Macoupin Historical Society seeks continued support following adverse Spring Festival
Rod Eichen of the MCHS and Tractor Club, shows MCHS Spring Festival visitors how to make brooms from broom corn planted and locally grown by the MCHS. Photo contributed.
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
The crowds were down in comparison to previous years and 15 of 88 scheduled vendors decided to drop out due to adverse weather conditions, but the Macoupin County Historical Society Spring Festival still ran even though the event had to be called off earlier than originally scheduled.
A heavy rainfall swept through the local area over Memorial Day weekend, totaling over 10 inches of rain. Thus, a large portion of the Historical Society grounds were underwater before the MCHS team took action to resolve the problem.
“We didn’t just have muddy conditions,” said MCHS President Dan Hauter. “There were ponds out here and not just puddles. We had to use a pump to keep the water down, particularly in front of the mansion.”
Still, according to Hauter, a “decent crowd” showed up, particularly that Saturday.
The MCHS was holding house tours, craft vendors, plant sales, serving of home-style food, a tractor parade, toys and antique displays, blacksmithing and demonstrators. To cope with the weather, the Anderson Mansion’s porch was used as a live musical entertainment stage.
Bob Huyear, owner of the Allis Chalmer Tractor prepares to start up his tractor at the MCHS Spring Festival. Bob also used that same tractor to advertise the festival at the opening of the Macoupin County Cannonball Jail. Photo contributed.
Although Hauter was very appreciative of all the vendors and volunteers that made the Spring Festival possible, he informed that the MCHS would need to “put a little money in the bank” because the event wasn’t as successful as originally envisioned. Hauter and the MCHS is considering holding a drive-thru of some sort sometime this summer in order to boost financial stability. The MCHS is also hoping the weather will cooperate for their other upcoming events that include the Fall Festival (Sept. 21 and 22), IVBA Hammer-In (Nov. 2) and Christmas Show.
“We’re going to try to hit those hard with publicity,” said Hauter. “Hopefully Mother Nature likes us this time around because she sure didn’t this time.”
The most pressing need of the MCHS is a new roof for the Anderson Mansion, an 1883 landmark that the organization was able to save via previous donations, fundraisers and volunteer labor. Roof bids have ranged from approximately $40,000 to $135,000. According to a March 28 letter from Hauter, the actual cost is expected to be near the higher figure. Though temporary patching has been done, the existing roof has deteriorated to the point of shingles loosening and or falling out, causing water to leak into the treasured building. Thus, the wood sheathing in the roof needed to be replaced.
“The roof itself is complicated and modern contractors charge extra just for a two-story building,” said Hauter. “Yet, the home of the only museum that represents Macoupin County is solidly built. With proper care, it will outlast anything we can afford to build by today’s standards.”
Since its forming in 1970, the MCHS has served the local community continuously without the support of any government entity. Its earliest volunteers purchased the Anderson property on Carlinville West Breckenridge Street in 1973. For many years, the John C. Anderson House, now known as the Anderson Mansion, had been subject to neglect and vandalism, but numerous efforts helped keep it alive.
The MCHS hosts a monthly guest speaker that informs the general public about historically-related matters. The next session is July 1, when Mark Flotow will talk about early Civil War Camp Butler and William Tecumseh Sherman in his presentation “Separating Fact From Fiction.”
For more information or to support the MCHS, visit www.mchssociety.org, email [email protected], call 217-854-2850 or send a letter to 920 West Breckenridge Street, PO Box 432, Carlinville, IL 62626.
