A Tour of Ronald Reagan’s Boyhood Home in Dixon, Illinois
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Dixon, Illinois is most famous for being the hometown of 40th President, Ronald Reagan. The house opened to the public for tours in the mid 80’s and is still the city’s most famous attraction. I recommend history buffs from around the region to plan a daytrip to check it out. There is also a historic riverfront trail and a downtown home to some nice local businesses. Tours run from April to December each year. In 2002, the house was named a National Historic site. At this time, the street was renamed Reagan Way.
Tours of the home
Mike, being a native, has taken this tour many times. While he was in junior high in the 90’s, he got to see Reagan make a speech while he was in town for an anniversary. I’ve always wanted to check it out, so we finally planned for a tour on one of our trips home to visit family members. We lucked out as tours were free thanks to the annual Petunia Festival. We learned on the house tour that the Reagan’s lived in the Dixon home for 3 years, between 1920-1923, making Ronald 9 at the time of move in.
Before the guided tour, you will watch a 10 minute video. Next, the tour guide will take you through each room of the house, giving information first about his early childhood, and then his later years. The tour lasts approximately an hour. During the tour, I had the opportunity to learn plenty of new & interesting facts. For example, I never knew that he was an announcer for the Chicago Cubs!
None of the original furniture remains in the house, however, it has been remodeled to resemble the look of a 1920s residence. I can say that they did a pretty good; I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Below are a few of the rooms you will get to see on your tour.
The room that Ronald shared with his brother Neil.
This room served as the family’s guest room, which they rented out occasionally. Ronald’s mother, Nelle, used it primarily for her sewing.
Mr. and Mrs. Reagan’s room
The bathroom was originally a closet. This room is so narrow – imagine trying to get out of the bathtub!
The parlor room
The sitting room. We learned that Ronald’s mother used to make popcorn all the time, as it was one of the few snacks of the time.
According to our tour guide, Ronald used to hide his money under the piece of broken tile by the parlor fireplace. Even though he wasn’t allowed in the parlor room, he was tall enough to reach the fireplace without stepping foot into the room.
On his visit to Dixon, Reagan told the story of his hiding place. Once again, he placed pennies under a tile. In the frame below, you can see the actual picture of him putting the pennies down. The pennies displayed in the frame are authentic.
The kitchen features a zinc sink (it inhibited mold, didn’t rust, and was cheaper).
The corner icebox kept milk and butter cold. Ronald and his brother would have the task of emptying the drip tray each day.
When Ronald came back to his boyhood home for an anniversary dinner, he sat in the chair in front of the china cabinet. His chef brought with his own plates, however, he wanted to eat off the plates at the house. Staff later marked the plate which he ate off (the tour guide will show you the plate). However, the Secret Service wouldn’t allow him to eat the cake because they did not see it being prepared!
After your house tour, make sure to stop in the Visitor’s center/gift shop to view various novelty items and some memorabilia.
Other historical sites
There is a nice Reagan statue outside the house where you can take your picture.
Also, you can also explore the Reagan trail & statue located on the riverfront. It’s located in a part of the downtown called Heritage Crossing. This is a popular area for events and there is an amphitheater. There are some walking paths and tables and it’s a great sunset watching destination.
Additional Details
- Address: 816 S. Hennepin Ave.
- Hours: Thursday-Saturday: 10:00am-3:00pm
- Dates: April 10 – December 12
- Admission Prices: $8 per person. Free admission for teachers, students, military, fire and EMS professionals
- Riverfront Statue Address: River Street
Hours and pricing are subject to change. Info current as of winter 2025.
If you are looking for something good to eat, Arthurs is a great long running local favorite serving the best sandwiches, soups, and deli sides in town. We also stop here for their delicious baked potatoes, pasta salad, and cheesecake while in town!
You can take a full self guided walking, biking, or driving tour of some of the places he visited during his time living in this small town including: his grammar school, the public library, his church, and gym, and numerous other local establishments.
