Main Street
PALESTINE www.mainstreetpalestine.com
Spring 2015
Fife Opera House Main Street’s crown jewel reopens after 100 years!
Featured Shops
The Red Queen Consignments The Rocking Horse, JK’s Corner Free Store & Grand Prairie Studio
MAIN STREET PALESTINE SPRING FLING Dozens of vendors with a large variety to choose from.
http://www.wabashvalleywineandartfestival.com for tickets and information
Something New On Main Street
Harmon’s Pharmacy opened a Palestine branch this winter. In addition to a full prescription service, they offer a small gift section, over the counter health products, medical equipment, and a hearing aid service. Harmon’s in Palestine also has the only pharmaceutical compounding laboratory in Crawford, Jasper or Lawrence counties. Always willing to further his education, Brad recently completed a comprehensive compounding course.
Check out Palestine’s
With a modern compounding lab, Harmon’s Pharmacy can create personalized medications for you or your pet as prescribed by your physician or veterinarian. Harmon’s Palestine store is located across the street from the High School at 101 North Main. Stop in and say ...
Welcome to Palestine!
arTS C ALENDAR March 2015 Art Is Relative Exhibit Palestine Art Center 10-2 Weekdays March 28, 2015 Swing Into Spring at SD Meadows Gallery with Josh & Jessica Jewels & Attitude Salon 6-9pm
Inside This Edition ... Local Talent at Comic Con Lexi Branson is living her dreams.
Spring Fling Semi-annual sales event brings vendors and shoppers together in historic Fife Opera House.
at the Fife - Rodney Bond
Palestine’s Historic Fife Opera House reopens after more than 100 years of silence.
Flying S Cadets - Penny Shaw Science made fun.
Featured Shops
The Red Queen, The Rocking Horse, Grand Prairie Studios, JK’s Corner Free Store
CCA Spring Art Show
Crawford County Arts 27th Annual Exhibit featuring local and regional artists.
Fort LaMotte - Rob Byrley
Exciting activities scheduled at Fort Lamotte in 2015.
America’s Best Communities
Six communities along Route 1 are working toward a common goal and up to $3 million in grants. Watch for smart links like this >> in many articles.
for online details, ticket info, & more. << scan with smartphone
Publisher: Palestine Development Association Editor: Jim Ellis Cover: (re)Opening Night at the Fife
May 3-16, 2015 Crawford County Arts Spring Show 12-5 daily at the Fife Visit http://www.CrawfordCo.net
Local Artist Exhibits at
Indiana Comic Con Main Street Palestine Lexi Branson, a junior at Palestine High School, recently exhibited her artwork in Artist Alley of the Indiana Comic Con March 13-15, 2015.
As you may notice by the picture, Lexi cosplayed Bucky Barnes from “Captain America Winter Soldier” on day two of the event. This happens to be one of her favorite characters and is also the subject of one of her latest digital paintings. One of the highlights from the event for this artist was meeting the voice actors behind two “Attack on Titan” characters. Each actor autographed her “Attack on Titan” artwork and in turn asked for her to autograph the same prints for their collections; needless to say, she was happy to do so. Lexi appreciated the opportunity to meet and share with experienced artists, collectors, organizations, and businesses. The advice, support and encouragement she received was overwhelming. Lexi stated meeting and talking with so many kind people who share her love for art is what she enjoyed most about the event.
Spring Fling
Spring Fling organizer, Nicole Martin, says she is, “Very excited to announce that we will be having our “4th Annual Main Street Palestine Spring Fling.” The event will be at the Fife Opera House on Saturday, April 11th 9am - 3pm. There will be over 20 vendors inside and several outside. There will be many returning vendors along with some new ones. The Pioneer Band Wagon will be serving sandwiches and drinks inside the Fife. Vendors will offer a variety of goods for sale. There will be Scentsy Fragrance, jewelry, hair bows & accessories, and handmade crafts to name a few. Make plans to spend the day in Palestine! There are several places to shop and to enjoy a great lunch.
