As of March 1st, the Williamson County Historical Society’s Museum/Library is now open on it’s extended hours of operation. Until Thanksgiving, we will now be open Wednesday thru Saturday from 9:30 AM till 3:00 PM.
Indexing related to our collection of digital obituaries for the year 2022 taken from local funeral homes have been added to our Master Obituary Index.
Indexing to the recently published local history book, Cedar Line Legacy, has been added to our Master Local History Index.
WCHS President, Sam Lattuca, gave history programs to students of the Adams School on Friday 10th, 2023. Lattuca spoke to the 7th grade civic’s class about prohibition and how it was handled in Williamson County and additionally also spoke to the 8th grade history class about Williamson County history.
Lattuca recounted who has occupied the counties land since prehistoric times including the tumultuous times of the civil war, the late 1800’s and 1920’s through the depression and WWII years up to the county’s development in more modern times. These included the formation of the Marion Prison, I-57, the Crab Orchard lake project and the Illinois Ordnance plant during WWII.
The talks were scheduled by Adams school teacher Dana Stearns and Lattuca had just recently spoken to a class of high school students about Williamson County history
Williamson County Historical Society President, Sam Lattuca, gave a 30 minute presentation about the society to the Rotary Club (Jackson/Williamson Counties Sunset Club) held at Bandanas’s Restaurant in Carbondale on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 at 6 PM.
Lattuca recounted the roots of the historical society that evolved out of the 1939 Williamson County Centennial event and the societies reconstitution in 1954. Lattuca described how the society came into possession of the old county jail and how it has evolved into the organization that we know today. He also informed them of the museum’s contents and what is contained in the genealogy and history research library.
All 74 mortgage record books, A to Z and 1 to 48, have been indexed and added to our Master Mortgage Record Book Index. These record books span the time period from the 1850’s through the early years of the 1920’s and include indviduals, businesses, organizations, churches and schools. Whereas most of the records are either real estate or chattel mortgages, there are many articles of incorporation, lease agreements, coal leases, retail contracts and even a few marital agreements, powers of attorney and last will and testaments.