Illinois author invites readers to “Roam, Relax, Repeat” in a presentation at Lincoln Heritage Museum
 

[November 14, 2024] 

Lincoln Heritage Museum hosted Illinois author Melanie Holmes on Saturday, November 9 to discuss her book “100 Things to Do in Illinois Before You Die.” Holmes published her edition in 2023 as part of a nationwide line from Reedy Publishing’s bucket list book series of “100 Things to Do…”. This series of books originally chronicled cities, but has since added U.S. states. As a nonfiction writer, when Holmes discovered that the series had not yet covered the state of Illinois, she contracted with the publisher to research and write this title. As a native Illinoisan, Holmes felt qualified to explore and represent the whole of the state because of her travels within the state and from living in different areas. Originally from Manteno, Holmes started traveling with her mother at age seven. She says that she had a rural upbringing and as an adult moved closer to Chicago for employment. She credits these things with giving her a balanced approach to the book. Her overall approach to writing the book was “to tell the Illinois story through a collection of experiences.”

Museum Director Ron Keller welcomed the audience gathered at the Lincoln Heritage Museum to hear Holmes' book talk and introduced her. This is Holmes fifth nonfiction book, and the presentation at the Lincoln Heritage Museum was her 54th book event in 16 months. Holmes says about “100 Things To Do in Illinois” that she “scoured Illinois for consistent guest experiences in the arts, entertainment, food, parks, culture, history, sports, and geology.” The city of Lincoln rated coverage in the book for the Lincoln Heritage Museum, Courthouse Square, the Depot, and the World’s Largest Covered Wagon. She said that Lincoln’s location on old Route 66 was also a clincher for inclusion in the book.

After introductions, Holmes began her presentation with a nod to the “bucket list” series’ title with the question, “Why a bucket list?” She said creating a bucket list is about setting priorities. To fulfill a bucket list: 1) Write it down and 2) Go while you feel like it because someday you won’t feel like it, which is advice from Holmes’ mother who lived to age 90. The publisher asked Holmes to give tips and make lists, for example, “if you like Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, then you may like the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield.” Therefore, the “100 things to do” described in the book is closer to 200 things to do.

Holmes included plenty of Abraham Lincoln sites because Illinois is the Land of Lincoln, but she also asked, “What else is there in Illinois?” Holmes then described and presented photos of interesting and lesser known experiences available in Illinois. She began with photos of glamping in a restored caboose next to a herd of bison. This opportunity, along with regular cabin stays, is available at Wildlife Prairie Park. She asked if anyone had ever touched the Berlin Wall. This experience is available for free in Eureka at the Reagan Peace Garden. Illinois also offers the chance to attend an authentic Pow-Wow at the American Indian Center every fall.

Holmes recommends a visit to the Garden of the Gods for natural beauty where sleeping in a tree house resort is another little-known opportunity. Anyone interested in driving a steam engine train can fulfill her dream in Monticello. Anyone wanting an introduction to whitewater rafting can visit man-made rapids in Yorkville.

Holmes told the audience about some Illinois surprises. Illinois has had two state fairs since 1986, the Illinois State Fair and the DuQuoin State Fair. Illinois has an expansive National Forest from river to river in the southern part of the state. Olney has a population of white squirrels, and Wildlife Prairie Park has white bison. Another surprising feature of Illinois is the many wineries. Wine aficionados can follow the Shawnee Hills Trails in the south as well as the Mississippi Valley Trail and the Wabash Trail.

Another of Holmes' goals for the book was to show what Illinois was alongside what Illinois is. Illinois has ancient burial mounds at Indian Mounds Park and at Cahokia, and Chicago boasts the DuSable Black History Museum. Illinois has a particular history as a free state surrounded by slave states prior to the Civil War. Illinois’ abolitionist and Underground Railroad associations should be better known, she believes, particularly the story of the Lovejoy brothers.

Originally from Maine and living in St. Louis, Elijah Parish Lovejoy was an abolitionist, Christian minister, and editor of the anti-slavery newspaper the Observer. According to the Library of Congress, “Lovejoy’s editorials raised local ire while they increased national circulation. A group of local citizens, including the future Senator Thomas Hart Benton, declared that freedom of speech did not include the right to speak against slavery. As mob violence increased over the issue, Lovejoy, now a husband and father, decided to move his family to Alton, across the Mississippi River in the free state of Illinois… Mobs had destroyed Lovejoy’s presses on a number of occasions, but when a new press arrived in November 1837, the violence escalated. No sooner was the new press offloaded from the steamboat Missouri Fulton than a drunken mob formed and tried to set fire to the warehouse where it was stored. When Lovejoy ran out to push away a would-be-arsonist, he was shot.” Officials in Illinois made little comment about the murder with one exception: Twenty-eight year old State Representative Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln made note of the first martyr to free press in the United States. After Lovejoy’s death, his brother Owen Lovejoy, stated “I will harbor any freedom-seeker” and became a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. He later became a Congressional Representative for the 35th district of Illinois and a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln.

Other recommended sites include Illinois’ oldest and largest Amish area around Arthur and the Mormon temple and original homes and buildings at Nauvoo. A historic shopping district and sock monkey museum are points of interest in Long Grove. A historic square and opera house where Orson Welles got his start draw visitors to Woodstock, also the site where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed. Jane Addams’ Hull House in Chicago is worthy of a visit, but also her birthplace and burial in Cedarville.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Holmes left time for a Q and A. In answer to a question about the strangest thing she has encountered, she mentioned the World’s Largest Teeter-Totter (it works!) located in Casey along with many other World’s Largest items. For military interest, she recommends the Arsenal Island installation. She said her biggest message is “to get out in your backyard and your region and support the local businesses that you find.”

After the Q and A, Holmes signed copies of her book for attendees. She held a drawing for a basket of Illinois products for everyone who purchased her book, won by Curtis Fox. For more information and to order her books, please visit https://www.melanieholmesauthor.com.

[Stephanie Hall]