Special Events
in and around Logan County

Upcoming

 

Archive files on annual festivals

Military re-enactors
bring history to Postville

[MAY 20, 2002]  Military re-enactors are a hardy lot. Like the soldiers they represent, they travel far and wide in all kinds of weather to do their job, presenting military history to audiences all over the country.

[Click here to view more photos]

On Saturday and Sunday re-enactors came to the Postville Courthouse State Historic Site in Lincoln, where they set up tents and demonstrated the use of their equipment in spite of an unusually cool May weekend. Some — for example the World War I and Spanish American re-enactors, who wore heavy woolen uniforms — were happy for the cool weather.

Most of the re-enactors at Postville came from Illinois, but several came from nearby states. Perhaps because of the cool weather, there wasn’t a large audience to see the display of uniforms and equipment of Illinois soldiers from the time of the Black Hawk War though Desert Storm. Those who didn’t come missed a good show.

The re-enactors not only brought military history to life; they also provided some interesting insights into the everyday life of the period.

 


[Photos by Joan Crabb]
[Shawn McLane, Civil War re-enactor, carries an 1840 Springfield rifle.]

The soldiers of the Black Hawk War, for example, didn’t have uniforms but wore their everyday clothing and, for the most part, carried their own personal weapons. Able-bodied men from 18 to 44 were expected to help drive Black Hawk’s Native Americans out of Illinois, but many chose to pay their 25 cents and not join the militia.

They smoked pipes made of clay, with reed stems. The stems had to be long because the pipes got very hot.

During the Civil War, soldiers carrying the 1840 Springfield musket were lucky to get off three shots a minute. The ball and powder had to be put in the rifle, tamped down, and a firing cap had to be inserted into the hammer mechanism before the gun could be fired. Only the most experienced soldiers could get off four or more shots a minute.

 


[Greg Bergschneider, Rob Roper of Havana and Sam Pruitt pass the time in the tent for Black Hawk War re-enactors.]

Fifes and drums still led soldiers to war in 1861, with tunes like "Gerryowen" (an old Irish tavern tune), "Chester" and "Yankee Doodle."

Illinois soldiers made up the main part of the 33rd Prairie State Division in World War I. These soldiers had some of the most modern uniforms of the time, and they quickly learned to use steel helmets and gas masks in the trenches of Europe. Their Springfield rifles were bolt action; they carried extra cartridges in their belts, along with modern-looking canteens, first aid packs, blankets and eating utensils.

 

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World War II brought about big changes in military equipment. Automatic rifles replaced the old bolt-action rifles; the Browning could fire 20 rounds and the Thompson 30 rounds.

"We started World War II with biplanes and ended with jet planes and rockets," one re-enactor said.

Uniforms, which started out looking like World War I uniforms, became more varied and more comfortable. Most were olive-drab cotton twill, comfortable and with lots of pockets. In the Pacific theater, where it was hot, they were herringbone twill, which was cooler.

Equipment for jungle climates included first-aid kits, because a solider had to take care of a cut immediately or it would become infected. Camouflage hats and tents became basic equipment, along with shovels that could also be used as picks.

Korean veterans wore caps with heavy wool flaps to protect against the cold weather. Veterans of Desert Storm had to carry gas masks and special suits in case of chemical warfare. These suits would have made their cotton camouflage uniforms even hotter in the desert climate, where temperatures could climb to 115 degrees at midday. Packs could weigh as much as 100 pounds. The new Kevlar helmets had a removable liner and could be used to carry water, dig a hole or for a number of other functions.

 

Mike Hede of Woodridge, a real Desert Storm veteran, said that after he had spent four months in the desert, he was asked where he wanted to be reassigned. His answer was immediate: Alaska. He was stationed near Anchorage for the next 2½ years.

Re-enactors often wear more than one helmet. Some like to collect uniforms and paraphernalia and can dress as a soldier from World War I, the Civil War or even the Vietnam War. They find treasures in flea markets and antique stores and even on the Internet. And they aren’t hard to buy for at Christmas: A reproduction of a World War II paratrooper’s uniform would be just the thing.