Th e Ro c k i n g H o r s e The Rocking Horse is a gift and floral shop located at 210 S. Main St., Palestine. The shop offers a large selection of giftware including stuffed animals, wall signs, Willow Tree Angels, unique jewelry, Noelle & Bella Taylor purses, stepping stones, yard flags, and Colonial Candles. It also sells Doughmaker Bakeware, Rhythm Clocks, Wind & Willow cheeseball/dip/soup/ dessert mixes as well as a selection of afghans, pillows and greeting cards. Something new in the shop this spring season is Spent Round Design Jewelry. Made in the USA, this unique jewelry is made from used shot gun shells. They have taken the used metal portions to create bracelets, necklaces, earrings, cuff links, tie tacks and money clips. Since 2001, The Rocking Horse has offered a full service floral department. We do fresh and silk flowers for funerals, weddings, every day and seasonal occasions and offer delivery within Crawford County and to West Union. Don’t forget Spring clean-up in the cemeteries is soon and with Memorial Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to order custom silk cemetery pieces.
Store hours are Monday – Friday 9:30 am – 5 pm and on Saturday 9:30 am – 3 pm. Please like us on Facebook to view past/current pictures and in store specials. Orders may be placed by calling 618-586-2444 or stop in to browse around our small store to see all the wonderful things we have to offer. The Rocking Horse is celebrating 30 years of business service to the community this year.
Owners of the Rocking Horse, the Fuller Family
in Concert at the Fife The Fife Opera House welcomes the award-winning Appalachian gospel group, HighRoad, to its stage on Friday, March 27 at 7pm (CDT). The trio will fill the auditorium with their beautiful, haunting melodies & vocals. The show will be a mix of gospel and country music. HighRoad’s music features the girls’ inventive instrumentation and it is filled with the beautiful, haunting melodies and vocals that have been the group’s hallmark. The trio, all graduates of Belmont University’s prestigious School of Music, feel the songs of HighRoad reflect their personal journey. The group has been in the studio recently and released their brand new album, Angel at the Crossroads, in May of 2014. Produced by Grammy winner and producer of The Gaither Vocal Band, Ben Isaacs of The Isaacs, and engineered by Grammy winner Mark Capps, the album features original songs written by the group as well as other writers and also includes hymns like My Savior’s Love for Me. With Greg Ritchie on percussion (Gaither Vocal Band, David Phelps) and Stephen Wilder on upright bass, the sound reflected is exactly what HighRoad strives to do- to be an non-conforming light in a dark world. Learn more about HighRoad at: http://www.highroadmusic.com
Tickets are available at The Village Framery Palestine, IL, $10 in advance/$12 at the door. The Fife is located at 125 S. Main Palestine. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. They may also be purchased online at http://www.fifeoperahouse.org
48 Years of Western Entertainment in the Pioneer City Arena!
Pioneer City Rodeo & Labor Day Celebration September 3rd - 7th MARK YOUR CALENDARS! http://www.pioneercity.com/rodeo
LaMotte Trading Antiques - Mantiques - & More Open Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Just a Block off Main on East Grand Prairie
Palestine Library District Shooting Stars Fundraiser
Emergency Dental Surgery in Concert Friday, April 17, 2015 7:00 to 9:00 PM (CDT) At The Fife, Main Street Palestine Tickets $10 Contact Library for details. 618.586.5317 https://www.palestinepubliclibrary.org
Main Street Palestineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crown Jewel
The Fife Opera House Located on Main Street in downtown Palestine, Illinois is the David Fife Opera House. It was built in the years 1898 to 1901, the beginning of the twentieth century. A time of hustle and bustle when machines, technology and this new thing called electricity was permeating everyday life. The essence of culture was desired by all. David Fife, the builder, graduated from Garvin Commercial College in Terre Haute, Indiana and from the Indianapolis School of Embalming. His embalming renewal certificate dated 1901 is on display in the Opera House downstairs. The building is now owned by the Palestine Preservation Projects Society (PPPS), which was organized in 1988 to preserve the history of this area. PPPS was able to get this building listed as an Illinois Historic Site, then listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1990. In the first decade of the twentieth century, the opera house was the center of culture for the area, and enjoyed capacity attendance much of the time. People came from some distance away on one of the several passenger trains arriving daily. After attending a performance they stayed overnight at one of the four hotels operating at that time.
