Calendar | Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County

History for the Holidays

Holiday Season Events at State Historic Sites and Lincoln Presidential Museum Cover Several Centuries

Send a link to a friend

[November 21, 2007]  SPRINGFIELD -- Traditional holiday season observances covering several centuries may be enjoyed this year at Illinois' state-operated historic sites and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

For more information, visit www.illinois-history.gov.

The holiday season will be opened the traditional Swedish way during Julmarknad, which is reminiscent of medieval Scandinavian markets featuring the handcrafted wares of local artisans. Visitors will find the entire village adorned with traditional Swedish holiday decorations. Stores will have ample supplies of traditional decorations, pottery, baskets, brooms, toys, food and other items for sale. Swedish folk characters will wander throughout the village. A cookie walk, a performance of the Swedish keyed fiddle, artisan demonstrations and children's make-and-take workshops will also be featured.

Bishop Hill was settled in 1846 by Swedish religious dissidents as a "utopia on the prairie." It is located 30 miles northeast of Galesburg and 12 miles southwest of Kewanee off U.S. Highway 34.

The "Cider Sippin' Sale" is a perfect opportunity to find that special stocking stuffer and to enjoy holiday shopping in a historic setting and relaxed atmosphere. While browsing through the selection of unique gifts, visitors can enjoy a cup of hot cider, talk to interpreters in period clothing and enjoy the warmth of a roaring fire.

Cahokia Courthouse was built as a residence as early as 1740 and is one of Illinois' oldest surviving buildings. It is located near the intersection of Highway 157 and Illinois Route 3 in Cahokia.

One of the most unique and popular holiday shopping experiences in the Metro East area returns during the fifth annual Indian Market Days. Vendors and Indian artists will display and sell artwork, jewelry, sculpture, herbals, weaving, clothing, ceramics and other Indian-made items. This is the ideal opportunity to locate a unique holiday gift.

Cahokia Mounds is at Collinsville, just eight miles from downtown St. Louis, off interstates 55 and 70 (Exit 6) and I-255 (Exit 24) on Collinsville Road.

An authentic Victorian holiday celebration will be featured during "Christmas at Clover Lawn." The mansion will be festooned with evergreens, ornaments, antique toys, Christmas trees, an authentic German putz (village scene) and a rare collection of antique Christmas ornaments. Children will enjoy seeing antique toys, a teddy bear tea party, a rotating Christmas tree, an unusual "upside-down" Christmas tree and a 6-foot feather tree. Visitors may tour the mansion Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The David Davis Mansion, built in the 1870s for U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Davis and his wife, Sarah, is located at 1000 E. Monroe in Bloomington.

The Old Market House, 123 Commerce St. in downtown Galena, will be the site of Santa's House. The annual parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, and Santa's House will open immediately after Santa arrives at the Old Market House. Santa will give special gift bags to children until 7 p.m. Santa will also greet children from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Old Market House was built in 1846 as the hub of Galena's commercial center.

The home's oil lamps will be lit and 1870s Victorian Christmas decorations will grace the home of the president and Civil War general. The Ulysses S. Grant Home, built in 1860, was given to Galena's most prominent citizen in 1865. It is completely restored and decorated with original furnishings from the Grant family.

The event will explore the traditional New England roots of Thanksgiving. Stephen Sargent, a New Hampshire native, would have observed the day of Thanksgiving more than others from Illinois, and therefore all of the activities will take place at the Sargent Farm. These will include hearth cooking and a period interpretation of Thanksgiving Day the way that it would have been celebrated by some in Illinois in 1845.

Lincoln Log Cabin is an 86-acre pioneer farmstead that was the last home of Abraham Lincoln's parents, Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln. It is located eight miles south of Charleston.

The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Dana-Thomas House will be fully decorated for the holiday season Nov. 28-Dec. 30. The theme this year involves the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, which Mrs. Dana attended. Artifacts from the World's Fair will be displayed throughout the house.

