What’s the Military Tract?

Historical Background

During the Revolutionary War, a land-rich and cash-poor Continental Congress promised bounty land as an inducement to military service. For this war and other wars in which the United States engaged during the years 1812-1855, the issuance of bounty land warrants to veterans or their heirs as a form of reward for service was continued.

The first series of warrants for War of 1812 service were issued under acts of December 24, 1811, January 11, 1812, and May 6, 1812, in which Congress provided that non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving for five years (unless discharged sooner), or their heirs, would be entitled to 160 acres of land from the public domain in partial compensation for their military service. Six million acres of land in the Territories of Michigan, Illinois, and Louisiana were set aside for this purpose.

The second series resulted from an act of December 10, 1814, by which Congress doubled the acreage offered to soldiers enlisting after that date. Warrants issued under the act were called Double Bounty Warrants.

War of 1812 Veteran Benefits

In 1811 when war with Britain seemed imminent, Congress Authorized bounty land to be given to veterans of Federal Service as one of the provisions to stimulate enlistments. Every man who would enlist for five years, or later, for the duration of the war was offered a $16 cash bounty and 160 acres of land. The Act of December 10, 1814, offered each non-commissioned officer and soldier who enlisted and was later honorably discharged a bounty of 320 acres.

The Acts passed between 1811 and 1816 contained the following bounty land provisions:

1) Commissioned officers could not receive bounty land. At first those promoted to commissioned officers had to give up their rights to bounty land, but this restriction was eliminated in 1816. It was not until 1850 that Congress awarded officers 160 acres of bounty land.

2) Only troops in the federal service were eligible. In 1852 soldiers of state militia and volunteers were given bounty land.

3) Children under 16 years of age, heirs of veterans eligible for warrants, could instead collect five years’ half pay.

4) Land could be located only in the military tracts. After selecting the tract the veteran drew a quarter-section by lot.

5) Warrants could not be assigned and land could not be transferred until the title was issued. Lawyers were able to circumvent this by having the veteran sign a power of attorney and then recording the title in the lawyer’s name.

illinois_military_tract_mapIllinois Military Tract

Congress designated three areas to be used for bounty lands in Michigan, Illinois and a portion of the Louisiana Territory which later became part of Arkansas. After the surveyor reported that the Michigan Military Tract was not suitable for settlement, so the size of the Illinois Military Tract was increased from 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 acres, and a new tract in northern Missouri was created.

It was necessary to survey the public domain before the land could be allocated. While Military Tract lands were set aside by the Act of 1812, Congress failed to provide funds for the survey of these lands until 1815. These surveyors divided the land into townships, sections and quarter-sections. Only those lands fit for cultivation were to be designated for bounty lands. Salt springs, lead mines and Section 16 of each township were to be reserved for government use.

Laying the Lines

Within the confines of a county are normally sixteen townships.  Each township should be six miles square, and was further divided into sections of land, each containing 640 acres.  The 160 acres allotted to veterans comprised a quarter section of land, which used the descriptive elements shown to locate the land.

Within the confines of a county are normally sixteen townships. Each township should be six miles square, and was further divided into sections of land, each containing 640 acres. The 160 acres allotted to veterans comprised a quarter section of land, which used the descriptive elements shown to locate the land.

Surveyors immediately ran into problems with the Potawatomi Indians.  They claimed part of the tract as their hunting grounds, charging that the U. S. Treaty of 1804 with the Sac and Fox tribes was invalid. It was necessary to send soldiers from St. Louis to protect the few surveyors who would venture in the Military Tract. A treaty was finally agreed to with the Potawatomi Indians on August 24, 1816, in which they transferred to the United States the land lying south of a line running from the southern tip of Lake Michigan due west to the Mississippi River.

In 1816 at St. Louis, Governor Edwards, William Clark, and Auguste Chouteau talked the Indians into conceding white ownership. It was surveyed from the Fourth Principal Meridian running north from the mouth of the Illinois River and by a base line west from Beardstown. Surveyors worked rapidly and land distribution began in October, 1817. In less than four months some eighteen thousand warrants, each entitling a veteran or his heirs to 160 acres, were exchanged at the general land office at Washington for patents which covered much of the region. The warrants were nontransferable, but the veteran was not required to settle on the land and the patent could be sold the day it was received. Eastern speculators took advantage of elderly or impoverished veterans and purchased most of the bounty lands quickly, sometimes for ten cents an acre.

