Williamson County Illinois Historical Society

Our next membership meeting will be held on Sunday, October 8th, 2023, 2:00 PM at the museum. Elections will be held to compose the board of directors for the year 2024. All board positions except for two director slots are to be voted on. Nominations can be made all the way up to election time, so if you have an interest in helping guide our society or know someone who might be interested, be sure to contact us or you may place names in nomination at the meeting prior to the election.

Our meeting will have a 30 minute program on an SIU archeological dig and research done at the old Crenshaw home known as the “Old Slave House” now owned by the State of Illinois.

Please be sure to check and see if your dues are caught up by looking at the date on the latest mailing label. If you’re dues are paid up it will say 2023 or higher. Membership dues will increase from $20 to $25 for next year, 2024, due to rising costs after remaining the same for 15 years.

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.

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.