Many came by horse or carriage, and horses were kept at one of the livery stables. Money was flowing in Crawford County. A major oil field opened up, resulting oil wells throughout the county, drawing thousands of people pursuing riches. The small town at the time Stoy, now only a collection of few buildings, became a city of ten thousands tents. It is said the J. D. Rockefeller came to the area as millions of dollars a day were flowing. Stock shows, talent shows, band concerts, lyceum series, speakers, commencements and community events occurred in the Opera House. Attendance was good, especially in winter when it was standing room only. Actors worked on a 60/40% basis of the gate receipts, with actors receiving the 60%. Ushers were high school boys and their pay was 2 tickets. It was said the ushers also fired the furnace and passed out show bills. Phil Harrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parents played at the opera house when Phil was a baby kept in a box off-stage, according to Mel Hollingsworth. Starnes Company appeared here, father of John Lawrence tent show, which gave Red Skelton and Phil Harris a start. The Palestine Preservation Projects Society has two posters
of acts that appeared in the Opera House. These are framed and displayed downstairs in the Fife. There were many notable performances including opening night, Sept. 18, 1901, a performance of J. H. LaPearl Company--”They Want Me” which enjoyed a full house! Other shows were: Faust, Thelma, Dr. Jekyll and M r. Hyde, A Bunch of Keys, Ten Nights in a Bar Room, East Lynn, Vendetta, Folks Up Willow Creek, Jane Eyre, Hidden Hand, and Girl From Home. The final performance was in May, 1912, with a local cast of 100. It was a Cantata, Queen Esther The proceeds were used to purchase the wroughtiron cemetery fence, still in place today. One interesting sidelight during the performance of Queen Ester was the small horse brought up on the hand operated elevator and used to pull the carriage for the entrance of the Queen. Other performances were: Uncle Rube, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Captain Racket, Hearts and Flowers Song, Foster’ s Band ( 1904), and Railroad Picnic Plays. Admission was usually 35c but they charged 50c for the Queen Esther cantata. Opera Houses were built throughout the country at the turn of the century. The Fife Opera House captures the essence of the structures of the time. In the West wall of the auditorium is a proscenium arch 25’ wide and 15’ high. 25 lights illuminate the arch. Side paintings are 14’ wide and 15’ high, river scenes, unmatched. The front curtain rolled up and down. Today the curtain is stationary, but beautifully restored after it recently ripped across the top and fell. There were five sets of scenery painted by Sosman and Landes Co. of Chicago. The five sets of scenery were
Click for larger view of Timeline
Cherubs, Interior, Woods, Cabin/ river and Garden/drapes. Much scenery was destroyed on the fire Marshall’s order, claiming it to be a fire hazard. More was tacked up in a haphazard fashion as a draft barrier. Amazingly, several sections have survived in relatively good shape. Fife’s mother convinced him the shows were sinful. She was a strict Presbyterian. She told her son to have the painters come back and paint veiling on the naked cherubs. The colors on the scenery and stenciling in the auditorium were still bright, although many were smudged with dirt and leaks from the roof leaks until they were refurbished. The stenciling around the chandeliers were preserved and/or regenerated in the restoration. (con’t on next page)
The Fife Opera House Auditorium broke 102 years of silence on December 27, 2014 with a concert by Crawford County’s own Teri Obst and Bob King & The King Pin Band.