The Dana-Thomas House is located at the corner of Fourth and Lawrence streets in Springfield.

The holiday season will continue the traditional Swedish way during Julmarknad, or Christmas Market, which is reminiscent of medieval Scandinavian markets featuring the handcrafted wares of local artisans. Visitors will find the entire village adorned with traditional Swedish holiday decorations. Stores will have ample supplies of traditional decorations, pottery, baskets, brooms, toys, food and other items for sale. Swedish folk characters will wander throughout the village. A performance of the Swedish keyed fiddle, artisan demonstrations, old-fashioned candy making and a chocolate walk will also be featured.

Bishop Hill was settled in 1846 by Swedish religious dissidents as a "utopia on the prairie." It is located 30 miles northeast of Galesburg and 12 miles southwest of Kewanee off U.S. Highway 34.

The tradition of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century gift-giver who is the inspiration for our modern Santa Claus, will be explored during this event. St. Nicholas will stop by the candlelit historic home to greet families and share holiday treats with children. The Martin-Boismenue House will be decorated for the season in traditional frontier fashion, with St. Nicholas seated in front of a crackling fire. Parents are encouraged to bring cameras to capture their children's delight.

The Martin-Boismenue House was built as early as 1790 by Pierre Martin, a local farmer and officeholder. The structure is a typical French Canadian dwelling with the logs arranged vertically, rather than the more commonly known horizontal arrangement of later American log cabins, and it is one of the oldest structures of its kind in Illinois. The Martin-Boismenue House is located at the intersection of Water and First streets, directly across from the Prairie du Pont Firehouse.

The Old Market House, 123 Commerce St. in downtown Galena, will be the site of Santa's House. Santa will give special gift bags to children. The Old Market House was built in 1846 as the hub of Galena's commercial center.

The home's oil lamps will be lit and 1870s Victorian Christmas decorations will grace the home of the president and Civil War general. The Ulysses S. Grant Home, built in 1860, was given to Galena's most prominent citizen in 1865. The home is completely restored and decorated with original furnishings from the Grant family.

The candlelit chapel and west wing rooms will be the setting for the annual program, which includes performances on the 1848 Henry Erben organ, one of four remaining in the United States, and traditional songs presented by madrigal singers. Candlelight tours of the college will be given by costumed interpreters.

Jubilee College was founded in 1839 by the first Episcopal bishop of Illinois, Philander Chase. The main building is all that remains of the college. Jubilee College is located 15 miles northwest of Peoria, off I-74 or Illinois Route 150.

On Nov. 30 the Metamora Woman's Club will sponsor an open house and concert featuring live Christmas and traditional music in the courtroom. A choir and carolers will lead a community singalong. Hot cider and cookies will be served. A second open house and an opportunity to talk with Santa and his elves in the courtroom will be offered Dec. 1. Greeters in 1860s costumes can be seen in the Metamora Courthouse and around the Metamora village square that day.

Metamora Courthouse is one of only two surviving original 8th Judicial Circuit courthouses where Abraham Lincoln practiced law.

A traditional holiday event returns, courtesy of volunteers from the Pierre Menard Home Society. The Menard Home will feature traditional French Colonial holiday decorations of boxwood, greenery, ribbons and candles. Madelines (a traditional French cookie), gingerbread and hot mulled cider will be served. Pere Noel (Father Christmas) will make an appearance during the afternoon.

The Pierre Menard Home was built circa 1815 for a prominent French Canadian entrepreneur and Illinois' first lieutenant governor. It is located just off Illinois Route 3 north of Chester.

A rocking chair used by Abraham Lincoln will join period holiday decorations, music and sweets during the event. The courthouse will be decorated in the simple but beautiful style of the mid-1800s, and its Christmas tree will feature prairie dolls, wooden decorations and grapevines. Live period music will be provided, a Lincoln impersonator will greet visitors, and refreshments will be served.