The Military Tract Today

Ultimately, the land known as the Military Tract in western Illinois gave rise to the present counties of Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, Peoria, Pike, Schuyler, Stark, and Warren Counties. It also includes part of Henry and Bureau Counties, and those parts of Marshall and Putnam which are on the west side of the Illinois River. The area comprises about 5.4 Million acres.  Approximately 3.5 Million was deemed fit for cultivation and was set aside for military bounties.

The Settlement of McDonough County

On June 30, 1821, the Legislature approved the boundaries of McDonough County.  The first known settlement in the area occurred in the spring of 1826, when Charles Carter and Joshua Pennington used their veteran bounties to purchase land near what would become the town of Industry.  While not all the land in the county was claimed directly by veterans, the earliest settlers in the area established the farms and towns of McDonough County on land distributed through military pension land warrants, earned by those who fought for their country in the Revolution and the War of 1812.

For More Information:

The Western Illinois University Libraries Archives and Special Collections is the primary public archive for information relating to the history and development of the Illinois Military Tract.

Boyd, G. A. (2008). Family maps of McDonough County, Illinois. Norman, OK: Arphax Publishing Co.

Clarke, S. J. (1878). History of McDonough County, Illinois: Its cities, towns and villages, with early reminiscences, personal incidents and anecdotes. Springfield, IL: D. W. Lusk, State Printer and Binder.

Cook, W. L. (1998). Index to land coordinates (township and range). Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Western Illinois University.

Database of Illinois War of 1812 Veterans

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/war1812.html

Howard, R. P. (1972). Illinois: A History of the Prairie State. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

List of names of War of 1812 veterans granted bounty lands in Illinois

http://www.yogs.com/il/details/1812.html

“U.S. Revolutionary War Bounty Land Warrants Used in the U.S. Military District of Ohio and Relating Papers (Acts of 1788, 1803, and 1806), 1788-1806” (National Archives Microfilm Publication M829, 16 rolls). Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

. Volkel, L. M. (1977). War of 1812—Bounty lands in Illinois. [originally published as House Document 262, 26tg Congress, 1st Session, 1840]. Thomson, IL: Heritage House.

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The History of the Sciota Bank

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Stain glass window made from glass salvaged from the State Bank of Sciota

Currently on display at the Western Illinois Museum is a unique artifact that blends art and historical memory.  Local resident Dave Kentner has created a window panel from glass salvaged from the State Bank of Sciota prior to its demolition.

The bank was chartered in 1901 by Q. C. Ward and Henry A. Allison, the son of a McDonough County farmer. Ward was a successful businessman who also became active in several banking interests.  Born on February 14, 1838, in Blandinsville Township, Illinois, he married Aura Webb of Warren County in 1860. The Sciota Bank served the interests and financial needs of local residents until the financial hardships of the 1930s.

As with so many other rural Midwestern towns, the Bank of Sciota helped anchor the community’s small but important business district as the heart of the village.  Located on East Douglas Street, the bank was part of a block of buildings that included E. E. Sapp’s general store and grain elevator office, the Liberty Telephone office, a shoemaker’s shop, and another general store that also housed the Sciota post office.

Mr. Ward died on the last day of 1909, and records indicate the bank’s ownership was transferred to J. O. Peasley and others in 1910.  Mr. Peasley was the president of the McDonough County Bank that had also been founded in 1901.  The bank changed its name to The State Bank of Sciota and in the fall of that year became part of the Blandinsville based Huston Banking Company formed by John Huston in October of 1910.

Perhaps the most famous incident which involved the bank was the robbery of October 30, 1924.  According to the Colchester Independent, three armed men entered the building during the afternoon.  After seizing a quantity of cash and Liberty Bonds, the bandits herded the cashier and his assistant into the safe and made good their escape in a Buick with yellow wheels.  The trio never benefited from their loot; five months after the robbery farmer A. E. Graham found the money in his cornfield north of Monmouth.  No one was ever brought to justice for the robbery.

Ultimately, the Great Depression ended the career of the State Bank of Sciota, just as it did with so many other small-town banks.  On November 30, 1930, the state of Illinois shuttered the bank for the purpose of auditing its operations in light of the closure of a partner institution.  The bank never reopened; it went through final receivership in 1937.