(The Fife, con’t) In the 26 years since the formation of the PPPS and the purchase of the Fife Opera House, the building has painstakingly been restored and rejuvenated. The building had become the repository for a number of historical items from the community over the last century. Many volunteer hours of hard labor cleaned and moved and sorted the items disposing of them to new homes and in appropriate ways. With monies from many events including bake sales, grants and significant donations, a functioning auditorium was brought back to life. The original focus was the downstairs with the replacement of ceilings, painting and the stripping/refinishing of the floor. The desire was to make the building functional as soon as possible. The building required two major projects in the first few years, both of equal significances to ensure the longevity of the structure. A new roof was necessary to stop the leaks from causing further damage to the upstairs auditorium and the total replacement of the west wall that
was on the verge of falling down. With secured grants, local contractors, guidance from Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and Landmarks Illinois these projects were completed preserving the external structures historical appearance. In the last half a dozen years, with guidance of George Ridgway the architect who supervised the restoration of the West Baden Springs Hotel and support of the Cook family behind the restoration, the efforts moved in the direction of the restoration of the auditorium. Air conditioners were installed. The floor in the auditorium was refinished. The lights were rewired requiring four miles of wire. The Conrad Schmidt group was brought in to trace the stencils on the walls and ceiling to be reproduced after the walls were repainted. In the restoration process a small strip of the wall was preserved to display the original wall appearance. The auditorium is functional, but much work is still to be done.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE FIFE LIGHTS: 72 are 4 candle power incandescent lights; 26 arc lamps
are 2000 candle power. Chandeliers are original. Porcelain fixtures with a bare bulb were installed every two feet around the 15’ x 25’ proscenium arch, and every two feet around the wall at the ceiling level. David Fife operated the controls at a switchboard creating many different effects.
FLOOR: The raked floor was 4’ 3” high in the back, and tapered to floor level at the orchestra pit. When the raked floor was leveled, the doors were lowered. It is evident over main door, and backstage at the elevator level that he floor was lowered.
WAINSCOTING: The wainscoting was oak wood from the Fife farm. WINDOWS: The windows originally had orange textured glass,
for privacy. The upstairs offices nearby could otherwise have had “free tickets’ to all shows. A few of the windows had this glass remaining, and when windows were replaced the colored glass was placed in transoms on the east wall. These transoms were operable in the original, but not in the replacements.
SEATS: In the auditorium there were 700 seats, bolted down. They were reported to be wood with red leather upholstering. They were arranged with a center section and two side sections. Many of the seats were sold to the First Christian Church which was built in 1915.
HEATING AND COOLING: Heated with a coal furnace, hot water heat, and cooled by electric fans.
More information and pictures about the Fife Opera House can be found on the website: http://www.fifeoperahouse.org and “At The Fife” on Facebook.
Flying S Cadet Winter Workshop
Egg Drop Competition 2015 The Flying S Cadet Club was created in 2014 to give local children the opportunity to learn about science in a fun and engaging way. Last summer the two diverse branches of Flying Aviation and Beef hosted three interactive learning experiences. The first, showed the Cadets how everyday items are manufactured – a real live version of “How It’s Made.” The second experience involved working with carbon fiber and the Cadets built their own clock, learned about various metals used in production and saw some of the equipment in action. The final 2014 meeting shifted from the production floor to the pasture where Cadets learned about grass fed vs. grain fed beef followed by a hayride tour of the Flying S pastures to see the cows and calves. Fast forward to 2015 and the Cadets’ first mission of the year is to design and build a lightweight contraption to safely fly an egg from 20 feet in the air to the concrete below without it cracking. This event will be held on Monday, March 23, 2015 at 6:00 pm. On competition day participants will bring their design and then test it by dropping it and an egg (provided) from a platform 20 feet in the air. Sound like fun? Yeah—we think so too! To participate, please email penny@flying-s.com to register and get a copy of the rules. Flying S is a unique engineering corporation located south of Palestine, Illinois. Flying S not only designs, but builds and tests various prototype components for aerospace projects. Learn more at http://www.flying-s.com
Flying S Cadets show off key tags they made during their first learning adventure.
Grand Prairie Studio Grand Prairie Studio, owned and operated by Barbara Myers, is located just a block and a half east of Main Street at 205 E Grand Prairie Street in Palestine. The studio specializes in several types of handmade jewelry, (beading, leather, metal, wire), paintings (watercolor, acrylic, and oil), machine embroidery, crochet and sewing. Grand Prairie Studio also carries gift items and other handmade items.
