Illinois Bicentennial Programs in Princeville

Two hundred years ago on December 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21^st state in the Union. The Illinois Bicentennial, now well under way, is a yearlong celebration of the people, places, things and events that have been born, built and grown in the state. In celebration, the Lillie M. Evans Library will be hosting two 1-hour programs in October 2018.  These programs will remind us of events that have shaped our past and impacted our rich and diverse history.

On Tuesday, October 16^th at 6:30pm, Sylvia Shults will present the program, Ghosts of the Illinois River. Be sure to join us as Sylvia gives an in-depth look at the Peoria State Hospital. Known as one of the most haunted places in Illinois, the haunted asylum is featured in many of her books.  Sylvia is a popular presenter in Central Illinois and is the author of several books, including Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital and 44 Years in Darkness.  

On Tuesday, October 30^th at 6:30pm, Tom Emery will present a program on the History of Illinois. Tom was a presenter during our popular Lincoln and the Constitution series in 2014. He is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville who has earned eleven awards from the Illinois State Historical Society.  His newest book, The History of Illinois, is a compilation of some of his newspaper columns and is intended to complement the state’s 200th anniversary. 

Want to learn still more about Illinois’ history?  The Illinois State Museum and the Illinois Association of Museums have developed a virtual exhibition titled The Story of Illinois: The Illinois Bicentennial Through Museum Objects. This exhibition consists of objects from the Illinois State Museum’s 13.5-million-object Illinois Legacy Collection along with objects from other Illinois museums.  The website is available online at http://story.illinoisstatemuseum.org/

Information about these programs and other LME Library events can be found on our website at http://lmelibrary.org. We hope you will explore, discover, and learn more about Illinois' unique history during this bicentennial year!