[Joan Crabb]

Looking for Lincoln promotes
Postville Courthouse event

[MAY 17, 2002]  Looking for Lincoln committee members left Wednesday night’s meeting carrying posters for "Illinois Soldiers at War 1832-Present," an event to be held at Postville Courthouse Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thressia Usherwood, executive director of Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County, said the event will feature demonstrations of period weapons ranging from the Black Hawk War of 1832, in which Abraham Lincoln fought, to the present day. Re-enactment of a small battle is also on the agenda. Usherwood emphasized the importance of attendance figures in continued funding for Postville Courthouse events.

In view of the state budget crunch, Ron Keller, curator of the Lincoln College museum, asked whether Looking for Lincoln funds could be used to keep Postville Courthouse special events such as this one alive if the state cuts funding. Jan Schumacher, who conducted the meeting in chair Paul Beaver’s absence, said she would bring budget information to the June 19 meeting.

Otherwise, the local Looking for Lincoln group focused on a new publication, Lincoln materials scanned in for state availability and several projects on hold.

Schumacher, Main Street Lincoln board president, displayed the newly published travel planner "Historic Main Streets of Illinois." Tourism attractions in Lincoln are featured on one page as well as incorporated into Route 66 and Land of Lincoln tours. The Main Street Lincoln office plans to follow up on inquiries generated by the travel planner with a county brochure and quarterly listings of events and accommodations.

Keller said Lincoln materials from the Lincoln College museum have recently been scanned by the Illinois State Historical Library as part of a project to microfilm all materials in the state bearing Lincoln’s signature and all letters to him. Among the latter is the 1865 letter from Robert Latham informing Lincoln of the progress in building Lincoln University, now Lincoln College.

 

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One long-planned Looking for Lincoln project, a video depicting Logan County events from Abraham Lincoln’s life, is still on hold. County Board Chairman Dick Logan is contacting Rep. Jonathan Wright regarding the status of the budgeted funding for the video. Shooting of the scenes has been moved from spring to late summer or early fall, with Oct. 15 being the latest feasible date this year.

Similarly, Mayor Beth Davis said she is hoping to dedicate the Lincoln well near VFW Post 1756 on Aug. 27 of this year, but the state funds to restore it are also missing. "The grant has gone out," she said, but it has not been received. Dedication or rededication of the well is also scheduled for Aug. 24, 2003, as part of sesquicentennial "Salute to Postville" activities.

In another delay, interstate signage designating Lincoln as a Looking for Lincoln community is still "a ways off," Schumacher quoted, and she is trying to find out why.

Usherwood, who sits on the regional Looking for Lincoln steering committee, reported that the larger group is seeking a new executive director. Eleven Illinois counties are involved in the four-year-old Looking for Lincoln project. Darrell Knauer, now in charge of promoting tourism in Mount Pulaski, including Looking for Lincoln, has expressed a desire to work with the Lincoln-based group.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

‘Illinois Soldiers at War’

May 18-19 at Postville Courthouse

[MAY 16, 2002]  Illinois military units from the Black Hawk War through the present will be featured during a special event May 18 and 19 at the Postville Courthouse State Historic Site. The theme is "Illinois Soldiers at War, 1832-Present," and activities will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 914 Fifth St. in Lincoln.

Re-enactors wearing authentic uniforms and using period weapons and supplies will participate in drills and demonstrations throughout the event. A comparison firing demonstration will be at 3 p.m. Flag-raising ceremonies open the event at 10 a.m., and a flag-lowering ceremony with all units will close the event at 4 p.m. Members of local veterans groups will participate in both daily ceremonies. Refreshments will be sold on-site by members of CIEDC. The event is free and open to the public.

Members of the Sangamon County Militia, who participate in activities at Lincoln’s New Salem, will set up several tents and explain the life of a volunteer during the Black Hawk War of 1832. These men generally wore civilian clothes rather than uniforms and carried a variety of weapons, both military and civilian. They will give a presentation each day at 10:30 a.m.

Representing Illinois’ involvement in the Civil War will be a few members of the114th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Members will be dressed in several versions of government issue, or GI, blue uniforms and carry government issue muzzle-loading weapons. Their drill and explanations take place at 11 a.m.

Illinois’ brief involvement in the Spanish-American War of 1898 will be represented at 11:30 a.m. Re-enactors will be in different styles of uniforms and fire both black powder "trapdoor" and smokeless powder Krag rifles.

