Celebrate 10-13

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CELEBRATE!

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‘Celebrate Southern Illinois’ with us in three chapters ou are looking at a special report devoted to the unique people, places and things of Southern Illinois.

“Celebrate Southern Illinois” represents months of work by the staff of The Southern Illinoisan and special contributors who assisted in this project. It showcases the attributes of a region that is rich in history, cultural achievement and scenic beauty — FROM and is just plain interesting.

THE EDITOR This was no easy task to complete. And the GARY resulting “story” is too laden with details to be told METRO effectively in just one issue of the newspaper.

Celebrate Southern Illinois is a story told in three chapters — one devoted to “people,” a second devoted to “places” and a final chapter devoted to “things.”

The first portion of this report was included in the paper Tuesday, Sept. 29, the second Tuesday, Oct. 6. You may wish to gather all three sections together as a collector’s piece. That’s what I will do.

You might be interested in learning the origin of this special report. Planning began months ago, as the recession deepened and our news columns included an alarming number of reports on layoffs, bail-outs and financial corruption probes. It is our job to report the news, but journalists are citizens, too, and we experience the same longings for good government and a sound economy.

We, too, grow weary of daily gloom and doom. Efforts were made daily to find positive news and views; those efforts continue today. But we also focused on a plan to celebrate the many things that make Southern Illinois special — the attributes that are so well known as to be taken for granted.

This was a team effort in creating a special report, one we hope readers will keep for many years to come. It grew out of an idea suggested by Chuck Novara, our chief photographer, and was further developed by Cara Recine, our lifestyles and special projects editor.

We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labors. We hope you join us by taking time to “Celebrate Southern Illinois.”

EGYPT

Y

GARY METRO is the editor of The Southern Illinoisan. He can be

reached at 618-351-5033 or gary.metro@thesouthern.com.

Sept. 29: Week 1 / People

Oct. 6: Week 2 / Places

Oct. 13: Week 3 / Things

Arts and entertainment: Jim Belushi, Shawn Colvin, John Medwedeff Athletics: SIUC stars Characters: Minnesota Fats Claims to fame: Gen. John A. Logan and Memorial Day Did you know? William Jennings Bryan Education: Delyte Morris Famous: Buckminster Fuller Good eats: Brian Kalata Government: Paul Simon Groundbreakers: Bill Norwood, Virginia Marmaduke, Dick Gregory History: Lewis and Clark Infamous: Charlie Birger, Paul Powell Named after: Ambrose Burnside Philanthrophy: Carol Brehm The law: Brockton Lockwood Unique: Wayman Presley

Arts and crafts: Cedarhurst and the Illinois Artisans Shop Characters: King Neptune Claims to fame: Ulysses Grant in Elkville Did you know?

Unusual museums Education: One-room schools Entertainment: Harrah’s Famous: The Shawnee National Forest Good eats: Vegetarian at the Longbranch Groundbreakers: Southern Illinois wineries History: The Civil War in Giant City State Park Homegrown: The Amish Infamous: Pirates on the Ohio Legends and lore: Native American history Natural treasures: Garden of the Gods and the Cache River Wetlands Sports: The World Shooting Complex The law: The Thebes Courthouse Unique: Kaskaskia Island

Athletics: Gymnastics and more at SIU Coal mining: Resilience and strength Did you know: Beatles and radio history Education: The Achieve Program at SIUC Entertainment: They filmed it here Famous: Barbecue Good eats: The Culinary Destination Project Government: Lincoln and Dougas in Jonesboro Groundbreakers: Railroad towns History: Historical markers Homegrown: Small starts, big finishes Home runs: The Southern Illinois Miners Infamous: The bootlegging trail Legends and lore: Wonder water in Creal Springs Named after: Egypt Philantrophy: Sesser-Valier’s Outdoorsmen Club Unique: The CCC

Production designer and copy editor: Rob Crow Cover and inside covers design: Rhonda Ethridge, graphic designer; Cara Recine, lifestyles/special projects editor Copy editing: Mark Fitton, managing editor; copy editors Rob Crow, Meagan Lewis, Alison McCabe, Julie Engler, Jeff Wilson and Jens Deju

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

Southern Illinois’ nickname dates back to 1833 drought American Club,” which met at the old Coca-Cola building, Ogg said. Some families remain in Cairo, she added.

Glance at a map of Southern The Elias family, Syrian Illinois, and you’d think you immigrants, had a produce were in the land of the Nile. business for years and later There’s Cairo, Thebes, Karnak, opened a hardware store, Ogg not to mention Lake of Egypt, said. There were five brothers, whose shores hold subdivisions including Henry, Fred, Sam and with names like Egyptian George Elias “and another I Shores, Luxor Landing, can’t remember,” Ogg said.

Pyramid Hills and Pharaoah’s Wadea Barkett married one of Gardens. Egyptian Hills Marina the Elias family members. carries on the motif.

Barkett was from Lebanon and Whatever reason is most had immigrated to the U.S. in likely for the “Egypt” 1908. He first lived in Hickman, nickname, it isn’t likely to go Ky., then moved to Cairo. He away any time soon. and his wife, Rosie, had four Flip through the yellow pages and you’ll find Egypt Flowers, STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN chidren and owned a clothing store in Cairo.

Egypt Trophy, Egyptian Corner, Little Egypt Veterinary Clinic is Also from Syria were Ned, Egyptian Sealcoating, Egyptian at 602 S. Court St. in Marion.

Lena and Charlie Lewis, who State Bank, Egyptian “idols” included Sen. William owned a grocery and dry goods Manufacturing, Egyptian E. Borah and William Jennings store; the Charlie Nasser Sr. Building and Construction, Bryan. family, storekeepers who Egyptian Fitness Center, The late Barbara Burr Hubbs immigrated in the early 1900s; Egyptian Wood Products, of Murphysboro, a prolific area the Johnsons; and the Hanna Egyptian Revival Day Spa — historian, was among those family of storekeepers. “The even several offices for whose work was published in Hannas’ son, Norman Hanna, Egyptian Exterminating Co. the Egyptian Key, which went to school with Russell,” Inc. originally came out six times a her late husband, Ogg, said.

Egyptian Drive-In, which A Koury family owned a steel once sat proudly on Illinois 148 year. Will Griffith wrote opinion pieces he called manufacturing business; the in Energy, is gone but not “Egyptorials” that appeared on Khourie family sold ladies’ forgotten. ready-to-wear clothing.

Egyptian Electric Cooperative the back page of each issue.

One of the first Egyptorials Jewish families who were Association, Egyptian was titled “Never Little!” and early settlers included Rubin Telephone Cooperative, chided those who referred to Edelstein and Jack Guttermann, Egyptian Area Agency on Southern Illinois as “Little who served in the Coast Guard Aging, Egyptian Contractors Egypt.” Little Egypt, Griffith and “married a Johnson girl,” Association, Egyptian Public Ogg said. Another Jewish family and Mental Health Department, explained, was a “hoochykoochy” dancer at the 1893 was the Solomons. Goldie Greater Egypt Regional Columbian Exposition in Rosenberg owned the Palace Planning and Development Ladies’ Store and had two sons, Commission, and the Egyptian Chicago.

The most commonly Sidney and Theodore.

Educational Service Center also “At one time Cairo had a offer their services to people of accepted explanation for the area’s nickname was that Jewish temple,” Ogg said. Much Southern Illinois. during a drought in 1833, of the information she shared And Southern Illinois settlers in northern Illinois were came from a book published in University Carbondale has forced to travel to Southern 1989 on families of Alexander followed the theme, too. The Illinois to buy grain, reminding County. The family members team name, formerly the them of the Bible story in provided information, which Maroons, was changed to Genesis 42:1-3 describing how Ogg and others edited for Salukis. The Saluki, a majestic Joseph’s 10 brethren “went publication. dog, had its origins in Egypt. down to buy corn in Egypt.”

It must be noted that, though The yearbook is the Obelisk.

Will Griffith might be outraged Other awards and organizations From then on, they called Southern Illinois “Egypt.” at the thought, the Little Egypt refer to the Sphinx. And the Hubbs, however, has another moniker has also survived. student newspaper is the Daily theory. She wrote that when Those using that appellation Egyptian.

Cairo was incorporated July 9, include Little Egypt Arts Early stories about “Egypt” 1818, the city fathers named the Association, Little Egypt Auto and the origins of the name Pool, Little Egypt Distributing appeared in the Egyptian Key, a settlement on the basis of its Inc., Little Egypt Estates, Little magazine edited and published parallel with the Egyptian city.

Just as Cairo, Egypt, sits on the Egypt Financial Services, Little

by Will and Katherine Griffith Egypt Gas Air and Welding of Carbondale. The couple also Nile delta, Illinois’ Cairo was Supply, Little Egypt Janitorial published a book titled “Idols of built at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, an Service, Little Egypt Janitorial Egypt” in 1947. It contained area of fertile farmlands.

Service, Little Egypt Liquors, profiles of some famous Louise Ogg, former Cairo Little Egypt Net, Little Egypt persons who either lived in librarian, longtime area Tax Service, Little Egypt Off Southern Illinois or had their historian and a founder of the Road Motorcycle Club, Little roots in the area. One was Custom House Museum in Egypt Woodmen Camp and Robert G. Ingersoll, called the “great agnostic.” Ingersoll once Cairo, said she cannot recall any Little Egypt Mobile Veterinary Egyptian families in Cairo, but Clinic. lived in Marion, where his there were plenty of immigrants father was a preacher. He later from the Middle East years ago. linda.rush@thesouthern.com practiced law in Shawneetown “Cairo once had a Syrian618-351-5079 and Peoria. Other Egyptian

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

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OUTDOORSMEN CLUB Sesser-Valier program teaches students virtues of service

BY TOM BARKER THE SOUTHERN

In 1978, Sesser-Valier High School biology teacher Gene Morgan founded an extracurricular activity to keep students interested in the outdoors and better understand Illinois’ natural resources. Today, the school’s Outdoorsmen Club continues to bring students outdoors and provides several forms of community service as well.

Mike Sample, a junior high school language arts teacher at Sesser, has since taken over the job as the club’s sponsor, maintaining the tradition of outdoor recreation and community service.

“That is what really it’s

the school district’s elementary students in mid-October. They also host an annual shooting competition for the disabled, which includes about 65 disabled shooters MIKE SAMPLE every year.

TEACHER AND OUTDOORSMEN CLUB SPONSOR An annual fall banquet just before the deer hunt includes awarding outstanding members efforts and give a helping all about,” Sample said. with various hand wherever needed.

“The members learn to Fall is the club’s busiest commemorations and love the outdoors, take time of year, as its student giving away more than care of our natural $3,000 in scholarships. members, who resources and learn that While spending most of consistently represent it’s a great feeling to about a quarter of the high the time volunteering and volunteer your time for assisting with outdoorschool’s enrollment, others.” related events, members organize an annual deer Students in the club of the Outdoorsmen Club hunt for the disabled, act spend time throughout get out and have a little as volunteers at the much of the school year Hunting and Fishing Days fun, too. In the second participating in various half of the school year, celebration at John A. activities aimed to help students get to go snow disabled people enjoy the Logan College in Carterville, and host their skiing, visit the wolf outdoors, assist their own annual Apple Fest for sanctuary in St. Louis, community in recycling

‘It becomes a life-changing experience. I know that we have kids come back, alumni, that tell us that it was the highlight of their high school career.’

3

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTOS

Members of the Sesser-Valier Outdoorsmen Club volunteer at the 2008 Disabled Hunter’s Deer Banquet.

have a shooting event of their own and spend a weekend camping in the woods.

Seniors who have been in the club for three years and have fulfilled all their club obligations get to take a trip to Key West, Fla., and study a coral reef ecosystem, a trip that serves as the club’s ‘grand finale’ for students about to graduate.

The only requirement for being in the Outdoorsmen Club is a small fee to help cover travel expenses and a pledge to recycle 50 pounds of aluminum each school year. Each student averages about 100 hours of community service throughout each school year, so it is obvious, Sample said, that the

students value the experience they receive while serving in the club.

“It becomes a lifechanging experience,” he said. “I know that we have kids come back, alumni, that tell us that it was the highlight of their high school career.”

While helping the disabled and serving their communities, the students build relationships that last a lifetime and selfless attitudes that make them valuable citizens, Sample said.

“When they graduate, they are lifelong volunteers,” Sample said.

“They make differences in their communities and become model citizens.” thomas.barker@thesouthern.com 618-351-5805

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS The brainchild of Franklin D. Roosevelt, program gave jobs to many, Giant City Lodge to region

BY DEBBIE LUEBKE METRO FOR THE SOUTHERN

Hunger and unemployment stalked many American families during the Great Depression.

Among them was the family of Joe Stritzel, who lived in the country near Johnston City. His father died when Joe was 2, leaving his mother to raise 12 children on her own.

“It was hardship times,” said Stritzel, a retired coal miner who is now 88 years old. “As kids, we were in the garden every day. We had a few hogs and I milked two cows before school. We didn’t have electricity.”

So when President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933 to employ young men and preserve the country’s natural resources, Stritzel, his brothers and millions of other youth across America jumped at the chance.

He signed up when he was 17, working as a truck driver at several camps over the next couple of years. As part of the CCC crews camped north of Springfield and south of Harrisburg, he transported road crews. At the CCC camp north of Chicago, his job was driving loads of debris and supplies as men cleared out swampland and then landscaped the areas for parks.

“The first four and a half months felt like four and a half years — it was my first time away from home,” said Stritzel, who still lives outside Johnston City, about two miles from where he grew up.

The young CCC men wore old World War I uniforms and earned $30 a month, with $25 sent home to their families.

“We had $5 spending money,” Stritzel said. “But back then, if you had $5 in your pocket, you were a rich guy. Lots of guys didn’t even have 50 cents.

We didn’t make that much money but it was good training.”

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Giant City Lodge was one of many projects worked on by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

best time of their lives.”

Although it probably At Giant City State Park, CCC workers created a lodge using native would have been easier for sandstone and gigantic white oak timbers. The lounge features a two-story the government to give the money, “FDR created stone fireplace, roughhewn wooden staircases and a balcony on three sides. men a chance for them to work Sturdy wooden furniture made by the men remains in the lounge. and many became skilled workers,” RippelmeyerTippy said. “They could State Park and the Civilian take classes in typing and And they got three meals together for reunions. carpentry or get a GED. Conservation Corps: A Stritzel joined the group a day.