Children’s Art Classes are also offered at Grand Prairie Studios. Call Barb for a one-time class or to set up a schedule. Hours are Thursday and Friday 9:00 to 11:00 am. Call 618-562-0984 for appointment at other times. Commission work is also available. We are looking forward to seeing and meeting you.
Are you an artist ... or an artist wannabe? If so, visit us on Thursday mornings for Painting Day from 9:00 to 11:30. Come to the studio, bring the project you are working on and join us as we all work together on our projects. Help is available to anyone who needs it or just a word of encouragement. It is nice to have time set aside to work on your projects without interruption.
JK’s Corner Free Store ... Where Everything Is Free.
People donate all sorts of things clothing, bedding, furniture, dishes, knick-knacks, games, decorating items, and appliances - even the kitchen sink. Volunteers go through the items before they placed in the shopping area. The all-volunteer work force says they do this because they love helping people. The building is owned by Janet Fuller and she says, “(her) great husband has been paying the utilities.” The group has applied for non-profit status, which will enable them to seek out funds for the utilities and to help people in other ways. Several people come in and shop daily. The shop is not based on income so anyone can shop there. The only stipulation is that the items are not resold. JK’s uses its surplus to help the Light House Mission, a homeless shelter In Terre Haute, and disaster victims not only with clothing but almost everything they need to start over. It is really heartwarming to help people that need a second chance. JK’s is working to raise money for a wheelchair swing to be installed at Leaverton Park. Donations are being accepted and items will be raffled during the Spring Fling on April 11th. The store is located at 115 S. Main St. Call 618-554-6461 for information or visit them on Facebook for hours and updates. “Please come shop, donate or volunteer at any time and keep a smile in someone’s heart.”
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Star Scentsy Consultant, Nicole Martin is super excited about the new Spring/Summer Scentsy catalog that took effect on March 1st. There are several new warmers and amazing scents. Contact Nicole for a new catalog. 618-421-2472 or take a look at https://www.facebook.com/nicole.reedermartin
The Red Queen Consignments has had a busier than normal January & February. Vinyl records have been one of the best sellers. Good old Rock n’ Roll! Winter hours have varied. I have made the decision to start take a day off during the week. Tuesdays (most Tuesdays) are now “open by chance”. Hours may vary on other days as well.....depending on weather and my children. Highlight for the month would be the, rather unusual, items that recently sold on Ebay. One of my wonderful consignors salvaged some old Batman toy boxes from the early 70’s ... Boxes ONLY! No toys inside of them! Robin, The Boy Wonder, 8” action figure box sold for $160; Penguin box $40; Mobile Bat Lab (not the best condition) $138; Batman $50; Batmobile $118. Sounds crazy, but if the person has the toy, it can triple the value that was paid for just the box. It’s things like this that make my job so much fun. I love my job and being my own boss!! “Like” me on Facebook to get updates on new arrivals, sales and shop hours.
Antiques collectibles MANTIQUES Primitives
& So Much More in Crawford County, Illinois
27th Annual
Spring Art Show The Crawford County Arts Spring Art show will once again take up residence at the Fife Opera House, in Palestine, IL from May 3-16. The show is open to all artists 18 years or older. All media except photography is eligible and artists may submit up to three pieces. All work must be strictly original.
Fort LaMotte Come visit Fort LaMotte, located just north of Palestine’s beautiful Leaverton Park, it’s one of the most historically accurate reconstructed War of 1812 forts in the Midwest. • The 2015 season of activities start with a Cast Iron Cook-off on March 21st, come watch how meals were prepared 200 years ago. For a “Free Will” donation you can even fill a plate from the large smorgasbord selection of foods prepared on open fires. • On May 15th, 16th & 17th the Territorials will be held at the shooting berms just east of the fort. This will be sanctioned Black Powder competition shoot. • The giant Mid-West Rendezvous will be held at Fort LaMotte from May 30th - June 5th. • The annual Fort LaMotte Days will be held • September 25th -27th. Come spend the day and see how the pioneers lived in our area 200 years ago. Food vendors along with different pioneer merchants will be on hand.