The "Doughboy" of the Great War 1917-1918 will be shown by several re-enactors representing Illinois’ 33rd Division. These men will wear olive drab uniforms with khaki equipment and the first steel helmets as worn in the trenches "Over There." The men will explain their uniforms and blank-fire their weapons at 1:30 p.m.

Members of the 82nd Airborne, H.R.S. and others will reflect Illinois’ commitment in World War II. Though an elite unit, the airborne troops used the same equipment and had similar experiences as the regular GI. Their drill and demonstration will be at 2 p.m.

 

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Weapons and uniforms for the Korean War, 1951-1953, were similar to what was used in World War II but had evolved to meet the new demands of war in Korea. At 2:30 p.m. several independent re-enactors will explain the weapons and equipment used during the "Forgotten War" 50 years ago.

Illinois’ present military tradition will be represented by a unit of the Illinois Army National Guard. Members will be in service uniform and camouflage BDUs with equipment for the field. A vehicle, possibly a Humvee, will be part of their display.

During each period’s drill and demonstration, unit members will explain their uniforms, weapons and equipment, and then do some drilling and give a blank firing demonstration. During the comparison firing demonstration at 3 p.m., one member from each period will load and fire three blank rounds at the same time, allowing the public to see the advancements made in loading and firing weapons.

The Illinois State Military Museum will have a display inside Postville Courthouse that tells of Illinois’ long tradition of military service.

Postville Courthouse State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is a reproduction of the first Logan County Courthouse, which was used from 1840 to 1847. Abraham Lincoln practiced law in the original building when he traveled the 8th Judicial Circuit as an attorney. Postville Courthouse, located at 914 Fifth St. in Lincoln, is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through the efforts of local volunteers.

[Illinois Historic Preservation Agency news release]

 

‘Preserving the Spirit of Place’

Antique Roadshow highlights Lincoln
Historic Preservation Week activities

[MAY 10, 2002]  Citizens in Lincoln will join thousands of people around the country as part of the National Trust’s Historic Preservation Week celebration. This year marks the 31st annual event, running from Sunday, May 12, through Saturday, May 18. Local activities are sponsored by Main Street Lincoln, Blue Dog Inn, Beans and Such, and Mayor Beth Davis.

"Preserving the Spirit of Place" is the theme of the weeklong celebration. Every community has a spirit of place that is identified as special and or unique. "Despite its importance in the social, cultural and economic life of the community, the spirit of place is easily destroyed," said National Trust President Richard Moe. "Preservation Week 2002 calls on us to do all we can to recognize, save and enhance the irreplaceable features that give each community its distinctive character."

The 2002 Historic Preservation Week poster will feature the Lincoln Theater, which represents a spirit of place for the city of Lincoln, with most residents having attended entertainment events there. The theater opened on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1923. Billed as "one of the finest theaters in the downstate," the facility was built for $150,000. The original theater boasted an elegantly decorated 1,000-seat auditorium with an orchestra pit. The interior has been remodeled over the years to follow the trend of multiplex theaters, but the exterior has remained its historic look.

After much success last year, the Main Street Antiques Roadshow is back. The event will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, at 101 S. Kickapoo St. Appraisals are available for $5 per item and are set in a number of divisions including toys and dolls, fine antiques, jewelry, clocks and watches, crystal and china, coins, cards and other collectibles, books, and general antiques. Residents are encouraged to open their china cabinets and scour their attics for their most unusual treasures and bring them to the show.

"Everyone had such a great time last year discovering their own buried treasures," said Cindy McLaughlin, program manager for Main Street Lincoln.

 

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The Mayor’s Annual Awards for Historic Preservation will be announced following the show. Awards are available in both residential and nonresidential categories for preservation, exterior rehabilitation and sympathetic addition.

Twenty-five buildings have been recognized since the awards were first given in 1993 and are permanently recorded in photographs that hang in the Lincoln City Council Chambers. Property owners also receive a framed photograph with inscribed brass plate.

Nomination forms are currently being distributed at City Hall, Main Street, Beans and Such, and Blue Dog Inn. For more information or to make a nomination, call the Main Street Lincoln office at (217) 732-2929.

Downtown will be dressed for the week in its best historical finery. Many businesses will include a historical display in their windows. Displays will include history fair projects from Zion Lutheran School. These projects have progressed from the school’s history fair to the regional and now on to the state competition. Some of their themes include "Wrigley Field’s History," "Underground Railroad Quilts" and the "Scully Estates."