“It was a brilliant idea “Most of us fattened up a that met each year at Giant History in Words and City Lodge, a CCC project, Pictures,” is scheduled for and ended up working out bit because we didn’t get publication by SIU Press in terrific for the country and that much to eat at home,” and is now president. these men. The men About 60 people attended February, and she’s Stritzel said. working on a second book remained grateful their the last Southern Illinois He thought the whole lives.” about the crews who president’s idea was a good Chapter 102 reunion in More than 50 percent of worked at Shawnee one. “It did a lot for a lot of June. their work was building National Forest.

He and his wife, Fern, men,” Stritzel said. “It roads, she said. Most roads “It’s just a great story. were instrumental in made men from boys.”

They are wonderful men — in the region were horrible, getting the statue of the When World War II and the Corps built roads started, Stritzel joined the Corps worker at the lodge, the classiest bunch I ever that could be used in all met,” she said. “These surrounded by a walkway U.S. Navy, serving in the kinds of weather. The men were not rich men. All of bricks engraved with Atlantic and Pacific for they wanted was a chance also built bridges and the workers’ names. three and a half years. recreation areas, planted Kay Rippelmeyer-Tippy, to work, a chance to help After the war, he got a job their families. Many of the trees, restored farm and a retired SIU professor in a coal mine, where he men cried (when talking to park land, and fought was employed for the next who now writes about her). People were actually forest fires.

Southern Illinois history, 38 years.

At Giant City State Park, starving and made to feel A few years after the war was named an honorary useless. Every one of them CCC workers created a member of Chapter 102. ended, groups of former lodge using native said it (the CCC) was the Her book, “Giant City Corps members got sandstone and gigantic white oak timbers. The lounge features a twostory stone fireplace, roughhewn wooden staircases and a balcony on three sides. Sturdy has opened his law office at wooden furniture made by Originally 1600 W. Main St. in Marion, IL. the men still remains in the lounge.

At Shawnee National His practice will focus in the areas of Forest, the Corps planted personal injury, business litigation pine trees to control erosion caused by logging, and real estate transactions.

After 1925 Tornado and allowed the hardwood trees to come back on For more information, their own, she said.

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residents also had a hand in establishing the park and forest.

“We wouldn’t have a state park or national forest here without the struggle of local people who wanted to preserve them,” Rippelmeyer-Tippy said. “People needed to step up and they did, then the CCC built it.”

In all, there were 28 camps in the lower 23 counties in Southern Illinois. Camp Pomona, which was in Jackson County, was the only all African-American camp.

During World War II, it housed German prisoners.

Rippelmeyer-Tippy began working on her book 30 years ago. She interviewed many of the men who worked for the CCC, gathered maps and 200 photographs and did research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. “There is a lot of misinformation about what went on,” she said, including confusion with the WPA, another FDR program.

The CCC ran from March 1933 until June 1943. It provided work for unemployed, single men ages 17 through 23.

Enrollees served for six months and could reenlist for another half year.

About 3.5 million young men participated, preserving a legacy of natural resources across the country.

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

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LOCAL PEOPLE, NATIONAL RECOGNITION From Christmas ornaments to a famous shirt to bridal veils, locals have made quite an impact

BY LES O’DELL

officer of Illinois’ Territorial Legislature and was the state’s first lieutenant Sometimes the simplest governor. acts, done in the course of a “I chose the Pierre normal day, have given Menard home because I Southern Illinoisans an always loved it,” Hackett opportunity to gain said. recognition on the national After taking reference scene. For three area photos of the home and residents, routine efforts getting a floor plan of the have led to unique claims to structure, Hackett set fame. about building her model out of foam core, covered Southern Illinois goes with quilted fabric.

“Since quilting is my to the White House thing, I quilted the clapboard siding, and I Carterville textile artist Mary L. Hackett still is not quilted the roof. It’s a Dutch hip roof with dormers, so it sure how she was selected was very complicated, but I to design and make an was pleased with it,” she ornament for the 2001 said.

White House Christmas So were members of the tree.

White House staff. Once “I have no idea how this Hackett’s ornament was work fell in my lap,” she opened, it was selected to said. “I was amazed at my be featured on Home and invitation to create this Garden Television’s piece.”

Christmas tour of the Hackett was asked by White House program.

First Lady Laura Bush to create an original ornament Hackett and her husband, Walter Brieschke, were for the 18-foot tree, which invited to a special White was displayed in the Blue House reception with Laura Room of the Executive Bush, hosted for the Mansion. Hackett was nominated for the honor by contributing artists.

“Mrs. Bush met each Illinois Gov. George Ryan. artist and had a photograph “I never received any taken,” Hackett explained. specifics on how I was “When that was finished, chosen,” she said. Best she she asked me which can figure, her selection ornament was mine, and it stemmed either from her just happened that we were work with a statewide art standing right in front of it. organization or was the result of a booth she had at So I have a photo of us with the 2000 Illinois State Fair. Mrs. Bush, and one of me with my ornament hanging “I know that Mrs. Ryan on the White House was a big supporter of the Christmas tree.”

Illinois Artisans Program, The ornament remains as and at the Illinois State Fair, property of the federal I was making a quilt that government, Hackett said. was a landscape with a “It is owned by the White picture of the capital on it House and is part of their when Mrs. Ryan came by,” collection,” Hackett said. she said. “That’s all I can “It’s kept as storage and think of.” may be used many times Regardless of how she again since there are some was chosen, Hackett 44 Christmas trees in the received word in summer White House.”

2001 that she was selected and began to develop ideas for the project. Specific A simple T-shirt, guidelines from the White seen worldwide House flower shop stated that each ornament had to Van Anderson of be three dimensional, 6 to 8 Murphysboro was a fullinches high and about 6 time student at Southern inches wide. Artisans from Illinois University each state were selected to Carbondale in 1971. Like make a model of a historic many of his classmates, home or place of worship in Anderson was trying to their state. Hackett chose make some money on the the Pierre Menard home, a side, so he started a two-story, early-1800s business in an old garage, home near Ellis Grove. putting lettering on shirts.

Menard was a successful One afternoon, a businessman and trader customer walked in with a who served as the presiding request that Anderson FOR THE SOUTHERN

ALAN ROGERS / THE SOUTHERN

didn’t understand.

“He said he wanted college put on a sweatshirt.

I said, ‘What college?’ It just did not connect,” Anderson explained. “I asked him if he meant SIU or Saluki, but he kept telling me no.”

Finally, Anderson handed the customer a pad of paper and had him write down his request. The answer was simply seven letters: C-OL-L-E-G-E. Anderson completed the customer’s request with white letters on a blue sweatshirt.

In the weeks after the visit, Anderson often saw the customer around town, and learned that his name was John Belushi, the brother of an SIUC theater student, Jim Belushi. Some seven years later, John Belushi wore the sweatshirt while filming “Animal House.” The generic shirt lettered in Carbondale became a national icon.

While Anderson was unsuccessful in receiving exclusive rights to produce similar shirts (“You can’t copyright the word ‘college’,” Anderson said), he did get permission from Jim Belushi to continue to produce the shirts after John’s death in 1982. The shirts remain popular with students and “Animal House” fans, according to Anderson.

“When they released the DVD, I sold about 90 in the first month,” he said.

Anderson continues to sell the shirts and related items on the Internet, more than 30 years after he first put the white letters on a blue sweatshirt.

“I had no idea it would be this big,” he said. “He was just another guy coming in with a crazy thing he wanted on a shirt.”

Veil designer to the stars Toni Federici never set out to have her work be the focus of paparazzi, but many of her creations can be found in the wedding photographs of the rich and famous. Owner of a Mount Vernon company that bears her name, Federici has become a popular designer of wedding veils, head pieces and jewelry for brides.

While the company creates the occasional custom piece, most of its products are sold through trunk shows and bridal salons throughout the country.

“Because we wholesale most of our products, we often don’t even know the brides’ names who are wearing our pieces,” said

PROVIDED

Mary Hackett of Carterville (above) created an ornament (left) of the historic Pierre Menard Home that was displayed on the White House Christmas tree in 2001.

Operations Manager Jilly Smith. “We’ll occasionally get word later that someone famous wore something of ours, but we don’t always know it in advance.”

Smith said the company sometimes does receive special orders from celebrities.

“Most of the brides that meet us do so because they’ve bought a gown at one of the stores that carry our products,” she said.

Such was the case with Indy Racing League driver Danica Patrick, who ordered a piece for her 2005 wedding.

“She was a bride at one of our salons — one in Arizona,” Smith said.

Federici’s entry into the bridal head piece industry was born of necessity, Smith said.

“She was working in a salon in St. Louis and their inventory was very low. She was promising customers veils that didn’t exist, then she’d have to ask the seamstresses to make

them,” she said.

Eventually, Federici began designing and making the veils herself. Today, her creations are available in more than 150 stores nationwide. The veils range in price from $200 to some in the thousands.

“We’ve even done some at $4,000 or $5,000 on rare occasions,” Smith said.

Sometimes those pieces turn up on celebrities.

Smith said the daughters of Regis Philbin and Diana Ross have both worn Federici designs, as has actress Alicia Silverstone.

The company also sold Britney Spears one of several veils the singer chose from for her wedding.

Smith said working with famous clients is exciting.

“While the single celebrity is a thrill, it is not our main focus,” she explained. “We work with hundred of stylish, fun brides all year long, but the occasional celebrity is fun.”

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

HOLLYWOOD COMES CALLING Several famous movies, including an Academy Award-winner, were filmed in Southern Illinois

BY DEBBIE LUEBKE METRO FOR THE SOUTHERN

When Hollywood comes calling, life as usual comes to a standstill.

It happened in several Southern Illinois communities in the past few decades. Here are some of their experiences.

‘In the Heat of the Night’ Sparta Police Chief Tom Ashley has lots of photos on his walls from the filming of the Academy Award-winning movie “In the Heat of the Night,” some of which he took himself when he was 13 years old.

Shot in Sparta and at Chester Bridge in 1966, the film starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger and won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.

“Everybody was excited that they were coming to town, and they hired some local people for background scenes and as stand-ins,” Ashley said.

After school, Ashley went to watch the filming.

“Between takes they were very accessible. One day they were sitting outside the depot and signing autographs and having their pictures taken.

Steiger posed for me and I got one of them (Steiger and Poitier) together.

“After awhile, it (the filming) got boring, when they took take after take.”

It was a chilly fall in Southern Illinois and so the actors had to suck on ice cubes before they did some night scenes so their breath wouldn’t show up on film, Ashley said.

Steiger even joked the title of the movie should be changed to “In the Cool of the Night.”

Jack Bivens of Sparta was one of two state troopers assigned to traffic and crowd control who ended up with a minor part in the movie. He and another trooper (the late Richard Thompson) chase a convict through the woods and into town before the man runs across the railroad tracks and a train going through cuts off the deputies’ access to him.

Bivens said Director Norman Jewison took advantage of a regular train coming through town to film the scene. “He was an interesting gentleman with a brilliant mind,” Bivens said.

He also had praise for the film’s two stars.

Poitier “was very nice and down to earth, one of the most common of the bunch. He was just a plain country boy.” One day, Bivens’ mother, who was from Kentucky, visited the set and she and Poitier sat and talked and talked for a long time about people they both knew in Kentucky.

Steiger “was easy to get along with and pleasant to be around,” Bivens said.

“We were all like a big family.”

‘U.S. Marshals’ Filmed in Metropolis, Bay City and other locations, “U.S. Marshals” is a 1998 thriller that featured many local extras in background scenes.

A major star, however, was unapproachable.

Tommy Lee Jones, according to newspaper reports, refused to talk to anyone. At the end of the day, he was whisked off in a Lincoln Town Car. But his costars were friendly, saying they liked the food and the Southern Illinois hospitality.

‘Poor White Trash’ ALAN ROGERS / THE SOUTHERN

Memorabilia from ‘In the Heat of the Night’ is on display at Misselhorn Art Gallery in Sparta.

Jewison said Sparta was chosen for the movie because of its resemblance to a small Mississippi town. Plus, he could send film by plane from St. Louis to California so he could see if he needed to reshoot some scenes.

Workdays were long — six days a week, 12 hours or more a day, Bivens said.

Misselhorn Art Gallery, located in the old railroad depot, contains movie photos and memorabilia, including an original script.

Smithland, Ky. It portrays how pioneers settled the Ohio River valley, and some were attacked by ruthless bandits who hid in caves along the river banks.

Jimmy Stewart encounters murderous river pirate Walter Brennan, then Stewart eventually settles down in a homestead along the Ohio River with Carroll Baker.

Glen Oxford and his wife, Barbara, were supposed to have nonspeaking parts as passengers on a Lake Erie steamboat, but the scene ‘How the West was never filmed. A small Was Won’ outboard transporting The opening sequence of people to the steamboat the epic 1961 movie “How capsized and the director decided to cut the the West Was Won” was sequence. filmed at Cave-In-Rock, However, Stewart, Battery Rock and

Baker, Debbie Reynolds and other stars mingled with the extras on a barge along the Ohio.

“They could’ve lived in the area, really,” said Glen Oxford, who now lives on a bluff overlooking the river. “They weren’t standoff people at all. It was a good experience.”

The funeral scene in the movie, where Reynolds and Baker’s parents (played by Karl Malden and Agnes Moorehead) are buried after drowning when their raft overturned on the river, was shot along the bank of Crooked Creek, which runs into the Ohio, he said.

“It turned out they (the stars) were real people.

And it gave me a better perspective of what moviemaking was like.”

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An independent film, “Poor White Trash” was made in Benton, West Frankfort, Christopher, Du Quoin, Orient and Murphysboro in July and August 1999. Starring Sean Young and William Devane, the movie is about two teenagers who turn to theft and burglary.

‘Stevie’ Steve James, the awardwinning director of the documentary “Hoop Dreams” and a former SIUC student, made a film about a Southern Illinois boy he mentored, “Stevie.”

While making the film, Stevie was charged with sexual assault and sentenced to prison, which became part of the story.

The film was shown in 2001 at the Varsity theatre in Carbondale.

Ex-Murphysboro native made his big-screen debut as a little child Greg Giese had his 15 minutes of fame — and he doesn’t remember a bit of it.

That’s because the former Murphysboro resident was only 11 days old when he was in front of the camera with Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland in “Gone with the Wind.”