The stained glass panel, now on display, helps keep alive the memory of the bank through the preservation of some of the glass that once decorated its windows.  While the building itself is now gone, the pieces of green and gold glass that were preserved help rekindle the memory of one of McDonough County’s many small town banks, once the backbones of their communities, important rural institutions that served area farmers.

Research assistance provided by Carolyn Bowman, and David Kentner.  The wood for the stained glass window was donated by Dan Curtis.  The window will be on display May 1st through July 6, 2013.  The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s historic Courthouse Square.  Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is free.  For more information contact the museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

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Annual Meeting

The Western Illinois Museum invites you to its Annual Meeting: Our History Matters.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2013, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Western Illinois Museum, 201 South Lafayette Street, Macomb, Illinois.

Founded in May of 1974, the Western Illinois Museum is a time tested treasure in our community.  With a passion for exploring, questioning, and discovering our local history, we believe that by preserving artifacts and stories we can build an understanding of the factors that are causing changes around us today.

We invite you to help us celebrate our 39th year!  As we close the exhibit, What We Wore: A Selection from the Clothing Collection, show us what you wore! Dig into your attic or the back of the closet and put on something from your clothing collection.  Come dressed in a favorite family hat, or piece of jewelry.  Do you still have your letter jacket? How about a military uniform?

Dr. Carmen Keist

Dr. Carmen Keist

Our guest speaker, Dr. Carmen Keist, will use clothing in the exhibit to speak about the care of textiles and the stories they tell about people and events.  Her work with the museum’s collection has been key to the preservation of some of our most valuable artifacts.  Her approach to researching and managing our collection is to provide the best care possible while keeping the objects available for museum visitors to learn about and understand the often complex issues of the past.

The Annual Meeting is the occasion to elect and welcome the museum’s Board of Directors.  Members will be asked to exercise their consent for the slate of directors and officers.

The celebration will include a silent auction of collectables to benefit the museum’s Leon Clements Internship Award, which provides funding for both interns and graduate assistants.

Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar catered by Shiloh’s Bar & Bistro. Ticket $15. RSVP by April 22 at info@westernillinoismuseum.org or 309.837.2750.

About Dr. Carmen Keist

Carmen Keist, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dietetics, Fashion Merchandising, and Hospitality at Western Illinois University. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Illinois State University in 2006 in Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design. She earned her Master’s in 2009 and her Doctorate from Iowa State University in Textiles and Clothing in 2012. Her dissertation topic focused on the plus size women’s ready-to-wear clothing industry in the 1910s and 1920s. Keist worked as a graduate assistant (2007-2011) at the Textiles and Clothing Museum on Iowa State’s campus where she enjoyed exhibit design, research, and fulfilling other collection duties. She is currently the Midwest Student Travel Awards Chair and on the Regional Board for Costume Society of America.

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What is the Military Tract?

Military Tract

Military Tract

The Western Illinois Museum will open a new display, What is the Military Tract?, on April 3rd, 2013. The exhibit includes an explanation of how the lands that became McDonough and other area counties was given in payment to the soldiers who served in the War of 1812. The Military Tract was the name given to the area bound by the Illinois and Mississippi rivers that was set aside for men who had enlisted for at least five years.  The exhibit outlines the establishment of these veterans’ benefits, the negotiation with the Potawatomi Indians, and the settlement of the county.

On display will be a land grant certificate signed by President James Monroe (1817-1825). On loan to the museum and included in the exhibit are two deeds, signed by local resident, William H. Randolph in the 1850s, which sells land grant plots owned by War of 1812 soldiers to area settlers. These documents tell the story of the development of McDonough County and its growth in the mid 19th century as lands finally began to be occupied and settled. Research for the exhibit was provided by Michael Illovsky and Dr. Robert Welch.

Re-enactors from Old Fort Madison

Re-enactors from Old Fort Madison

The display’s opening is part of a day long celebration of General Macomb’s 231st birthday which starts with a birthday party in Chandler Park at 3:00. Dr. Eugene Watkins, site supervisor of Old Fort Madison, along with other re-enactors, will set up a typical War of 1812 soldiers’ camp which will include a musket, pistol and cannon from the era. Children will be invited to visit the camp, play typical 1800s children’s games and hear a story read by Macomb Public Library Children’s Librarian, Margaret Sowers. A brief program with remarks from Mayor Inman, and other guests will begin at 4:00, followed by singing Happy Birthday with Ukulele Macomb and then cake!

