western illinois magazine issue 5 — fall 2011

1

IllinoisMagazineWestern

Fall 2012Photo by Sarah Ritter

3

Letter from the Editor Welcome to the Fall 2011 issue of Western Illinois Magazine. In this issue—our fifth—we’ve decided to focus on the Mississippi River, the legendary ribbon of water that serves as the western boundary of our region. Being so close to the river, sometimes it’s easy to take it for granted. And that would be a mistake. The Mississippi, which starts in western Minnesota and winds its way south for more than 2,500 miles to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico, has had an undeniable impact on the creation and development of the Western Illinois region. Dozens of Illinois communities, such as Quincy, Alton, Warsaw and Moline owe their existence to the river, which has long served as an essential link for commerce and business in the Midwest.Author Mark Twain—who knew a thing or two about the river—once said, “the Mississippi River will always have its own way,” and that’s certainly what happened when we put together this issue, which includes an assortment of features on some of the towns, people, businesses and activities connected to the Mississippi and Western Illinois.For example, photographer Sarah Ritter kicks off the issue with an evocative photo of the river taken between Hamilton, Illinois and Keokuk, Iowa. Contributor Brian Allen offers a profile of Estel Neff, the colorful owner of Neff ’s Old House Book Store in historic Nauvoo while staff writer Chelsea Crawford tells us about the unusual connection between noted folk singer Burl Ives, who grew up in the region, and Western Illinois University. Other stories include a scenic drive on the Great River Road near Alton with writer Sarah Tomkinson, a look at the thriv-ing brewpub scene in the Quad Cities area by contributor Bill Welt and a fascinating historic feature on Vishnu Springs, a genuine Midwestern ghost hamlet, by Alyse Thompson.I invite you to take a few minutes to enjoy our stories and I hope you appreciate all the hard work our writers and contributors have put forth as much as I do. And when you’re done, let us know what you think. We’re always looking for feedback and/or new story ideas. You can contact us at [email protected] . Thanks, Vince VeltreEditor

Western Illinois Magazine is published once per semester by Journalism students of Western Illinois University. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the magazine and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. Single issue copies are available for $3 postage and handling from Western Illinois Magazine, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of editorial content without written permission is prohibited.

Disclaimer: Advertisements in this publication do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited or restricted by law.

Reprints: Contact Western Illinois Magazine, Attn: Richard Moreno, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455, [email protected].

Editor Vince Veltre

Managing Editor Reilly Maloney

Art Director Anthony Young

Staff Writers Alyse Thompson Chelsea Crawford Bill Welt Sarah Tomkinson Sarah Ritter Brian Allen Cover Photo Sarah Ritter

Photographers Sarah Ritter Reilly Mahoney Alyse Thompson Sarah Tomkinson Chelsea Crawford

Advertising Manager Abigail Meads

Advertising Sales Allison Johnston Colleen Pratl

Business Manager Jennifer Gorecki

Assistant Business Manager Danielle Balbach

Distribution Brandon Rusciolelli Chris Solger Ariel Edwards

Advisers Richard Moreno Bill Knight

WESTERN ILLINOIS MAGAZINEThe only magazine in the world that gives a damn about Western Illinois

A Western Courier Publication1 University CircleMacomb, IL 61455

309-298-1876, ext. [email protected]

Vol. 1 No. 5Fall 2011

At the bottom of a rugged, leaf-cov-ered hill just outside of Tennessee, Ill. rests what’s left of Vishnu Springs. The small, boxy Capitol Hotel is only a shell of what it once was. Boarded-up and covered with graffiti, the building over-looks a green, glassy pond — a collection of water once believed to have healing powers. Just beyond the spring stands a brick silo previously used for storing grain. Now, its only contents are a little moss grow-ing on the walls. Vishnu Springs, formerly a bustling attraction and a lively commune, is now a fading memory tucked into the surrounding woods. How did this happen? What can be done for a place with such a long history? The Friends of Vishnu and the Western Illinois Foundation have an idea.

The Story of the Springs The legacy of Vishnu Springs started with a man named Ebenezer Hicks. In the 1840s, Ebenezer moved to McDonough County and began buying pieces of land. One of these pieces, Section 7 of the Tennessee Township, included some natural springs. While Hicks did not decide to use the springs for any lucrative purposes, Dr. J.W. Aiken saw potential in the springs. He rented the land around the springs from Hicks, named the springs after the Hindu god for healing, Vishnu, and made claims that the water could remedy a variety of health problems such as bladder inflammation and diseases “peculiar to women.” “In the 1840s, 50s, 60s, they discov-ered that there were mineral springs on the grounds, and so at that time, the story circu-lated that if you used the waters, drank the waters, washed with the waters, they were healing and they did things to help you,” said Marla Vizdal, co-chair for the Friends of Vishnu, an organization in support Vishnu Springs. Aiken sold many gallons of water,

each for 25 cents, but according to the Friends of Vishnu, it was not what he expected. His relationship with Hicks eventually ended, but it is unclear when exactly they parted ways. Though Aiken stopped rent-ing the land near the springs, Ebenezer still had specific plans for his property. Though his mental health was declining — he was admitted to a mental a mental hospital in the early 1880s — the land containing Vishnu was bequeathed to his eldest son, Darius. “He (Aiken) was there until probably about the time that Mr. Ebenezer Hicks died, and then at that time, the land was left to Darius,” Vizdal said. “So by that time, they already had the establish-ment of how good the waters were for you, so Darius decided to take it one step further and he built the hotel there so people could come and actually stay on the grounds.” The Capitol Hotel is one of the most significant and more permanent contri-butions Darius Hicks made to Vishnu Springs. In March 1889, the “Colchester Independent” reported that the 26-foot by 40-foot hotel would be built near the springs “to accom-modate those who wish to try the healing qualities of the mineral water at that place.” With all the finest conveniences, foreman W.E. Way built the hotel at the cost of $2,500. Once it was completed in May 1890, visitors flooded the hotel not only to utilize the “magical” waters, but also to expe-rience the inherent tranquility of the area.“The grounds are a very peaceful place to be,” Vizdal said. “There is just a real serene

atmosphere about the whole place, and from way back into the 1870s and 80s, it was always a place where people came to picnic for some reason. I don’t know if it was because of the springs, if it was because it was just a nice place to be, but people would go out of their way to come down and visit the grounds.” While at the springs, guests could also take advantage of its various attractions. For practical purposes, a barn, a livery stable and windmill to pump water from the springs to the hotel were built on the property. Ad-ditionally, a “driving park” or a racetrack and a merry-go-round were built for amusement. Though the outside attractions drew many people to the springs, the hotel — run by Thornton Maddox in the early 1890s — could be considered an attraction itself. For convenience, John and Milton Mourning established the Vishnu Transfer Line to take

Vishnu Springs Back to Life By: Alyse Thompson

Photo by Alyse Thompson

visitors to and from the hotel. Once they arrived, weekend visitors and other guests could play croquet in the yard, lounge in hammocks, listen to the organ in the parlor and take advantage of other services installed by Maddox. Many guests traveled to the hotel simply for recreational purposes, but Vishnu Springs also hosted large religious gatherings in its heyday. “They had some big religious revivals down there,” Vizdal said. “One record was 3-4000 people were there at one time; other times it would be several hundred. They had noted speak-ers who would come in for these celebrations and draw these large crowds of people down there, but it must have been just a really nice place to go and visit.” Though the hotel and its surroundings looked picture-perfect in the early 1890s, not everything was as golden as it seemed. In 1890, Andrew Ruddle, a laborer in the nearby quarry asking for early pay, stabbed John Mourning, one of the brothers responsible for the transfer line. When Mourning refused to pay Ruddle without completing the job, Ruddle cut a lengthy gash into his shoulder. Darius Hicks was also not immune to misfortune. His second wife, Hattie, died from Bright’s disease in 1896, and soon after, he married his third wife and stepdaughter, Maud. Maud died during the birth of their third child, who also died. Darius Hicks hired Nellie Darrah to super-vise his two children, and is suspected that they became romantically involved. In 1908, however, after receiving a phone call, Darius Hicks shot himself in the head. In the early 1900s, another tragedy beset Vishnu Springs. The man who operated the merry-go-round and watched the chil-dren was sucked into the gears and crushed. The merry-go-round did not operate after his death.