At a birthday anniversary celebration for Clark Gable in Ohio in 2005, Giese, the guest speaker, commented, “‘Gone with the Wind’ is the greatest thing that I’ve ever done that I don’t remember.”

Chosen from dozens of newborns at a Los Angeles hospital in 1939, Giese was whisked away in a limousine from his home to a movie set when he was a mere 11 days old. He portrayed baby Beau, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes, and baby Bonnie Blue Butler, daughter of Scarlett and Rhett Butler (something he was teased about later as a high school football player).

“I guess he was the youngest person to have a Social Security card,” said Harry Allard of Murphysboro, who met Giese while both attended a three-room country school in Murphysboro.

Giese came to Murphysboro to live with his grandparents when he was about 7 years old.

They took him to see the movie for the first time.

Allard, four years older than Giese, remained a friend until Giese moved to Belleville and went to high school there.

Later, Giese married a girl from Marion who told him “Gone with the Wind” was her favorite movie. They lived in California, and Giese now travels a lot on business.

He and Allard still talk occasionally.

— Debbie Leubke Metro

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Wall keeps track of Southern Illinois University’s best, brightest

BY CODELL RODRIGUEZ THE SOUTHERN

CARBONDALE — Those wondering who the best of the best are of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni need look no further than the Student Recreation Center.

Plaques and photos honoring those who have had great success since graduating from SIUC hang in the Recreation Center’s alumni lounge on the ground floor.

According to the SIU Alumni Association’s Web site, the list of Distinguished Alumni includes actors, business leaders and athletes. Past inductees include hall-offame basketball player Walt Frazier, actor Dennis Franz, United Airlines’ first black pilot, Bill Norwood, and SIU President Glenn Poshard.

The 2009 honorees are David Brisco, the first African-American to become a full professor at the University of Arkansas

STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERN

Arlene Tan, computer lab and audiobook supervisor for the Achieve Program, helps Kari Gill, a freshman from Orland Park.

ACHIEVE PROGRAM SIUC helps those with disabilities get through school

BY CODELL RODRIGUEZ THE SOUTHERN

More than 30 years ago, the Achieve Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale became the first program at a four-year university to help students with disabilities get through college.

The program still exists and other universities have followed suit by creating their own plans.

Achieve was founded in 1978 by Barbara Cordoni, who wanted to give students with learning disabilities academic support. It was originally funded by the university but has since become selfsupporting through fees.

Coordinator Sally Dedecker, who has been with the program since its inception, said the program usually helps about 110 students a year.

Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed a bill that requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to award grants to eligible students in the program.

She said it is also one of the top student employers at the university and includes eight graduate students and seven full-time staff members.

The program includes tutors, note takers, test proctoring, audio books, remediation, developmental writing assistance, an organizational group, a computer lab and learning disability specialists and staff supervision. She said many four-year universities have since adopted similar programs, including Arizona State University, whose director is a former Achieve student from SIUC. Arlene Tan, computer lab and audio book supervisor for the program, is responsible for converting texts to audio

Achieve was founded in 1978 by Barbara Cordoni, who wanted to give students with learning disabilities academic support. formats and also supervises students academically. She also teaches a University 101 course, which helps students in programs such as Achieve and the Center for Academic Success adjust to the transition to college life.

“It’s a very gratifying job,” Tan said. “Some students excel with just a little bit of help. I think it’s a really good program that benefits a lot of students who might not necessarily receive the help they need.”

Suzy Richter, office manager at the program, said she arranges for students to take exams at the program’s office in the Northwest Annex rather than the classroom because she said some students may need a bit of extra time and others have better success by taking tests orally.

“That way, they can demonstrate what they know and not their disability,” Richter said.

Dedecker said one of the tutors also put the geology curriculum to song and the staff is waiting to see the effectiveness of the technique. Richter said the program offers help to students who would normally struggle in college.

“Through our support, students realize their potential,” Richter said.

“They do the work and if they trust us, they see there is light at the end of the tunnel.” codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com 618-351-5804

at Little Rock; Benjamin Dunn, coach and World War II veteran; Dick Gregory, comedian and activist; John Heakin, founder of marketing research consumer interviewing service North American Insights; and retired Air Force Colonel Joe Johnson.

Honorees are selected by a seven-person committee appointed by the president of the Alumni Association.

No more than five alumni are selected every year and the honoree must be a

graduate or former student of the university. Kathy Dillard, director of public relations at the Alumni Association, said the number of honorees is usually between three and five, and selecting who gets honored can be a tough decision.

At the induction ceremony, which takes place during Homecoming, she said the honoree is introduced by a student with some tie to him or her. She said seeing alumni being honored can be a

SIUC UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Thomas Baker (from left), Beth Boggs and Keith Sanders hold their plaques after being inducted into the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Distinguished Alumni in 2008.

spirit lifter for students.

“It’s an opportunity for students to see what is possible,” Dillard said. “We hope their stories are an inspiration to the students here because we know it’s not always easy.”

She said those who do

make it to the wall are among the very best of what SIUC has produced.

“These people represent the cream of our crop,” Dillard said. codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com 618-351-5804

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

HOOCH ROUTES It’s easy to take a drive through Southern Illinois’ bootlegging past

BY BARB EIDLIN THE SOUTHERN

Long before hard roads came to Southern Illinois, hunting trails and muddy byways were the most efficient way to transport goods and services.

As America switched from horse to automobile as its common means of local transfer, many of those roads were paved. This did nothing to diminish their wilder nature, as anyone who has driven the wine trail up in the Shawnee Hills can tell you.

What most people won’t tell you is that many of those roads were old hooch running routes in the heyday of moonshine manufacture in these here hills.

When prohibition hit, it stunned the southern part of the great state of Illinois like a sudden flash of lightning might a person.

In the early part of the 19th century, many people brewed and drank their own spirits as part of family tradition or as respite from the drudgery of the coal mines or the cornfields. When the feds turned off the taps, it threw a lot of people into turmoil.

Waiting to take advantage of the situation were men like Al Capone, and in the southern part of the state, his counterparts (many would say rivals), Charlie Birger, Carl Shelton and their gangs. Most people have heard those stories.

With all the press around prohibition, you’d think the booze hauling years of the 1920s and the subsequent 20 years of scuffle over profits from drink and gambling would have left a bigger mark.

But just a scant half-century later, those marks are faint down here in Egypt. We’re lucky, though. We’ve got several good local historians who’ve spent time saving what we’ve got left, at least on paper.

Four books which do a good job in covering this topic are: “Brothers Notorious” by Taylor Pensoneau, “The Bloody Vendetta” by Mild Erwin and John Musgrave, “A Knight of a Different Sort” by Gary DeNeal or the famous “Bloody Williamson” by Paul Angle.

Pick up any one of these and you’ll find lots of clues as to how all and where all the major fighting and hauling got done.

In any good story, you have to connect the main characters, and that is exactly what U.S. 45 does. U.S. 45 is the longest numbered route in Illinois and locally, connects Fairfield, the

county seat of Wayne County and home turf to the Shelton Gang in the prohibition years, to Harrisburg, territory of Shelton’s rival, Dillinger.

One of the things you’ll find in poking around for details of these rum-running days is that many people are still hesitant to talk about them, so a good place to start looking for details is at Hanna House Museum in Fairfield. The museum, on Center Street, is also home to Wayne County Historical society. Hours of operation remain fluid, so you may want to call ahead.

Very close to the museum is Maple Hill Cemetery, the final resting place of Carl Shelton.

His grave is marked by a simple, granite stone and is easy to find. For the more adventurous, a drive to the spot of Shelton’s murder is still possible. According to sources, if you drive though the Merriam crossroads (where the old Shelton place used to sit on the southeast corner) to the second crossroad (Klien’s corner), make a right, drive until you come to a stop sign, then go about another mile until you reach a little bridge across a creek, you will have come to the site of Shelton’s murder.

On U.S. 45 at Fairfield, Harrisburg remains a fairly straight shot south, passing through Mill Shoals, Springerton, Enfield, Norris City, Gossett, Texas City, Eldorado and Muddy. Once in Harrisburg, go visit Saline County Historical Society at 1600 Feazel St. They list their hours as 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. As Dillinger once made his home in this town, they will be able to turn you on to all the local lore.

Another old “Hooch Route” is Illinois 13 from Harrisburg to Murphysboro, most famous for the bygone Dillinger Gang roadhouse, Shady Rest. Now not much more than a field off Illinois 13 between Harrisburg and Marion, Shady Rest was just east of Crab Orchard. One source reports a roadside granite marker (just past Dykersburg Road), which is heavily pockmarked with shotgun blasts, but you’ll have to go see for yourself.

Continuing west on 13, you will come to the town of Marion, home to Williamson County Historical Society and Jail Museum at 105 S. Van Buren St. The museum is open regularly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Thursdays. Home to more than 20 exhibits, this museum contains a wealth of information on the history of the county and its notorious history.

At Marion, you can hang a right and head north on Illinois 37, or keep heading west on Illinois 13 toward Murphysboro. Illinois 37 closely parallels Interstate 57, but is a slower, more scenic way to traverse the countryside and exactly the road bootleggers would have used to bring their liquor north. If you take this road from Marion back to where it rejoins Illinois 15 at Mount Vernon, you will pass through West Frankfort, where you will find Frankfort Area Genealogical Society at 2000 E. St. Louis St. They are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesdays and Thursdays and serve a luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays in the Red Geranium Tea Room.

Continuing north on 37 will bring you to Benton, home of Franklin County Garage Museum where, among other things, you can find one of Birger’s automobiles. Also in Benton is Franklin County Courthouse, where Birger stood trial. While in Benton, you can take a detour west along Illinois 14 and stop in the village of West City, where in December 1926, Dillinger shot Mayor Joe Adams, who had aligned himself with the Sheltons. It was this murder which led to Dillinger’s arrest, trial and hanging.

Just a few more miles north will bring you to Mount Vernon, where you should stop and visit Jefferson County Historical Society at 1147 N. 27th St. They are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays, May through October, and docents there can answer questions and direct you to local gangster-related points of interest.

At Mount Vernon, pick up Illinois 15, either east or west.

Driving east will take you back to Fairfield; driving west will head you toward East St. Louis, where the Shelton Gang held sway and much of the moonshine manufactured downstate was sold. If you are really up for a day trip, you can head all they way into St. Louis, where you will find Chesed Shel Emeth (“Kindness of Truth”) Society Cemetery at 7570 Olive Street. This is where Charlie Birger finally found some peace. Go to Section 28, fifth row, third grave and there he’ll be.

Locally, Illinois 15 West joins up with U.S. 51, which will take you south toward Carbondale.

In the 1920s, U.S. 51 was actually called Route 2, and was the major north-south artery in the state, stretching from Cairo to the border of Wisconsin. If you head south on 51, you will come to the town of Du Bois, where in 1926 the body of a missing state policeman was found, which many believe added a nail to the Shelton gang’s coffin. If you stop at a local café and ask the waitress, the stories will likely start flowing.

Further south, you will find the intersection of 154, which will take you west to Pinckneyville, home of Perry County Historical Society at 108 W. Jackson St. Also close by, just east of 51 in Mulkeytown on Illinois 14, you will find both Mulkeytown Area Historical Society and Silkwood Inn Museum. Both of these are good starting points of interest and local lore. If you continue south on 51 you will find Du Quoin, home of the famous state fair; Carbondale, home of SIU and the Salukis; and beyond that, Murphysboro, home to the now-defunct Stecher Brewing Company. The brewery used to sit at 1320 Rover Street and

had the following incarnations: Conrad Broeg, 1867 to 1886; Murphysboro Brewing Co.,1886 to 1899; and Rudolph Stecher Brewing Co., 1899 to 1920. Formal brewing operations were ended by national prohibition in 1920 but were resumed in 1934 by Stecher Brewing Co. which operated it until 1940. Status of the brewery property is unknown, but if you duck into one of the modern-day speakeasies in town, you can surely get a good conversation going about the history and distribution of local firewater.

And don’t forget to drop down Illinois 146 to Illinois 3, which runs along the Mississippi River. There is a great beach on the Mississippi to the south at Grand Tower, and to the north, Chester is home to Menard Correctional Facility, where Charles “Blackie” Harris, member of the Shelton Gang, did time.

Locals report that Native American legend says Tower Rock is evil, but some say that was a rumor started to keep spectators away from those ferrying booze (or anything else) across the river. Again, you’ll have to go down there and see for yourself.

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OUR FOOD Region has a strong culinary heritage

BY DEBBIE MOORE FOR THE SOUTHERN

Today’s culinary customs in Southern Illinois are deeply rooted in the heritage of the region, yet the heritage of the region’s foodways is loosely told. There are few books or articles that document the history of who we are in relationship to what we grow and eat. In an effort to better tell the story of the importance of agriculture in today’s tourism industry, and by using census documents, vintage cookbooks and a few journal articles, I have pieced together a chronologic history of things that have long impacted our foodways.

In his article “Southern Illinois Migration Fields: The Shawnee Hills in 1850,” Douglas K. Meyer tells of the importance of the settlements of various ethnic groups throughout this region.

According to 1850 census documents, there were clusters of German immigrants in Jackson and Union Counties. Many of them were skilled craftsmen and while they farmed in their home counties, they also commuted to practice their craft trade via a haphazard roads system to the two main cities in the region: Shawneetown on the east and Cairo at the southern tip of the state. Williamson County was filled with families from England and their primary occupations included professional hunting and trapping. People from Ireland and Scotland were sprinkled all across the region and were primarily employed as coal miners and laborers. Our “melting pot” was pretty diverse.

Long before these immigrants arrived, the French settled along the Mississippi River in a location called “Illinois Country”. In 1722, the French royallyappointed “inspector General” of New Orleans traveled up the Mississippi to visit these settlers. What he found was a group of farmers around Kaskaskia that were successfully growing wheat and other fruits and vegetables. At that point, our

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Southern Illinois farmers began feeding the people of New Orleans.

This early exchange was the precursor to the steamboat commerce that would evolve almost 100 years later. The 1811 maiden voyage of the New Orleans steamboat created an industry that would peak in the mid-1800s.

According to a chronology posted by the Cairo Citizen newspaper, there were more than 4,800 steamboat arrivals in Cairo in 1867. Because the steamboat hauled freight and accommodated passenger travel, the industry played an important role in developing our Southern Illinois region.

Suddenly, Southern Illinoisans were connected to the rest of the world.