The celebration will also include a lecture at 7:00 pm at the Western Illinois Museum with Dr. Eugene Watkins who will present, Fort Madison and the War of 1812.

All programs are free and open to the public. The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. For more information visit the museum’s web site at http://westernillinoismuseum.org or call 309.837.2750.

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Fort Madison and the War of 1812

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Dr. Eugene Watkins

As part of General Alexander Macomb’s 231st birthday celebration the Western Illinois Museum is pleased to host Dr. Eugene Watkins, site supervisor of Old Fort Madison.  On April 3, 2013, at 7:00 pm Dr. Watkins will present the lecture, Fort Madison and the War of 1812, at the museum.  This event is free and open to the public.

The region is not often thought of as playing a pivotal role in the War of 1812, although the war’s impact was significant to the development of the area.  Dr. Watkins has a passion for exploring and teaching others about these local events in the context of their national significance.  In addition to the lecture at the museum, Dr. Watkins and other re-enactors from Old Fort Madison will participate in General Macomb’s Birthday party events from 3:00 – 4:30 pm in Chandler Park.

With an undergraduate degree in United States history from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, a Master of Arts in Civil War/Reconstruction from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, and a PhD in the Early Republic Era from the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, Dr. Watkins has brought his knowledge to the area as the Site Supervisor for Old Fort Madison, Iowa.  Managing the Midwest’s oldest American military garrison on the upper Mississippi River, Dr. Watkins works to preserve the heritage of the region.

The lecture will draw upon his research for various articles and publications such as his doctoral dissertation, Cousin Jonathan: The Common United States Soldier in the War of 1812, and his current writing project, a book on Fort Madison.  Dr. Watkin’s presentation at the museum will focus on the fort’s involvement in the war and how that fit into the overall war effort on the frontier.

At the lecture, New Copperfield’s Book Services will make a number of books about the history of the War of 1812 in the region available for sale.

The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s historic Courthouse square. For more information contact the Western Illinois Museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

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General Macomb’s Birthday Party

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm

The City of Macomb, the Macomb Public Library and the Western Illinois Museum are planning a birthday party! Wednesday, April 3rd is the 231st birthday of General Alexander Macomb, the city’s namesake.  The party will be held in Chandler Park from 3:00 to 4:30 pm. The rain location will be the Western Illinois Museum.  The event is free and open to the public.

This year’s party will include activities for children to learn more about the early 1800s and the founding of the region.  Beginning at 3:00 pm children can visit with Dr. Eugene Watkins, site supervisor for Old Fort Madison, and other War of 1812 re-enactors to learn about their muskets, equipment and the life of a soldier.  Children are also invited to play the 1800’s children’s game, Hoops and Sticks and enjoy story time with Macomb Public Library’s Children’s Librarian, Margaret Sowers, who will read a story about the era to provide a child’s point of view.

“This year’s party will include opportunities for children to learn more about the events that led to the founding of Macomb. I invite the community to come out for the party and join in celebrating our community and its rich heritage,” commented Mayor Inman.

At 4:00, Boy Scout Troop 315 will present the colors and Macomb’s Mayor, Mike Inman, will speak.  Dr. Eugene Watkins will provide a brief presentation of the life and contributions made by Alexander Macomb and the impact the War of 1812 had on the region.  Birthday cake will be served after the presentation.

Ukulele Macomb will be on hand to lead the singing of happy birthday as well as to play period music.  Song sheets will be available for anyone wishing to join in the singing.  The General Macomb Chapter of the DAR will also participate in the event and display their chapter flag.

“This is a great occasion for all ages to take a look at the significance of our town’s history,” commented Sue Scott, curator of the Western Illinois Museum.  General Macomb (April 3, 1782–June 25, 1841) was a key figure in the war of 1812, contributing to a decisive victory at the Battle of Plattsburg.  His stunning victory and his being awarded a Congressional Gold Medal made him a well known figure in the country.  The choice to name the town in his honor speaks to Alexander Macomb’s prominence as well as reflecting the fact that the land in the region was issued as payment to the soldiers who volunteered in the War of 1812.

