Courthouse Corner
A brief look into the Courthouse happenings

[November 22, 2016]  MOUNT PULASKI - With the Fall Festival activities, haunted Halloween, and the upcoming visit of Santa, the Courthouse has been a very busy place. While the volunteers have had a lot of fun, many hours of work have been completed behind the scenes for these events. This fall, many may have noticed a lot of action happening on the outside of the Courthouse. A scissor lift was rented; trees on the Courthouse lawn were trimmed, many of the windows were glazed and painted. The window woodwork was primed and painted, some sashes and sills were repaired and/or replaced, and work has begun on priming and painting the fascia. The Courthouse steps were also repaired and painted.

The Courthouse has seen a lot of visitors since its re-opening earlier this year. The Courthouse has welcomed the Lincoln Group (Washington D.C.), Road Scholars, Congressman Darin LaHood, Jeremy Carroll (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum), and visitors from Canada, just to name a few.

The Courthouse is currently decorated for Christmas. The Courthouse Foundation would like to thank all of the volunteers who helped bring the spirit of Christmas to the historic site.

Christmas on Vinegar Hill

November 19th is Christmas on Vinegar Hill. Visit the Courthouse to receive a copy of the Gettysburg Address; it is the 153rd anniversary of this beloved speech. You may also pick up the Christmas on Vinegar Hill map at this site and public restrooms are available.

Bell Service on New Year’s Eve

With all of the holiday festivities, please do not forget about the yearly memorial reading on New Year's Eve. The service will begin at 7 p.m. on the Courthouse steps. This service is in remembrance of all the community members Mount Pulaski has lost over the past year. A name is said and a bell is tolled; a simple service, but a lot of meaning and memories. The Courthouse will be open prior to the memorial service.

Courthouse closures

The Courthouse will be closed on Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve Day, and New Year's Day. It will be open to the public on Christmas Eve.

For more information about any upcoming events, please head to the Courthouse Foundation website at mphch.org.

Special Holiday Event Weekend!

All Aboard Mount Pulaski’s First Annual Polar Express Event

The Courthouse Foundation is excited to be partnering with Community Pride to bring multiple holiday events to the community of Mount Pulaski.

On December 9th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., visit the Mount Pulaski Christian Church Family Life Center for a Polar Express Event. Only seventy-five (75) tickets will be sold for this event. Ticket pre-sale is available November 21st to December 8th at Farmers Bank and Illinois National Bank in Mount Pulaski. Also, if you are attending Christmas on Vinegar Hill on November 19th, look for the Community Pride booth at the grade school and grab your tickets then. All ticket proceeds will help support the Mount Pulaski Fall Festival 2017.

Children ages three-years to fifth grade are welcome to attend. However, children younger than kindergarten must be accompanied by an adult. Don’t fret adults; you do not need a ticket to accompany your child, but you are encouraged to wear your pajamas and enjoy the fun-filled night! Parents of kindergarten to fifth grade may drop their children off and go enjoy four hours of doing whatever they want!!! Yes, you read that right…four hours of free time! Please do not forget to pick up your youngsters at 9:00 p.m. or we will give your kids extra sugar, candy, soda; anything with sugar and then we will call you to come pick them up.

So, let’s get to the good stuff. There will be pizza, cookies, snacks and a hot chocolate bar. There will be fun stations such as making reindeer food, letters to Santa, games, plus much more. Also, pictures with Mrs. Claus will be available and of course a free Polar Express movie will be shown.


Santa Claus is coming to Mount Pulaski!

On December 10th, the First Annual Lighted Christmas Parade (hosted by Community Pride) will begin at 5 p.m. Parade registrants will line up at the high school around 4:00
p.m. The parade route will go from the high school, east on Wayne Street, north on Washington Street, (right) east on Cooke Street, (left) north on Lafayette Street, (left) west on Jefferson Street until Monroe Street. There is still time to enter the parade; the registration deadline is December 2. Parade forms and more information are located on the Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation’s event page (mphch.org).

Santa will be arriving in a firetruck at the end of the parade. Instead of Santa continuing down Jefferson Street, he will be turning left (south) on Washington Street to park in front of the Courthouse. He is excited to greet all the boys and girls and to get pictures taken with them immediately following the parade. Santa will be on the second floor courtroom in the Courthouse. The Courthouse Foundation is providing cookies, mini cupcakes, and a hot chocolate bar. There will be a craft based off the book Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney. Coloring contest winners for Mount Pulaski K-3rd

grade will be on display at the Courthouse. These events on December 10th are free to all visitors.

For more information, please peruse the Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation’s event page at mphch.org.

[Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation
P.O. Box 171
Mount Pulaski, Il 62548
217.792.3919]