The museum complex is located on the banks of the Illinois & Michigan Canal a few miles south of I-80 on Route 178 in historical Utica, Illinois.  The two-story stone museum was built during the presidency of Zachary Taylor in 1848.  Originally it was a general store serving the needs of early pioneers and the traffic along the canal.  Steeped in tradition, all its natural charm has been preserved by the Society.

The museum complex consists of four buildings.  The 1848 stone warehouse is one of three original buildings remaining on the Illinois & Michigan Canal.  Also an 1865 one-room school, an 1874 post-beam barn, and an 1896 working blacksmith shop offer a unique impression of pioneer life in the late 19th century.  The Museum Library is a certified research facility.