On Thursday, October 22nd, the Bishop Hill Heritage Association is hosting “Illinois History in 10 Objects” program in Bishop Hill, IL. In this presentation, Illinois State Museum Curator Erika Holst takes a look at Illinois history through the lens of ten objects from the collection of the Illinois State Museum.
Each of these objects sheds light on the experiences of the people who used them against the backdrop of different times in Illinois history. Time periods and themes covered include the first Indigenous peoples of Illinois; Illinois at the time of the Revolutionary War; women’s history; the Civil War; immigration; forgotten Illinoisans; the Great Depression; and World War II.
Erika Holst
Attendees are encouraged to bring an object (or photo of an object) of personal or family significance. At the end of the presentation, attendees will be invited to give voice to their own family and personal stories by sharing the stories associated with these objects. This presentation hopes to convey that history is actively being created every day and our own objects and experiences are vital parts of it.
This free one-hour public program will start at 6 p.m. in the Steeple Building Museum, located at 103 North Bishop Hill Street in Bishop Hill, Illinois. This event is co-presented by the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speaker Bureau. Road Scholar speakers travel throughout Illinois sharing free, dynamic presentations about
literature, philosophy, theater, local history, film, music, politics, and more, at no cost to host organizations. The program enables local nonprofit organizations to present free-admission cultural programs to their communities. For more details, please call the BHHA at 309 927-3899 or email bhha@mymctc.net.