For those interested in learning more about the War of 1812 in our region, the Western Illinois Museum will host Dr. Eugene Watkins for the lecture, Fort Madison and the War of 1812, on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7:00 pm.  That lecture will be free and open to the public.

Chandler Park is located at the corner of Lafayette and east Calhoun Streets in Macomb.  The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square.  For more information visit the museum’s web site at http://westernillinoismuseum.org or contact the Western Illinois Museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

 

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Last Day of Winter with Chris Vallillo

coverThe Western Illinois Museum welcomes singer, songwriter Chris Vallillo for a program on Friday, March 15 at 7:00 pm. The program will be held at the museum followed by a reception to celebrate the artist’s newly released CD.  Refreshments will be served and a cash bar catered by Shiloh’s Bar & Bistro will be available.  Suggested donation at the door is $5.00.

The Last Day of Winter is the latest CD by Macomb-based musical artist, Chris Vallillo.   He has a unique talent for using song to reveal historical details of people and places.  Following his successful release of Abraham Lincoln in Song, Chris has turned his attention to the common men and women and the cycles of life that are ever apparent in a rural community. The Last Day of Winter paints a portrait in song that is given voice by a number of antique instruments, some made in our region.  The program celebrates the tradition of story-telling songwriting as a record of the culture and traditions common to our region.  Many of the wide variety of instruments used to record the CD will be part of the program, including some that hold stories of the area’s history of music making.  Chris will be joined for the program by Rocky Maffit, award winning percussionist, author, and educator who often uses basic tools like wooden boxes and even his body to create rhythm.  Rocky is the perfect accompaniment to Chris’s compelling songs and collection of antique instruments.  It is easy to imagine a similar pair of musicians playing on a front porch in McDonough County in the last century.

For more information contact the museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency and the Two Rivers Arts Council, a regional arts organization.

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Volunteer Hours for 2012

Thank you to all the following people who volunteered at the museum in 2012. This year our volunteers clocked 1670 hours of service helping with programs, exhibits and managing the collection.  Read the museum’s Annual Report to learn more about all we accomplished!  
As of December 31, 2012

 1 to 20 Hours

Colin Anderson                        Patrick Hamman                   Rogelio Hernandez

Boy Scout Troop 350              John Cox                                 Alex Herrera

Jan Armstrong                         Kylie Davenport                      Spencer Hill

Jess Baker                                Terry Daugherty                      Amy Howe

Roger Barclay                          Alice Davenport                       Katy Hunt

Don Bath                                 Jenna Decker                           Josh Jefferson

Christine & Marty Belz         Tim Doctor                              Bill & Jan Johnson

Lauren Biestek                        Jamie Duncan                         Jasmine Jones

Enrique Boche                         Calen Edgar                             Jewell Jones

Joanne Boit                              David Egler                             Michael Kahler

Ray & Lynne Brinker              Oluwasola Elegebede            Brian Kandal

Andrew Brown                         Exstavion Guy                         Alexandra Lamar

Borris Cayemitte                      Jason Fonte                             Jason Langland

Bryan Christensen                   Tim Frekleton                        Corrine & Tom Lonergan

Nancy Chu                               Joslyn Fukami                         Peggy Ma

Patrick Clark                            Javiar Garcia                           Kayleigh Marcotti

Mary Clements                        Bridget Gatzke                        Arturo Martinez

Leon Clements                        Amanda Goerlitz                     Michael McGowan

Emmalou Melvin                    Gene Miller                              Saman Moniri

Justin Morgan                         Elizabeth Nelson                    Sue Nolan

Julie Oesper                             Rodolfo Perez                          Sara Railsback

Timothy Roberts                     Quintin Ross-Miller              Thea Ross-Miller

Molly Ryan                              Jayne Schiek                            Meg Severson

Sheila Shearer                          Patrick Stout                           Amy Surratt

Zackory Tayler                         Terry Dougherty                     Peg Vallillo

Lauren Wallentin                     Phil Weiss                                John White

Anthony Williams                    Sara Wood                               Fan Zhou

20 to 40 Hours

Ebony Allen                            Marlaina Haberman                 Carmen Keist

Sylvia Hofer                            Jason Matkack                          Craig Nellum

Estela Pledge                           Anthony Vallillo

40 to 60 Hours

Peggy Carlile                           Lowell & Lois Lueck               Heather Munro

Bob Welch                               Dirk Yarker

60 and Over

WAVE                                    Kelly Jilek                                Karen Mencel

John Ceglarek                      Mike Kirby

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What We Wore

DSCN4479_2962The Western Illinois Museum is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition, What We Wore: A Selection from the Clothing Collection.  A reception to celebrate the opening of the new exhibit will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2013, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.  Refreshments will be served.

