Jubilee College State Historic Site to close Friday

Staffing shortages due to state budget situation force closure of 1839 site

[October 08, 2009]  BRIMFIELD -- Jubilee College State Historic Site, near the Peoria County community of Brimfield, will close until further notice at 5 p.m. Friday due to staffing shortages created by the state of Illinois' budget situation.

The two-story Gothic Revival 1839 building that housed the college chapel, classrooms and a dormitory will be closed to the public, as will the small museum. The surrounding grounds will remain open to the public, as will the nearby Jubilee College State Park.

Jubilee College State Historic Site preserves the remnants of an 1830 Episcopal Seminary founded by Philander Chase, the first Episcopal bishop of Illinois, and was one of the first higher educational institutions in Illinois.

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which administers Jubilee College State Historic Site, was forced to close the site after one of two full-time staff retired and that person could not be replaced. The one remaining staff person at the historic site will maintain the property and provide security.

For current information about state-operated historic sites, visit www.illinois-history.gov.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]