Thesecalamitiesmarkedthefirstdecline of Vishnu Springs. Not much is known about the state of the springs between the early 1900s and the 1920s, but the hotel fell into a state of disarray — it had no doors, no roof, no windows and no steps in 1935. That all changed, however, when Ira and Reatha Post purchased the Vishnu Springs property. The Posts, who both fre

quented the springs as children, decided to

breathe new life into the decrepit hotel. With the help of caretaker Lon Cale, Ira Post refurbished a living area for himself and his family and opened the grounds to visitors. They also restocked the pond with koi and built a spring house for visitors. There, they could sign a guest book and use the provided tin cup to taste the water. Though Ira Post died in 1951, Reatha kept the property open to guests. Not all visitors were friendly, though — Reatha

posted no trespassing signs in 1954 to keep vandals from further destroying the hotel. After a brief attempt to turn the hotel into a restaurant in the 1960s, the hotel was revitalized once more in the 1970s. Betty Post Cutler, Ira and Reatha’s daughter, leased the hotel to college students and local musi-cians looking to stay by the peaceful springs. While the students and musicians lived in the hotel, they hosted many musical events,causingpeopletoonceagainflockto

the springs. Two of these events reported a couple hundred at-tendees. “If you asked the neigh-bors, they’d tell you it was a bunch of hippies who lived down there and had parties and they could hear the music coming the valley,” Vizdal said. “That area is almost like a natural bowl. It has really good acoustics down there.” Even with the many music festivals, Vizdal said the residents diligently maintained the hotel and the grounds. “They cared about the hotel,” Vizdal said. “They took good care of it. They abided by the rules of the lease. They were college students, though. For me to say they weren’t drinking or were not doing any kind of drugs or something would probably be a wrong assumption — it was the 70s. But they didn’t do the ground, or the house or the neighbors any wrong. They took good care of the place, they cleaned up the grounds, they planted things, they made

it a very livable environment while they were there. They were good tenants for the house.” The music and vitality brought by the students died down once more in the be-ginning of the 1980s. Since the students left the property, the hotel has remained a vacant target for vandals. In 1989, the McDonough County Historical Preservation Society at-tempted to restore Vishnu Springs, but the endeavor failed.


“After everybody moved out, you saw more and more vandalism,” Vizdal said. “You saw more devastation to the building.” In 2003, Vishnu Springs saw some hope. Olga “Kay” Kennedy, granddaughter of Ira and Reatha Post, donated 140 acres of land, including the springs, to the Western Illinois University Foundation. Kennedy, who graduated from Western Illinois University in 1946, inherited the land and asked the site to be turned into a wildlife sanctuary in honor of her grandparents. “My grandfather had a love and a vision for maintaining this naturally beautiful land,” Kennedy told the Friends of Vishnu. “It is hoped that Western Illinois University will continue the stewardship role with the primary purpose to preserve the habitat for wildlife. It is rewarding for me to know that others will have the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from this gift while ensuring that my grandparents’ wishes will be honored.”Vivifying Vishnu When the Western Illinois Univer-sity Foundation took over Vishnu Springs in 2003, it was not met with any grandeur. “The grass was tall,” Vizdal said. “It looked like nobody cared about this place. It was sad.” Vishnu Springs definitely needed help. The hotel was blanketed with layers of graffiti. Windows and doors had been broken and pieces of the walls were torn out. The grounds hadn’t been cleaned up in years. And due to its disorderly state, a rumor circulated that the university had plans to tear down the hotel. Marla Vizdal and oth-ers formed the Friends of Vishnu in attempt to save the landmark. As it turns out, the university had no plans to destroy the hotel, but the group still works with the Western Illinois University Foundation to defend and promote Vishnu Springs. One way the Friends of Vishnu and the university work to engage the commu-nity and stave off vandalism is hold annual open houses for the property. The first open house, held in 2009, boasted 1500 curious visitors, who in other circumstances would be considered trespassers. “The thinking was that the open house would be a good chance for people to get out here legally,” said Roger Viadero, the

director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at Western Illinois University. For further protection, Vizdal said the university has also boarded up the hotel as a safety precaution and established a groundkeeper to regularly guard the springs. Local law enforcement also watches the property — and tickets those who shouldn’t be there. With these measures, trespassers have learned to stay away, but there is one population that frequently visits the springs: Western Illinois University students. Since 2008, students of biology, geology, geogra-phy and other non-scientific disciplines have used the space for a variety of projects and studies in attempt to learn more about the area. “It’s one place where you’ve got not only the environmental science, biological, ecological issues to study, but you’ve also got them in a really rich cultural, historical context,” Viadero said. “In my experience personally as an environmental engineer, we typically don’t have the opportunity to do things like that. The fact that you’ve got these very contemporary issues related to land use, land recreation, land development and the environmental impacts associated with that, and then you’ve got all this really great folklore and things like that on top of it. That to me makes it really special.” In the past, students have surveyed the insect and reptile populations, recorded forest development and drilled into ground-water wells. Dr. Christopher Sutton, a geog-raphy professor at Western Illinois University, and his students have also made a 3-D map of the Vishnu Springs and the surrounding area as it might have looked in the 1800s using the historical plat and global positioning system coordinates. “You’re going to be jumping in, and you are going to be getting dirty, and you’re going to actually be doing the work, which is something else that I think these days is getting increasingly difficult to find programs for the labs students to do that,” Viadero said of the students’ studies. Viadero, the Friends of Vishnu and the university would like to continue these studies by eventually turning the hotel into a field station, but there are no official arrange-

ments yet. “There are no official plan to do that right now,” Viadero said. “The Friends of Vishnu Springs are really very supportive of the university and helping the university turn that site into something more than just a property that’s open once or twice a year, in that respect. We have a vision of utilizing the existing resources that are at the site, making smart improvements, taking advantage of some of the existing structures and turning it into a place where students can go and stay on site, at the site and do that hands-on, field-style learning out at sight.” Viadero also emphasized that any improvements must be made within the guidelines established by Kennedy and the Post family. “It is a wildlife sanctuary, that’s what it is and it will always be,” Viadero said. “We can do that, we have to do that and we will do that, but we can do it in a way that will not only honors and respects the donor’s wishes, but really allows as much of the university community as possible to take advantage of that great resource, which is really the way we are supposed to do things.”Additionally, budget issues are a huge factor in the delay of the project.“At this point, like so many other things in our state, we just don’t have the funding to do that,” Viadero said. “Again, with the help of Friends of Vishnu Springs and the great support from the folks over at the university, I’m hoping that sometime the near future that we will actually be able to have that type of facility out there.” Although the hotel remains empty right now, students and community members are still enjoying all Vishnu Springs has to offer. “We really do try to work together to make the most out of what we’ve got,” Viadero said. “We’re working closely with community, we’re working closely as col-leagues in the university, and we’ve got an eye towards turning it into something bigger in the future, but we’re also not sitting around waiting for something to happen in that regard. We are actually doing things that we can do right now: getting the students in-volved and keeping the community in touch.”