The opening reception will include a celebration of World Ukulele Day.  Ukulele Macomb will lead a sing-a-long from 12:30 – 2:00 pm.  Everyone is welcome to join in playing any stringed instrument. Those who enjoy singing but do not play an instrument are welcome and encouraged to attend. The group meets weekly at the museum and their enthusiasm for the ukulele has encouraged people of all ages to learn to play music and enjoy singing together.

The museum has an extensive collection of clothing dating as early as the 1880s and includes children’s, men’s and women’s apparel.  What We Wore includes a selection of gowns, everyday wear, sports clothing, uniforms and accessories that tell the stories of those who wore them.

A number of ornately decorated dresses are on view.  It is common to save the special occasion clothing; they tell the stories of the times and the events at which they were worn. One example is the wedding dress that belonged to Nellie Haynes who married Warner Gesler on June 20, 1893, at the age of 16.  Also on display is a black dress that once belonged to L. Luella Cole-French who was born in Bushnell in 1856. She was an accomplished seamstress, working in Chicago before returning to Bushnell later in her life.  In 1956, at the age of 99, she was crowned queen of Bushnell during the city’s centennial celebration.

Uniforms are a common type of clothing ranging from the very ornate to the practical.  The exhibit includes the popular Buffalo fur coat that was standard issued by the Army from the mid-1870s through the 1910s as well as other military uniforms from World War I through the Gulf War.

Band uniforms are also common in our region.  Examples of a uniform worn in the 1930s by the Western Illinois State Teachers College Band under the direction of W. H. Eller is on display as well as a tan, stylish uniform worn in the post-war era, from 1949 through 1956.

The exhibit will be on view January 22 through April 20, 2013.  Dr. Robert Welch and Dr. Carmen Keist provided research assistance for the exhibit.  The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square.  The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Admission is free, donations appreciated.  For more information, contact the museum at 309.837.2750 or info@westernillinoismuseum.org.

 

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2012 Annual Report

Our Roots

The Western Illinois Museum

The Western Illinois Museum

The Western Illinois Museum was founded in 1974 by community members, along with the faculty and students of Western Illinois University (WIU).  Its mission is to collect, preserve, study, exhibit, and interpret significant artifacts that illustrate the history and culture of Western Illinois, while providing related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge of the region.

By 1998 the museum had collected over 6,000 artifacts, outgrowing its space at WIU.  A group of interested citizens and city officials thought the museum would be better utilized in Macomb’s downtown area and housed in its own building.  The relocation of the museum to a downtown location in 2002 has provided greater opportunities to offer educational programming for the region. The Western Illinois Museum now mounts three exhibitions with an average of over 2,800 visitors a year, and organizes a wide range of programs to engage the community in knowing, understanding and learning from its history and traditions.

Resource and Development

John Ceglarek with students from Dallas City Elementary School

John Ceglarek with students from Dallas City Elementary School

Staff
At the end of 2011, the Board of Directors made a decision to change the curator’s position from hourly to salaried. This decision has helped to stabilize the budget, knowing what expenses for wages would be incurred for the year.  Along with this change, the position would now include sick days and vacation benefits.  The board also changed the expected hours for the curator from 20 to 30 per week.

In addition to the curator’s position, the museum staff has included a VISTA volunteer.  These volunteers are paid by the Committee for National and Community Service and are expected to work 40 hours a week.  Their work is specifically in the areas of education and volunteer management.

Interns and graduate assistants provided additional staff support in 2012.  Interns earn up to three credit hours and work 90 hours a semester (about six hours a week).  There is no cost to the museum to have an intern.  Graduate assistants can work between 13 and 20 hours a week with the museum paying a portion of the stipend these students receive for their work.  The graduate assistant positions are funded by the museum’s Leon Clements Scholarship Fund.  In addition to the more substantial hours graduate assistants can work, the other advantage is that they can work with the museum for two semesters.  They are able to take on projects that are more extensive.  Strategically, this is a good stepping-stone to building the museum’s paid staff.