The commonalities of people who live along the Mississippi River are amazing and one of the most noticeable is that we all eat and cook the same way. Our recipes have different names and a little different ethnic flair, but sizzling catfish filets come to the table in virtually the same way; with slaw, hushpuppies, thick onion slices and hot sauce. The Cajun pot of gumbo made with Andouille sausage is very similar to our German sausage stew made with knackwurst and to our Italian version made with Salsiccia and cannellini beans.

Steamboat commerce truly impacted our foodways. These boats delivered pineapples, coconuts and citrus fruits to a region totally unaware of such foods. River port cooks found themselves sharing recipes and, often times, those recipes contained the name of their towns. Who knows if the popular coconut cake served by a bakery in the Twin Cities actually originated as the Cairo coconut four-layer cake or

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eked out an existence.

My favorite part of the study describes the riverbank. Shanty boat dwellers and riverbank squatters sound like really colorful people. They made their living by working as farm labor and by fishing and selling the fish to their more-affluent neighbors.

The study revealed that throughout all cultures and levels of economic status, Southern Illinoisans lived on three core foods; pork, beans and potatoes.

However, fish was an important part of the diets across those levels, but because it was considered a low prestige food, it was almost kept secret. The actual fishermen proclaimed they had to sell all they caught, so they didn’t eat fish. The midlevel farmers didn’t eat fish, because their wives PROVIDED didn’t like to cook it. The German Hills farmers had Produce, such as that grown at Rendleman Orchards, has long been a staple of the Southern Illinois food scene. their own secret food — blood sausage — and they makers, legal or otherwise. of colonial American times Illinois counties. The as the Memphis coconut didn’t admit to eating fish, purpose of the research six-layer cake? They are all Entire communities sprang was an African man. It either. Somebody was seems reasonable that this was to develop a way of up when the farmers three the same. eating fish, because the improving nutrition and method of cooking was moved to town because The food products that fisherman didn’t have any change the local mindsets brought to our foodways they’d made so much were coming into the trouble selling it. Along by these settlers, and if not regarding food money bootlegging. The region were no more with the secret fish diet, consumption of Southern story of the wine industry then, by freed African important than the Illinoisans. At the time, the Southern Illinoisans were in our region is well known slaves after the Civil War. products going out of the known to eat turtles, eels WPA programs included In the early 1900s, the and it didn’t originate in region. The 1852 arrival of and frogs. That was a many teaching activities region experienced an the days of illegal the railroad stretching secret, too. associated with farming, production, even though it influx of families from through the region gave There is no secret about gardening, canning and did originate in those same Poland and Italy. The new local farmers and orchard our love of fish today, and preserving food. In all coal industry offered Shawnee Hills. owners an opportunity to there is no secret that our employment opportunities likelihood, if we repeated The history of barbecue begin shipping fruits and melting pot has become the research today, we and our little melting pot in Southern Illinois might vegetables by rail. even more diverse. Our grew larger and even more wouldn’t find too many Makanda and Cobden were date to a time right after differences occurring over little simmering melting diverse. So did our food the War of 1812, when the well known for their pot is stirred with the the last 60 years. culture. first black settlement (in bountiful export of cooking techniques of an The analysis of the data The Great Depression the entire state) was produce throughout the Asian population. It is divided the folks by their took its toll on the region. formed near Harrisburg.

Midwest. area of residency. In those seasoned with the herbs of In spite of it all, though, Produce wasn’t the only Pond Settlement, also days, geographic residency the Middle East and the ethnic restaurants known as Lakeview, was important export from spices of our Hispanic correlated with ethnicity prospered and corner Southern Illinois. From the established by a group of grocery stores stocked the and economic stature. The population. We have all, African-American earliest settlement times from the earliest French more well-off German same local produce that freedom men that came through prohibition, was finding its way up the immigrant farmers lived in wheat farmer to our new Southern Illinois folklore is from North Carolina. The Illinois Central to Chicago the Upper Hills or German Hispanic restaurateurs, term “barbecue” finds its filled with accounts of impacted this Southern Hills. The researchers and then to the heart of roots in the word moonshiners and stills.

Illinois culinary described the Lower Hills There is little question the “barbacoa,” a West Indian America. and the Northeast Hills as destination.

In 1942, John W. Shawnee Hills and valleys term defined as cooking an area adjacent to the Bennett, Harvey L. Smith meat slowly over the heat were full of opportunities Bottoms, but composed of DEBBIE MOORE is executive and Herbert Passin to buy or barter for spirits. of low coals. According to conducted research on the unfertile clay soil or badly director of Carbondale many historic cookbook We had beer makers, Convention & Tourism eroded soil. accounts, the best pit man eating habits of people in winemakers and whiskey The farmers in that area Bureau. two unidentified Southern

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Salukis make their mark in many sports Baseball: The Salukis have won 30 or more games in six of the last eight seasons under coach Dan Callahan, who recorded his 350th win at SIU and 500th as a Division I head coach in 2007. A year prior, the Salukis won 10 of their first 11 games for the program’s best start since 1970.

In 2005, all three of SIU’s starting pitchers — Tyler Norrick (St. Louis), P.J. Finigan (Detroit) and Bryan Rueger (New York Yankees) — were chosen in the first 20 rounds of the Major League Baseball draft.

Men’s basketball: Walt “Clyde” Frazier, who went on to be named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players, put SIU basketball on the map by helping the Salukis win the 1967 National Invitational Tournament.

In 1977, future NBA star Mike Glenn led SIU to an appearance in the NCAA’s Sweet Sixteen, a level the Salukis would reach again in 2002 and 2007.

The Salukis also got national attention when Jermaine Dearman and Kent Williams were featured on MTV’s show “True Life: I’m a College Baller” in 2003.

Women’s basketball: SIU is three years removed from a Missouri Valley Conference regularseason title and its best season in 20 years.

The Salukis finished the 2006-07 season with the most wins (21) since 199192 and the most conference wins (16) in two decades. Then-SIU coach Dana Eikenberg was named the Rawlings MVC Coach of the Year for her efforts, the first Saluki coach chosen since 1987.

SIU fell in the second round of the WNIT in

2007 after qualifying for postseason play for the first time since 1992.

Cross country: In 2007, the men’s team clinched its second Missouri Valley Conference crown under seventh-year head coach Matt Sparks, who was named the MVC’s Coach of the Year.

All-conference performer Jeff Shirmer earned the league’s Athlete of the Year honor in 2007 by finishing first in the MVC Championships with a time of 24:31.47.

On the women’s side, A’Seret Dokumbo, who earned all-MVC honors in 2007, joins former NCAA All-American Bianca Stuart as two successful products of the SIU program.

Football: In the 96-year history of SIU football, the Salukis have made waves at a number of levels. SIU has a national championship to its credit, won in 1983 as a member of Division I-AA, and has produced current NFL stars Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants) and Bart Scott (New York Jets).

Beginning in 2006, the NCAA’s designation of Division I-AA ceased to exist and was replaced by the Football Championship Subdivision, a Division I designation. SIU’s first foray in the new classification had immediate results as the Salukis became the first Missouri Valley Conference school to beat a Big Ten school with a victory over Indiana.

Since then, SIU is on a stretch of more than 85 weeks ranked in the top 20 of the FCS. Men’s golf: The Salukis are continuing to build on

the 2007-08 season, which was one of the most accomplished seasons in men’s golf history.

SIU finished second in five tournaments and set several individual and team records, including a school-record low score of 874 in 54 holes of golf at the 2008 MVC Championship.

Jordan Cox became just the seventh SIU golfer to win a tournament after firing a 4-under-par 212 at Tunica National Golf Course, while Todd Obergoenner shot the second-lowest 54-hole total in SIU history with a 12-under-par 204 at Sage Meadows Golf Club.

Both players were later named MVC Players of the Week for their efforts.

Women’s golf: Like the men’s side, SIU women’s golf also had a banner year in 2007-08. Coming off an MVC championship season in 2007, in which a new all-time low score of 297 was set, the bar had been raised for the Salukis.

And SIU pushed it higher still, setting a new low score of 285 in the second round of the Saluki Invitational and setting a new 36-hole record with a 584 score.

Braidy Hood was a big part of the new records, shooting a record-low 139 at the Saluki Invitational, including a second round score of 67.

SIU coach Diane Daugherty, a three-time MVC Coach of the Year in her 24th season with the Salukis, recently got a verbal commitment from Marion High School standouts Ashleigh and Cassie Rushing, ensuring that a new generation of success will begin in the fall.

SEE ATHLETICS / PAGE 13

GYMNASTICS SIU had success in sport, no longer at school

BY LES WINKELER

and Oklahoma, among scores of others.

The Southern Illinois And the University men’s Salukis didn’t gymnastics program was an find success NCAA powerhouse long solely in duel before the SIU football team Meade meets. was a postseason fixture in SIU placed seventh in the the NCAA Football Playoff Subdivision and long before NCAA in 1959 and 1960 before finishing in second the Saluki basketball team place to Penn State in 1961. made six straight NCAA The second-place finish was appearances. the first of three straight for Under legendary coach the Salukis.

Bill Meade, a 1974 inductee However, that was just the into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the Salukis put warm-up act. The Salukis together the longest winning took their first national championship in 1964, streak of any SIU program. defeating USC by 15 points.

From middle of the 1961 SIU would add a second season to the middle of the 1968 season, the SIU men’s national title in 1966.

During Meade’s tenure, gymnastics team won 68 the Salukis won 15 individual straight dual meets. national championships: Meade didn’t build his Fred Orlofsky, still rings, program against weak sisters. Those victories came 1961; Fred Tijerina, parallel bars, 1961; Bruno Klaus, at the expense of Indiana, horizontal bar, 1961, and Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa State, vaulting, 1962; Rusty Mitchell, tumbling, 1962, Arizona State, Arizona, tumbling, 1964, and free Colorado, Memphis State

THE SOUTHERN

exercise, 1964; Frank Schmitz, floor exercise and trampoline, 1965, and floor exercise and vaulting, 1966; Paul Mayer, vaulting, 1967; Charles Ropiequet, still rings, 1971; Tom Lindner, horizontal bar, 1972; and Gary Morava, vaulting, 1972.

Four of Meade’s gymnasts also represented the United States in Olympic competition: Orlofsky (1960), Mitchell (1964), Jim Ivicek (1972) and Tom Lindner (1972).

Gymnastics was dropped as a sport as part of the budget-cutting process in 1989. A member of the SIU Hall of Fame, Meade died unexpectedly Nov. 26, 2004.

“It’s all been fun,” Meade was quoted as saying in Fred Huff’s “Saluki Sports History.” “My career is my fun. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I wouldn’t do anything any different. It’s been fun.” les.winkeler@thesouthern.com 618-351-5088

Vogel helped SIU women be among nation’s best

BY LES WINKELER THE SOUTHERN

Southern Illinois University was a hotbed for championship-caliber gymnastics in the 1960s.

While Bill Meade’s men were perennial contenders for the NCAA national championship — the men won a pair of national titles — Herb Vogel’s women dominated the National Collegiate Championships.

Women’s gymnastics was not an NCAA championship sport until 1982.

Vogel started the SIU program in 1963 and coached until the program was dropped in 1986.

Like Meade, Vogel coached several AllAmericans and Olympians.

Vogel was featured in a March 29, 1971, article in Sports Illustrated, “Don’t Tell the Girls How Pretty They Are.” Vogel, a member of the U.S. Gymnastics and SIU halls of fame, considered himself an outcast.

“If I have any virtues as a coach, it’s that I’ve been around so long and have tried so much,” he said in the Sports Illustrated story.

“And, I’m creative. But, Murial and Dale (Former Olympians Muriel Grossfeld and Dale Flansaas) can teach more style, more technique. They can show it because they’re women and were good gymnasts. As you may have noticed, I’m not a woman, so it’s hard for me to show things to my girls.”

Vogel showed enough to be generally regarded as “The Father of Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics,” according to the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

When Vogel was inducted into the SIU Hall of Fame, Meade made this comment: “Herb was without a doubt among the most dedicated of coaches. He stood for the women athletes and often served as a counselor to them. He did a great deal for the university, and I know the university is proud of him.”

Vogel’s teams won 311 of 390 meets and posted 21 winning seasons in 23 years.

In that span, he coached 16 national champions who combined for more than 100 gold medals in individual events. He coached 10 medal winners in international

events, 21 competitors on international teams and 40 All-Americans. Two of his gymnasts, Judy Wills and Terry Spencer, were selected to the National Hall of Fame.

Vogel’s Salukis placed in the top 20 in eight Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national tournaments, including second-place finishes in 1969 and 1973, third place in 1972 and fourth place in 1976.

In addition, Vogel’s teams won eight regional titles and six state championships.

Vogel helped organize the first College National Championships and coordinated the selection of the first All-American gymnastics team. He was named Midwest Regional Coach of the Year in 1980.

He also coached the first full U.S. team in the Student World Games and served on the U.S. Gymnastics Federation’s Foreign Relations Committee and the AAU Olympics A Chicago native, Vogel died in 2001. les.winkeler@thesouthern.com 618-351-5088

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13

ATHLETICS: SIU finds success in many sports FROM PAGE 12

MIKE MILLS Murphysboro man has built a barbecue empire

BY BECKY MALKOVICH THE SOUTHERN

Restaurateur Mike Mills is just a man who cannot say no.

“I didn’t have a plan, a vision, but every time an opportunity came along, I took advantage of it. I didn’t know how to say no,” Mills said, laughing.

“Opportunities came up and on a whim, I said yes.

All of this just happened.”

“This,” of course, is the building of a barbecue empire that now includes four finger-lickin’ restaurants in Southern Illinois, three in Las Vegas and an interest in one in New York.

Mills opened the prototype of his 17th Street Bar & Grill restaurants in 1985 in his native Murphysboro but didn’t go whole hog, so to speak, until 1994.

“When I started, all I wanted was a place where people could get together, have a good time, some cheer and some good food — and barbecue is good food. Anything cooked outside tastes better,” Mill said.

“But mostly it was a bar with barbecue off and on.

In 1994 that changed. I decided to go into the food business. We weren’t an instant success, but it’s been good. We’ve been very fortunate.”

Indeed.

People from all over the world have stopped by his restaurants for a taste of barbecue made just the way Mills likes it — Southern style.

“I have to say I still eat barbecue every day and I’m probably one of the few in the business who does. People get burned out,” he said.

