Doors Open program features area landmarks
The Illinois Office of Tourism has announced several new initiatives.
The initiatives are designed to celebrate the state’s bicentennial year while promoting tourism around the state.
Through Dec. 3, 2018, the official 200th anniversary of Illinois becoming a state, Illinois Tourism is offering special programs that encourage visitors to experience the state’s many contributions to architecture, history, culture and agriculture in a new way.
Doors Open Illinois
During weekends in August, Doors Open Illinois is scheduled to offer free access to 80 participating historical sites and museums around the state.
Doors Open Illinois will feature a different region of the state each weekend to celebrate and encourage visitors to learn more about Illinois history and heritage.
Regions include: Southern Illinois, which will be highlighted Aug. 4-5; Central Illinois, Aug. 11-12; Western Illinois, Aug. 18-19; and Northeastern Illinois, Aug. 25-26.
Union County Sites
During the Doors Open Illinois weekends, sites are scheduled to be open for free viewing on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sites in Union County which will be highlighted are scheduled to include:
The PAST Heritage House Museum at 102 S. Main St. in Jonesboro.
Kornthal Church, which is located at 100 Kornthal Church Rd., south of Jonesboro.
St. John’s Lutheran Church, which is located at 1390 St. John’s Rd., near Dongola.
The Union County Museum, which is located at 117 S. Appleknocker in Cobden. Visitors to the museum also will have an opportunity to join in the celebration of the 2018 Cobden Peach Festival, which is scheduled Friday and Saturday.
Giant City Lodge, 460 Giant City Lodge Rd., Makanda.
Bicentennial Talk
Those who plan to visit one of the local historic sites also may want to include a program which is set for Sunday afternoon at the PAST Heritage House Museum in Jonesboro.
A series of casual, short Bicentennial Talks are presented on Sunday afternoons at the museum.
This Sunday’s talk about “Pioneer Women of Union County” will be presented by Marilyn Meisenheimer.
The Heritage House Museum also is scheduled to be open for touring each Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For the Bicentennial Talks, a different person is scheduled to give a short presentation about Union County history at 2 p.m. each Sunday. The series is scheduled to continue through Oct. 14.
On July 29, local historian and author Darrel Dexter gave a talk about “Harry, a slave who found freedom in Union County.” Nearly 20 people attended the program.
There is no charge to attend the programs and reservations are not needed.