The History Center will NOT be open this Sunday November 16. Early in 1977, Governor James Thompson announced that two additional medium-security prisons would be built in Illinois to ease over-crowding  by a rapidly growing prison population. The population had exploded from 5,980 inmates in July 1973, to 10,450 inmates in 1977.  Besides the inmate population explosion, updates were needed to present facilities to support the current over-crowding. The new medium-security pr

The History Center will NOT be open this Sunday November 16. Dolls are little figures of a person and each one tells a story. The Historical Society has over 400 dolls in our collection. This 4” delicately carved wood peg doll has wood jointed arms and legs, painted features and handmade clothing. She is dressed in a cream silk ribbon dress trimmed with black cotton lace.  Circa Mid 19 th  century These peg wood dolls, also known as 'Dutch Dolls', originated as simple lathe

Second Lieutenant  (Air Corps) Vernon L Burda was a navigator on a B-24 bomber in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Burda was captured by German forces after his aircraft was shot down on or about July 16, 1944, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his return to U.S. Military Control at the end of hostilities in May 1945. (This is a long article but the ending will make you cry.) While not a resident of Lawrence County, Burda’s experiences were recorded in the George

One of the dresses on display at the Historical Society's newest exhibit belonged to Lucinda Porter. Lucinda Melton Porter was born in 1837 in Denison Township to a family with deep local pioneer roots.  Her father Benjamin Melton had fought in the Revolutionary War so when she was born, he was between 70 and 80 years old. His daughter Lucinda was married for the first time at age 16 but widowed at age 23 with a young 5-year-old boy. In 1862 Lucinda married David Porter. Luc

During the Depression in Lawrence County, a drive was held to raise a sufficient sum of money to care for the needs of the deserving poor of Lawrenceville during the coming winter. People able to contribute to the fund responded very liberally, but the amount asked for had not yet been raised in the fall of 1931. Many of the merchants agreed to donate food and clothing in lieu of money subject to the order of Mrs. George Nunn, while others promised peaches and other fruit whe

Sumner Garage 1940s Rodrick's Ford Garage pictured above in the early 1940's was located on W South Avenue Sumner. It was operated by Everett and Harold Rodrick. The building having been remodeled was used by the Christy Fire Protection District Headquarters in 1995. Note the air pump located on the left and the 1935 or 1936 Ford far right.

Don't forget to register for Thursday morning's opening program (November 6 10:00 at the History Center) featuring 'Stories from the Wardrobe: The Dresses and the Ladies who Wore Them', by Curator, Nancy King. Admission $10 Goodie bags will be provided.   Seating is limited to 25 people.  Reservations required and can be made by calling 908-208-2372.   Early Teachers’ Association Teachers of the County formed an association as early as 1856 according to the American Banner,

Don't forget to register for Thursday morning's opening program (November 6 10:00 at the History Center) featuring 'Stories from the Wardrobe: The Dresses and the Ladies who Wore Them', by Curator, Nancy King. Admission $10 Goodie bags will be provided.   Seating is limited to 25 people.  Reservations required and can be made by calling 908-208-2372. An article was published in the annual report of Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army to the Secretary of War for the yea r 1893

Don't forget to register for Thursday morning's opening program (November 6 10:00 at the History Center) featuring 'Stories from the Wardrobe: The Dresses and the Ladies who Wore Them', by Curator, Nancy King. Admission $10 Goodie bags will be provided.   Seating is limited to 25 people.  Reservations required and can be made by calling 908-208-2372. October 29 1880 JE Black carried off a great many prizes at the Vincennes Fair including the first premium on ewe and lamb cla