“But at the same time, I try and eat everything on the menu during the course of a month so I can test what they’re putting out.”

And oh, what they put out: ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and chicken are among the most popular.

“Certain things I tried

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Mike Mills, owner of 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, checks a rack of barbecue ribs that had been slowcooked for six hours at 17th Street Warehouse in Murphysboro.

Low and slow: That’s the advice Mike Mills offers to backyard barbecuers.‘Most people are in too big a hurry. People need to slow it down a bit and turn down the heat. And don’t sauce too soon.

Sauce should be added right at the end, right before you take it off the grill.’ didn’t catch on, some things that in other parts of the country people tear the door down to get, like Cornish game hen — a delicious piece of meat — but never able to make a go of it here,” he said.

“Our reuben is a wellkept secret. We corn our own beef, soak it a week before we smoke it. It sells a lot but most people don’t think of it when they come here. Some people order the same thing every time they come here. People are creatures of habit.

“They know what they want before they even sit down. That’s why the food has to be consistent — so it’s the way they expect it to be. ” And while his goal is to offer a good time with good food at a good price, the main reason he does what he does is “for the love of barbecue, for the art, the craft of barbecuing, and it is an art. We call all of it barbecuing, but there’s a difference between

barbecuing and grilling. It depends on the type of meat and the cooking time.

“With grilling, it’s 30 to 40 minutes at most, but with barbecuing, it’s hours and hours of cooking.”

A barbecue aficionado from way back, Mills fondly remembers honing his own barbecue-loving skills at Whitt’s in his hometown.

The long-gone barbecue joint “was always a standard bearer of great barbecue,” Mills said.

“Wherever you cut your teeth on barbecue will be your favorite. It will bring back memories every time you eat it.

“Sort of like with grandma’s apple pie, I can’t beat those memories, but if I can bring them back, if I can come in second to grandma, that’s a high compliment.”

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

SIU softball player Katie Wagner bats at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale.

season in 2008-09 ended with a first-round loss to UCLA in the NCAA tournament, but fourthyear coach Dann Nelson’s program still took a huge step forward.

The Salukis finished last season with an 18-7 record, making their first NCAA appearance since 1991.

In his first season as SIU coach, Nelson coached the duo of Sergio Sanchez and Felipe Villasenor, which was the 28th-ranked doubles tandem in the nation. Sanchez and Villasenor defeated the No. 6 ranked doubles duo in the country and helped the Salukis to a 11-10 record, their first winning slate in seven years.

Women’s tennis: Keeping pace with the men, SIU women’s tennis also had a banner year in 2008-09, setting new team records en route to its best season since 1991.

The Salukis finished 178 under coach Audra Nothwehr, who is now in her third year at SIU. Fadzai Mawisire set numerous SIU records in a season where she was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, as well as earning allconference honors at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.

— Compiled by Pete Spitler

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Softball: Kerri Blaylock has never had a losing season at the helm of SIU, and picked up her 350th Saluki win in 2008-09. A 33-13 season ended abruptly in the semifinals of the MVC tournament, but her teams have won at least 30 games in each of her 10 seasons as head coach.

A five-year stretch of NCAA tournament appearances ended with 2008’s 30-24 record, but the 2007 squad spent 13 weeks ranked in the top 25 in the nation and finished with a 41-16 record.

In 2008, SIU recorded its 12th straight winning season and ranked in the top five nationally for team GPA among NFC All-Academic teams.

Swimming: Under coach Rick Walker, the SIU men’s and women’s swim teams continue to improve and establish new standards of excellence.

In 1977, SIU opened one of the top aquatic facilities in the nation, the Dr. Edward J. Shea Natatorium inside the Student Recreation Center. It has trained 160 Missouri Valley Conference champions, three MVC Invitational champions, 71 AllAmericans and 14 Olympians.

Now in his 18th season as coach at SIU, Walker was the MVC’s Coach of the Year from 1995 to 1998 and again in 2002. In 2007-08, Walker coached the teams to a combined 14-5 record with wins over Division II national champion Drury, Louisville and Iowa.

The women’s team won the MVC championship that season, as well as seven individual and three relay titles.

Men’s tennis: A historic

Track and field: SIU women’s track placed four athletes on the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic team after the 2008-09 season.

Meredith Hayes (100-meter hurdles), Megan Hoelscher (3,000-meter steeplechase), Malaikah Love (triple jump and long jump) and Bianca Stuart (long jump) were all selected after compiling a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.

Both men’s and women’s track found success in MVC competition, including in the classroom. A schoolrecord 15 women’s track athletes were named to the league’s scholarathlete team, compared to 11 from the men’s side.

On the track, SIU sent three athletes to the NCAA National Championships in 2009. Sasha Leeth (hammer throw), Stuart and Jeff Schirmer (5,000-meter run) represented the Salukis.

Volleyball: Coming off its best season in six years in 2008, SIU opened the 2009 season with a program-record 11-0 start, besting 2008’s 9-1 start.

A jump in RPI from 164 to 117 was another staple of last season, which saw the Salukis win five matches in a row for the first time since 2002. In five seasons as SIU coach, Brenda Winkeler’s teams have broken 16 school records and reached into the record book 39 times.

Replacing libero Kristy Elswick, who holds the Salukis’ all-time career digs record with 1,930, has not been easy, but added depth at all positions has proven to be a blessing for SIU.

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

Michael Simelton found his voice and with courage became one of Shawnee Community College’s best engineering students.

Simelton, a 2000 graduate of Cairo High School, never dreamed he would be working for Exelon Corporation in Chicago, a corporation with approximately $19 billion in annual revenues.

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

CAMARADERIE AND SPIRIT After facing the industry’s ups and downs and the constant threat of danger, miners stick together

BY ADAM TESTA

‘The dangers they’re exposed to create a camaraderie that you don’t see duplicated in many other industries.’

THE SOUTHERN

Through its lengthy lifespan in Southern Illinois, the coal industry has experienced several ups and downs, but in the end, it’s always persevered.

From federal legislation to tragedies in Centralia and West Frankfort, the region’s mining companies, staffs and other local officials have overcome every obstacle thrown in their path and shown a nearly unrivaled resiliency.

“They’re a very resilient bunch and they adapt,” said Joe Angleton, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Mines and Minerals. “I’ve had many people tell me that the camaraderie that exists with coal miners is similar to the camaraderie of people serving in the military.”

The danger and risk of the job requires miners to have close ties and bonds between them, as their lives would literally be in the hands of their colleagues, Angleton said.

Unfortunately, the dangers of mining have reached their peak twice in Southern Illinois: March 25, 1947, when 111 miners were killed in a Centralia mine explosion; and Dec. 21, 1951, when 119 men were killed in a West Frankfort explosion during the last shift before the Christmas holiday.

“The dangers they’re exposed to create a camaraderie that you

JOE ANGLETON DIRECTOR, IDNR OFFICE OF MINES AND MINERALS

that’s allowed the industry to persevere,” he said. “We’re learning just how important a high level of technology is for the industry.”

Along with technology comes the opportunity for education, both in terms of research and sciencebased pursuits and new training opportunities for mining industry professionals.

In addition to efforts at SIUC, Rend Lake College in Ina also offers mining training, courses and degrees on par with those in the East, where mining also remains a prevalent industry, Mead said.

But one aspect of resiliency stretches across all arenas, from education THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO to safety to mining itself, Roxanne Nava, assistant director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, asks Bill Sanders (left), and Angleton said that’s safety director for Knight Hawk Coal, LLC, a question about roof supports during a tour of the company’s Prairie Eagle facility the characteristic that will near Percy in August 2007. On the right is Joe Angleton, Director of the Illinois Office of Mines and Minerals. allow the industry to conquer all challengers, technology join the spirit present and future. reducing the amount of for others, as everyone don’t see duplicated in greenhouse gas emissions and dedication of coal shared responsibility for many other industries,” “There will always be miners at the top of the the others’ safety, he said. released in America’s Angleton said. this ‘we can’ attitude,” he energy production process coal industry’s survival But the threats to A bond between mining said. list, especially in terms of and a shift toward other Southern Illinois’ mining workers has been passed “As long as you have the environmental issues. down through generations industry haven’t stemmed sources of energy. attitude that ‘We can do “The ability to respond John Mead, director of from internal operations of families, friends and it,’ there’s a chance that to environmental safety the Coal Research Center coworkers, he said. Miners and dangers alone. you will do it.” and other regulations has at Southern Illinois Another major threat taught their successors been technologyUniversity Carbondale, comes from federal the importance of hard adam.testa@thesouthern.com said advancements in coal oriented, and I think legislation aimed at work, ethics and caring 618-351-5031

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17

KING NEPTUNE West Frankfort pig became WWII moneymaker

BY THERESA HALE FOR THE SOUTHERN

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Onlookers line the streets of Creal Springs during the city’s annual Wonder Water Reunion parade.

CREAL SPRINGS Many believe town’s ‘Wonder Water’ helps heal

BY DEBBIE LUEBKE METRO FOR THE SOUTHERN

A century or two ago it was a refreshing drink, a beauty treatment, and a cure for whatever ailed you.

These days, it exists in the memories of those who gather for the annual Creal Springs Wonder Water Reunion in the city’s downtown and park.

This year’s celebration, Sept. 23 to 27, included a carnival, gospel night, car show and parade.

“The reunion draws several hundred people, and we get a big crowd for the parade,” said Mayor Joyce Rich. “People drive in from Michigan and the Chicago area, and from the surrounding areas. It’s a coming home for a few days for many people, who visit family and friends here.”

Although the wells now are closed and people no longer drink the spring water, “several people here who have lived long lives say they owe it to the Creal Springs water,” Rich said.

Early French traders used the water from Sulphur Springs, which they called Eau Mineral, as a tonic. Then, settlers in the area noticed how the springs provided effective treatments for various ailments.

Growing up near Creal Springs, Rich remembers stories about the water.

There were many spas and people came great distances for the baths.

She also recalled how news of the wonder water spread nationwide, after a family in the 1880s reportedly recovered from malaria after drinking water from the springs.

The family of eight had camped at a farm owned

In 1883, the first resort was built, and soon visitors reported miraculous cures from drinking and bathing in the spring water. Each well was known for treating specific ailments, from stomach aches to cold and sinus problems, as well as beauty tonics.

by Edward G. Creal, which contained a cluster of springs. Within three months of drinking that water, their malaria symptoms were gone.

People noticed the fish in the ponds there were bigger and healthier.

Creal sent water samples to St. Louis to be analyzed. The springs, it was found, were full of minerals commonly found in medicines at the time.

Creal began selling lots and the town started to grow.

In 1883, the first resort was built, and soon visitors reported miraculous cures from drinking and bathing in the spring water. Each well was known for treating specific ailments, from stomach aches to cold and sinus problems, as well asbeauty tonics.

Creal Springs water even made its way to President William Howard Taft in the White House.

The town became known as “the liveliest town in the Midwest.” By 1890 it was a full-fledged resort community, with Ozark Hotel at the center.

In 1903, local church members voted the town dry, and the numbers of vacationers began to trickle away.

In the 1990s, the springs were open for a while, but bacteria was found, so the wells were closed again. “We would like to reopen them again,

but we’d need funding to find the source of the bacteria,” Rich said.

Even though the water isn’t flowing, people still flock to the town for the reunion each September, said Katy Sullivan, president of the Park Board, the volunteer group that organizes the event.

“People left (Creal Springs) to find work, and now they come back and bring their families,” Sullivan said. “It’s a wonderful thing, something I’m very proud of.”

The reunion was started

by Clyde Robertson, a retired postal carrier and teacher, “for people to get together and have a good time in their hometown,” she said.

Sullivan, a lifelong Creal Springs resident, said the springs weren’t active while she was growing up, but she saw photos of the bathhouses and read about the miracle cures.

“When settlers came through, the water was said to cure all this stuff, like diphtheria and dysentery,” Sullivan said.

Like many young people, Sullivan said she left the town to take a job at a factory in Chicago, but she was back within six months.

“There’s no place I’d want to be besides Creal Springs,” she said.

“I have everything I want here.”

Take a drive along Illinois 146 between Anna and Vienna, and you’ll come across a scenic spot dedicated to the nation’s most famous pig.

Set amid the trees of the countryside is a lone marker that memorializes the life of the Hereford swine known as King Neptune.

King Neptune was born in 1942 on a West Frankfort farm owned by Sherman Boner. Originally intended to be a 4-H project for Boner’s young daughter, Patty, Neptune was destined for greater fame. That same year, Boner donated the red and white pig to the U.S. Navy.

Recruiter Don Lingle of Anna began to formulate a plan to use King Neptune to generate money for the World War II war effort.

Lingle contacted L. Oard Sitter, local auctioneer, and together they decided Neptune would be auctioned off to raise money. The understanding would be that the bidder would purchase King Neptune for the amount of his bid in war bonds.

Sitter traveled Illinois with King Neptune in tow, attending both public and private functions.

Neptune would grace the crowd wearing his Navy blue blanket, silver earrings, leather boots and a gold crown. Each time Neptune was auctioned off, the winning bidder donated him back to the cause. Neptune was auctioned off as a whole hog, as well as in pieces.

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King Neptune became a celebrity across the state as the pig was used to raise money for World War II efforts.

On several occasions, Sitter would auction off the prize pig’s snout, tail and even his squeal. The bids just kept adding up, and Sitter kept auctioning off the pieces.

According to an Associated Press article from March 6, 1943, Illinois Gov. Dwight Green purchased the pig for the amount of $1 million on behalf of the people of the state. Neptune’s popularity continued to skyrocket. He was made an honorary member of the Elks Club, and he had his own bank account, for which he had his own special endorsement. A stamp of the pig’s foot was made at the bank’s request to endorse King Neptune’s checks.

By the end of his career, King Neptune had raised more than $19 million for the war effort. The bonds purchased in exchange for Neptune were designated to go to the construction of the battleship USS Illinois. The Illinois never reached completion. It was dismantled after World War II. According to university officials, the bell from the USS Illinois

currently resides at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Memorial Stadium.

Neptune retired from the Navy in 1946. Lingle gained ownership of the much beloved pig and placed him on an Anna farm to spend the remainder of his days in comfort. In 1950, King Neptune contracted pneumonia and died. The prize Hereford pig was buried with military honors. His funeral was attended by a long procession of mourners in black, as well as local newspapers.