Bill Welt

Bill Welt

Capital Improvements
This year the museum has invested in audio-visual equipment with the assistance of contributions from a board member and the Genealogical Society.  A new projector, stand and screen were purchased and installed in the meeting room.

A new laptop computer was also donated by a board member to replace the one that was not functioning.  This brings the number of working stations at the museum back to four.  Also, this year, the museum received an Illinois Historical Records Preservation grant to purchase an upgrade of PastPerfect, the software the museum uses to manage the collection and contributions / memberships.  The upgrade allows the four stations to be networked, which has led to greater accuracy and a time saving for the staff.

Volunteer Management
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In 2012, the museum received the assistance of over 40 active volunteers who clocked 1,670 hours of service. The roster of volunteers has grown to include a number of students from WIU who volunteer as part of their class service requirements.  These students have helped the museum tap into sororities and fraternities when events, like the Haunted Museum, need a larger pool of one-time volunteers.

The quarterly volunteer meetings have been reworked to include a potluck and volunteer cookbook project.  This has increased the number of volunteers who attend and is building a strong sense of community among the group.

Forming Partnerships
The museum has formed a number of partnerships that range from ongoing programs to working to co-organize events.  These collaborations built new audiences for the museum as well as allow for the museum to hold more extensive programming.

The museum continues its partnership with the McDonough County Women’s Social Service Memorial, a committee of the GFWC Macomb Woman’s Club.  The club uses the museum’s 501(c)3 status for contributors to the monument that is being planned for Chandler Park.  The museum does not use any of these contributed funds for any of its operating or programming expenses.  The museum’s role is to help educate the community about the women being honored and the club has provided panels about the accomplishments of the women, which are on display at the museum.

Ukulele Macomb playing at the Western Illinois Museum

Ukulele Macomb playing at the Western Illinois Museum

Another successful partnership is with Ukulele Macomb.  This group uses the museum meeting room to practice two days a week.  They encourage all participants to become members of the museum and this has helped grow the museum’s membership ranks.  This past year they have also made contributions of the donations they receive from their performances. This year, three Ukulele 101 workshops were held at the museum with all proceeds donated to the museum.  This partnership is also an integral part of the new program the museum is developing to use music practice and appreciation to mentor school age children.

The Business Partners program is also growing.  This year’s success has come from approaches made for very specific needs.  The Game of the Year and the Haunted Museum are the programs local businesses showed their support for with over 17 businesses contributing.  A number of businesses also provided in-kind support for the events.

Tweek_1crophis past summer, the museum worked with the YMCA to provide programs for summer campers.  The partnership brought new families to the museum’s educational program, and we will continue to develop this partnership to see how best to take advantage of what we each can offer local youth.

This fall the museum worked with Dr. David Rohall, WIU professor of Sociology, to provide his students with training in how to conduct an oral history interview.  The students were responsible for conducting interviews of veterans as part of the museum’s Veterans Oral History Project.  Twenty seven interviews were conducted at the museum and those interviews are now part of the museum’s collection.

2012_income_chartsMemberships and Contributions
The museum continues to see a rise in the number of members.  By the end of 2012, the museum had 305 members, and the yearly revenue generated by memberships has increased by 37%.  The diverse programs have helped to build the member base.  The Courthouse Square book that was an incentive in the summer membership drive brought 55 new members.  Also, this year the museum has seen a rise in the number of people using the museum’s online PayPal feature to become a member.2012_expense_charts

Individual contributions continue to see slow growth with a substantial increase in support for the Leon Clements Scholarship Fund.  A brokerage account has been set up this year and the museum has received two contributions of stock.  The Executive Committee has decided to hold this stock and these contributions are not reflected in the totals for the year.

Sharing Discoveries

Exhibits
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Three exhibits were on view at the museum in 2012: Home Front: Life During the Civil War (February 11 – May 26); Legacy of Learning: A History of our Local Schools (June 23 – September 22); and Made in McDonough County (October 19 – December 29).  Attendance at each exhibit averaged about 500 visitors as recorded by signatures in the guest book. This year, nearly 700 school age children have visited the museum as part of school field trips.  With the help of the VISTAs and graduate assistants the museum has been able to provide hands-on activities for these students.

