The Country Mansion (Historic)

The 1891 Scott Boarding House was a modest two-and-a-half-story frame structure originally serving overnight guests in a small Illinois prairie town. When the Oughton family acquired it in 1895, the building was extensively remodeled with carved hardwood interiors, paneled walls, decorative ceilings and the dining-room woodwork that survives to this day. The remodel was intended to provide upscale residential and administrative space for the rapidly expanding Keeley Institute, which by the late 1890s was treating thousands of patients each year.

Throughout the early twentieth century, the building served various functions within the Keeley Institute complex: senior staff residence, administrative office, formal dining hall for visiting medical professionals and dignitaries, and at one point in the 1920s and 1930s, a venue for community events and weddings. The 1920 remodel of the original Pumping Tower into an administration building was managed in part from offices within this house. The Oughton family retained ownership through the institute's gradual decline in the 1940s and 1950s.

When the institute closed in 1965, James Oughton Jr. converted the building into a restaurant called The Lodge, capitalizing on the building's distinctive interior. The Lodge ran for more than a decade before the Ohlendorf family acquired the property in 1977 and reopened it as the Country Mansion. The 1895 woodwork was preserved through all of these transitions and remains the building's most distinctive feature.

From 1978 to 2017, the Country Mansion was Dwight's signature upscale restaurant and one of the most distinctive dining experiences on the Illinois Route 66 corridor. The Ohlendorf family operated multiple dining rooms within the building, each with its own character. The main dining room featured the 1895 carved woodwork; smaller private rooms accommodated wedding rehearsal dinners, anniversary parties and corporate gatherings. The wine selection was the deepest in the area, and the Sunday brunch became a regional tradition.

Menu staples included prime rib (a Saturday night signature item), grilled fish, several pasta options, salads composed at the table, and a dessert tray that rotated multiple house-made cakes and pies. Prices ran higher than typical Dwight restaurants, but for special occasions the Country Mansion was widely considered worth the spend. Reservations were standard, and weekend dinners often booked weeks in advance during peak periods.

The restaurant's closure in December 2017 was deeply felt across Dwight and the surrounding region. Local newspapers ran multiple feature articles describing the closing as the end of an era. The Ohlendorf family chose to retire rather than sell, partly because of difficulty finding qualified staff in the small-town Illinois labor market. The building has sat closed but maintained since then.

Beginning in the mid-2020s, a local effort called Country Mansion Comeback has worked to identify a path forward for reopening the building to the public. The effort has involved historical preservation specialists, restaurant industry consultants, the Village of Dwight, the Dwight Historical Society, and members of the original Ohlendorf family. As of the mid-2020s, the exact future use of the building has not been finalized, but options under consideration include reopening as a restaurant, converting to a bed-and-breakfast, or operating as a special events venue.

Whatever the final use, preserving the 1895 woodwork and the building's overall historic character is the central priority. The building is part of the Oughton Estate Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and any modifications must comply with applicable preservation standards. Restoration funding is being sought from a combination of private donations, state preservation grants, and federal Route 66 centennial preservation funds.

Visitors interested in supporting the restoration can follow the Country Mansion Comeback online presence for updates and donation opportunities. The exterior of the building remains viewable from the public parking area, and the adjacent Dwight Windmill is accessible at all hours. Combine an exterior visit here with stops at the Ambler-Becker Texaco Station and the train depot for a full sense of Dwight's Route 66 and Keeley Institute heritage.