By Tom Emery CARLINVILLE—Blackburn College is celebrating a record capital campaign that raised over $26.3 million for the school. The Creating Opportunity campaign exceeded the goal of $25 million in the most successful fund-raising effort in Blackburn history. The campaign brought in donations and pledges from alumni, staff, faculty, and friends of the college. “This […]
Project of Gillespie man wins award from ISHS
Contributed article by Tom Emery A historical and free reading project conceived by a rural Gillespie man has earned the Certificate of Excellence from the Illinois State Historical Society. A Rough Broken Country: Diary of a Wagon Train to the California Gold Rush was the conception of Lindell Loveless, a retired hog producer and businessman […]
Old postcards provide clues to courthouse cannon
By Tom Emery CARLINVILLE – A pair of recently-discovered old postcards may provide some clues to research on the cannon that adorns the grounds of the Macoupin County courthouse. Organizers of an effort to restore the cannon have asked for the public’s help in locating information on the six-pound, 1841 cannon, including historical background such […]
Archives find solve mystery of Blackburn’s one-armed baseball player
Contributed article by Tom Emery CARLINVILLE – A discovery of long-forgotten articles in the Blackburn College archives has solved a lingering, and surprisingly controversial, mystery of the school’s history. The story involves a one-armed baseball player at Blackburn from a century ago, and in recent years, debates have erupted over his identity. One popular belief […]
Third edition of “SamJam” to raise money, awareness for neurofibromatosis
By Tom Emery CARLINVILLE—Twelve hours of some of the finest progressive bluegrass in the Midwest will be on display at SamJam 2016 at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 17. The event will raise funds and awareness for neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that disturbs cell growth in the nervous system and causes tumors […]
Macoupin County Civil War group works to restore Civil War cannon
By Tom Emery CARLINVILLE — After successful efforts to restore two Civil War flags, members of the Macoupin County Civil War Round Table are now working to restore the historic Civil War-era cannon on the grounds of the Macoupin County courthouse. The cannon, located on the south side of the courthouse block, is a local […]
Sunday marks 10 years since Vince Demuzio’s Death
by Tom Emery Sunday, April 27 marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Vince Demuzio, the longtime state senator and a powerful political voice of downstate Illinois. His legacy lives on in a multitude of ways. Demuzio (D-Carlinville) was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 1974 and served until his death from colon […]
Blackburn to host World’s Longest Soccer Game
by Tom Emery CARLINVILLE, IL – A small college in central Illinois will be the site of the world’s longest soccer game April 10-13, an event that will raise money for pediatric cancer. Blackburn College in Carlinville, 45 miles south of Springfield, will host a Guinness World Record attempt for the world’s longest soccer game […]
2014 is 125th Anniversary of Macoupin County’s Kentucky Derby winner
by Tom Emery A unique historical anniversary for central Illinois comes up on Saturday, May 9, which marks 125 years since the Kentucky Derby victory of Spokane, who was bred just north of Carlinville. The legendary story of Spokane, one of the most cherished of the early winners of the Derby, was rooted in his breeding […]
Macoupin Civil War Group seeks to restore another flag
by Tom Emery After successfully spearheading the restoration of a Civil War flag last year, members of a Civil War group in Macoupin County are embarking on another project to refurbish a different flag. The latest project is for the regimental colors of the 122nd Illinois Infantry, which was comprised mostly of men from Macoupin […]
Original Civil War Print back home in Macoupin County
Written and contributed by Tom Emery An original print of a Civil War photograph is back home in Macoupin County, thanks to an antique tractor sale in Wisconsin. The photo is of Company F of the Seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry on a rocky outgrowth of Lookout Mountain, Ga. It was found pressed in a book […]