What’s New

WCHS at Veteran’s Day Celebration

Sharon Vansaghi, WCHS curator/coordinator set up a nice Veteran’s Day display stocked with military uniforms and objects from the museum on November 11th, 2024, at the Behavioral Arts building inside the grounds of the Marion Veteran’s Administration grounds. The society was asked to participate and if possible set up a display at the celebration. Coincidentally, the weekend prior was the 249th birthday for the U.S. Marine Corps and they held a press conference on local TV televising the event. Some of the museums’ uniforms on display were seen in the broadcast. The historical society was awarded a certificate of recognition for helping out with the event.

WCHS Gave Pioneer Program to Sorority

On November 7, 2024, WCHS President Sam Lattuca gave a program to the Delta Kappa Gamma- Alpha Kappa Chapter Sorority at Bennies Italian Foods in Marion. Lattuca spoke to the group about early Southern Illinois settlement, previous ownership of Southern Illinois and pioneer life in the early days of this part of the state. He explained some of the techniques and procedures that early pioneers used to survive in everyday life such as food, fire, housing and property ownership.

“Graveyard Granny” Published Cemetery Book

“Graveyard Granny” published 450 page guide to Lakeview Cemetery

Folks with ties to Johnston City owe a tip of the hat to Helen Lind, an 85 year old city resident who spent more than seven years collecting and publishing publicly available facts about individuals buried in Lakeview Cemetery. Located east of Arrowhead Lake, Lakeview is the city’s largest cemetery with approximately 6,000 graves.

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WCHS Membership Meeting, October 2024

Roger Peach

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Roger Peach, author of "Jockey Queen", program speaker at WCHS October 2024 membership meeting

The Williamson County Historical Society held a membership meeting on October 27th, 2024 at their museum/library at 105 S. Van Buren Street. Society President Sam Lattuca informed the membership and guests about the societies activities since the last meeting including tours and public programs that had been given and attended and upcoming events and projects on the agenda. Members were also made aware of recent gifts and accessions made to the museum such as photographs, ephemera and family heirlooms donated by visitors to the museum. Lattuca also announced that the society has taken on the project of digitally scanning thousands of original court documents that range in age from 1839 at the beginning of Marion and the county up to the 1960’s to insure their preservation.

The guest speaker for the meeting was Roger Peach who spoke about his latest published book entitled “Jockey Queen”. The book was a biographical piece about a young woman named Lillian Jenkinson Holder who was born on a ranch in Nebraska in 1909. Lillian devoted her life to horse racing and the life of trying to be a female jockey in a male dominated occupation, often racing in Southern Illinois and particularly at the Williamson County Fair tracks and Duquoin Fair grounds.

The museum/library is open to the public for genealogy/history research or tours through the building Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. till Thanksgiving and will then go to a Saturday only schedule through the winter till March.