Madison County Historical Society

Lewis & Clark In Illinois
2018-08-19 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Immanuel Methodist Church – Lower Level, 800 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
Illinois was the “Point of Departure” on May 14, 1804, for the Lewis and Clark Expedition that left from the eastern banks of the Mississippi River at the Wood River confluence and began their two and one half year journey to explore the Louisiana Territory and search for a passage to the Pacific Ocean. Illinois is often not considered part of the expedition, but in fact the men spent more time in Illinois than any other state except North Dakota. Site Superintendent, Brad Winn of the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, will present a program retelling this often overlooked Illinois Story.

Emancipation In Illinois
2018-06-10 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Immanuel Methodist Church – Lower Level, 800 N. Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
Many people assume that since Illinois was a northern free state, that there was no slavery here. But it’s a bit more complicated. Chattel slavery in the territorial years, indentured servitude, slavery exemptions in at least five counties, and gradual emancipation all meant that unfree labor was a constant in Illinois leading up to the Civil War.

Dr. Bryan Jack (at left) will provide an overview of slavery and unfree labor in Illinois. Jack is an associate professor of historical studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Dining In History: Wood River Refinery Centennial
2017-11-05 | Rox-Arena, 2 Park Drive, Roxana, IL, 62084, United States
Click here for a PDF version of this flyer, including the reservation form.

Leclaire Parkfest
2017-10-15 12:00 - 17:00 UTC | Leclaire Park, 900 Hale Avenue, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
Join MCHS at 26th Annual Leclaire Parkfest on Sunday, October 15th from noon to 5 pm at Leclaire Park on Hale Avenue in Edwardsville, IL. The festival features three bands: Dixieland Jazz by the St. Louis Levee Band Trio (Noon – 2:30 pm), followed by Bluegrass and other old time folk music from the Lodge Brothers (2:30 pm-5 pm) at the bandstand. On the east side of the park, Mike Zanger & Friends will play Americana music (1 pm-3:30 pm). A Wine and Beer Garden is complimented by a wide variety of delicious festival food provided by local non-profit organizations. Local artisans and crafters will have their work on display and available for purchase. Games, pet adoptions, vintage cars and tractors and other family activities provide something for every age. The St. Andrew’s Relay for Life Team will host the annual Leclaire Parkfest book sale with thousands of books available at bargain prices. Exhibits of historic photos and narrated trolley tours tell the unique story of the Leclaire National Historic District. For additional information, call 618-656-1294 or visit the Friends of Leclaire web site at www.historic-leclaire.org.

Friends of Leclaire (FOL) has hosted the popular Leclaire Parkfest every third Sunday in October since 1990. Located on the tree-lined grounds of beautiful Leclaire Park at Hale Avenue, the famous Leclaire Parkfest is one of Edwardsville’s signature festivals.

Parking for Leclaire Parkfest is available at Leclaire School on Franklin Avenue (2 blocks east of the festival), at the Historic Nelson Campus of LCCC (3 blocks north of the festival) or on the streets of Leclaire.
Proceeds benefit the community development and philanthropic activities of Friends of Leclaire.

Adventurers, Crusaders, and Entrepreneurs: The Women of Illinois Route 66
2017-10-01 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Madison County Archival Library, 801 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
Cheryl Eichar Jett will present a program on the bold women who became part of the Illinois legend of Route 66 for the Madison County Historical Society. The presentation will be held on Sunday, October 1 at 2 p.m. at the Madison County Archival Library at 801 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, Illinois.

The women of Illinois 66 included entrepreneurs who ran theaters, ballrooms, motels and restaurants as well as many divergent personalities and talents from the adventurous Gypsy Coeds to the crusading Mother Jones. Jett tells the tales of these women who worked along Illinois’s 300 miles of Route 66. A slide show accompanies Jett’s presentation on the women and their contributions to what we celebrate as the culture of Route 66.
Jett is a nationally recognized authority on Route 66 and the author of six books, four of them on America’s favorite highway. She is a regular contributor to several regional publications including The 66 News, the Route 66 Association of Illinois magazine, and a regular column on Route 66 in the Prairie Land Buzz. She is currently working on a book about women on historic Route 66 and is presenting programs and producing magazine articles based on her research in advance of the book’s publication. She blogs about her travels and research at www.route66chick.com. Jett is also an award-winning writer of short fiction.
Jett holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in history from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She lives in Edwardsville, and currently serves on the board of directors of Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway and as president of the (Illinois Route 66) Blue Carpet Corridor Coalition.
MCHS programs are free and open to the public. Regular hours at the Madison County Archival Library are Wed – Fri, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sun, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The Madison County Historical Museum is currently closed for renovations. For additional information, call 618-656-7569.