8

Surrounded by books, many not even as old as he sits an 83-year-old man, long white beard hanging down past the middle of his chest and with a set of eyebrows that look like grey and white daddy long legs crawling up his wrinkled forehead. He looks like a skinny Santa Claus. Everyone in the Missis-sippi River town of Nauvoo, Il-linois, knows who he is. They see him driving through the community in his green Jeep

Cherokee. But not many know what his store is all about. With a soft, aged and gravely voice, Estel Neff recounts his working life and his book business. "I've only been in the book business about 23 years after a long life of working as a dairy farmer, a grain dryer salesman and other jobs in the farming industry," Neff said from behind his desk in Neff ’s Old House of Books bookstore at 1695 Mulholland in Nauvoo. One day he said to his wife, Cecel, that he was go-

ing to open a bookstore. She asked where he was going to get the books and he respond-ed: "I'm going to get them from all those boxes under the beds and in the closets." Sitting quietly at her desk, which is across the room from his, Cecel laughs and says, “When he started pulling those boxes out they just kept coming. I had no idea he had so many books hidden all over the house.” Armed with more than 300 antique Mormon books—he is a direct descendant of the church’s founder, Joseph

Book Seller is Story in His Own Right

By: Brian Allen

Neff 's Old House Book Store in Nauvoo, IL. (Staff Photo)

9

Smith, so many of the books had long been in his family—he opened Neff 's Old House of Books in 1987. It wasn't only religious books he sold. He also collected and sold rare and out of print history books about Hancock County, the Keokuk Dam, Nauvoo and sur-rounding areas. Everything is for sale, everything has a price, but according to Neff, there isn't much moving off of his shelves. "Nobody is buying books or anything these days. Nobody has got any damn money," Neff says. "It's this economy and I don't think we've hit bottom yet." He navigates through the narrow doorways and bookshelves that fill the store like a labyrinth of paper and wood. "I've got people com-ing in here all the time telling me this is the best bookstore they've ever seen with titles you can't find anywhere else," he says, adding, "then they turn around and walk out without buying a damn thing." He seems to like the word damn…a lot. There is definitely no Dewey decimal system or card catalog. But there are signs posted all over like scare-crows chasing away unwanted birds that read, "This is not a library. Do not handle the books!" He continues to clear his throat in a loud, seemingly

painful way that sounds like 83 years of stories getting clogged up at the base of his tongue, forced out so he can continue telling the stories of people not buying books. With his skinny, bony-knuckled fingers capped off with long, pointy fingernails, he pulls a newer book from one of his shelves. "Five years ago I couldn't keep this book in stock," he says while holding a copy of Modern Perspectives on Nauvoo and the Mormons: Interviews with Long-Term Residents, "so I ordered a whole bunch of them. Now they just sit here collecting dust. Who knew?" Sitting back down behind his desk, Neff rubs his forehead with his thumb and forefinger reminiscent of someone nursing a headache. "People just don't want books anymore," he says in frustration. "I think people are still reading but they want to read everything on their iPods and iPads and buy all their books digital. I've never read a book that way and I never will." There is one book Neff would never sell. It's an 1874 Atlas of Hancock County. It's the first one ever printed and he's only the second owner. He bought back in 1958 at an estate auction from the family of the original owner. Neff 's father wanted it but couldn't afford the selling price of $48.00, so he bought it for

him. Inside the book is the inscription: "On loan from Estel Neff. He can have it back when I die." When Neff 's fa-ther passed away it went back to him where it remains today. Not everything has a price after all. He looks around at the books as though they share the same thoughts and feel-ings as he. In some strange way they may have more in common than one would think. There are decades of stories tucked away in that head of his. Like so many of the books he sells, they may never leave the shelf or be told again unless some willing ear comes along. He’s like a rare, out-of-print book that's getting harder and harder to find, forgotten by many. He's often asked what he's going to do with all the books when he decides to close up shop. "I don't know. I may try to sell them all off to an-other store. I may give them all away to someone who will enjoy them as much as me. Or who knows, I may just put them right back in their boxes and stack them back in the closets and under the beds where they came from," he says quietly—and without giving a single ‘damn.’

10

You know Dasher and Danc-er, Prancer, and Vixen. Or Comet and Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. If you know these reindeer, then you probably know of Burl Ives. Ives, an Academy Award winning actor and folk music singer in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s, was probably most widely known for his role as the voice of “Sam the Snow-man,” the narrator in the classic television special, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” However, the star’s famous roots began to grow in the rural countryside of Western Illinois. Burl Icle Ives was born on June 14, 1909 in Hunt City Town-ship in Jasper County, Ill., to a farm family of six children. According to an Ives biography, Wayfaring Stranger, Ives began singing for his uncle and mother at an early age. As he grew up, he would split his time between learning banjo and play-ing football. Yet, his football talent would earn him a scholarship to attend Eastern Illinois University. However, in 1929, after two years of college and football, he dropped out to pursue his true passion of music. After hitchhiking across the country singing and playing banjo, he landed his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, and his career catapulted. After a stint in the Army during World War II, he became a popular folk singer and actor. Biography.com states that Ives recorded over 100 albums including hits like “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and “Frosty the Snow-man.” He would act in many movies with Hollywood’s A-list, including

Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, and eventually would go on to act on Broadway. In 1958, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in The Big Country. After many years of entertaining and being father to his son, Alexander (from his first marriage to script writer, Helen Erlich), Ives was diag-nosed with oral cancer in 1994. On April 14, 1995, Ives lost his battle with cancer and was brought back to his hometown in Jasper County, Ill., where he was laid to rest. Yet, even after his successes, Ives had a continued connection to the Western Illinois region. Most of his family, including four of his six siblings, lived in Illinois. His brother, Clarence, a Macomb resident, man-aged Ives’s 400-acre farm between Good Hope and Roseville. Through Ives regular visits to his farm, he became reacquainted with the area and Western Illinois University in Macomb. Initially, Ives’ visits to Western were small appearances at football games. Yet, he saw a way in which he could use his talent to help the Uni-versity. “He was invested in devel-oping a per-form-ing arts collec-tion for stu-dents here,”

said Heather Richmond, former As-sistant Archivist at WIU. Throughout the 1970s, Ives performed frequently at WIU in-cluding two benefit concerts to raise money for the University’s perform-ing and creative arts programs. The proceeds from those concerts created the WIU Performing and Creative Arts Fund, which Ives hoped would improve Western’s performing arts facilities. Finally, in April 2011, nearly 30 years after Ives began cam-paigning for the facility, ground was broken to build a performance arts center for students at WIU’s Ma-comb campus. Through his

gracious work with

Legendary Folk Singer's Legacy to LearningBy: Chelsea Crawford

Burl Ives in his singing days. (Photo from Oral Cancer Foundation.Org)

11

the university, Ives was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine arts degree at WIU in May 1972, and an award of recognition from the WIU Foun-dation in 1978. However, Ives’s greatest con-tributions to Western were artifacts from his forty-year career. In 1978, Ives donated 60 boxes of tape and disc recordings, instruments, cloth-ing articles, photographs, personal and business correspondence let-ters, scripts, scrapbooks, paintings, awards, contracts and stage props to Western’s Malpass Library Archives. According to a 1978 article in the Western Courier (WIU’s school newspaper), Ives donated the collection as a way of “supporting the performing and creative arts at Western. Through his collection of materials, students and others will have an opportunity to analyze his career and study his many diverse interests.” Over the past 33 years, WIU’s Library Archives have been able to sort and catalog the items into 50 boxes of documents, one box of photographs, 360 tape recordings, 620 disc recordings, 169 clothing articles and 21 artifacts. After Ives’s death in 1995, his widow, Dorothy, donated more items to the univer-sity. The Library Archives continues to preserve Ives’s collection. “Recently, we went through and better organized the collection to get a better handle on all of the items,” Richmond said. The transcript of all the items cataloged over the past 33 years is 150-pages-long. A display case, including photographs of Ives, a walking stick he used, sheet music and a plaster molding of Ives’s face, is located just inside the entry to the Archives. The collections personal and professional documents include: Christmas cards,

business contracts, Depart-ment of Motor Vehicle re-cords, divorce papers (from his marriage to Erlich), Academy Award invitations and even a telegram from Hugh Hefner to attend a party at the Playboy Man-sion. Some of the more prominent items from Ives’s collection are his walking stick, a unique, custom-made guitar and 19th century portable har-monium. A harmonium is “an organ like keyboard instrument with small metal reeds and a pair of bellows operated by the player's feet,” said dictionary.com. Richmond commented on how small Ives’s harmonium was and wondered, with a laugh, how a bigger framed man, like Ives, was able to play the instrument. Another donated item of Ives’s garners a great deal of attention. A leopard skin loincloth, worn by Ives in an unknown movie, is probably one of the “most unusual things in Ar-chives,” Richmond said. Today, many students at Western and residents around Macomb do not even know of the collection’s existence. Hopefully, with the new ground breaking of Western’s Performing Arts Center, students and residents alike will learn more about the man behind “Sam the Snowman,” and see how hard he worked to help the University recog-nize its performing and creative arts programs. All of the items in the Ives

collection are available for viewing at Western’s Archives and Special Col-lections located on the 6th floor of Malpass Library on Western Avenue in Macomb. Those interested in the collection are welcome to stop by the Archives on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., call (309) 298-2717, or send e-mail to Jeffrey Hancks, Unit Coordinator, at [email protected] Ives in his singing days. (Photo from Oral Cancer Foundation.Org)