For more information on Historic Preservation Week activities, contact Main Street Lincoln.

The Main Street program was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980 to redevelop and revitalize America’s downtowns. Lincoln has been a designated Main Street community since 1994.

[Main Street Lincoln press release]

Middletown hosts Smithsonian exhibit

June 23-July 28

[APRIL 27, 2002]  MIDDLETOWN — The Knapp/Chesnut/Becker Historical Society of Middletown is honored to present the Smithsonian exhibits entitled "Yesterday’s Tomorrows" to the public from June 23 through July 28 at the library-museum in Middletown. Co-sponsor of the exhibits is the Illinois Humanities Council.

"Yesterday’s Tomorrows" looks at the future as imagined by people of the 19th and 20th centuries and features ideas such as space robots, moon colonies, automobiles that convert into airplanes and utopian communities.

Comments, questions and volunteers are welcomed as planning proceeds and details of activities are added later.

Share your mementoes

While the Smithsonian exhibits will be housed in the library-museum, local historians and collectors are invited to share their photos, newspaper clippings and diaries in a special showing and exhibit at Middletown Village Hall. Also, Lee Gurga is collecting such items for a manuscript department for the library. His mailing address is 626 1200th St., Middletown, IL 62666.

Meet our ancestors

"Our ancestors" are invited to come be a part of the "big bash" in Middletown by appearing in the parade and by being introduced on Sunday afternoons.

Search attics and cubbyholes for costumes and clues as to the identity of those most important figures on your family tree and join in the fun by portraying your ancestor!

Yesterday’s Tomorrows parade

To celebrate yesteryear and tomorrow, come join the parade on Transportation Sunday, June 23, at 1:30 p.m. All are invited to participate — individuals, duos, groups, clubs. Do register with either Ken Davison at (217) 445-2658 or Dave Deters at (217) 445-2546.

Six special Sundays

June 23: Transportation Sunday

Brunch at Middletown Presbyterian Church, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Yesterday’s Tomorrows parade, 1:30 p.m. with Lindbergh, Cal Rodgers (Jim Lloyd) of Vin Fiz, John Petrehn (Petrehn family), hot-air balloonist and Abe Lincoln (all of whom figure in Middletown’s history).

Opening ceremonies 2:30 p.m., Middletown Park Pavilion. Dr. John Hillwas, speaker. Special music.

June 30: Home and Country Sunday

Lunch at Middletown United Methodist Church, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

K/C/B Ice Cream Social, 2 p.m. Village Voice: Jim Wilhelm. Boy Scouts and NSDAR. Presentation of the 1876 American flag, gift of Margaret Lufkin. Abe and Mary Lincoln. Concert by the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Regimental Band.

 

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July 7: Technology Sunday

Lunch at American Legion and Auxiliary Hall, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Village Voice: Jim Wilhelm.

2 p.m.: Focus on local farmers, with Gus Otto, and computers, by Caterpillar. Dr. Peter Johnson, head of the USDA Ag Research Center in Peoria, reporting progress on Dr. Moses Knapp’s interest in research on deriving sugar from maize (corn) in 1842. Concert and lecture on electro-acoustical music, by Paul Oehlers from the Music Department of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

July 14: Culture Sunday

2 to 4 p.m., Middletown Park Pavilion. Village Voice: Jim Wilhelm. "Visit with a Southern Teacher" (American Revolutionary War). Lee Gurga, editor of Modern Haiku, with children. Jessie Young, "Young in Poetry." Unveiling, dedication and presentation to community of a mural, a replica of Lloyd Ostendorf’s print of Abe Lincoln as surveyor (surveyed through Middletown June 1834). International folk dancers. Prairie Aires in concert. On-site genealogists and food vendors.

July 21: Health Sunday

2 to 4 p.m., Middletown Park Pavilion. Village Voice: Jim Wilhelm. Barbara Mason, curator, Pearson Medical Museum, SIU School of Medicine. "Doctors of Yesteryear": Drs. Guttery, Schall and Means. Presentation to the community and library of two volumes of history of the Thomas Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia, Pa., in honor of Dr. Moses L. Knapp, 1826 graduate, considered a founder or co-founder of medical schools in Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana. Dramatic skit: "Sasparilly Capers." Possum Holler Pickers.