Postville Courthouse is a reproduction of the first Logan County Courthouse, in use from 1840 to 1847. Abraham Lincoln practiced law in the original wooden structure while riding the 8th Judicial Circuit.

Holiday music will be provided for visitors in the open central plaza area. The Rochester High School Madrigals will perform from 10:30 to 11 a.m. and from 12:30 to 1 p.m. Then the Illinois College Renaissance Singers will perform from 2 to 2:30 p.m.

The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices will host the fun and family-friendly DePriest Puppets Show Dec. 5 at 6:30 pm. The Old State Capitol will offer a history hunt activity for families and present a musical concert at 6:30 p.m. by the Eddy Flute Choir. These activities are in conjunction with the annual Downtown Springfield Inc. Holiday Walk.

The holidays at a Black Hawk War-era fort will be re-enacted during this event. Visitors can experience the sights, smells and sounds of an 1830s Christmas and learn how Christmas traditions began. Guests may ride in a horse-drawn wagon and join re-enactors as they prepare for a Christmas ball. Hot cider will be served. The Interpretive Center will have a traditional German Christmas Market featuring local goods and crafts.

The Apple River Fort is a reconstruction of the 1830s civilian fort that was the site of a Black Hawk War battle. It is located along U.S. Route 20 in Elizabeth.

In a continuation of Swedish tradition, all Bishop Hill businesses, museums, and bed and breakfasts will be open until 9 p.m. and will feature a Lucia girl wearing a white robe, crimson sash and a candle crown. She will serve hot beverages and sweets to visitors. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 7 as the community Christmas tree is lit at the southeast corner of the Village Park. Seasonal music will be provided both evenings.

Bishop Hill was founded in 1846 by Swedish religious dissidents as a "utopia on the prairie." It is located 30 miles northeast of Galesburg and 12 miles southwest of Kewanee off U.S. Highway 34.

Bryant Cottage will be decorated for the holidays and illuminated by candle and lamplight. A Sarah Bryant re-enactor will read classic Christmas stories, handmade Christmas ornaments will be given to the first 40 families to visit, horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered, and period holiday music provided. Visitors are encouraged to view a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments made by local first-graders.

Bryant Cottage is the 1856 home of early Bement businessman Francis E. Bryant. It is located at the corner of Route 105 and Wilson Street in Bement.

[to top of second column]

Santa's House, Dec. 8, 1-3 p.m.
Old Market House State Historic Site, Galena. Free.

The Old Market House, 123 Commerce St. in downtown Galena. will be the site of Santa's House. Santa will give special gift bags to children. The Old Market House was built in 1846 as the hub of Galena's commercial center.

The home's oil lamps will be lit and 1870s Victorian Christmas decorations will grace the home of the president and Civil War general. The Ulysses S. Grant Home, built in 1860, was given to Galena's most prominent citizen in 1865. The home is completely restored and decorated with original furnishings from the Grant family.

The 204th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's establishment of their first winter camp in Illinois will be celebrated. Re-enactors will share the difficulties of living at the camp during the winter of 1803-04. Exhibitors inside the Interpretive Center will display Native American artifacts, medical tools used by Capt. Lewis on the expedition, carpenter tools of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and military weapons used during the expedition. A presentation entitled "Fourteen Historic Flags" and a discussion of the book "Forts and Blockhouses in Early Illinois" will also be featured.

The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site is Site No. 1 on the National Lewis and Clark Heritage Trail. It features an Interpretive Center about the Illinois role in the expedition, as well as an accurate reconstruction of the camp from where the expedition began. It is located along Illinois Route 3 a few miles north of I-270 in Hartford.

A Christmas holiday tradition that looks like it came off a greeting card can be experienced during these evening tours. Visitors are welcome to tour the Lincoln and Sargent farms by candlelit paths to see how 19th-century Americans may have observed Christmas, including some Germanic traditions. Period music will be provided.

Lincoln Log Cabin is an 86-acre pioneer farmstead that was the last home of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father and stepmother. It is located eight miles south of Charleston.

