Civil War Weekend

FRIDAY, 6 PM: Blue and Gray Dinner – Guest Speaker is Norma Lee Hackney, PhD to discuss Four Spies that changed the course of various events during the Civil War. Oddly enough, these spies were overlooked by historians. At 6:50 pm, attendees will be ushered next door to attend Chris Vallillo’s presentation. Dinner will be catered by South Pass Supper Club. Menu choices are Rabbit Pot Pie OR Bison Pot Pie OR Veggie Pot Pie plus salad, drinks and dessert. Fundraiser for Shawnee Hills Arts Council. Dinner is $25.
• Reservations required by calling Lee’s Cell 904-625-1109 or email vabchlee@gmail.com. When you RSVP please give your Pot Pie Choice.
FRIDAY,  7 PM: Songs of the Illinois Freedom Road by Award winning folk musician and folklorist Chris Vallillo. He brings the music and the stories of the Underground Railroad in Illinois to life in this engaging and powerful show featuring first person accounts of Freedom Seekers as well as performances and insights into the music that drove this historic movement. This event is FREE and Everyone is invited.

SATURDAY, 9 AM – 2 PM Speakers and Exhibits. This is a FREE Event! Everyone is invited. Exhibits include a walk-through exhibit “Journey to Freedom – Illinois’ Underground Railroad”. Many picture/story panels tell the known history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois. Professionally created by the Looking for Lincoln organization in Springfield, Illinois and is booked in several cities for the next two years. Union County is very fortunate to have this display on loan. Speakers and exhibits are all FREE and everyone is invited.
• 9 AM: “Lincoln’s Brown Water Navy” on America’s western rivers by Eddie Price, a retired History teacher and award-winning author. Learn about the Anaconda Plan, the Gibraltar of the West, and David Farragut’s daring feats.
• 10:15 AM: A historical narrative of the soldiers from Johnson County, Illinois by Ed and Diane Annable, award winning authors. The battles they fought, the “March to the Sea” with General Sherman, and the march in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C.
• 11:30 AM: The Presumption of Freedom: The Illinois Supreme Court and the Fate of Slavery by Dr. Sam Wheeler, Director of History Programs, Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission. Illinois entered the Union as a free state in 1818, but slavery continued to exist within its borders for decades.
• 1 PM: Harriet Tubman portrayed by Marlene Rovero. After escaping slavery, Harriet Tubman used the Underground Railroad to rescue enslaved people.
• 11 AM: Lunch will be served: BBQ, Chips and Drinks $9 or Hot Dog, Chips, Drink $7
• Through February 23, 2025: Journey to Freedom Illinois’ Underground Railroad. Looking for Lincoln presents this travelling exhibit. The courageous stories of freedom seekers, and the multi-racial conductors who assisted them, are highlighted. Learn about the network of people who collaborated to assist those searching for freedom and dignity.