October Meeting Held- 2020 Board Elected

Posted on by October 28, 2019

Darrel Dexter talking about slavery in Southern Illinois

The October membership meeting for the Williamson County Historical Society was held on October 27th, 2019 at their museum and genealogy library at 105 S. Van Buren Street in Marion. Past, ongoing and upcoming projects were discussed including military marker installations, historical county markers, and the transcription of local funeral home records. President, Sam Lattuca, reported that renovation of the cell block in the museum was near completion and only lacked restoration of informational displays to be completed. Continue reading →

WCHS Museum Documented for the Library of Congress

Posted on by October 10, 2019

Williamson County Historical Society Museum and Library is used to having a variety of visitors from all over the United States and abroad.  They come for many reasons, to research ancestors from the area, gather information to write books on the coal mines and unions, the railroads, Charlie Birger and other notorious people, unsolved murders, etc.. Others come to see the old jail built in 1913, coal mine exhibit, country store and many other items exhibited in the museum.

We also, are used to SI Visit coming to take photographs of items to use in travel and informational brochures. However, on Tuesday, October 7th, 2019 we had a special visitor. Her name is Carol M. Highsmith a Visual Documentarian of America for the Library of Congress and she came to photograph the museum to be part of her permanent collection at the Library of Congress. Continue reading →

Membership Meeting Planned for October 27th

Posted on by October 4, 2019

WCHS Members,

We will be holding a membership meeting here at the museum on Sunday, October 27th, 2019, at 2:00 P.M.  We will be discussing society business and recent accessions to the museum as well as completed, ongoing and future projects.  Board elections for the year 2020 will be held and nominations for open positions can be made from the floor prior to the election. If you have a show & tell item that others might find to be of historical or genealogical interest, feel free to bring it.

The program will be presented by Darrel Dexter, history teacher, lecturer and author of 28 books including his latest “Bondage in Egypt.” Dexter will be presenting a program related to slavery in Southern Illinois.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting and want to remind you that 2020 dues are coming up at the end of the year.

Membership Meeting Held, July 28th, 2019

Posted on by July 29, 2019

Colleen Norman receiving recognition from president Sam Lattuca

The Williamson County Historical Society held its quarterly meeting on Sunday, July 28th, 2019 at the society’s museum and library at 105 S. Van Buren St. Thirty four people attended to hear of the societies latest projects both completed and ongoing. The society recently dedicated an historical marker in Creal Springs to mark the location of the old Creal Springs College, co-sponsored Memorial Day services at Rose Hill Cemtery and held an open house at Goddard Chapel in Rose Hill to mark the 100th anniversary its dedication.

The guest speaker was Michal Jones, director of the General John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro who spoke to the society about the life of John A. Logan and his role in Southern Illinois, Williamson County and Marion history.

Society president, Sam Lattuca, conducted the meeting and displayed the latest additions to the museum over the last quarter. Among them were numerous tintype photos and items that came from the family of Alonzo N. Owen, sheriff of Williamson County from 1870-1872 and his connections to the historic Ed M. Spiller home at 1304 W. Main in Marion, currently owned by the DeMattei family.

Longtime society member and former board member, Colleen Norman, was selected to be placed on the societies’ Honor Roll Plaque in commemoration of her dedicated service to the organization.

Membership Meeting to be Held on Sunday, July 28th, 2019

Posted on by July 26, 2019

We will be holding a membership meeting here at the museum on Sunday, July 28th, 2019, at 2:00 P.M.  We will be discussing society business as well as completed, ongoing and future projects.  If you have a show & tell item that others might find to be of historical or genealogical interest, feel free to bring it. The program will be presented by Michael Jones, director of the John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro, who will be speaking about the life of John A. Logan and the museum.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting and the general public is invited to attend.