A traditional holiday tale combined with live seasonal songs and music will be featured during Dylan Thomas' "A Child's Christmas in Wales," to be presented in the Visitor Center Theater. Tickets may be purchased by calling 217-632-4000.

Springfield actor Kevin Purcell will perform the short story, joined by music director Judy Denton, who will lead a group of singers and musicians presenting the holiday carols of Alfred Burt integrated with the Thomas story.

Lincoln's New Salem is a reconstruction of the log village where Abraham Lincoln lived for six years. It is located along Illinois Route 97 about two miles south of Petersburg and 20 miles northwest of Springfield.

1830s rooms illuminated by candlelight will highlight the annual event. The Statehouse where Abraham Lincoln served as a state representative from 1836 to 1839 will be trimmed with 1800s decorations. Staff and volunteers in period clothing will greet visitors, and period music will be provided. The first 100 families will receive a free handmade Christmas ornament. Refreshments will be served.

Vandalia Statehouse was the seat of Illinois government from 1836 to 1839. It is located one mile south of I-70 on U.S. 51 South in Vandalia.

The 74 soldiers still listed as prisoners of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia will be remembered at this 20th annual ceremony in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Handmade red and white heart-shaped ornaments will be hung by family and friends on the blue spruce planted near the memorial for this purpose. Each ornament bears the name of one of the 74 Illinois POWs or MIAs. Visitors may also bring a weatherproof ornament to hang on the tree. Seasonal music and a color guard will be provided.

Holiday music will be provided for museum visitors in the open central plaza area. Cambric Garden will perform from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., and the Capital Chamber Singers will perform from noon to 12:30 and 1 to 1:30 p.m.

Kevin Purcell will perform Dylan Thomas' "A Child's Christmas in Wales" at 2 p.m., joined by musician Ann Collins, who will provide holiday carols that will be integrated into the story. The Lindsay Home will be decorated for the holidays, and visitors will receive candy canes and souvenir copies of Lindsay's Christmas poetry. Spiced tea and cookies will be served.

The Vachel Lindsay Home was built about 1850 and is the 1879 birthplace of poet Nicholas Vachel Lindsay. It is located at 603 S. Fifth St. in Springfield.

The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices will host the fun and family-friendly DePriest Puppets Show Dec. 12 at 6:30 pm. The Old State Capitol will offer a history hunt activity for families and present a musical concert at 6:30 p.m. by the Springfield Chorale Society. These activities are in conjunction with the annual Downtown Springfield Inc. Holiday Walk.

Three of Bloomington-Normal's most significant historic mansions will be festooned with vintage Christmas decorations and open for special evening tours, with the holiday tours and free shuttle transportation for one price. Featured are the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, 1000 E. Monroe, Bloomington; Broadview Mansion, 1301 S. Fell Avenue, Normal; and the Vrooman Mansion, 701 E. Taylor, Bloomington. Holiday foods will be served at the Vrooman and Davis mansions, and the Davis Mansion tour will also feature seasonal music and costumed guides.

Christmas at the Mansions is a fundraising event benefiting Immanuel Bible Foundation, the David Davis Mansion and the Alzheimer's Association. For more information, call 309-828-1084 or 309-452-6710.

The Old Market House, 123 Commerce St. in downtown Galena, will be the site of Santa's House. Santa will give special gift bags to children. The Old Market House was built in 1846 as the hub of Galena's commercial center.

Visitors to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum will have the chance to brighten the holidays for needy families during the annual drive that benefits Contact Ministries in Springfield. Children will be admitted to the museum free that day, and adults will have reduced admission in exchange for nonperishable food items or new unwrapped toys. Free children's crafts will be provided, and Father Christmas and Abe Lincoln will visit. Music will be provided by the Backyard Gang from 10 to 10:30 a.m. and by the Porta High School Madrigals Reunion Group at 2 p.m.