Construction of Interstate 57 caused King Neptune’s monument to be moved. Lingle purchased land outside of Anna and had the marker placed there. Vandalism caused the monument to be moved again to its current location. To this day, people still lay flowers at the marker in honor of King Neptune and the legacy he left behind for Illinoisans.

THERESA HALE is a local historian and resident of Union County.

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

CARBONDALE AND THE RAILROAD Illinois Centrail Railroad helped develop several Southern Illinois towns in the mid-1850s

BY ADAM TESTA

employed more than 300 individuals with a collective salary of more than $264,000, with At the heart of Carbondale serving as the downtown Carbondale, central point of activity. just south of the Town Square Pavilion, a statue of “Carbondale wouldn’t a railroad conductor stands even be here. The railroad tall, reminding passersby built Carbondale,” former of the history of the city Station Carbondale and region’s life along the President Roy Clark said of railways. the importance of the rail Without the railroads, industry in the region’s the city of Carbondale, as history. “Carbondale was well as several other the hub of commerce for Southern Illinois Southern Illinois at that communities, would likely time.” never have existed, as 16 Carbondale founder new towns and cities Daniel Harmon Brush developed along the envisioned a town that Illinois Central Railroad would serve as a central line between 1850 and location between proposed 1855. Some of the cities, railroad sites Makanda and like Carbondale, Anna and De Soto and county seats Du Quoin, have continued Murphysboro and Marion. to prosper while others Along with John Asgill have faded into history.

Conner and William In 1905, Illinois Central Richart, Brush purchased

THE SOUTHERN

‘Carbondale wouldn’t even be here. The railroad built Carbondale.’

ROY CLARK FORMER STATION CARBONDALE PRESIDENT

360 acres of land and named it Carbondale as a reference to the coal reserves in the area. In 1854, the first train entered Carbondale from Cairo, beginning a tradition that would last more than 150 years.

The rest, as they say, is history.

But Clark, a 44-year employee of the Illinois Central who has been retired for 22 years, realized the history of the railroad industry in Southern Illinois is something that must not be forgotten.

Through Station Carbondale, he helped lead efforts to preserve the old Carbondale depot, which now houses the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street, and bring a historic train caboose to town.

When it came time to pay tribute to the city’s railroad heritage with the creation of the conductor statue, which was dedicated in 1998, organizers didn’t need to look far to find a model.

Clark himself pulled out CHUCK NOVARA / THE SOUTHERN his old work uniform, Roy Clark, past president of Station Carbondale, talks about donning it one last time the railroad’s importance in Carbondale’s development. to serve as the model for

ALAN ROGERS / THE SOUTHERN

Railroad tracks — and the cars that glide along them — are still familiar sights in Carbondale.

the structure.

“They wanted somebody that would stand out, and I had a uniform,” Clark said.

And for Clark, the railroad’s history is also his own, as life on the rails has been somewhat of a family tradition. His son recently retired after a 32-year

career. Between him and his son, Clark has seen “tremendous” changes to the operations and technologies of the rail industry, including small staffs and stricter regulations.

Clark’s wife, Dorothy, also knows the importance of the railroad, having

watched her husband and son build their careers in the industry.

“It’s a heritage really, and it needs to be passed down,” she said. “It’s a part of our history, like how this country was founded.” adam.testa@thesouthern.com 618-351-5031

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

19

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS Frontier League team brings fans into Rent One Park, joy into host families’ households

BY JULIE ENGLER

BY THE NUMBERS

THE SOUTHERN

In the beginning, having a minor league baseball team in Southern Illinois almost seemed like a dream.

After a few wrong turns in decision-making and skepticism that a team could thrive in the area, many wondered if it was really going to happen.

But when the concrete for the stadium started being poured and a team was established, owner Jayne Simmons never doubted it was going to be a success — and she was right.

Thousands of fans from across the region flock to Marion to see the Southern Illinois Miners play ball.

Whether it’s for the love of the game or the pride to call the Miners their own, Southern Illinoisans have welcomed the players into their community, their schools, their homes and their hearts.

The beginning Jayne Simmons worked to move two teams to Southern Illinois, but neither panned out. The first, the Savannah (Ga.) Sand Gnats, and the second, the South Bend (Ind.) Silver Hawks, weren’t allowed to be moved to Marion.

So Simmons decided the best thing to do was start her own team in the Frontier League, and the dream became a reality. A location for the stadium was chosen, staff was hired and the team received its name: the Southern Illinois Miners.

“With the coal miners, we wanted to put a sense of pride in this for all the people down there. That’s so special,” Simmons said.

“And I think that gives the fans down there a sense of pride as well: their community and what they’re about. It’s a sense of ownership to them and pride and just great family entertainment that they can not worry about bringing their kids to. But that’s part of what we wanted to do.”

By October 2006, 80 percent of the concrete had been poured at the stadium.

The goal was to have the Miners playing by the start of the 2007 season, which opened May 23, 2007.

Erik Haag, vice president,

Stadium seats: 3,368 Parking places: 1,449 Ticket prices: $8 for box seats; $6 for reserve seats; $4 for lawn seats Games played at the stadium (end of 2009 season): 152 Pitches: Average of about 275 per game Home runs hit: Miners have 270 through Sept. 2 Number of Splash Zone Home runs: 19 Average hot dogs sold: 200 a night Average Pepsis sold: 300 a night Players who have played for the Miners: 121 Baseballs used per game: Average of eight dozen Bats broken: About 100 per season Flyers printed for a season: 25,000; 500 promotional posters; 10,000 envelope stuffers them, ‘This is your home — everything that’s here is yours.’”

PROVIDED Adam Revelette, a leftThe Baxter family has housed Miners players since the team’s first season. From left are Mike handed pitcher with the Baxter, Joseph Baxter, Stephen Holdren, Dylan Baxter, Adam Revelette and Michelle Baxter.

Miners, started living with the Baxter family after a said while being ready by wandering around the including meals and basic the deadline seemed almost stadium, dancing and necessities. Michelle Baxter trade. He said living with participating in events. impossible at times, and her family have hosted the two boys reminded him of his relationship with his Camera-shy spectators everyone worked as hard as seven Miners players since brother — and he also might not want to they could to make it the first season. enjoyed many of Michelle’s Her husband, Mike, is a participate in the contests, happen. From the chocolate chip cookies. police officer in Marion, such as the best air guitar construction of the “It was like a second and they have two sons. For contest or the best “fivestadium, gathering home while I was away,” he this last season, she hosted dollar foot long” advertising support, commercial dance. But just two players and has kept in said. “Being with the building a fan base and Baxters was a blessing. contact with all of the sitting and watching the getting a team together to players she has hosted over They do a good job, game is enjoyable opening night, everyone especially of maintaining a put in hundreds of hours of entertainment that can’t be the years, whether it’s by relationship past baseball.” texting, phone calls or found anywhere else in the work, Haag said.

Baxter said the players fit meeting up for a meal when region at such a low price.

And that hard work paid right into the family. She they are in the area. off when, on opening night, Tickets for games start at said she makes treats for At first, Baxter said she $4 for lawn seats, $6 for with the lights in the them to take on the road, was a little skeptical as to reserved seats and $8 for stadium shining and such as brownies. The how it was going to work box seats. thousands of fans waiting out. “We thought we would players she hosted would Some fan favorites to see just what a Miners’ just try it,” she said. But she sometimes attend her sons’ include the eyeball race, game would be like, the sports games, and even said she was instantly where three contestants players drove into the came into their school to hooked on the idea. don eyeball costumes and stadium in Toyota Tundra talk with the students.

“All of the players that race around the field, the trucks, ready to play ball.

“To the kids in the we’ve had were great role fireworks on Friday nights “I still get chills when I schools, they look at these models for my kids,” she and the hamster ball race. talk about it,” Haag said. ball players — it’s big-time said. “That’s what I really There are also several stuff. These are ‘major like the most. They were ways to win at the games.

Experiencing a game league’ ball players, and the always encouraging to the When a player hits a home boys (her children).

We tell kids think it’s fantastic,” she At Rent One Park on run off of the foul pole, one game day, fans with Miners’ lucky person becomes the gear can be seen winner of a brand new everywhere. Haag said it is Mercedes-Benz. While it exciting to see fans actively might not be as nice as a participating and new car, there are also the supporting the team by ‘best-seat-in-the-house’ wearing jerseys and team recliners on the sidelines, gear just like at a major and the strike-out and league game. homerun hitters where, if Haag has worked with the chosen players other baseball teams in the accomplish their tasks, the past and said the dedication audience receives a little of Miners fans and quality something extra. of the ballpark is some of the best he’s seen in the Hosting a Miner league.

Mostly all of the players The Miners have four mascots: a yellow canary stay with a host family named Lucky; a mole during the season. Most of named Grounder; a stick of the hosts are families that dynamite named Dyn-Olive in the area, and they Mite; and Big John the must be able to provide miner. They can be seen housing accommodations,

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said. “It’s been good for the schools that the players do community appearances like that.”

And when her children become discouraged, Baxter said the players never miss a chance for a little encouraging pep talk.

She attends every game that she can, often with her children, and even travels to away games when she can.

When she’s in the stands, she cheers loudly for “her players” when they are in the game, as if they were her own children.

“They kind of become our sons,” she said. “That’s what makes it harder when they leave. They’re just part of our family, and that’s how they’re treated.

They’re our big boys.”

When the players left, they received a scrapbook from Michelle of newspaper articles and memories from the season.

“It was just real special,” Revelette said. “She’s the ultimate fan.” julie.engler@thesouthern.com 618-351-5077

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

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LINCOLN-DOUGLAS Debates, including one in Jonesboro, shaped politics

BY TOM BARKER THE SOUTHERN

More than 150 years ago, Jonesboro was home to an important piece of our nation’s history, and the community continues to recognize that history every year.

As Abraham Lincoln challenged incumbent Stephen Douglas for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1858, a series of seven debates, the first of their kind, served as a public exhibition of the two politicians’ beliefs on slavery, the structure of the government and other social issues of the time.

The third of those debates took place in Jonesboro.

While Lincoln would eventually lose the race to Sen. Douglas, his campaign for senator formed a firm foundation for his successful run for the United States’ 16th presidency.

“Never mind that he lost the election that was the subject of those 1858 debates,” said David Blanchette, communication manager at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield.

“It was really the stepping stone for his run for president, and the country and the world is different because of that.”

Even though much has changed in Jonesboro since 1858, the small community has made significant effort in recent years to preserve the city’s Lincoln heritage.

Several re-enactments of the famous debate have occurred over the years, involving the participation of much of the community and even gaining national

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

George Harrison stayed at this home in Benton while visiting his sister, Louise, in 1963. Thanks to Louise, a local radio station became the first to broadcast a Beatles’ song in the U.S.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Bronze statues of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas were erected in 2008 at the site of their debate in Jonesboro.

media attention. During reenactments, citizens dress as people would have in 1858 and walk to the park where the debates were hosted, just as Lincoln did.

In recent months, the city has placed three “Looking for Lincoln” illustrated signs in the area, portraying several historical aspects of Jonesboro and Union County as they related to Lincoln and the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

The sign placing was in honor of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

Earlier on, the city built a courtyard down the street from Jonesboro’s main square, which includes informational plaques and statues of Lincoln and Douglas. Footprints have even been painted on the sidewalk from the square to the park, to mark where Lincoln walked down the street.

An old house in the nearby community of Anna has been recognized

as the house where Lincoln stayed during the Jonesboro debate, and a committee is discussing plans to acquire the home and restore it as a tourist attraction.

“It’s been a bits-andpieces project from everyone,” said Bill Ecker, a Jonesboro city commissioner who has been involved in the city’s Lincoln heritage projects.

The city’s recent work to commemorate the LincolnDouglas debates even earned it a Governor’s Hometown Award, an award given to communities who give much of their time, money and effort to making their towns better places to live.

“As the community begins to be more aware of Lincoln again, the renewal of the interest in Lincoln is being picked up by the schools and the community,” Ecker said.

The grade school in Jonesboro raised $800 in pennies to contribute to the courtyard project at the park and each class has engraved bricks at the courtyard dedicated to them. Every year, the eighth-grade class takes a field trip to Springfield to see the Lincoln museum and library.

Future projects on the theme of Lincoln and the Jonesboro debate could possibly include the acquisition of the home where Lincoln stayed, but wherever their efforts take them, city officials are making certain the community never forgets its historical significance.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO

Footprints lead from the square in Jonesboro to the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate in Jonesboro Park.

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THE BEATLES Benton station was first to play Fab Four in the U.S.

BY JIM KIRKPATRICK FOR THE SOUTHERN

Marcia Schafer Raubach still remembers the day in September 1963 when a young Englishman with a thick British accent and an unruly mop of long brown hair stopped by WFRX radio in West Frankfort and told her he played in a band called The Beatles.

“At the time, it didn’t mean anything to me,” she said. “I had no idea that they would become as big, or bigger than Elvis.”

Raubach, who still lives in West Frankfort, said she was aware that this particular Beatle — George Harrison — would be coming to the radio station.

George’s sister, Louise, who lived in Benton, had told her of his upcoming visit to the United States.

Louise had been coming by the station trying to promote her brother’s band and she had given Raubach some Beatles records, Raubach said she began playing “From Me to You” in the early summer of

1963 on her weekend radio program, Saturday Sessions. The program was primarily geared to teenagers.

At the time, she had no idea WFRX would become the first radio station in the United States to play Beatles music.

“I don’t think it really set in with me until The Beatles performed on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ the following year,” Raubach said. “And there he was — George Harrison — the guy I had interviewed just a few months before.”

22

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

DINGER BATS Ridgway company hopes to be known globally

BY JULIE ENGLER THE SOUTHERN

The Miners aren’t the only ones responsible for home runs in Southern Illinois.

In the small town of Ridgway, population 860, Kyle Drone and his father, Randy, produce Dinger Bats.

The word “dinger” is a nickname for a home run, so the name naturally came to Kyle. And though he and his father argued about it at the beginning, the name eventually stuck. They opened the business in 2001 and produced about 800 bats in the first eight months of business. In less than a year of business, the Drones were offered a contract to produce bats for a larger company — about 12,000 in eight months. But when that deal fizzled out, the drop in production was a little scary, Kyle Drone said.

