We have been contacted by a lady that has a letter she acquired 20 years ago dated March 20, 1924, that had been sent to Mrs. W.H. Riggin, Carterville, Ill. and she would like to return it to a family member.
The family is of Wm. Henry and Verna Iona Riggin, together they began Riggin Funeral Home in Carterville, IL. If you are family or know a descendant, please contact us at wchsmail@yahoo.com or thru our facebook page, Williamson County Illinois Historical Society
Photographic slides belonging to Baptista “Bob” Castrale were donated to the Johnston City Library years ago containing photos of mine subsidence and construction of the Washington School in Johnston City. Many of the slides were dated to around 1975. The slides were gifted to the Williamson County Historical Society by the library recently and upon inspection were found to contain 57 slides of family events that likely weren’t intended to be part of the collection. We would like to get these personal slides back to family members who may be interested in them. We can be contacted at wchsmail@yahoo.com or 618-997-5863.
Personal information & belongings related to a deceased Marion man was recently found in a house in Marion located at 908 N. Van Buren St. The information and belongings were the property of Bobby L. Stewart Jr. who passed away in October 1986. We would like to re-unite these belongings to a family member. Please contact the Williamson County Historical Society if you have any information about a living relative. Our contact information is: wchsmail@yahoo.com, 618-997-5863
Approximately 250 people passed through the Williamson County museum on the evening of July 20, 2023. The attraction was created by an event called Urban Cowboy Line dancing held on the tower square and sponsored by B2N Construction. The event was put together by Marion Connects who plan an event every third Thursday downtown on the square.
As part of the event held on the square, arrangements were made to offer photographs taken in the museum’s jail cell block by “One Fine Day Photography.” Additionally, face painting, hair extensions and coloring were offered by “Hot Heads” of Marion. Both were wildly popular and drew large groups of people into the museum, likely for the first time.
Williamson Co. Historical Society attended a cemetery preservation workshop July 13, 2023, held at the Troy Cemetery in Troy Illinois. The workshop, sponsored by Atlas Preservation with Jonathan Appell teaching over 40 attendees from Illinois, Missouri and one from Iowa how to safely and correctly preserve cemeteries along with history of the type of stone used to make headstones. We cleaned markers using a biological solution and learned when NOT to rub/brush because of removing the surface of the marker, how to repair fractured tablet stones, reset tablets into Keyway bases, and secure headstones to flat base with proper training, equipment and products.
He suggested to always ask for permission before working on markers and document the work by creating a log and taking before and after photographs. Troy was selected from many submissions for the 48 State Tour Restoring Americas Cemeteries and was hosted by Troy Genealogical Society and VFW Auxiliary who furnished lunch for the group.
If a group or individuals are interested there are videos of Jonathan and others doing this type of work by clicking on links at Atlas Preservation.
Those representing WCHS are Brian Norman, Marion, Jeff Smith and granddaughter Maranda Smith, Carbondale and Sharon Vansaghi, Marion.