July 28: Spiritual Sunday

2 to 4 p.m., Middletown Park Pavilion. Village Voice: Jim Wilhelm. Local missionaries. Special music. Presentation to community and library of walnut lectern and a large-print Bible. Specific details later.

[Provided by Knapp/Chesnut/Becker Historical Society representative W. Golden]

Special Events Calendar

May 2002

May 24-27
 SPONSOR: American Legion
WHO: Public
WHAT: Poppy days; donations go to help veterans

May 25-27
 WHO: Public
WHAT: "Avenue of Flags"
WHERE: Steenbergen Cemetery, Mount Pulaski

Monday, May 27
 WHO: Public
WHAT: Memorial Day celebration
WHERE: Logan County Courthouse
WHEN: 10:30 am

WHO: Public
WHAT: Atlanta Memorial Day festival
WHERE: Atlanta
WHEN: 10:30 am, memorial ceremony; 1 pm, antique tractor parade

WHO: Public
WHAT: Mount Pulaski Memorial Day ceremonies
WHERE: Mount Pulaski Cemetery and Steenbergen Cemetery

 

 

Click for future events:

Sites to See

‘Walking on the Path of Abraham Lincoln’

A walking tour of historic Lincoln, Ill.

Note: The following material is from a brochure produced as a high school project by J.R. Glenn and Angie Couch for Main Street Lincoln. The Main Street Lincoln office and local tourist information center is on the second floor of Union Planter’s Bank at 303 S. Kickapoo.


[Click here for larger map]

1. Town christening site

Broadway and Chicago streets

In August 1853 the first sale of lots in the new town of Lincoln took place near this spot. Abraham Lincoln, in whose honor the town was named, was in attendance. When asked on the day of the land sale to officially "christen the town," Lincoln obliged. Lifting the cover off a pile of watermelons stacked on the ground by a local farmer, Lincoln picked up a melon and conducted a brief ceremony using its juice. Lincoln, Ill., is the only town named for Lincoln before he became president.

2. Lincoln railroad depot

101 N. Chicago St.

Abraham Lincoln frequented this city by train after its founding. As president-elect, Lincoln came hereon Nov. 21, 1860. He stopped near this spot to make a few remarks from the rear of his train. This was his last speech in Logan County and the last time Lincoln would visit his namesake city. His funeral train stopped here on May 3, 1865. The current depot was built several decades later, in 1911.

3. State Bank of Lincoln

111 N. Sangamon St.

Abraham Lincoln met sculptor Leonard Volk for the first time on the boardwalk in front of the Lincoln House Hotel. Volk asked Lincoln to pose for a bust and life mask of his face and hands. Signed copies of the life masks by Volk, as well as original artwork by Lloyd Ostendorf of Lincoln in Logan County, are on display in this bank building’s lobby.

4. Site of the Lincoln House Hotel

501 Broadway St.

The Lincoln House, one of the grandest hotels between St. Louis and Chicago, stood on this spot from 1854 to 1870. All the political luminaries of the day, including Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, David Davis and Richard Oglesby, crossed its threshold at one time or another The Lincoln House was a two-story frame structure that fronted the railroad tracks and featured a large veranda.

5. Robert Latham home site

400 N. Kickapoo St.

Robert B. Latham joined John D. Gillett and Virgil Hickox in founding the town of Lincoln in 1853. Abraham Lincoln, other lawyers and judges were often guests at his house.

6. Logan County Courthouse

When Lincoln became the county seat in 1853, a courthouse was built on this spot. A second courthouse was built in 1858 and remained in use until the early 20th century, when it was replaced with the current building. Abraham Lincoln practiced law and attended political functions in the first two courthouses built on the square. A statue of Lincoln stands in this courthouse. A Civil War monument and cannon sit on the north side of the courthouse grounds.

7. Lincoln lot site

523 Pulaski St.

A plaque located on the right-hand side of this store identifies the location as a lot Lincoln once owned. James Primm, in need of money, approached former Illinois Gov. Joel Matteson for a $400 advance. Matteson directed him to have Lincoln sign a note as Primm's guarantor. Lincoln co-signed the note. Later Primm defaulted and Lincoln had to pay the note. Eventually Primm deeded Lincoln this property in recompense.