Ives’s harmonium, which appears to be like a smaller version of an organ, is showcased in WIU Archives. (Photo by Chelsea Crawford)

This leopard skin loincloth is infamous in the WIU Archives as one of the strangest items donated. The movie, in which Ives wore this loincloth, is unknown by Richmond. (Photo by Chelsea Crawford)

12

The Great River Road runs along the eastern side of the Missis-sippi River showcasing sev-eral beautiful scenes with small historic looking towns lining it. Brick buildings stand side by side with markers dating back to the mid 1800’s. The bluffs along the road cascade high on one side as the Mississippi River flows on the other. It leaves a lingering feeling that only places of natural beauty can. Down in the area of Alton, Ill. the river road is a connection to

many attrac-tions within a half hours drive. Travel-ing from Al-ton to Pierre Marquette State Park, a very short trip, is actu-ally enough for a full day of activity. Alton itself is a historic town. Ev-ery building has a story, most of them about ghosts and grue-some deaths, but none the less, a story. Old Victo-

rian style buildings line the river road with murals representing the river. The buildings, along with brick roads, give Alton’s river front a historic and almost whimsical atmosphere. Heading north on the River Road, on the edge of Alton, is a cove like area, a sandy patch of land with the river brushing up softly against it with a straggling stick rolling onto the shore. In the cove is a small amphithe-ater where concerts and perfor-mances are often held during the warmer seasons. Not far from the amphitheater lies the fun-house looking casino Alton Bell. This boat has the appearance of five buildings: a purple bell

tower, orange Victorian home, grey chimney tops, and red buildings. Both attractions bring good nighttime entertainment. Just barely north of Alton, is a bluff with a paint displaying the Piasa bird. The Piasa is an old Native American creature that early European explorers claimed they saw while along the Illinois area of the Mississippi River. Father Jacques Marquette depicted the animal in his diary as large as a calf, having the face of human, horns of a deer, beard of a tiger and red eyes. The crea-ture also had claws like an eagle, a tale so long it wraps around the creature over its head and through its legs, and a body with wings covered with red, green and black scales. Native American legend had it that the Piasa would go into vil-lages and kidnap humans to eat their flesh. To some, the image is just a painting, but the people of Alton have fought time and time again for the painting to stay on the bluff. A small parking lot with a marker explaining the legend can be found in front of the painting. Heading farther north on River Road, more hovering white bluffs and trees running up their sides are everywhere. Little subdivi-sion pockets of flood resistant houses also line the road. The old style homes look as if they were built on top of a deck, with a boat conveniently nearby. Eagles also fly high above, as this area is known for its great

Great River Road: A scenic drive along the mighty Mississippi

By: Sarah Tomkinson

Photo by Sarah Tomkinson

13

eagle watching spots. Many tour-ists come to the Alton area in the fall season just to watch the eagles. The small town of Elsah is the next prominent stop on the River Road drive. This small town, consisting of two streets, strictly displays historic homes. The townspeople feel obligated to keep it the same as it was during the 19th century and to give visi-tors an experience many towns cannot provide. The River Road continues on to Raging Rivers, a seasonal out-door water park that overlooks the river. All tickets range from $12-20 depending on height, age, and the time of day a person attends with an additional five dollar parking fee included. The park is full of slides, rafting and surfing areas, and a lazy river. The quaint little town of Graf-ton sits right along the Missis-sippi River on the River Road. The historic village combines old charm with new conveniences. Many buildings resemble the homes in Elsah, but are used for different purposes. Antique shops, restaurants, candy shops and a winery line the river road. The River Road continues on with historic markers of the journey of Pierre Marquette and other early explorers of the area. Just on the other side of Graf-ton is the Pierre Marquette State Park. This park is full of cabins, camp grounds and some fasci-nating paths to take. A person can drive up paths and stop at a point and see the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers below. In-dian mounds and a lover’s leap,

as well as walk paths through the highly wooded area are also present. The River Road is full of amaz-ing sights. There is something for everyone on the River Road and it’s definitely worth the trip. To many people in the area, it’s

their own little secret. From the hustle and bustle of Alton to the calm, relaxing scenes of Pierre Marquette, the River Road leaves tourists in awe. You would be hard pressed to take the River Road journey without at least one memorable experience.



14

Many beer enthusiasts dream about operating a brewery, but that isn’t the case for Nick Bowes and Dan Cleaveland. They live this dream.Bowes and Cleaveland jumped into the brewing industry after working several years doing lackluster jobs.Bowes took over as owner of the Bent River Brewing Company last year in Moline, Ill. after working as a city employee in Betten-dorf, Iowa. “It’s pretty much a dream job,” Bowes said. “I quit a job working for city government and came here to run this place. I could have retired from that job if I wanted to, but I have a passion for craft brewed beers. This is fun for me everyday coming to work as opposed to some jobs are kind of drags to go to.” Cleaveland, meanwhile, launched Blue Cat Brewpub as co-owner and brew-master in 1994 in Rock Island, Ill. after labor-ing as a scientist in the pathology department at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. “We’ve been open for about 17 and a half years way back when my sister Martha was the other owner,” Cleaveland said. “She

always wanted to open up a bar or restau-rant. At that time, there wasn’t anything like that in the area, and she thought I’d make a very good brewer because I have a big sci-ence background. I was kind of bored with my job so I said, ‘Why not?’ And, it just kind of went from there.” Martha still runs the kitchen for his brother, and according to Dan, her signature dishes are her soups.Bowes, meanwhile, went to the same high school as his brewmaster, Steve Ratcliff, in Rock Island. “Steve is great,” Bowes said. “We were like a year apart from each other, and he cooked for a business that I previously ran. He came on here a couple years before I did. I think he’s been here for three and half years now. He’s done a knockout job. He worked his way up the ranks (from assistant brewer). I think the beer he’s brewing now is every bit as good as the beer this place has ever brewed.”The most popular beer Ratcliff brews is the Uncommon Stout, which has an unlikely mixture of coffee and beer. “It’sdefinitelyourmostpopularbeer,” Bowes said. “I like it because it’s a nice, easy drinking medium-bodied stout. It’s gotthatgreatcoffeeflavor.Weactuallyused

a local coffee roaster to basically roast the coffee the day that we plan putting it in the beer, so we’re using really fresh, high-quality coffee. I think we got a good blend now that it’s not too overpowering. If you put too much coffee in your beer, you’re going to get a little more bitterness out of it. But it’s become our top-seller here in the last 13 years.”Bowes added that their most popular season-al beer, the Jingle Java, is also a coffee stout. However, the beer has cinnamon, nutmeg andcaramelflavorsaddedtoit. Another popular seasonal beer at Bowes’ brewery is the 2 Dave Stout. “That was kind of a funny story,” Bowes said of the stout’s origins. “We got a couple of regular customers, sometimes drinking here seven days a week, and they sit and drink our beer and spend a lot of money here and complain about how our beer is too watery. So kind of homage to them (who were both named Dave), we took our Oatmeal Stout recipe and just kind of added grain and cut way back on the water, and it’s my favorite beer Steve has ever brewed for sure.” The 2 Dave Stout boasts a 10.3 percent alcohol by volume.“A lot of 10 percent beers, you can taste the

