Catharine V. Yost Museum

Catharine V. Yost Museum Historical home museum! The home of the Yost family built in 1898, containing all of their belongings and featuring art by daughter Catharine V. Yost.

05/14/2026

It's that time of year again..... all 3 of the Pontiac House museums begin their regular summer schedules of being open the 3rd Saturday of each month through October from 1-3pm. Volunteers at each home have taken advantage of a winter lay-off to add new artifacts to the displays plus clean and polish. Plus outside the flower beds are blooming and many new plants have been added.

The Catherine V. Yost House at 298 W. Water St. has added a number of Ms. Yost's works which were stored in the attic as well as many pictured of family members and the house itself through the years.

The Jones House at 314 Madison St has added a new exhibit on Pontiac's famous Woodrow Sisters who were nationally known in the early 20th Century for their hand painted china pieces a number of which are on display.

The Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St. not only features a direct connection to Abraham Lincoln, but has recently added an exhibit on Pontiac native Thomas Googerty who was instrumental in pioneering decorative wrought iron work in the early 20th Century. Not only did he popularize decorative wrought iron work, but he also trained young inmates at The Pontiac Boys Reformatory (now Pontiac Correctional Center) in working with the material. It was a new idea at the time and very successful, training inmates training in a trade that could keep them out of jail after their release.

Tours at each home are always free and no advance registration is required.

05/02/2026

It's a cool day, but beautiful. It's a great day to take in all that is going on in Pontiac today. The Swinging Bridge Festival and Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Celebrations off many free family activities.

As part of the celebrations don't forget that all 3 Pontiac House Museums are open for the first time this season. Volunteers have taken the opportunity in each house through the winter to make changes in exhibits.

The Catherine V. Yost House at 298 W. Water St, The Jones House at 301 E. Madison St and The Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St will all be open for free public tours from 1-3 pm. Come out and learn a bit of Pontiac's history.

04/28/2026

It's been a long winter, but the first weekend of May brings an end to the cold weather with The Red Carpet Corridor and Swinging Bridges Festival. Among many activities scheduled for the weekend throughout town, the 3 Pontiac House Museums will be reopening for the season on Saturday May 2nd. Each house will be open for free public tours from1-3pm.

Members of the Livingston County Historical Society, who staff each of the homes have spent the winter, adding some new features in each of them so even if you have been through them before there be some new sights.

The Jones House, at 301 E. Madison St. is Pontiac's oldest brick home, built in 1857. In it's heyday the home was owned and occupied by several of Pontiac's leading families of the day. Restored it now is on The National Register of Historic Places. It features a brand new exhibit of hand painted items by The Woodrow Sisters of Pontiac. They were nationally famous for their high quality china and ceramic painted items in the later 19th and early 20th Century.

The Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St. highlights Pontiac's connection to Abraham Lincoln who visited the home in early 1860. A new upstairs exhibit honors Pontiac native Thomas Googerty He was instrumental in wrought iron working. The exhibit features recreations of some of his creations plus also has some of his paintings as well.

The Catherine V. Yost House at 298 W. Water St. features a number of paintings by the Pontiac native. Plus the 1898 Queen Anne Victorian home features only items owned by Catherine, her parents and siblings. Over the winter volunteers raided the attic and brought out a new selection of paintings. Plus a selection of photographs, previously undisplayed was brought out. Many pictures of the house through the years, family members and views of Pontiac. Also of interest is a picture of William Jennings Bryan as he spoke to 3500 people in Pontiac 130 years ago.

It's a great weekend to kickoff the 100th Anniversary out Route 66, enjoy all Pontiac has to offer and learn a bit of history as well.

All tours are always free and no registration is required.

12/15/2025

This coming Saturday, December 20th from 1-3pm is the public's only opportunity to view Pontiac's house museums in December. The houses each will then close for the winter to re-open in early May. Private tours may always be scheduled by contacting Pontiac Tourism several days in advance. There is never a charge for any of the tours, given by Livingston County Historical Society volunteers.

2 of the 3 homes are decked out in Christmas splendor reflecting a somewhat different time period.

