CHRISTIAN COUNTY — The Christian County Historical Society and Museum (CCHS) is delighted to bring back the annual Persimmon Festival. Mark calendars now for Saturday, November 5, from 10-2. Watch the Facebook page or call at 217-824-6922 for more details.
CCHS is going to have a persimmon bake-off contest this year. Categories are Cookies, Bread, and Most Creative. The guidelines for the Persimmon Bake-Off will be that the items must be prepared within 24 hours, with the recipe of the exhibit. They will also have a 12 and under contest with the categories of Cookies and the Most Creative. CCHS will have persimmon cookbooks & pulp for sale at the museum. More information will be on the Facebook page.
The Genealogy Society will have Jean Callan’s BBQ Sandwiches, chips, a drink for $8.00, and a general genealogical book sale.
The annual Tidings of Comfort and Joy Christmas Dinner is returning this season after a two-year hiatus. This year CCHS will offer two different days on which to come celebrate the season. This dinner is designed for adult enjoyment. Watch the Facebook page for dates and times or call us at 217-824-6922.
Tickets will be available at our Persimmon Festival, on November 5. Tickets can be purchased at the museum on Thursdays-Saturdays from 10 – 3, from any board member, or at Rebecca’s Antiques on the Taylorville Square. Be sure to purchase tickets by December 6, 2022.
The Historical Society is once again offering Jodi’s famous chicken and noodle dinners for curbside delivery. This dinner will be in January or February. Watch the Facebook page for the date and time or call us at 217-824-6922 for details.
Please purchase tickets in advance at the Museum, from any board member, or at Rebecca’s Antiques.
The Christian County Historical Society and Museum’s Board of Directors held its annual meeting this past July. The Board elected Board Member Phil Bliler to become a co-chair to Chairperson Jodi Heberling. Phil and Jodi will share the leadership duties through July 2023.
Bliler is a local farmer and businessman. He joined the Historical Society’s board in April, 2020.
The Christian County Historical Society was fortunate to host the entire concert series this past summer.
Board members sold strawberry shortcake and cold drinks at five of the concerts. A local church sold treats at the jazz concert, and the band boosters handled concessions for the children’s concert, which was the final concert of the season.
The Quilt Show turned out to be fantastic! CCHS came together and enjoyed other quilt enthusiasts’ company, and the quilt show experts had a chance to visit and explain each quilt shown. The Quilt Show Committee would like to thank all who stopped by, lent quilts, donated time, and the donors who donated quilt items for the quilt goodie bags!!
This summer a generous patron donated a new flag to the grounds. Many thanks to Mr. Maxheimer!
In 2016 CCHS was fortunate to receive funding from the DAR to put shake shingle roofs on five of the historic buildings. The Board recently hired Ever Clean to power wash the roofs, using a low-pressure approach, which should extend the life of the roofs.
Paint on the Bee Castle was completed this summer, along with glazing some of its vintage wooden frame windows. CCHS also stained the back porch of the courthouse and the front porch of the Depot. CCHS also caulked the Depot’s widows.
The log house repair and restoration project got a big boost when the board’s new co-chair, Phil Bliler, stepped up to coordinate conversations between our lumber source, J. R. Polthaus, and a local contractor.
Board member and Treasurer Robert (Bob) Steiner was recently spotlighted in the groups newsletter. Bob has been a dedicated community volunteer and servant for many, many years.
Steiner grew up immersed in history and developed a love for it. His parents were members of the Jerseyville Historical Society; plus, their family vacations often involved experiences related to history.
He and his wife, Rebecca became members in the early 1980s, and Bob was asked to look over the museum’s financial records.
One of Bob’s major projects was leading the work that led up to the acquisition and placement of the large sign at the front gate in 2003. That sign tells the story of Christian County’s first courthouse, and it provides facts about Abraham Lincoln’s time in the courthouse.
Another major piece of work that Bob headed up is related to the old Owaneco Railroad Depot that sits on their campus. As a member of the local Sertoma Club, Bob engaged that club in becoming a sponsor for the Depot.
Steiner is a Certified Public Accountant and has provided years of advice and counsel about the bookkeeping work of the Historical Society. He has served several terms as Treasurer of the Board, and he is currently the treasurer.