Quaffing a Few in the Quad Cities

By:Bill Welt


15

alcohol,” Bowes added. “They got that real alcoholy taste to them, but with that 2 Dave, he’s just got a good recipe going.” Meanwhile, Cleaveland’s most popular beer is a medium-bodied amber pale ale called Off the Rail Pale Ale. One of his most sought-after seasonal beers is the Scotch Terrier Scottish Ale. Cleaveland releases this beer every fall in honor of the Celtic Highland Games of the Quad Cities, which takes place every September. Cleaveland has created 58 recipes since opening the brewpub in 1994. “For some odd reason I love brew-ing, so it’s very fun especially when I come up with a recipe to change things up,” he said.Cleaveland said he has tried just about every kind of recipe imaginable. “So far I’ve lucked out,” Cleaveland said. “I’ve tried out most things, but I can’t do lambic because there’s a bacteria involved in that. Once you do a lambic, everything is a lambic.” Cleaveland’s brewing process begins on the top floor of his three-floor brewpub at the milling station, which then goes to the brewing and fermenting room on the main floor behind the bar, and finishes in the basement where the beer matures and conditions. He said brewing the beer takes about eight hours, while the fermenting takes about five days, or perhaps up to a week depending on the beer. He added he spends most of his time cleaning. “Eighty percent of the job is cleaning,” he said. “You got to make sure it’s clean, otherwise the beer won’t turn out right.” Cleaveland has three fermenters, four conditioning tanks and six serving tanks. He purchased all of the brewing equipment in 1994 for approximately $110,000.Bent River, meanwhile, has seven fermenters and one serving tank sitting closely behind the bar. “Currently, my brewers come in at night,” Bowes said. “They brew at three in the morning and pretty much put in a 12 hour day. They get the bulk of the work done between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. when the bar opens. With the cool set up that we have

that’s nice to look at, it’s not the most functional. It makes for some weird hours.”However, Bent River will open a new facility in Rock Island for production purposes. “I know my brew crew is very, very excited for the Rock Island facility to open up because at least some days they will be able to work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as opposed to 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.” The new facility will allow Bent River to expand into new markets in Iowa City, Des Moines and Peoria. Bowes hopes to begin bottling in the new facility by next summer so his products can be sold in grocery stores and gas stations. “We’re not trying to set too lofty of goals,” Bowes said. “Our goals are to dominate the markets we’re already in and max that out. We definitely have the capacity to brew a lot of beers in this new building. We’ll be able to grow as demand grows and go into new markets.” Cleaveland, meanwhile, said he has no plans to expand his business. “I’m not that all interested in going statewide,” he said. “I worry about quality and service. Once this leaves my doors, I don’t know what to do with it.” Bowes and Cleaveland represent the Quad Cities’ active brewery development. There are currently five breweries in the Quad Cities, three of which are located in Davenport, Iowa. “I think it’s great that in such a small area we’ve got so many craft breweries,” Bowes said. “It just shows our area supports the move-ment. I think if you go to Chicago within city limits, there are probably not more than a couple breweries in that entire huge city than there are in the Quad Cities area. I think that speaks a lot to what Quad Citians want.”





16

Every town has something they try to brag about, and many towns take pride in themselves when someone with a slight amount of fame graces their commu-nity limits. Whether they were born there, grew up in their school systems or even just stopped by, the town’s people will remind all its tourists that once upon a time, some-one famous was there. Springfield boasts about Abraham Lincoln, Memphis has Elvis Presley, and Liverpool still thrives in Beatles glory. Hannibal, MO can easily be considered the king of boasting about someone famous. This little town claims to be “America’s Hometown,” and by America they mean Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain. On nearly every street, at least one thing is named after Mark Twain or one of his numerous characters. A statue of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer are erected in the sight-seeing part of town.

Twain’s hometown is coined America’s hometown because many of his popular books are based off his child-hood in Hannibal. His old home still stands tall, along with a whitewash fence that not every boy can paint every day. Real life scenes from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are visible throughout the town. Jackson Island can be seen from the river shore, Grant’s Drug Store stands proudly, and the cave Tom Sawyer ventured into are all popular attractions in Hanni-bal. People want to see what Twain was talking about in his books. The town is so engulfed in Twain and its clearly evident around every corner you turn.

It’s also generally accepted that Twain based his fictional town of St. Petersburg off of the real life Hannibal. Starting a mile south of Hannibal, along scenic Highway 79, Mark Twain Cave stands surrounded by Mark Twain camp-ground. The caves were the ones that Twain used in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” Twain believed that the caves were a staple and said, “No man knew the cave; that was an impossible thing. Most of the young men knew a portion of it and it wasn’t customary to venture much beyond this known portion. Tom Sawyer knew as much of the cave as anyone.” The tours range from $2 to $20 depending on the spelunkers age and if it’s a lantern tour or not. The cave tours show where Jesse James used to hide out, explain Norman Rock-well’s experience in the cave, and explain what happened to “Injun Joe.”

Right across from the Mark Twain Cave is Sawyer’s Creek. This little theme park is a joy for many children and includes features such as bumper boats, miniature golf, a wine shop, Christmas store, “Too-Too Twains,” water wars, and Tom Sawyer’s Wild Adventure. All rides and features of the park cost between $5-7 each. The Riverview Café is also found within the park limits and offers views of the Mississippi River from every table. In Hannibal, the 210 block of Hill Street is closed off. The road shifts from concrete to brick and it’s not out of the ordinary to see people dressed in 1800’s style clothes. This is where Twain’s boy-hood home, Becky Thratcher’s house and John M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office stand. On North Street, Grant’s Drug Store and Huckleberry Finn’s home can be found. To get access to all these buildings, visitors can enter through a gate next to the iconic whitewash fence and go to the Museum In-terpretive Center. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7.50 for those over 60, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for anyone five and under. The tours allow visitors to see into the homes of the people who inspired Mark Twain’s characters. From bedrooms to living rooms and dining areas to kitchens, people can imagine scenes of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” happening right in front of them. In fact, on Fridays and Saturdays,

Tour of Twain's Town

By:Sarah Tomkinson



17

locals dress up as Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher and walk around the area. Old Baptist Cemetery is an infamous scene for Twain fans around the world, but it isn’t labeled on any tourism map. On the corner of Summer St. and Section St., visitors can imagine seeing Injun Joe murder someone, as if they were Tom and Huck on that cold night. In the cemetery, tourists can find the graves of Laura “Becky Thatcher” Hawkins and Injun Joe. No historic river town would be complete without a riverboat, and Hannibal delivers with the Mark Twain Riverboat that

takes visitors up and down the Mississippi River. One hour cruises are $15 for anyone over the age of 13 and $11 for ages 7-13. Tickets for two hour cruises are $37.95 for adults, 39.95 for adults on Saturday, and $21.95 for children. Times for cruises vary depending on time of year, time of day, and weather conditions. One hour tours are considered to be sightseeing tours, and two hour tours are the same but include dinner. Twain was one of the best at pull-ing people from their own lives and insert-ing them into his books. The whitewash fence, Becky Thatcher’s house, the cave and

the creepy cemetery from his stories are all actually there for people to visit, and they continue to come back year after year to see where Twain’s inspiration came from. Twain’s time in Hannibal lasted just thirteen years, a short time in the grand scheme of things, but he certainly left quite a mark. He claimed it was a “white town drowsing in the sunshine of a summer morning.” For many though, Hannibal is the hometown of Mark Twain, and many leave feeling as if it’s their hometown too.

“All we are saying is give peace a chance,” best said by John Lennon but fitting to how students were feeling during the Vietnam War. On the evening of the Kent State University shooting, May 4, 1970 about 1,000 Western Illinois University students gathered and marched, signs in hand, to President of the University, John Bernhard’s home wanting him to close the University. Bernhard was not home so protestors moved to Simpkins Hall, then where the Reserve Offi-cers’ Training Corps (ROTC) was located. This is where “The Simpkins Take Over” took place. “The overall feel-ing was we have to do some-thing we don’t know what it is going to be, but let’s stick together because we do not know what is going to happen,” said Bill Knight, a WIU English and Journalism Professor who was a participating student in the protest. There had been a lot of protest against the war in Vietnam on campus even before the Kent State shooting. In 1968 a Committee on Student Activism was formed.