The Catherine V. Yost House and Museum at 298 W. Water St. is a Queen Anne Victorian style home built by the artists' father in 1898. Everything in the home was owned by the family and reflects how the home would have appeared in the early part of the 20th Century. Several gifts received by the Yost children survive and are highlighted. Today's children gain a different perspective when they see the simple gifts children received back then. No cords, batteries, or video screens.

The Jones House, Pontiac's oldest surviving brick home is decorated with a wide variety of donated items showing how the 1857 home would have looked in the mid-19th Century. The home is located at 314 E. Madison St. It was owned through the years by some of Pontiac's most prominent families.

The Jason Strevell Home at 401 W. Livingston St. was visited by Abraham Lincoln in 1860. A recently added feature is an exhibit honoring Pontiac native Thomas Googerty who was a nationally known decorative wrought iron worker. While the home is decorated for the season, the focus is on Lincoln, Googerty and a variety of artworks by local artists.

All tours are always free of charge.

11/29/2025

We're sorry to announce the snow-caused cancellation of the scheduled Yost House Christmas Open house today, Saturday November 29th. We invite everyone to the next scheduled open day, Saturday December 20th from 1-3pm. The house has been decorated for Christmas, as it would have appeared in the early 20th and is joy to see. Please plan on coming to visit us that day. Stay warm and safe today. As always, private showings can be requested by contacting the Pontiac events office at City Hall several days in advance. There is no charge.

11/25/2025

With the holiday season approaching many events have been scheduled in Pontiac to help get the season started , As part of your weekend activities take time to visit Christmases of the past. Let the kids see how Christmas looked before batteries and video screens. Or, relive your own Christmas celebrations from days gone by. All three of the Pontiac House museums are open special hours for the Christmas Open House celebrations on Saturday November 29th.

The Catherine V. Yost House and Museum at 298 W. Water St is decorated as Christmas would have appeared in the early 20th Century in a Queen Anne Victorian home. We are fortunate to have some original decorations of the Yost family and also some presents received by Yost children. The house will be open from 1-4pm and Pontiac pianist Paula Trainor-Rosenbaum will play a selection of traditional Christmas songs on the home's mid-19th Century baby grand piano.

Also decorated for the season is the Jone's House, Pontiac's oldest brick home. Furnished with a variety of donated antiques the house shines with the soft glow of period Christmas decorations. To take full advantage of the ambiance the home will be open from 4-7pm. It is located at 314 W. Madison St.

Also open from 1-3pm on Saturday is the Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St. The house has a good deal of information on Abraham Lincoln who visited the home in 1860. Also on display is a recent exhibit on Pontiac native Thomas Googerty. From the late 1800's until the late 1920's he was a nationally known wrought iron worker and teacher at the Pontiac Boy's Reformatory. Since examples of his work are fairly rare several of his designs have been recreated using 3-D printing.

Since the hours have been staggered visitors have more time to visit and enjoy each home in it's turn and even take a break for shopping or a meal.

Each home is staffed by Livingston County Historical Society volunteers. All tour are always free. No registration is required.

10/14/2025

This Saturday, October 18th is another opportunity for everyone to enjoy free tours at the 3 Pontiac House Museums. Each of the homes presents a different perspective of life in Pontiac in earlier times. Each home will be open from 1-3pm.

The Jones House at 321 E. Madison St. and The Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St have both been listed on The National Register of Historic Places following complete restorations.

The Strevell House, visited in 1860 by Abraham Lincoln, is featuring a recently opened exhibit honoring Pontiac native Thomas Googerty. He was a nationally known innovator in metalworking from the late 1800's through about 1940. His techniques and ideas transformed metalworking and served as a method of enabling juvenile offenders to have a viable occupation when they were released from the Pontiac Boys Reformatory.

The Jones House is Pontiac's oldest remaining brick home. Built in 1857 was owned through the years by some of Pontiac's most prominent families. It is currently furnished as it would have appeared in the late 19th Century.