Lincoln Place Heritage Festival
2017-09-23 11:00 - 17:00 UTC | Lincoln Place Community Center, 822 Niedringhaus Avenue, Granite City, IL, 62040, United States
Join MCHS at the Lincoln Place Heritage Festival on Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Lincoln Place Community Center in Granite City.
Celebrate the varied cultures of the historic Lincoln Place neighborhood at this family friendly event. Admission is free and parking is free. Immigrant cultures represented include Macedonia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Hungary, Mexico, Croatia, Russia, England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Some of what you can expect and appreciate include:
Ethnic foods and pastries
Ethnic folk dancers and folk music
Open folk dancing led by the University City Folk Dance Troupe
Displays of photographs, historical artifacts, and oral histories
Costumes of Eastern Europe
Lincoln Place quilt display
Macedonian beadwork demonstration
Numerous product vendors, crafters, jewelry, and old fashioned candy
Face painting, balloon craft, a juggler, and a magic show
Children’s book sale
Appalachian Mountain dulcimer, Celtic harp, and country fiddle
Strong man demonstration and competition
Apple pie baking contest (open to all)
No pets, alcohol, smoking, coolers, glass containers, outside food or drink permitted in the Lincoln Place Community Center or the surrounding park.
Directions: I-270 to IL Rte. 3 South to Niedringhaus Ave., Granite City, IL
Or McKinley Bridge to Rte. 3 North to Niedringhaus Ave., Granite City, IL
Questions? Call Lincoln Place Heritage Association, 618-451-2611.

Steel and Solidarity in Granite City
2017-09-10 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Madison County Archival Library, 801 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
Local labor union historian Gary Gaines will give a program on the Steelworkers Unions on Sunday, September 10 at 2 p.m. at the Madison County Archival Library at 801 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Gary Gaines.
According to Gaines, steelmaking in Granite City was almost an accident. The Niedringhaus brothers started their business across the river, but St. Louis leaders didn’t like the noise, dirt or the smell of the factories. When it was time to expand, the Niedringhaus brothers purchased 3,500 acres of inexpensive ground in Illinois. The area was a farming community known then as Kinderhook that eventually became Granite City, named for their product, graniteware. This is the story of how they built their small enamel cookware business into a sprawling steel mill that, unfortunately, today sits partly idle.
It is also the story of how the men they hired brought their old craft guild skills and values to the job, and formed union lodges beginning in 1899. At the same time that Andrew Carnegie and other industrialists were destroying unions in their mills, the lodges flourished in Granite City. The union men, with the approval of the company that built the town, took over city government and “socialism” ruled for nearly thirty years during the early history of Granite City.
Presenter Gary Gaines is a life-long resident of the Granite City area and a third generation steelworker who was first hired at Granite City Steel in 1970. His grandfather Louis Madsen was a founding member of the union there. His father, an uncle, wife Norma, two brothers, and three cousins have been employed there. He retired in 2008 from the Security Department.
During his employment he also served in every elected position in his local union of security officers and was elected Financial Secretary when five local unions in the plant merged. He also served as a health and safety representative for many years and travelled to other USW sites to train workers. Upon his retirement, he was the senior peer trainer for the entire union.
MCHS programs are free and open to the public. Regular hours at the Madison County Archival Library are Wed – Fri, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sun, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The Madison County Historical Museum is currently closed for renovations. For additional information, call 618-656-7569.

Herb Gardening
2017-05-21 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Madison County Archival Library, 801 North Main Street, Edwardsville, IL, 62025, United States
On Sunday, May 21, the Madison County Historical Society will welcome master gardeners Julie Hamilton and Ellen Nore of the Edwardsville Garden Club who will present a program on current and historical uses of herbs. The program will begin at 2 p.m. at the Madison County Archival Library at 801 North Main Street in Edwardsville and conclude with a tour of the Madison County Historical Museum’s herb garden. The garden was installed and has been maintained by the Edwardsville Garden Club since 1994.
Herbs have been harvested for medicinal, culinary and household uses for centuries. For example, they can enhance the flavor of foods, ease pain, or be used as an insect repellant. The aromatic properties of herbs also make them useful in sachets, perfumes or scented lotions.
After the program, the presenters will answer questions about herbs and distribute handouts and a limited number of sample plants. The Madison County Archival Library is located at 801 N. Main Street in Edwardsville. Regular hours are Wednesday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The Madison County Historical Museum is currently closed for renovations.