A protest group called Concerned Students for Peace passed out anti-war material to stu-dents; overall the students wanted the ROTC program eliminated. The students saw it as a support group for American militarism in Vietnam. But things reached a new level after the Kent State Shooting; 500 students took over Simpkins Hall and for two days they closed the building. On the next

student strike be allowed to continue, 2) U.S troops withdraw from Cambodia, 3) ROTC be removed from campus. No agreements were reached. Knight recalls it being a “leaderless endeavor,” and that is what made it so successful. “One of the strengths of these anti- war activities was that there weren’t many leaders; the student newspaper was involved because it was a platform and there were

people that were involved who had student organization that were involved in peace efforts. ”David Huey was a student involved in the protest from the very beginning. He stated that upon hearing the news about the shootings, he and his friends got fired up among themselves and they went to the dorms with bull horns and passed out the news; before they knew it, they several had followers. “[The shooting] had a powerful effect on us, be-cause we were students and we were also protesting the war, we identified with those

students,” said Huey. According to Huey, a big chunk of time spent in Simpkins was exhausted in negotiation with President Bernhard and the police about what would transpire. “Inside the building things were

day, while protestors still occupied Simpkins, there was a rally held behind the Union and another march took place through the Ma-comb area; about 2,000 students participated and three demands were announced: 1) the

Western Was Once Anti-War Epicenter By:Reilly Maloney

Photo Courtesy Western Illinois University Special Collection

18

calm, it was not idealistic but people felt good being there. Older adults in the area would come by and provide food and other things, but there was another extreme where we thought anything could happen, includ-ing something really bad. While we were in the building there was a second shooting, at Jackson state, where mainly African American students were shot,” said Knight. “Students did not damage anything, it was a charming take over, it was nonviolent; people were angry, but everyone remained calm.” On May 6, President Bernhard spoke to protestors and shared his feel-ings over The Kent State shooting. He also announced that there would be a “Day of Conscience” for WIU students. The following day, a countermarch by hundreds of veterans and other students, who were pro-ROTC, stormed the downtown area. “The administration responded in a relatively cool and collected way, they let the students vent. They did not overreact and after three days the energy dispersed. It was smart on their part because they let us have at it,” Knight said. The end of the Simpkins hall take over came before dawn on May 8th. Richard Poll, Vice President of Administrative Affairs, informed students of the penalties they would face if they failed to disperse. He also rejected most of their demands. One arrangement had managed to stick though. President Bernhard allowed the protesting students to peacefully assemble at a campus owned house and that home became a “Peace Center.” “The administration was not helpful but they were not aggressive and we felt like we got something out of this symbolic take-over of a building that housed ROTC and also English,” said Knight. As America has seen the rise of the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street, and other protest move-ments, it is important to reflect upon the historical place of the non-violent protest movements. Understanding the roots of these protests allows students and community members to have a greater sense of their shared history. “We felt like we were doing some-thing we needed to do,” said Huey.

The Dixon Mounds Museum sits on 162 acres of land in rural Lewistown, IL. Dixon Mounds is rich in archeological his-tory. The earliest archeological excavations began in 1927 when Dr. Don Dixon began conducting studies on the family farm. Dixon Mounds was subject to countless academic studies and archeological experi-mentations. The Dixon Mounds museum became a state park in 1945, and became a part of the Illinois State Museum in 1965. Today Dixon Mounds museum holds a great deal of archeological history pertaining to the historic Illinois River Valley. Upon entering the museum, you see that the exterior of the building blends in well with its natural surroundings. The exterior is colored in dark brick, plaster, and cement earth tones. The museum sits high on a hill, overlooking the beautiful Il-linois River Valley. Upon entering the build-ing, you are greeted by a Museum volunteer at the front desk. They can provide visitors with guide pamphlets, museum history, and information about the current displays. To begin your tour, it is suggested that you take the elevator to the third floor, and work your way down the floors of the museum. Before entering the exhibits, visi-

tors have the opportunity to view a short, five minute film on the Illinois River Valley. The video acts as an introduction to the mu-seum exhibits, and prepares the visitor for the educational adventure that lies ahead. The third floor features three displays; “The River Valley Gallery,” “The Legacy,” and the observation deck. Both the River Valley Gal-lery and the Legacy contain photographs, graphic exhibits, and interactive informa-tional videos and recordings. The informa-tion on this floor follows the journey of the Illinois River Valley and provides museum visitors with a perspective of what the land and society would have looked like in the past. The observation deck showcases a splendid panorama of the Illinois River Valley. Onlookers can see the diversity of the landforms, the abundance of plants and wildlife, and the development of the land. After you have enjoyed the view from the observation deck, re-enter the building and take the elevator to the second floor. This area of the museum contains a large exhibit called People of the Valley. Here visitors can walk through the long history of the Native American Peoples. Visitors can see the way their homes were constructed, see examples of their eating utensils, and the tools they used to work, hunt, and farm. Here the visitors can view

In Praise of Illinois' Prehistoric People By:Sarah Ritter

Photo by Sarah Ritter

19

actual ancient artifacts, murals, and historic artifacts. One of the most captivating and spiritual displays in the museum is the Reflections of Three Worlds. You enter the display through a dark doorway and walk down a dimly lit ramp as it cascades around the perimeter of the room. In the center of the room is a large, open space enclosed by screens on each of the four sides. There are three sculptures placed in the corners of the room, each one illuminated by colorful lights. Throughout the experience of this exhibit, museum visitors will hear music and voices in addition to seeing symbols that share some of the stories of Mississip-pian Farmers. Lights and images are shown on the screens, and they’re used to tell the stories of the three worlds of the Missis-sippian belief. This exhibit contains the actual bones from the burial site at Dixon Mounds. The remains are covered and are not open to public for viewing. The first floor is the final stop on the museum tour. Visitors may choose to explore the Discovery Center as well as the Resource Center. These areas offer hands on activities and information to visitors; they are intended to give the visitors an opportunity to question and reflect upon what they have learned on their visit to

the museum. Visitors are also given the opportunity to look through the museum shops and the Dixon Mounds history exhibit. Dr. Mike Wiant acts as the current museum director of the Dixon Mounds Museum. He is practiced in facilitating education and involving learners. “The one thing a student must bring with them when they come to this museum is a question,” says Wiant. His goal in leading tours is to first learn what the students hope to gain from their experience and to let their question be the guide for their tour. He has a strong passion for preserving ancient history and using it to learn about ancient cultures and societies. “People don’t have a very clear understanding of what ancient Illinois is all about,” said Wiant. “The past is incomplete and partial,” he adds, “Only the durable parts are preserved.”

They stand tall and regal. Through each passing year, they hold true to their old-fashioned way of life. Time takes its toll on their once sturdy frames. Behind each withered crevice, lies the his-tory of generations of farm life and farm families. If barns could talk, they would have a great story to tell. McDonough County, Ill., site of Western Illinois University, is also home to a dying breed of historical barns with unique architecture. Macomb Area Convention and Visitors Bureau offers information on four self-guided tours of over 30 barns throughout McDonough County. Many of these barns have been standing for over 100 years.

While time and the elements have taken a toll on some barns, some have been con-tinually restored by their owners through-out the years and remain in use by farming families. “Barns are not just relics of the past, but also examples of the way agriculture used to be,” said Kent Slater, a retired appellate court judge, life-long McDonough County resident, and board member of the Illinois Barn Alliance. Farming families used barns to house live-stock and help with daily farm operations. Some barns were designed to make farming more efficient. Round barns, such as the Kleinkopf Barn near Colchester, Ill., created “labor savings facilities for farmers,” Slater said. A silo could be placed in the middle and dairy cattle could be arranged in a

circular pattern around the silo. The spac-ing, created by the round barn’s design, al-lowed more room for the farmers to milk the cows. Also, the haymow (or hayloft) allowed for easier placement of hay in the center or outer edges of the barn. Accord-ing to Slater, round barns were suppos-edly built to be weather resistant and to allow unfavorable winds, snow and rain to travel around the barn’s circular outline.Three of McDonough County’s most treasured barns, the Flack Barn, the Hammond Barn and the Everly Barn have stood this test of time and hold the unique qualities which make barns so valued. “Each of these three barns are located on a farm that is prosperous with good, flat land which gave rise to the structure of the barns,” Slater said.

