Several historic sites to be open 7 days per week

Expanded schedules will accommodate more visitors during the tourist season

[May 04, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- Several state-operated historic sites will be open seven days per week starting this month to accommodate more visitors during the traditionally busier summer tourist season. The expanded schedules will be in effect as follows:

• Bjorklund Hotel, Colony Church and Bishop Hill Museum in Bishop Hill -- May 25-Sept. 7

• Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville -- May 4-Oct. 31; closed Mondays only starting Nov. 1

• Fort Kaskaskia, Ellis Grove -- Until further notice

• Lewis and Clark, Hartford -- Starting May 4 until further notice

• Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, Springfield -- May 15-Sept. 7

• Lincoln Log Cabin, Lerna -- May 4-Sept. 7

• Lincoln's New Salem, Petersburg -- May 4-Sept. 14

• Lincoln Tomb, Springfield -- May 15-Sept. 7

• Old State Capitol, Springfield -- May 15-Sept. 7

• Vandalia Statehouse, Vandalia -- May 3-Sept. 7

These historic sites, with the exception of Fort Kaskaskia and Lewis and Clark, will return to their regular five-day-per-week schedules for the remainder of the year.

The expanded operations were made possible by a supplemental appropriation bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn. The $1.6 million legislation allowed the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to reopen 11 historic sites that had been closed since Dec. 1 and to hire the temporary, seasonal workers necessary for daily operations at several historic sites.

The current schedules for the other state-operated historic sites:

• Apple River Fort, Elizabeth -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Black Hawk, Rock Island -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Bryant Cottage, Bement -- Open Wednesday through Sunday from May 1 through Sept. 6, and Thursday through Sunday the rest of the year.

• Cahokia Courthouse, Cahokia -- Open Tuesday through Saturday.

• Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, Galesburg -- Open Saturday and Sunday and for special events, with a possible expansion to five days per week later in the year.

• Dana-Thomas House, Springfield -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• David Davis Mansion, Bloomington -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Douglas Tomb, Chicago -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Fort de Chartres, Prairie du Rocher -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Galena historic sites -- U.S. Grant Home, Wednesday through Sunday; Washburne House, Fridays only from May 1 through October; Old Market House, open daily as local tourism office.

• Jubilee College, Brimfield -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Pierre Menard Home, Ellis Grove -- Open Wednesday through Sunday.

• Pullman State Historic Site, Chicago -- Open for walk-in visitation 11 a.m.-3 p.m. seven days per week, May 1-Oct. 11. Other dates and times available by appointment.

• Vachel Lindsay Home, Springfield -- Saturdays only, with a possible expansion of the schedule later in the year.

[Text from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]

(State historic sites)