The Catherine V. Yost House and Museum features the artwork of the Pontiac artist who lived her entire life in the house. Built as a Queen Anne Victorian home by her father in 1898, it is furnished 100% with items owned and used by various members of the family. It currently appears as it would have during the 1920's and 30's.

Tours at all of the home are given by Livingston County Historical Society members and are always free.

09/17/2025

With summer leaving and autumn arriving it's great weekend to experience a number of free, family events that are also free. This Saturday, Sept. 20th is a day of activities all day long. Experience The Farmer's Market in the morning, then visit the 3 Pontiac House museums for a taste on Pontiac's past. The homes are all managed by the Livingston County Historical Society and each one presents a different look at the past.

The Jason Strevell House at 401 W. Livingston St. visited by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. It is listed on The National Register of Historic Places for it's unique to area Gothic Revival architecture. The home features a number of mid-1800's furnishings and a number of paintings by local artists, of local scenes. Also just recently opened is an exhibit featuring the life and work of nationally renowned wrought iron worker Thomas Googerty. The Pontiac native revolutionized the art of working in the metal and also making it a trade for boys to learn in their time at The Pontiac Boys Reformatory (now Pontiac Correctional Center).

The Jones House at 321 E. Madison St., built in 1857 is Pontiac's oldest remaining brick home, restored and furnished with a wide variety of donated items. Also listed on The National Register it was owned through the years by several of Pontiac's prominent families.

The Catherine V. Yost House and Museum at 298 W. Water St. features artwork by the Pontiac artist, as well as a look at how she, her parents and siblings lived in the 1898 Queen Anne Victorian home. Occupied by Pontiac attorney Z.F. Yost and his family all of the furnishings were owned by them so it is a unique opportunity to see how one family lived in the first half of the 20th Century.

All three houses are open for free tours from 1-3pm. Tours are designed so that all three can be viewed in one afternoon.

After touring the homes shop downtown Pontiac and grab a bite to eat at one of the downtown eateries. Then at 5:30 head for the bandshell at Humiston Riverside Park for a free concert by Cadillac Groove Band.

Come out and enjoy the weekend at home and have a wonderful time in town.

08/12/2025

This Saturday, August 16th is another opportunity for the public to enjoy free tour of the three Pontiac House Museums. The trio, owned and/or operated by The Livingston County Historical Society offer different perspectives on life in Pontiac from the mid-19th till the mid-20th Centuries. All tours are free and open to the general public from 1-3pm.

A special observation is planned at the Jason Strevell House at 401 w. Livingston St. The is the first chance the public will have to view a new exhibit on Pontiac native Thomas Googerty. The house features unique to the area architecture and is known as the house Lincoln visited. Googerty himself trained in the mid 1800's as a blacksmith and as time went on he helped transform metal working from a purely functional feature to beautiful ornamental artwork. Included in the exhibit is evidence showing his nationally known reputation. It also features many artifacts and much information on the man of many talents. Among many other things he was a teacher at the Pontiac Boys Reformatory (now The Pontiac Correctional Center). His efforts were instrumental in giving boys a post incarceration trade and reducing recidivism rates.

The Jones House at321 E. Madison St is Pontiac's oldest brick home dating from 1858.The completely restored home was occupied by several of Pontiac's leading families before falling into disrepair and nearly being torn down. It was purchased by concerned residents and renovated. It is now listed on The National Register of Historic Places. It is furnished with a wide variety of donated items giving visitors a chance to see how our ancestors dealt with day to day life.

The Catherine V. Yost House and Museum at 298 W. Water St. is an 1898 Queen Anne Victorian style home, It features all original furnishings and artwork of the Pontiac artist, her parents, and siblings. The family was heavily involved in the local arts and theater scene through a great part of the 20th Century. The house is displayed as it would have looked in the early-mid 20th Century.

Enjoy the weekend with a variety of things to do in Pontiac. From the car show to the Farmer's Market to learning about a variety of historical subjects at all of Pontiac's free museums.

Address

298 W. Water Street
Pontiac, IL
61764

Telephone

+18158422720

Website

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