Barnstorming Through McDonough County By:Chelsea Crawford


20

The Flack Barn, located east of Macomb di-rectly on state road 136, remains a constant attraction in McDonough County. Newt Willis built the Flack Barn in 1900. Willis, a local barn builder from Table Grove, Ill., was famous for the cross gable style of barn, which is often topped with a cupola, or a small, lookout type structure on top of the barns, according to an Illinois-Times article (2009). The cross-gable structure, a type of architecture unique to the McDonough County area, has roof sections put together at a 90-degree angle, according to Slater. The barn has one high point at the top in which the cupola sits. From this point, four metal ridge rows run from the top to the four corners of the barn. Therefore, all of the roof support rests on the four corners of the barn resulting in a freestanding haymow.“This is a great advantage when [farmers are] using loose hay,” Slater said. “When you do not have a barn post in the way, this is very helpful.”Frank Haynes (whose name still remains on the side of the barn) originally owned the Flack Barn, and his grandson, Charles Haynes “Chick” Flack, took care of the barn until his death in April 2011. According to Slater, the cover of Flack’s funeral program was a picture of the barn. The tan structure, with red and green trim, attracts local visitors with the annual “Bard in the Barn” event. Every year since 2006,

members of Western Illinois University’s Department of Theatre and Dance per-form an unscripted form of Shakespeare for local residents. Slater added that Flack Barn has also been a stop on a barn tour in prelude to Macomb’s an-nual jazz festival and invites visitors to stop, tour and listen to jazz musicians from Peoria.Another Willis creation, the Hammond Barn, has a history as unique as its structure. Built in 1889, the barn burnt down before it

was ever used.

“It was supposedly rebuilt by 11 men in 11 days for $1100 on the same foundation as the original barn,” Slater said.In creating and building the Hammond Barn, Willis used timber framing, a building method common in Europe. Likened to a “big puzzle,” by Slater, timber framing is a “method of creating framed structures of heavy timber jointed together with pegged mortise and tenon [wooden] joints,” ac-cording to Sensagent Dictionary.com. While this method of barn building seemed useful in this time period, the maintenance of these structures was difficult and expensive.However, the most striking features of the Hammond Barn are its vibrant colors. As Slater recalls, the owner of the barn was colorblind. Therefore, he chose a bright red base with yellow and white stripes at the top and green shutters for the barn because he “could discern those colors,” Slater said. Finally, the Everly Barn was built in 1882 for housing farm horses. The barn was built with an elevator, which was operated by a pulley system. In the barn, oats, corn and barley were stored in the upper level grain bins and used to feed the horses.The barn is currently owned by the Everly Trust, which was created by the Everly family, and also supports the Everly House Retirement Home in Macomb.While these three barns highlight Mc-Donough County’s extensive list of historic and well-preserved barns, many areas around Illinois are struggling to keep these

historic gems from deteriorating. “Barns are disappearing at a very rapid rate and have been for awhile,” said Jean Follett, President of the Illinois Barn Alliance and Interim Executive Director of Landmarks Illinois.To help combat this growing issue, since 2002, the Illinois Barn Alliance has been determined to recognize these historic land-marks and encourage their preservation. According to Follett, the board of directors is a group of individuals from around the state who like barns, own barns or have an interest in rural architecture. However, this process has been a diffi-cult one. Unfortunately, the Illinois Barn Alliance does not receive any grants or as-sistance from the government to help in the preservation of barns. “When somebody has a barn, the first questions is, ‘Where do we find money to rebuild?’” Slater said. “That has been a real stumbling block.” With a lack of resources, all the Illinois Barn Alliance can do at this moment is raise awareness about barns. However, they are encouraged by the acts of other depart-ments and state alliances.“Quite a few barns are being saved by park districts,” Follett said. In Iowa, barns are being saved at extremely high rates. The Iowa Barn Foun-dation provides matching grants to barn owners for barn preservation. In exchange, the owners open up their barns each year for the annual “All-State Barn Tour.” Accord-ing to the Iowa Barn Foundation website, the funds for these grants are raised from individuals, corporations and foundations.According to Follett, since Illinois is a farm-ing state with “one gorgeous scene after another,” more people need to recognize the state’s historical background.“It [barn preservation] is something that I think everyone should be aware of,” she said.Slater concurs. “Everyone, who grows up on a farm, has a rather fond memory of a barn and the memories, good or bad, that might have taken place,” he said. “But barns are becoming fewer and fewer.” For more information, please take a look at the Illinois Barn Alliance website at http://www.illinoisbarns.org/.

Photo by Chelsea Crawford

21

“I hope they bury me in that back yard,” said Leslie Loyd as she described never wanting to leave the home that she spent time, money and hard work develop-ing. Loyd’s home is no ordinary home, 1624 Jersey is just one of the many historic homes in Quincy, Ill. Quincy is known as the “Gem City” for its sparkling reputation as a center of commerce, manufacturing and agricul-tural production. Another thing Quincy takes pride in is their historic architecture. A city of the Mississippi River and Adams County, Quincy has a population of about 40,366. According to the Quincy Preserves website, Quincy’s population grew dur-ing the mass migration from Germany. Its culture seemingly changed as a result of immigrants implementing their own style of home building. The oldest home was built in 1832. “Every city has its own history and if you tear down everything that’s original, you’ve lost your history. By maintaining these homes we have stories that we would otherwise lose,” said Vicki Dempsey, Presi-dent of Quincy Preserves. Quincy Preserves, Inc., has a mission of fostering awareness of and to promote appreciation for the historic archi-tecture of Quincy, Ill., and Adams County. This organization has encouraged owners of historically and architecturally significant structures to restore and maintain them to their original condition. Quincy Preserves gives between two and four college scholarships every year. The organization is also involved in a Façade program, which gives grants and loans to an approved historic commer-cial building so the owner can restore its original appearance. It also contributes money to the Quincy library and individual projects. A main fundraiser for this organi-zation is the historic homes tour. This year

they held their 36th annual Be-hind Closed Doors tour, which took place October 15, and another tour, Christmas Candlelight, will take place on December 10. The homes tour pro-vides an unusual variety of historic homes. Within a 20 block area, one will find homes built in the 1830’s and Victorian style homes. The range of differing architectural designs is massive. Loyd’s home, which was featured in the first tour of the season, has been more of a hobby than a job for her and her husband, David. “This house can be a lot of work but if you enjoy the work, it is worth it and you end up with a beautiful home that you can be really proud of and you are preserv-ing for generations,” David said. It is important for all of the work that the home owners put into the home to be on par with the time period in which the home was built. “I like to keep this home as true to the period as possible but there are some modern things you need to have,” said Leslie. “These are homes and they were built for people to live in and I think it is important to keep them livable and make those changes as need be. But when you do, make those changes in character of the home, nothing is as sad as a beautiful old home on the outside turned into a modern home on the inside or vice versa,” said David. Another home owner on the tour, Sarah Anderson, feels like her family does

Quincy's Hidden Gems

not own their home, but rather that they are its caretakers. “I think everyone that owns a historic home has an opinion that they are the temporary caretaker. There had been people there before them and there will be people there after them, but while they live there, their responsibility is to maintain it,” said Dempsey. These historic homes are not just living quarters for their owners; they are pieces of history and should remain as such for as long as they can be preserved.

By: Reilly Maloney



22

McDonough County CourthouseThe McDonough County courthouse sits at the heart of Macomb, IL. Located in the center of the downtown square, the courthouse acts as a historic and architecturally magnificent center-piece. Following the original construction of the building in 1872, several renovations were made from in the 1970s that gave the courthouse its distinct appearance. Finished with original stones and red bricks on the exterior and wal-nut and oak finish on the interior, the structure is as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.

Lincoln lost his case and Fraim was the first and only person to be legally executed by hanging in the city of Carthage. While the history of the Hancock County courthouse remains, the build-ing has underwent some radical renovations since the days of Lincoln. The interior walls are lined with marble, as are the steps, risers, and floors. The structure also features a distinct and artistic stained-glass dome.

Schuyler County CourthouseThe Schuyler County courthouse was built in Rushville, IL in 1880. The structure stands on the south-west corner of the Rushville square and acts as a historic centerpiece for the small

town. A great deal of history lies within the structure. Abraham Lincoln acted as a lawyer in many cases in Rushville, IL as well, making the town a destination for Lincoln fans and history buffs. Warren County CourthouseThe current Warren County courthouse was built in Monmouth, IL in 1894. The structure that acts as the courthouse today is the 4th courthouse constructed in the history of Warren County. The building has changed from its original state and has undergone some renova-tions, but it has lasted the longest of all of the courthouses in Warren County. The building still contains many of its original marble and metal sculptures. The roof features some copper colored trim that accents the dark brick exterior of the building.