The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices will host the fun and family-friendly DePriest Puppets Show Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The Old State Capitol will offer a history hunt activity for families and a musical concert by the Springfield Show Stoppers at 6:30 p.m. These activities are in conjunction with the annual Downtown Springfield Inc. Holiday Walk.

The Dana-Thomas House will be open until 8 p.m. all three days, with live music filling the house during the afternoon and evening. Evening tours allow the public to see this pristine example of Wright's American architecture with its 100-year-old 1904-era light levels and to enjoy the many illuminated holiday trees and decorations.

The season's most popular event at the Dana-Thomas House, Luminaria Evening, will be Dec. 23, from 4 to 8 p.m. One thousand candles in paper sacks will line the sidewalks and horizontal ledges of the sprawling, 12,600-square-foot Prairie style structure. Conducted tours on Luminaria Evening are silent except for the live music being played in the house.

The Dana-Thomas House was designed by world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1902-1904 for Springfield socialite Susan Lawrence Dana. The restored house is the most complete of Wright's early Prairie style dwellings, with more than 100 pieces of original Wright-designed furniture and more than 450 art glass windows and fixtures.

The winter solstice sunrise will be observed at the reconstructed Woodhenge, which is about one-half mile west of Monks Mound (the largest mound), on Collinsville Road. While waiting for the sun to rise, an archaeologist will explain how the Woodhenges were discovered, how they function, and what we know about them and the Mississippian culture that built them. Out of respect to the Indian cultures of the present and the past, no rituals or ceremonies will be performed. Observances of the solstice and equinox sunrises during the year are scheduled on the Sunday morning closest to the actual dates so that more people are able to attend and learn about these ancient sun calendars that date to from 1100-1200 A.D. The present Woodhenge was reconstructed in the original location in 1985, following several years of excavations that revealed the locations of the large posts.

Visitors are invited to ring in Christmas Day the traditional Swedish way at the Julotta nondenominational service in the restored Colony Church, built in 1848 by Swedish immigrants. Christmas morning in Sweden begins with the Julotta service, and since 1970 the Julotta at the Colony Church has reaffirmed the Swedish heritage of this historic community. Special vocal and organ music will be provided, and the service will be conducted in both Swedish and English. Coffee and rusks will be served in the Colony Church Museum following the service.

Bishop Hill is located 20 miles south of I-80 and 17 miles east of I-74.

Children's Story Hour, reminiscent of the times a hundred years ago when Susan Lawrence Dana would invite children into her home for reading and fun, will feature storyteller Mike Anderson of Jacksonville. Each child will receive a treat at the end of the session. Space is limited, so reservations are required -- call 217-782-6776. Each session lasts about 45 minutes.

The Dana-Thomas House, at Fourth and Lawrence streets in Springfield, was designed by world-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1902-1904 for Springfield socialite Susan Lawrence Dana.

The New Year's celebration started in 1722 by some of the state's earliest settlers will be observed at Fort de Chartres and in the nearby town of Prairie du Rocher. During La Guiannee, the traditional French New Year's celebration, traditional French holiday carols will be sung and refreshments served. The La Guiannee Singers will perform at the fort as part of their roving tour of the Prairie du Rocher area. As part of the tradition, the residents provide refreshments for the singers at each stop.

Fort de Chartres is a re-creation of the mid-1700s fort from which the French governed the entire Illinois territory. It is located four miles west of Prairie du Rocher on Route 155.

The glamour of women twirling in hoop skirts on the arms of dashing gentlemen will be re-created during the First Night Period Ball in the Old State Capitol's Hall of Representatives. The Period Ball is part of the First Night Springfield celebration. Other events in downtown Springfield that evening require First Night admission; visit www.springfieldartsco.org. Visitors are invited to tour the candlelit building that evening. The ball is reminiscent of the formal dances and celebrations at the building when it served as the seat of Illinois government from 1839 to 1876. The Old State Capitol is located in downtown Springfield.

[Text copied from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency news release received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]

< Tourism index

Back to top