The Artifact of the Month program is still active and continues to bring visitors into the museum.  In addition to the articles running in the local paper, these articles are posted on the museum’s web site and have become a source of inquires about our collection from all across the country.

The meeting room, front lobby and windows have become another area for the museum to display its collection.  Special exhibits such as the Veterans Oral History project is one example of these types of displays.  These have provided additional areas for visitors to explore while also giving a glimpse the museum’s collection to other visitors to the building.

The exhibits have found a wider audience with the help of articles in the newspaperand radio programs as well as being featured on Mark McDonald’s, Illinois Stories.  The walking tour that was part of the Home Front exhibit and the Made in McDonough County exhibit were features on the public television program.

Diverse Programming
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In 2012, there has been a noted increase in the number of families attending the programs such as the Game of the Year, the Haunted Museum and the Who Collects What… with the Western Illinois Doll Study Club.  Over 1,900 people attended a public program at the museum this year.

Outreach
In 2012, the outreach program which brings local history and museum artifacts to schools, community centers and elder care facilities has continued to grow.  New programs on topics such Civil War music, history of photography in our region and jazz improvisation has helped the museum gain a reputation for quality programs. This year eight programs were presented reaching 250 people who are not able to visit the museum. These programs are presented free of charge and presented by trained volunteers.

Carmen Keist

Carmen Keist

A Place to Serve
The museum continues an active role in providing professional training for area students.  In 2012, the museum had two graduate students from the history department complete three credit hour internships.  They assisted with research for the exhibits, development of programs for the summer camp and outreach programs and helped with management of the collection.  This year, the museum has had two graduate assistants who have assisted with public programs, volunteer management, and the development of a mobile app.  To date the museum has had 13 interns and two graduate assistants.

A number of students this year have chosen the museum to complete their course volunteer requirements. They are mostly undergraduate students and they can assist with a range of tasks including administrative tasks.  They have become a valuable source of assistance and their work can often be supervised by the graduate assistant or VISTA.  Other volunteer groups include the W.A.V.E. student volunteer group that has continued to help the museum once a week for an hour during the course of the semester.

Moving Forward

Goals for 2013
Over the last four years, the Western Illinois Museum has established a steady and consistent growth in its financial support, increase in visitors and greater participation from volunteers of all kinds.  The Board of Directors believes this measured and strategic plan for the community’s museum is the most responsible.  In 2013 the following goals will be a priority for the organization.

civil_war_time_travelersIncrease the number of people who use the museum: In 2013, the staff and board are planning a calendar of exhibits and programs that will provide the community with affordable, enjoyable and educational programming for all ages and interests.

Collection Research: The museum’s collection has over 6,000 artifacts and each of these items holds a story which provides an understanding of how our region grew and changed during its 182 years.  Quality exhibits, compelling programs in and outside of the museum and a new mobile application are a few innovative ways that are being planned to bring these stories to the community.

Renovation of Facilities: In 2012, a plan for phase one of the renovation of the east half of the 201 South Lafayette building was created.  Making that space usable is key to the continued growth of the museum.  In 2013 the board and staff will conduct a study of how to fund this phase one expansion that will make this vision a reality.

spring_lakeAn Invitation
We invite you to support the museum and the exciting projects that are being planned for 2013.  To achieve these goals the museum needs the community’s support either by making a contribution over a three to five year period or through annual memberships.  Ongoing support provides the museum with a sound fiscal outlook that facilitates planning and growth.  As the board and staff undertake these goals for the coming year, your contribution, no matter the size, will be a vote of confidence and show your commitment to preserving our heritage as a way to building a better understanding of how to face our future.

We invite you to join us in these endeavors-

Western Illinois Museum Board Members

Lois Lueck, Chair
Janet Sowers, Vice Chair
Tom Fortuna, Secretary
Ray Brinker, Treasurer
Gil Belles, Trustee Emeritus
Lynn Brinker
Leon Clements
Dennis Danowski
Lowell Lueck
Peggy Ma
Gene Miller
Heather Munro
Gordana Rezab
Patrick Stout
Jackie Thompson
Ketra Wanamaker

Staff
Sue Scott, Curator /Director

John Ceglarek, Graduate Assistant
Bill Welt, Intern

Download 2012 Annual Report

 

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