Knox County CourthouseThe first Knox County courthouse, known as the “Old Knox,” was built in Knoxville, IL 1840. The county residents later voted to change the location of the courthouse to Galesburg, IL. The vote to move the county seat to was approved in 1873. The current location of the Knox County courthouse is situated just off of Cherry Street. The building exterior features strong iron beams decorated with Cleveland Limestone. With its distinct castle-like features, the structure acts as an architectural stand-out in downtown Galesburg.

The cruelest reality in life doesn’t involve paying bills, working past retirement or even providing for a family. The hardest thing to accept in life pertains to one simple truth – at some point or another, we will all have to say goodbye to the ones we love.There are no secret pills providing immortal-ity, and certainly no genies waiting in line to grant our three wishes. But every so often, like an anomaly of reason and expectation, a few are able to stave off insurmountable odds and expert opinions. Dominica “Minnie” Tonozzi is one of those few.Minnie was born on Jan. 10, 1914 in Chicago Ill. For some perspective, in 1914, the first shots of World War I were fired, boxing legend Joe Louis

was born and Babe Ruth made his major league baseball debut. So Minnie’s age alone, 97, is spectacular in and of itself. But that number, that symbol of time spent, doesn’t even begin to describe the woman who represents it.Yes, father time has taken his toll on Minnie physically. Her hands and feet are arthritic and rigid. Her vision and hearing are steadily declin-ing. And two serious hip surgeries over the last four decades have forced her to use a cane, a walker, and within the last 8 years, a wheelchair to get around. But amidst all of her physical ailments and deficiencies, Minnie has an unwavering spirit and mental awareness. She’s a living, breathing history book. She’s charismatic and endearing. She’s bubbly and cheerful. She’s a jokester and

a singer. She’s no nonsense and it all makes sense. Her presence demands attention. Her attitude is more youthful than women a quarter her age. She even rings a little bell when the family is together to signify “party time.” Minnie is by all means, marvelous.On Oct. 11, however, Minnie was rushed to Resurrection Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. after experiencing difficulty breathing. It was quickly determined that emergency surgery would be required to remove fluid from the area around her heart.Even under such ominous circumstances, Min-nie never wavered.As the nurses wheeled her into the operating room, she sang “When your smiling, keep on smiling, the whole world smiles with you.” The famously reproduced song has been graced by

Hancock County Court-houseThe Hancock County courthouse was erected in Carthage, IL in 1893. The size and stature of the building has grown from modest beginnings. The original size of the structure was 50 feet by 50 feet. The first case tried in the Hancock County courthouse was a murder trial. William Fraim was represented by a new and inexperienced lawyer from Springfield, IL by the name of Abraham Lincoln.

Courthouses Offer More Than Simple Justice

Remembering Minnie

By: Sarah Ritter

By: Vince Veltre


23

the voices of Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin; but it’s also Minnie’s go-to song when she wants to show off her golden pipes. The surgery was a success. But several looming questions and concerns remained. Given her age and well-being, Minnie’s prospects weren’t bright. Her advanced age made it hard for doctors to determine if, and how she would heal. The invasive surgery weakened her fragile immune system and she developed a case of pneumonia.A respirator, feeding tube, and concoction of sedatives and medications were all that was keeping Minnie alive. That was not how she wanted it. She didn’t want any life support or tubes down her throat. If she couldn’t live on her own, there was no reason to live.A few days passed, and despite being heavily sedated, Minnie’s frustrations were clear. Ac-cording to nurses, on more than one occasion she tried to remove her IV’s and refused to sit still. For her own safety, Minnie’s arms were restrained. On Oct. 15, Minnie’s family gathered at the hospital. Her youngest son, Gaetano, 60, ac-companied by his wife Rosemarie and their two kids Natalie, 23, and Marcello, 29, arrived at Resurrection Hospital. With them was Minnie’s only daughter Mary, 64, and her kids Lisa, 40, and Tommy, 42. This was the day to determine Minnie’s future. This was the moment of truth. The respirator that forced her every breath would be removed. The feeding tube that nourished her body would be removed. And the flow of sedatives keeping her comfortable would be halted. Two outcomes were blatantly evident.Minnie would either fight to breathe on her own or succumb to the strain of the task.Shortly after her family arrived, around 8:30 a.m., Minnie came to. She began to writhe and struggle, tears cascading slowly down her cheeks. She couldn’t speak, but her facial expressions were sending messages loud and clear. She’d open her eyes wide and snarl. As best she could anyway around the tubes lodged in her throat. She didn’t want her family to see her like this. She was weak and vulnerable and it only served to irritate her. But after some comforting words and encouragement from her loved ones, she slowly began to calm down. By early afternoon, about 1:00 p.m., Minnie’s condition remained stable. Her vitals paced at safe levels and the sedatives she was given had enough time to wear off. Doctors decided she was ready as ever to attempt breathing on her own again. What they failed to mention, however, were straight answers. All morning they elegantly toed the line of optimism and respectful hon-

esty. They wanted to believe Minnie would breathe on her own, but they certainly had their reservations regarding whether or not it was plausible. Considering the odds, they treaded very carefully.With her family being asked to leave the room, doctors rolled a large, blue curtain over the entrance to her quarters and began to remove her from life support. The sound of the machine’s calculated, rhythmic contractions ceased, and a new noise took the air. “Cough for us Minnie, cough for us,” doctors said. “Cough it up, breathe for us Minnie, come on breathe.”The task itself took all of a few minutes, but to Minnie’s family, it must have felt like an eternity. They restlessly waited around her room’s pe-rimeter, nervous anticipation oozing from their uneasy body language.In one swift motion, the doctor revealed himself from behind the curtain.“She’s breathing,” he said. “She’s responded very well.”Laughter and tears of joy spread like wildfire amongst family members as they were let back into Minnie’s room. They hugged her, kissed her and for the first time since her surgery, they were able to talk with her. As expected, she had plenty to complain about.“I’m thirsty, my throat hurts, they handcuffed me,” she said, referring to the restraints she wore for less than cooperative behavior.The whole ordeal left Minnie quite tired, and she quietly rested through the afternoon. She woke up a few times, talking to family and continuing to voice her grievances, although her comedic flair never missed a beat.“They are mean to me because I was bad,” she said grinning. “Oh well, I feel drunk, I was all doped up.”The light hours came and went quickly. Min-nie’s family began to tire themselves as their nerves and anxiety gave way to steadying relief. They all eventually said their goodbye’s to a resting Minnie and departed from the confines of the hospital. The torment was over. The angst subsided. A shallow sense of normalcy and reprieve was restored.The next day, Oct.16, Minnie was transported

out of the intensive care unit to an observation unit. She began eating provided meals, watch-ing television and continuing to visit with her loved ones whenever they came to see her.On Oct. 19, Minnie began rehabilitation sessions to restore her strength and further her progress. On Oct. 29, after only ten days of rehab, much to her own delight, Minnie was sent home.So what can we draw from such an improbable outcome? Plenty, actually.Minnie not only defeated overwhelming odds, but she proved that the human spirit can be remarkably steadfast. That with the right attitude and mindset, people are capable of extraordinary things. Optimism and belief will only take us so far were taught. Eventually, the probabilities always win. The probabilities, however, fail to account for the power of will, and in this case, the will to live.Minnie could have easily given up and wel-comed the white gates with open arms. But that wasn’t happening. Her will to live, to over-come all that stands in front of her, is doggedly resolute. She wants to stay here. She wants to laugh and sing. She wants to joke and gripe. She wants to see her family grow. She enjoys life’s simplest gifts like they were gold. And the aura around her is nothing short of infectious and inspiring. Minnie is by all means, magnificent. Will she make 100?That may be looking too far ahead. But would you bet against her?Didn’t think so.

Minnie Tonozzi accompanied by her grand-daughter Natalie Tonozzi on Dec. 25, 2010.

western illinois magazine issue 5 — fall 2011

Documents

western illinois region

western boundary

western minnesota

dozens of illinois communities

university circle

mississippi river delta

great river road

writer sarah tomkinson