 Diane Osborn is currently researching a book about architecturally
significant homes in Lincoln that also have had historic and social
impacts on the community. She began this project last October and
had hoped to complete it by the end of this year. However, she has
found so much material in just the original Postville area of
Lincoln that she said "the book will get done when it gets done."
Her research has started in Postville and will spread into the other
areas of Lincoln, just as the city originally expanded. She noted
that Postville ceased to exist as an independent town on Feb. 16,
1865.
Osborn is following on-street research with visits to City Hall,
Lincoln Public Library, the Logan County Highway Department, and
interviews with contractors and builders to find the historic homes.
"I have spent so much time in some neighborhoods, it is
surprising the police have not stopped me," she said.
Some of the fascinating homes she has found so far are cabins
that were moved to Lincoln to serve as homes, and she also found old
Lincoln schools that were converted to homes.
Osborn has been surprised by the large number of Sears houses in
Lincoln. In many cases, the currently owners have no idea of the
unique history of their houses, all of which were offered in the
Sears Roebuck catalog in the early 20th century.
One man even moved a remnant of the Illiopolis ammunition factory
to Lincoln for his home.
Osborn has chosen the title "Neighborhoods, Lincoln, IL" for her
book. It will be jointly published by the Lincoln Woman's Club and
the Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society. She is asking
Lincoln residents to contact her if they feel their home qualifies
as historically significant and should be included in the book. Her
email address is diane.osborn@comcast.net. She may also be contacted
by phone as 217-605-0011.
[to top of second column] |
The second program Monday evening was presented by Barbara Van
Dyke-Brown from Greenview. She was assisted by Charlotte Wohler.
They are representatives of the Historic Marbold Farmstead
Association, whose mission is to preserve and restore the Marbold
house that sits along Illinois Route 29 on the south side of
Greenview. Anyone traveling through Greenview can see the very large
and imposing house sitting along the highway, on the east side of
the road.
The Marbold home was built in 1850 by John H. Marbold, whose
family immigrated to the United States from Germany in the early
19th century. A member of the Marbold family lived in the house
until 1929, when the banking crisis of the Great Depression forced
the sale of the residence.
The Historic Marbold Farmstead Association started in 2004 with
the intent to preserve and restore the house and create a living
history farm. The association was able to buy the house and 10 acres
in 2011 and has come close to paying off the mortgage. The group has
raised funds through grants and a series of events on the Marbold
grounds. The house is currently listed on the 2012 register of the
"Ten Most Endangered Historic Places" in Illinois.
The Historic Marbold Farmstead Association has second Sunday
events each month throughout the summer to raise money for their
endeavors. They are also sponsoring an antique show at the site on
June 22.
For more information on this summer's fundraising or to take a
tour of the house and site, call 217-968-5805. The association
website is
www.historic-marbold-farmstead.org, which contains a wealth of
information on the house and efforts to preserve and restore it.
The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society meets the
third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at their office at 114 N.
Chicago St. The phone number is 217-732-3200.
[By
CURT FOX] |
.jpg)