THE SOUTHERN FILE PHOTO “It got tough for a while Randy Drone, co-owner of Dinger Bats in Ridgway, fashions a there,” Kyle Drone said. bat from a blank. Hunter Pence, an outfielder for the “We fought our way Houston Astros, used a Dinger at the MLB All-Star Game. back.”

Now the shop employs his Dinger bats to be in engraving, each bat is about three people, all produced one-by-one by the top 10 used around family, and produces the world. the workers. about 10,000 bats a year.

The bats are shipped all At the beginning of this The bats, made out of over the world and are month, the first Dinger maple, birch and most notably used by All- Bats opened in Ridgway. northern white ash wood, Star outfielder Hunter While it won’t be open are each made by hand in Pence of the Houston every day, Kyle Drone said Astros. Many minor the small factory, it’s one of the first steps league teams across the according to the orders’ to expanding his business specifications. Drone said country use the bats, and in Southern Illinois. he is experimenting with they are quite popular in But when it comes to bats made of bamboo but places such as Puerto moving the business, Kyle Rico and Canada, Kyle Drone said he’s happy don’t have any for sale Drone said. They aren’t right where he is. yet. available in any national “I’m comfortable here; I After the bats are cut, sporting goods chains love it here,” he said. they’re painted almost yet, but Kyle Drone said any color and engraved. he hopes one day they julie.engler@thesouthern.com While the machines do 618-351-5077 will be. He said he’d like the cutting and

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Although the Bunny Bread factory has been closed for nearly two decades, it remains in Anna.

Southern Illinois inspirations lead to big names

BY TARA FASOL-CHAMBERS

“Franchise 500.”

Another big name also has close ties to Southern Illinois. The jingle, “That’s Some might say ice cream, in and of itself, was what I said, Bunny Bread,” gets stuck in people’s an invention topped by none other in the category minds about as quickly as the company’s products fly of delicious desert off the shelves of local favorites. But it took a groceries. However, a small Southern Illinois man to cabin in Southern Illinois put the final touch on an is where the first shelves already much-loved were stocked. product to make it simply In 1925, Amos, Arnold irresistible. and Jack Lewis decided a Curt Jones, chairman brotherly business was and founder of Dippin’ right up their alley and Dots, launched the frozen mortgaged their mother’s treat in 1988 with a retail Southern Illinois home for store in Lexington, Ky., at about $300, quickly using Opryland USA, and with the money to open up a large gatherings of family bakery in a local cabin. and friends at his Pulaski At first, the trio baked all County home. the bread themselves, The Southern Illinois under the name Lewis native-turnedBakeries, and delivered it microbiologist perfected to homes nearby. In 1947, the process of cryogenic Bunny Bread was born in encapsulation — that is, Anna. Today, a facility in taking ice cream and the town’s downtown still super-freezing it quickly stands with the into those scrumptiously recognizable hare playing small beads. reminder to what used to The process for making the ice cream was a lot less be.

The company since glamorous than one might think, looking today at the relocated headquarters to Evansville, Ind., but elaborate Web Site, several Anna businesses national attraction to the now operate out of the treat and multitude of former Bunny Bread mouth-watering flavors. building as a mini mall of In 1988, Jones launched sorts, including a Curves Dippin’ Dots from his fitness location, Dollar parent’s garage in Grand Chain. It wasn’t until 1990 General Store and privately owned businesses. that he moved the project In Murphysboro, the to a commercial facility, left-behinds of another finding its home in a former liquor store facility homemade business that grew to something quite in Paducah. large also remain as a In 2008, that same company was named 112th reminder of the past.

Stecher Brewery started on the Entrepreneur THE SOUTHERN

small in Murphysboro, near Rover Street, and grew to a vast facility which overcame many obstacles of operation, including prohibition.

Mike Jones, director of Gen. John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro, said Conrad Broeg opened Broeg Brewery in Murphysboro in 1868 and operated it under that name until 1884, when it changed hands and became Karr & Co. Rudolph Stecher became the proprietor of the establishment in 1886, renaming it Murphysboro Brewing Co. Three years later, he decided to rename the facility once again, calling it Rudolph Stecher Brewing Co. “Prohibition officially shut down the brewing in 1920,” Jones said. “But they bootlegged beer until 1925.”

About 10 years later, the brewery opened back up, legally and officially, and brewed for another six years until it permanently closed doors.

Jones said two buildings that were a part of the original structure remain standing in Murphysboro, as well as Stecher’s residence and that of his children.

“It grew from a very small facility to a quite large facility,” he said. “It employed a lot of people in Murphysboro.” tara.fasol@thesouthern.com 618-351-5824

Alexander County

Plaques tell of region’s history THE SOUTHERN

25

Markers point out many key moments in Southern Illinois’ past

LOCAL MARKERS

BY LES WINKELER

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009

by George Rogers Clark during his march from Fort Massac to Kaskaskia. There are also several Lincoln markers. A marker in Jonesboro marks a site of a Lincoln-Douglas debate and another in Carmi marks a hotel where Lincoln stayed.

Not all of the markers have to do with politics, anthropology or economics.

There is a marker in Edwardsville commemorating the Mississippi River Festival.

Other plaques denote some of the earliest churches in the region.

At one point, the markers were paid for by the state.

“There was a committee of state historians and they would sit down twice a year and go over possible candidates for state historical markers,” Furry said. “They would review applications from different parts of the state.”

At one time, the markers were fabricated by residents of state prisons.

The state and the historical society no longer pay for markers.

“We always have to have sponsors,” Furry said. “We have a local entity to take responsibility for it, keeping the weeds down, making it accessible and reporting damages. We require they pay for the markers.”

Let’s take a history quiz.

Did you know a Southern Illinoisan (James A. Wilson) played a key role in the capture of Jefferson Davis?

Did you know a Southern Illinoisan (Everton J. Conger) played a key role in the capture of John Wilkes Booth?

Did you know the Marquis de Lafayette was once feted in Gallatin County?

Did you know the area between Carrier Mills and Harrisburg was inhabited more than 8,000 years ago?

If you stopped to read the roadside historical markers scattered about Southern Illinois, you’d be aware of these facts and more.

There are more than 60 historical markers scattered around the region.

Bill Furry, executive director of the Illinois State Historical Society, said at one point there were more than 500 such markers scattered about the state.

The first markers were placed in the early 1930s.

“Mostly, they were related to the Lincoln story,” Furry said. There were others as well, but 15 to 20 percent have some connection to Lincoln.”

The markers in Southern Illinois commemorate the salt works in Saline County, the tobacco industry in Saline County les.winkeler@thesouthern.com and various campsites used 618-351-5088

Location: Cairo, entrance to Fort Defiance State Park.

Text: The plaque outlines the history of Cairo from the time Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix, a French Jesuit, reported as early as 1721 that the land at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers would be a strategic location for settlement and fortification. The marker traces the development of trade in the city and its importance during the Civil War. Location: Illinois 3, in a rest area on the west side of highway, just north of Thebes.

Text: The plaque tells the story of steamboat traffic on the Mississippi, from Zebulon Pike’s arrival in St. Louis in 1817 to an 1867 investigation that revealed the hulls of 133 sunken steamboats between Cairo and St. Louis.

Location: U.S. 60-62, near entrance to Fort Defiance State Park.

Text: The history of Illinois is outlined on this plaque, from exploration

by Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette to George Rogers Clark’s victory at Fort Kaskaskia, to Illinois becoming a state in 1821 to the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Location: Cairo, in Lansden Park on the west side of Walnut St. near the intersection with Charles St. Text: The flagpole of the Tigress, a Civil War vessel that carried U.S. Grant to the battle of Shiloh, was returned to Cairo after the vessel was sunk during the siege of Vicksburg.

Location: In a rest area

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on Illinois 3, on the west side of highway, near the intersection with Illinois 146 toward Cape Girardeau.

Text: A welcome to Illinois, this plaque outlines the history of the state, including the effects of the New Madrid earthquake. The earthquake brought a new wave of settlers, as did the end of the War of 1812. The natural beauty of the region, specifically Shawnee National Forest and Horseshoe Lake.

Franklin County Location: Just south of the turn-around square in downtown Benton at 204 S. Main.

Text: This marks the site of the home of John A. and Mary Logan. The pair was married in 1855 in Shawneetown and moved to Benton, where Logan practiced law. He was a state politician, a Civil War general and he ran for vice president in 1884. They lived in the house until the Civil War began in 1861. Mary moved to Carbondale at that time.

Gallatin County Location: The marker is just west of the town hall in downtown New Haven, northeast side of Vine Street.

Text: This is the site of a mill built by Jonathon Boone, Daniel Boone’s brother, about 1800. He died in that location in 1808 and his son continued to operate the mill until 1818.

Location: On the southeast corner of Shawneetown, between West Lincoln Boulevard and East Lincoln Boulevard, facing Illinois 13.

Text: Michael A. Lawler,

an Irish native, arrived in Shawneetown in 1818. He fought in the Mexican War and recruited the 18th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He was wounded at the siege of Fort Donelson and was later promoted to major general.

Location: On the southwest corner of Shawneetown, between West Lincoln Boulevard and East Lincoln Boulevard, facing south toward Illinois 13.

Text: James A. Wilson was born near Shawneetown in 1837.

After being educated at McKendree College and the U.S. Military Academy, he commanded the Sheridan’s Third Cavalry Division. Troops under his command captured Jefferson Davis.

He also fought in the Spanish-American War. Location: The southeast section of Old Shawneetown. It is in front of Marshall House on Main Street with the levee on one side and the approach to the Ohio River Bridge on the other side.

Text: John Marshall, one of the founders and the president of Bank of Illinois, lived in a house at this site. The Bank of Illinois was the first bank chartered by the state. He was elected to represent Gallatin County in the first state Legislature. He died in 1858.

Location: One mile west of Equality on the south side of Illinois 142.

Text: This is the site of one of the largest salt works west of the Alleghenies. Initially, French and Native Americans made salt at the site. In later days, the salt works made up to 500 bushels per day.

Location: The east side of Main Street in Old

Shawneetown, just north and across the street from the large Greek Revival Shawneetown Bank.

Text: The Rawlings Hotel was erected on this site in 1821-22. Moses Rawlings owned the establishment until 1841.

The hotel was the site of a reception for Marquis de Lafayette in 1824-25.

It was destroyed by fire in 1904.

Hardin County Location: In Rosiclare on the right side, on Main Street, after Illinois 43 comes to an end. It is near the entrance of American Fluorite Museum.

Text: Flourite was discovered near this site

by James Anderson while digging a well. The area produced the largest and deepest fluorite mines in the world.

Jackson County Location: City Park in the southeast corner of Ava. Text: George Rogers Clark and his army of 170 men camped within five miles of this site during his trek from Fort Massac to Kaskaskia. Two days after camping here, Clark liberated Kaskaskia.

Location: Carbondale, on the southwest corner of Woodlawn Cemetery, which is on the south side of Main Street.

Text: On April 29, 1866, 200 veterans of the Civil War gathered at Woodlawn Cemetery to honor those who had died in the Civil War. Gen. John A. Logan delivered the address. This memorial is credited with leading to the observance of Memorial Day. SEE MARKERS / PAGE 26

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MARKERS: From Lincoln to Logan, many of history’s finest have had moments in our region FROM PAGE 25

army of 170 men camped here June 30, 1778.

Location: Fort Massac Jefferson County State Park.

Location: Mount Text: George Rogers Vernon, on the east side Clark arrived at Fort of the Jefferson County Massac in June 1778 Courthouse grounds, under orders from facing east at 14th and Virginia to capture Main streets.

British outposts in Text: The Appellate Illinois.

Court Building was Location: U.S. 45, a halfconstructed in 1848. In mile north of Brookport.

1870, Mount Vernon was Text: The plaque named the seat of the outlines the early Fourth District. The historical importance of Supreme Court of Illinois Southern Illinois, shared the building until including the 1897. establishment of Location: In the parking Kaskaskia as the first lot of Jefferson County territorial capital and the Historical Society’s first official state capital Pioneer Park, on North at Vandalia.

27th Street, one half-mile Location: Massac north of Richview Road.

County.

Text: This plaque marks Text: The plaque traces Goshen Road, a major the significance of U.S. artery from 45 from Harrisburg, to Shawneetown to the oil fields of Wayne Edwardsville, a distance County, to the end of the of about 150 miles. Most glacial territory near of the early settlements Mattoon, through between these two points Champaign-Urbana, were located on Goshen Kankakee and Joliet.

Road.

Massac County Location: U.S. 45 at Fort Massac State Park entrance, Metropolis.

Text: The high bank overlooking the Ohio River drew inhabitants from prehistoric times. It was also the site of several forts, including a French structure built in 1757 and named after Marquis de Massiac, a naval minister. George Rogers Clark arrived at this site in 1778. Later, in 1794, George Washington recommissioned the fort.

In 1908, this site was designated Illinois’ first state park.

Location: Indian Point.

Text: This is the first campsite used by George Rogers Clark on his march from Fort Massac to Kaskaskia. He and his

Westfalia, Germany. The present church was built in 1863. This church is considered the mother church for several other congregations in the area.

Location: In Monroe County, eight miles west of Waterloo.

Text: Maeystown was founded by Jacob Maeys in 1852. The original settlers were German, part of the Forty-Eighter movement. Several original stone buildings still exist, including Maeys’ home.

Randolph County

Location: The east side of Illinois 3, 3.5 miles north of Ellis Grove and about 18 miles above Chester.

Text: This plaque marks “The American Bottom,” which was described as an early settler as “A more congenial soil for general cultivation I believe no where exists, it may be called the Elysium of America.” Ancient settlers of Southern Illinois used the area for agriculture.

The American Bottom served as a center of Pulaski County settlement for French, British and finally Location: New Grand Chain, on the east side of Americans.

Location: Illinois 3, Illinois 37, directly below Evansville Road, west of Joppa County Road.

Text: A U.S. Army post, Schuline.

Text: Charter Oak Cantonment WilkinsonSchool is believed to be Ville, was established three miles from this spot the only octagonal oneroom schoolhouse in in 1797 by Lt. Col. David Strong. It was garrisoned Illinois. It was built in 1873. It served as a school until 1804. Col. Strong and scores of soldiers are until 1953. The octagonal shape utilizes daylight buried on the site. and offers wind Location: Mound City, on the east side of Illinois resistance.

Monroe County Location: 1: In a rest 37 at its intersection with area, southeast side of Fourth Street.

