAZETTE
ABOVE: The historic Hegeler Mansion along North Vermilion Street in Danville will be open to public tours next month in conjunction with Vermilion County’s 200th anniversary this year, but the tour reservations filled up fast in just two days.
There were 130 people lucky enough to snag a free tour slot for the Nov. 7 and 8 mansion tours, but a lot more people are hoping for more tour chances, because they weren’t quick enough calling in.
The Hegeler Foundation and Vermilion County Museum announced the tours on social media late last week, and within two days, the 13 time slots with 10 people in each slot were filled.
The event was set and arranged with the Hegeler Foundation in conjunction with the Vermilion County 200th Anniversary Celebration. It is not a museum event, as the museum only took the reservations.
There will not be any additional dates offered for the event.
“We hope the quick response and interest to this event encourages the Hegeler Foundation to have more events like this,” museum officials stated on social media.
Foundation and museum volunteers will be giving the tours and relaying history about the rooms.
Phil Muehl, president of the Julius W. Hegeler II Foundation, said having the mansion open for public tours is “definitely appropriate” for the county’s 200th celebration.
Hegeler, a retired businessman, philanthropist and decorated Korean War veteran, died in 2019 at age 91.
Hegeler’s grandfather, Julius W. Hegeler, moved to Danville in 1905. He and his brother, Herman, established Hegeler Brothers Co., later Hegeler Zinc Co.
Hegeler and his family owned the mansion at 1521 N. Vermilion St., Danville, that was built in 1911 for A.L. Webster, a wholesale grocer. Hegeler’s father purchased the property in 1927.
The mansion includes special rooms, including to honor war veterans. Built in the neoclassical style, the house features a large two-story foyer and walnut staircase, a parlor, study, music room, dining room, butler’s pantry, kitchen and three enclosed porches downstairs; five bedrooms and a maid’s suite that was converted to an apartment upstairs; a 2,000-square-foot ballroom on the third floor; and a finished basement.
It’s been about 10 years since the Hegeler Mansion was open to the public as part of the Danville Area Tour of Homes. In 2022, the Danville High School Future Problem Solvers hosted a Retired Teachers Association luncheon for Vermilion County teachers in the mansion.
Muehl said the house is special from a historic standpoint, and it made sense to open it again to the public this year to let people see inside it and the history of the Hegeler family and Vermilion County.
“The mansion has been there for so long,” Muehl said. “It’s a cool building.”
Will there be other public tours in the future?
“We’re going to see right now; play it by ear,” Muehl said, adding that they have a board meeting in a couple weeks and could discuss it.
Muehl said they’re not sure right now for the future. They do open the house for nonprofits, history clubs and schools for special events from time to time.
FOR MORE FROM JENNIFER BAILEY’S “BAILEY BUZZ” COLUMN PLEASE GO TO https://www.news-gazette.com/news/the-bailey-buzz-oct-15-2026/article_5b89fbdd-9a5d-4f94-8aee-57891eb121be.html