 

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8. Rustic Inn

412 Pulaski St.

In 1876 members of a counterfeiting gang met here to hatch a plot to steal Lincoln's corpse from its burial vault in Springfield. The gang had planned to hide Lincoln's body in the Indiana sand dunes on the shore of Lake Michigan and negotiate with the governor of Illinois for $200,000 in cash and the release of Ben Boyd. The bartender at the Rustic Inn overheard the plot and reported it to the authorities. The Secret Service later apprehended the gang members. Robert Todd Lincoln had his father's coffin encased in several tons of cement to prevent future attempts to steal the body.

Other Lincoln sites in Lincoln

9. Stephen A. Douglas speech site

Comer of Fourth and Logan streets

Stephen Douglas visited this city during the famous 1858 Illinois senatorial campaign. Douglas paraded with all his supporters through the decorated streets to the tent that was pitched on this site. Lincoln, who was also in town, listened to his opponent from the back of the crowd. In the end, a majority of Logan County voters favored Lincoln, but Douglas won the 1858 election.

10. Postville Courthouse

914 Fifth St.

This state historic site is a replica of an 1840 courthouse where Lincoln argued, won and lost cases while he traveled the 8th Judicial Circuit.

11. Site of Deskins Tavern

915 Fifth St.

Lincoln often stayed at Deskins Tavern when he traveled to Postville. A well where he quenched his thirst is also at this site.

12. Postville Park

1300 Fifth St.

Abraham Lincoln was well-known for his athletic abilities, and he frequently joined in games of "town ball" at this village park.

13. Lincoln College and Museum

300 Keokuk St.

A nationally registered landmark, Lincoln College was founded and named for President Lincoln on Feb. 12, 1865. The museum houses an extensive collection of memorabilia on the life of Abraham Lincoln.

 

Other sites of interest in downtown Lincoln 

Lincoln Public Library (a Carnegie building)

725 Pekin St.

Logan County Genealogical
& Historical Society

114 N. Chicago St.

Lincoln City Hall

700 Broadway St.

U.S. Post Office

102 S. McLean St.

Courthouse Square Historic District

including historic sites, restaurants and shops


[Click here for larger map]

Logan County historical landmarks

Atlanta

J. H. Hawes wooden country elevator. Open Sunday afternoons June through August. Free.

Atlanta Public Library and Museum. On National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1908. Comer of Race and Arch. Phone (217) 648-2112. Free.

Chestnut

Monument proclaims the geographic center of the state of Illinois. Town was laid out in 1872.

Elkhart

Elkhart Cemetery. Richard J. Oglesby, who was elected governor of Illinois in 1864, 1872 and 1884, is buried here; also John Dean Gillett, known as the "Cattle King of the World," and Capt. Adam Bogardus, wing shot champion of the world. For tours of the cemetery and John Dean Gillett Chapel, please phone (217) 947-2238.

Emden

Bethel Church. Built in 1854. Three miles from Route 136 between Emden and Atlanta on County Road 20.

Lincoln

Site of Deskins Tavern. Across the street from Postville Courthouse, 915 Fifth St. Signage. Free.

Site of well Abraham Lincoln drank from. Across the street from Postville Courthouse, 915 Fifth St. Free.

Site of town christening by Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 27, 1853. Lincoln was the first community in the United States to be named for Abraham Lincoln before he became famous. Also, Lincoln's funeral train stopped here on May 3,1865. Located at the south side of the Lincoln Depot, Broadway and Chicago streets. Official Looking for Lincoln signage. Free.

Logan County Courthouse. Contains second-largest courtroom in Illinois. Built in 1905. Located on the courthouse square, downtown Lincoln. Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday until noon. Phone (217) 732-6400. Free.

Lincoln College Museum. Over 3,000 historic items. Lincoln College was founded and named for President Lincoln on Feb. 12, 1865. Keokuk and Ottawa streets. Summer hours: 9 to 4 Monday through Friday; 1 to 4 Saturday and Sunday; closed May 28 and July 4. Free.

Heritage In Flight Museum. Museum is filled with memorabilia from all U.S. military conflicts back to World War I. Located at the Logan County Airport. Phone ahead (217) 732-3333 to confirm hours. Free but donations accepted.

Lincoln Public Library. Original Carnegie library built in 1902. Tiffany-style glass inner dome. 725 Pekin St. Open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 to 6; Saturday, 9 to 3. Phone (217) 732-8878. Free.