For more information visit us online at http://www.fortlamotte.com or contact: Jim Keller (618) 544-7734 Jim Cummins (618) 562-7664 Rob Byrley (618) 586-2493
Important Show Dates and Times May 1st & 2nd .............. Artists deliver entries May 2nd at 7pm: ... Artists Reception/Awards May 3rd through 16th .... Show open to public May 16th ............ Plein-air Artist Competition April 17th .......................Artists pick up entries For a prospectus/entry form email kries@artisrelative.com or download it at: http://www.crawfordcountyarts.org
DID YOU KNOW? - Rob Byrley Did you know that during the month of July 1786 a large Indian war party of approximately 450 warriors camped along our own LaMotte creek with intentions of going on into Vincennes Indiana and massacring the Americans that lived there. This was in retaliation for the murder of one of their own by an American woman in Vincennes. During last minute negotiations the massacre was averted and the warriors peacefully returned to their villages. Read more about Illinois’ true Pioneer City on http://www.PioneerCity.com/history.html and be sure to check out the collection of vintage photographs.
Route 1 Communities Competing to be America’s Best Community From Paris to Palestine, communities are partnering to bring economic development to their region. Paris, Marshall, West Union, Hutsonville, Robinson, and Palestine, Illinois are “6 Communities - 1 Route” working for the future. PALESTINE, Ill. -- Six rural communities along Illinois State Route 1 are working together on the America’s Best Community Contest sponsored by Frontier Communications, DISH Network and CoBank. The partnership includes Paris, Marshall, West Union, Hutsonville, Robinson, and Palestine with support from East Central Illinois Development Corporation (ECIDC), University of Illinois Extension, Marathon Petroleum Company, Yargus Manufacturing Inc., and a number of additional economic development and community organizations. The “6 Communities - 1 Route” team will be competing against communities across the 27 states Frontier serves.
Social media support from friends and neighbors is greatly appreciated. The competition, conceived by Frontier and cosponsored by DISH and CoBank, is designed to stimulate growth and revitalization in small cities and towns across 27 states in Frontier’s footprint. The contest willidentify and invest in innovative ideas communities can use to build and sustain their local economies. “I am so pleased to see the list of proud Illinois communities that have registered for the contest,” said Eric Barie, Frontier Senior Vice President and Illinois General Manager “We are looking forward to seeing plans are developed for local economic growth and community development.”
The public may go to the America’s Best Communities Facebook Page to follow the competition and to comment in favor of the “Paris, Marshall, West Union, Hutsonville, Robinson, and Palestine” grant project.
Barb Webster, area resident and Executive Director of ECIDC, is excited about the project. “We have a wonderful group of small communities coming together to make a difference as a team. They know how to get things done and are willing to put in the effort.”
The first round of applicants will compete for a $35,000 prize, while the second round will complete for a $100,000 prize. The final round of grants will be for a $1 million, $2 million, and $3 million dollar prize.
Pat Schofield, Palestine Mayor, commented after the last planning meeting, “My opinion is that our meeting last night was very productive.” “I so applaud you all who have entered this project with an open mind and with vision for our future.”
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About Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: FTR) offers broadband, voice, satellite video, wireless Internet data access, data security solutions, bundled offerings, specialized bundles for residential customers, small businesses and home offices and advanced communications for medium and large businesses in 28 states. Frontier’s approximately 17,400 employees are based entirely in the United States. http://www.frontier.com
About DISH
DISH Network Corp. (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiaries, provides approximately 14.04 million pay-TV subscribers, as of September 30, 2014, with the highest quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value. Subscribers enjoy a high-definition lineup with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corp. is a Fortune 250 company. http://www.dish.com
About CoBank
CoBank is a $102 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture and the nation’s rural economy. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore. http://www.cobank.com
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