Location: Southeast Illinois 150, about 2 miles Text: During the Civil corner, Church and northeast of Chester. 2: In War, the naval depot of Hoerner streets, a rest area, southeast side the western river fleet Waterloo. of Illinois 3, 2 miles south was in Mound City. The Text: Bellefontaine was of Ellis Grove. 3: In keels of three of Eads’ one of the first Chester Park, toll gate to famous keelboats were settlements established laid here and a large force Mississippi River bridge,

by Americans in Illinois. of men were employed to Missouri 51 near Illinois 3.

It was populated largely Text: These three by the families of George keep the boats in fighting plaques honor the first trim.

Rogers Clark’s troops. governor of Illinois, Location: Mound City, Captain James Moore on the north side of Main Shadrach Bond, who is brought several families buried in Evergreen Street near Central from Maryland and Cemetery in Chester. The Street.

Virginia in 1781-82. The Text: Just 150 yards from first recorded settler in name means beautiful the area was John this spot was a large spring.

McFerron (1817), but Location: In Wartburg at warehouse that was Samuel Smith, who converted into a military 5765 Maeystown Road, settled there in 1830, is hospital in 1861. It was four miles southwest of considered the founder of staffed by Sisters of the Waterloo.

Chester. Chester was Holy Cross throughout Text: Holy Cross formerly known as the Civil War. After the Lutheran Church was Smith’s Landing. The organized in Wartburg by battle of Shiloh, 2,200 Rev. G.A. Schieferdecker wounded Confederate and plaques also outline the history of Kaskaskia, Union soldiers were and residents from including the “Liberty brought here.

Saxony, Thuringia and Bell of the West.”

Location: Eight miles below Ruma, on St. Leo’s Road, at the top of the hill from Bluff Road, about 100 miles south of St. Leo’s Church.

Text: This site marks the grave of George Fisher, an early physician and first sheriff of Randolph County. He was a member of Illinois’ first constitutional convention.

Location: South edge of Ruma, at the southwest corner of the intersection of Illinois 3 and Illinois 155.

Text: Dr. George Fisher

lived on a farm eight miles west of this site from 1806-20. From 1812-16 he was the speaker of the house in the first and third General Assemblies of Illinois Territories.

Location: The parking area of Fort de Chartres State Park, off the southwest side of Illinois 155.

Text: This is the site of Fort de Chartres. The first Fort de Chartres was completed in 1720. Built of wood and exposed to the Mississippi floods, the fort had to be rebuilt in 1727 and 1732. In 1753, construction of a new fort built of stone and farther inland begun under the direction of Francois Saucier. When it was completed in 1756 it was considered one of the finest forts in North America. The British gained control of the area in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris, and in 1765 took possession of the fort, which they renamed Fort Cavendish. They destroyed the fort in 1772 when the encroaching Mississippi waters necessitated its abandonment.

Location: Off Illinois 3 in Chester’s Evergreen Cemetery, near the Governor Shadrach Bond historical marker.

Text: Elias Kent Kane, architect of the state’s first constitution, was born in 1794 in New York.

Kane studied law and began his practice in Tennessee. In 1814, he moved to Kaskaskia, where he was appointed a judge of the Illinois territory. Active in politics, in 1818, Kane was a delegate to the first state constitutional convention. He dominated the convention, which framed a constitution that allowed the retention of slavery. Governor Shadrach Bond appointed Kane as the first secretary of state.

Location: Illinois 3 and Fort Kaskaskia State Park Road.

Text: Fort Kaskaskia, a rectangular wooden stockade, was begun in 1734, completed in 1736, and garrisoned at intervals thereafter by French troops. In 1760 it was rebuilt, but in 1764, after the defeat of the French in the French and Indian War, its garrison was withdrawn. Two years later the people of Kaskaskia destroyed the

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fort to prevent the English from occupying it. The fort was abandoned forever in 1790.

Location: At the rest area adjacent to the covered bridge over Mary’s River, which is four miles northeast of Chester, along Illinois 150.

Text: In the third year of the American Revolutionary War, Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark and his army of 170 Virginians set out from Fort Massac on their way to liberate the town of Kaskaskia from British control. On July 3, 1778, Clark’s army crossed the old state ford near Welge and established its fifth and final camp on the west side of St. Mary’s River. On July 4, Clark’s army marched to a staging point at Diamond Cross and later that evening attacked and secured Kaskaskia.

Location: Off Illinois 3 in Chester’s Evergreen Cemetery near the Governor Bond Memorial.

Text: Shadrach Bond, the first governor of Illinois, was born Nov. 24, 1773, in Fredericktown, Md. He came to Illinois in 1794 and farmed at New Design. In 1805 he was elected to the Indiana Territorial Assembly, where he was instrumental in creating the Illinois and Indiana boundaries. Bond was elected to Congress in 1812 as the first territorial delegate from Illinois. He served in both the 12th and 13th Congresses. In 1818, Bond was elected governor. During his term, the capitol was moved from Kaskaskia to Vandalia.

Location: Illinois 3 in front of the Menard Home State Memorial, Chester.

Text: This home was built about 1800 by Pierre Menard (1776-1844), presiding officer of the Illinois Territorial Legislature and first lieutenant governor. The building is of French Colonial architecture. The kitchen contains the original fireplace and water basin, and a restored bake oven. The original slave house stands at the rear.

Location: Kaskaskia Island near Liberty Bell Monument and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Text: George Rogers Clark’s capture of Kaskaskia in July 1778 doomed British control of

preservation conditions permitted the recovery of many tools and animal and plant remains that have provided significant new insights into the prehistory of Southern Illinois. Sporadic use of the area by small groups of hunters and gatherers can be dated to 8000 B.C. Location: Eldorado, on Illinois 142 on the southeast corner of Broughton Road and State Street. It is at the base of the water tower and diagonally across from the city park.

Text: Here was the home of Samuel Elder, cofounder of Elder-Redo, now called Eldorado, judge of the county court (1849-56), school commissioner, collector, internal revenue, justice of the peace and farmer.

He and his son, William, together with Joseph and William Reed, laid out the village of Eldorado on Aug. 22, 1857.

Location: Threequarters of a mile west of Illinois 34 on the main road, Eldorado Road, in Raleigh. It is on the north side of the street, across from the old bank.

Text: Two hundred feet east of here was the Ingersoll law office. Ebon Clark Ingersoll and Robert Green Ingersoll, his younger brother, before they moved to Peoria, had a successful law practice in Saline County Circuit Court which met in Raleigh, the first county seat of Saline County, 1847-59.

Location: 1.5 miles east of the intersections of Routes 45 and 142. It is on the north side of the road near the intersection of Illinois 142 and Moore Saline County Road.

Location: Just outside Text: In 1816, Congress the northern city limits of appropriated $8,000 to Carrier Mills on the west survey and construct a side of U.S. 45. road from Kaskaskia on Text: This area of some the Mississippi to 143 acres about two miles Shawneetown on the south of Carrier Mills Ohio. It became an was inhabited by important east-west prehistoric people thoroughfare for settlers throughout three entering the Illinois different archeological Territory. At this point periods. Until the turn of the Goshen Trail, which the century, the South ran from Goshen Fork of the Saline River settlement near was a meandering stream Edwardsville to the with large area of swamps Salines, near Equality, and shallow cypress lakes joined the Kaskaskianearby. These areas were Shawneetown Trail. rich in plants and animals Location: The south side that prehistoric of Illinois 34 on the curve inhabitants sought for coming into Galatia from food. Therefore, the the west. It is one halflocality became a natural mile west of the focal point for human downtown area. settlement. In 1978 and Text: From the creation 1979, archaeologists of Saline County in 1847 intensively investigated to the end of the century, this area. Excellent the production of tobacco

the Illinois country. The occupation of Kaskaskia was the first step in Clark’s plan to capture the western headquarters of the British control at Detroit. Clark’s victory and the capture of the other frontier posts opened the Illinois country to westward expansion.

Location: 2.5 miles below Ellis Grove, at the northeast corner of the intersection of Illinois 3 and Shawneetown Trail Road.

Text: From 1703 until it was washed away by the Mississippi two centuries later, the ancient town of Kaskaskia — the second settlement in Illinois, the territorial capital and the first state capital — stood two miles southwest of here. Fort Kaskaskia State Park and the Menard Home are memorials to this once-prominent village.

Location: Two miles southeast below Prairie du Rocher on Bluff Road.

The marker is on the north side of the road at the base of a huge bluff.

Text: As early as 8000 B.C., prehistoric Indians were camping in the shelter of this great sandstone bluff. These nomadic people, who lived by hunting animals and gathering plants for food and fibers, came here regularly for more than 6,000 years. Later Indian groups, who began to settle in villages, used the rock shelter occasionally when hunting. The pioneers and their descendants continued to make use of the shelter in historic times.

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was the principal industry. In 1870, Saline County had the highest tobacco production in the state. The Webber Brothers of Galatia and Raleigh were the largest buyers and processors in the county, some years exporting 1.5 million pounds of tobacco.

Union County Location: In a pull-out area west of Jonesboro on the south side of Illinois 146.

Text: Union County was created Jan. 2, 1818, by an act of the territory of Illinois. Two months later, March 2, 1818, the County Commissioners’ Court established Jonesboro on land donated by John and Juliet Grammar to serve as county seat. In the 1850s it was decided the Illinois Central would run through this area. To ensure the railroad would go through the town, Jonesboro was to have a survey made for the railroad. It is said when the town failed to meet this request, Winstead Davie of Jonesboro submitted a survey routing the railroad through his property east of Jonesboro. A town was established by the railroad and Davie named it Anna in honor of his wife on March 3, 1854. Jonesboro was the site of the third of the seven LincolnDouglas Debates on Sept.

15, 1858. Lincoln received a quiet welcome upon his arrival and spent the night before the debate as a guest of D.L. Phillips of Anna. Douglas’ arrival was better received than Lincoln’s, however, the debate was attended by less than 1,500 unenthusiastic people — the smallest crowd of the series — and neither man gained ground.

Location: Illinois 146, east of Dutch Creek Bridge, east of Ware.

Text: During January 1839, thousands of Cherokee Indians en route from Georgia to Indian Territory, unable to cross the Mississippi because of floating ice, camped along the Dutch Creek in this vicinity. Unprepared for the intense cold, nearly 2,000 of the 13,000 Indians who started lost their lives during the journey.

Location: In the center of Jonesboro, on the west side of a circular turnaround on Illinois 146, where Illinois 127 turns south.

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Text: On Sept. 15, 1858, in the midst of the senatorial campaign of that year, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas met at Jonesboro in the third of the famous series of debates which made Lincoln a national figure. The debate was held in a grove one quarter-mile to the north.

White County Location: One mile south of Epworth, just east of Carmi, in front of Big Prairie Methodist Church.

Text: This church was the cradle of Methodism in White County. Early pioneers risked Indian raids to worship in the cabins of Robert Land and John Hanna. In 1812, presiding elder Peter Cartwright sent circuit rider John Smith to this settlement. This church was organized in Hanna’s house.

Location: 1: On private property, south side of Illinois 460, 5 miles west of Carmi. 2: On private property east side of Illinois 1, south edge of Carmi. 3: Onthe east side of Illinois 1, 2 miles north of Carmi.

Text: On Dec. 9, 1815, the General Assembly of the Illinois territory created White County out of the northern section of Gallatin County. Settlers had been in the area for almost a decade before Carmi was platted as the seat of the new county in 1816. James Ratcliff, Daniel Hay and Leonard White were joint proprietors of Carmi, and Hay selected for the community the name which can be traced back to the Biblical character who was a son of Reuben, nephew of Joseph and grandson of Jacob. Other sites of historical interest in Carmi include the Ratcliff Inn, where Abraham Lincoln stayed in 1840 while campaigning for Whig presidential candidate

William Henry Harrison and which was restored in 1960 by the White County Historical Society, and the house built in 1871 by Colonel Everton J. Conger, commander of the troops who captured John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin.

Historical markers have been erected on these sites.

Location: Carmi, on the south side of Cross Street, just east of Main Street.

Text: This house was built by early settler John Craw before 1817. In 1835 it was purchased by John M. Robinson, U.S. senator (1831-43) and Illinois Supreme Court justice (1843).

Location: Carmi, at 302 W. Main St., which is on the northwest side of the street.

Text: Col. Everton J. Conger, who commanded the troops capturing Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, built this house in 1871. He practiced law in Carmi, became a federal judge in the Montana Territory, and later moved to Hawaii ,where he was an advisor to Queen Liliuokalani.

Location: The east side of U.S. 45, about halfway between Enfield and Norris City.

Text: In 1816, the Rev. James McGready of Kentucky organized Sharon, the first Presbyterian Church in Illinois, with Peter Miller, James Mayes and James Rutledge as ruling elders.

Three miles northeast of this site, B. F. Spilman, active Presbyterian Church organizer, was ordained in 1824.

Location: Carmi, at 312 S. First St. Text: The music for “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton” was composed by Jonathon Edwards Spilman in 1836. He entered the ministry in 1858 and became pastor of

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the First Presbyterian Church in 1881. This church had been organized by his brother, Benjamin F. Spilman, on Nov. 25, 1827, and was the first church in Carmi.

Location: In the small hamlet of Burnt Prairie, which is on a county road just below I-64 and 4.5 miles east of Mill Shoals.

The marker is two blocks north of the main road through the town, on Second Street, on the grounds of Historic Morrison Mill.

Text: This mill, started in 1833 by Andrew Smith, was continued by his descendants, the Morrison family, until 1964. The flint mill stones, imported from France, had been grinding corn since 1859. The town, named Liberty by Scotch pioneers who settled here around 1816, was later renamed Burnt Prairie.

Location: Carmi, on the east side of the street at 206 E. Main.

Text: This building was erected in 1828 by James Ratcliff. Nicknamed ‘Old Beaver’ because of his energy, he was a founder of Carmi (1816), an innkeeper, merchant and postmaster, and White County’s first clerk, recorder and probate judge. Abraham Lincoln lodged here in 1840.

Location: Enfield, in a small plaza next to the Village Hall, directly across from the Post Office on Main Street, just east of U.S. 45.

Text: Alma mater of United States Sens.

William E. Borah, Idaho, and Wesley L. Jones, Washington. This educational institution was chartered by Cumberland Presbyterian Church (1873). From the 1890s until 1935 it was a public school. It was purchased for use as a community center by the Kiwanis Club and Enfield Citizens in 1967.

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THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2009