Postville Courthouse State Historic Site. Guided tours. 914 Fifth St. Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Ph. (217) 732-8930 for additional information. Free but donations accepted.

Middletown

Stage Coach Inn. The inn was on the old stage route from Springfield to Peoria. Built mid 1800s. Village is also famous for its aeronautical history. Free.

Mount Pulaski

Mount Pulaski Courthouse. This building is one of only two original 8th Judicial Circuit courthouses in Illinois. On National Register of Historic Places. Was Logan County Courthouse from 1847 to 1855. Guided tours. Open 12 to 5 Tuesday through Saturday. Phone (217) 732-8930. Free.

[Link to historical information on communities in Logan County]

Heritage In Flight Museum open on weekends

A little-known historical site full of large and small treasures sits on the outskirts of town on the Logan County Airport property. The Heritage In Flight Museum building itself is a part of history. It is a remnant of Camp Ellis, located west of Havana, which was the largest military training and prisoner-of-war camp in the United States during World War II. After the war the camp was closed and the buildings were sold. Logan County Airport is fortunate to have one of the few remaining structures from Camp Ellis.

A little-known historical site full of large and small treasures sits on the outskirts of town on the Logan County Airport property. The Heritage In Flight Museum building itself is a part of history. It is a remnant of Camp Ellis, located west of Havana, which was the largest military training and prisoner-of-war camp in the United States during World War II. After the war the camp was closed and the buildings were sold. Logan County Airport is fortunate to have one of the few remaining structures from Camp Ellis.

Several historic items are found outside at the airport, including the rotating beacon, the green-and-white light that identifies the airport location to pilots flying at night. Before being moved to Logan County Airport, it was part of the lighted airway system that the airmail pilots in the 1920s used to navigate at night. The one that now resides here was originally located between Lincoln and Atlanta and provided a bright signal for Charles Lindbergh when he flew the airmail route between St. Louis and Chicago.

While outside you can also view a number of aircraft that are on display from various time periods.

Moving to the inside, you find that the Heritage in Flight Museum is filled with items of aviation history from the military and civilian branches of flying and from the earliest days of open-cockpit biplanes to the latest jets. Veterans who reside in Logan County have donated much of what the museum has. Families from the community have donated items that belonged to our war heroes, revealing special sentiments, symbolism and forgotten practices that held a community together in war times. Other items offer a look at early technology such as the airplane and ship radios. Of the thousands of items in the museum, each can be said to teach us something about our past. Visitors can relive history through the numerous displays, mostly grouped in wartime periods, and gain a strong sense of patriotism while studying military displays throughout the building.

 

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A guided tour is recommended to get the most from these displays. The volunteers are both knowledgeable and passionate about their subject matter and will bring to light little-known nuances that make the displays fascinating.

The museum is always interested in adding items of aviation history. Its greatest need, however, is for more volunteers to help in the guardianship of this important gateway to Lincoln and Logan County.

The museum requires lots of care and maintenance. Members are always looking for interested people of all ages to help care for it, share their interests and preserve a bit of aviation history.

Heritage In Flight Museum is operated by an all-volunteer, non-profit organization: Heritage-In-Flight, Inc. You are invited to come meet the members and sit in on their meetings anytime. Meetings take place at 1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month in the terminal meeting room.

The museum is a great resource to educate our youth about our aeronautical and military past and shares the wealth of military traditions from a community and national perspective. Schools, youth groups and families are welcome.

Heritage in Flight Museum

1351 Airport Road, Lincoln

Open Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Phone: (217) 732-3333

Call the airport and leave a message to request a guided tour, schedule a time during the week or ask for more information.

[LDN]

You can read more about HIF from the archives of LDN. Go to: http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2001/Feb/15/comunity/business.shtml#Logan County is host to a unique museum rich in special military stories and treasures

Entertainment

Recreation

  • Lincoln Park District, 732-8770

Parks

Dining

Blue Dog Inn
111 S. Sangamon
Lincoln
735-1743
 Monday 11-2
Tuesday-Thursday 11-10
Friday & Saturday 11-11

Wendy’s
2815 Woodlawn Road
Lincoln
735-1011

 

Transportation

Maps

Community Information

Links to Other Tourism Sites in Illinois

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