MORE THAN JUST A COLLECTION OF
ANTIQUES, THESE ITEMS CREATE A
PICTURE OF HOW LIFE ONCE WAS,
WHILE REMINDING US OF THIS
COUNTY'S OWN HISTORY.
IT IS A COLLECTION THAT FILLS
THE ROOMS OF A BUILDING THAT
ONCE HOUSED THIS COUNTY'S
NEEDIEST CITIZENS.
HI.
I AM JIM WILHELM.
BEHIND ME IS THE SALINE CREEK
PIONEER VILLAGE AND MUSEUM IN
HARRISBURG.
WHEN THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT IN
1877, IT WAS AT THE HEAD OF
175-ACRE FARM WHICH WAS ALSO THE
COUNTY POORHOUSE.
IN A TIME BEFORE WELFARE, SUCH
HOUSES WERE PART OF A STATE-WIDE
SYSTEM TO HOUSE AND FEED THE
NEEDY.
THE RUNNING OF THE FARM WAS
AUCTIONED OFF EACH YEAR TO AN
OVERSEER WHO WAS GUARANTEED
FARMING RIGHTS AND THE
RESIDENT'S LABOR IN RETURN FOR
PROVIDING SHELTER AND FOOD.
THE IDEA WAS THAT PAUPER'S
THROUGH HARD WORK, COULD
EVENTUALLY REENTER SOCIETY.
THE PROBLEM WAS THAT MANY OF THE
PEOPLE SENT TO THESE FARMS WERE
UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO WORK.
PLUS IT WAS A HUMILIATING
EXPERIENCE.
THEY HAD TO PLEAD BEFORE A JUDGE
FOR ADMISSION, AND THEY HAD TO
SWEAR THE PAUPER'S OATH.
IT WAS A NOBLE IDEA THAT
EVENTUALLY BECAME A PLACE TO
STORE THE UNWANTED.
AND IN 1950, THE FARM CEASED ITS
OPERATIONS.
TODAY THE BUILDING HAS A NEW
MISSION, HOUSING HISTORIC
TREASURES OF SALINE COUNTY.
INSIDE, THE VARIOUS THEMED ROOMS
ARE FILLED WITH ITEMS THAT TELL
THE STORY OF THIS AREA'S HISTORY
AND PEOPLE.
JUST INSIDE THE FRONT DOOR IS
THIS JUDGE'S BENCH WHICH WAS
USED BY THE FIRST SALINE COUNTY
COURTHOUSE IN 1854.
BACK IN THOSE DAYS, THE COUNTY
SEAT WAS LOCATED IN RALEIGH,
WHICH IS A FEW MILES DOWN THE
ROAD.
LATER WHEN THE SEAT OF
GOVERNMENT WAS MOVED TO
HARRISBURG, SO, TOO, WAS THE
BENCH AND IT REMAINED IN USE FOR
113 YEARS UNTIL 1967.
THE A YOUNG ATTORNEY PASSED THE
BAR EXAM IN NEARBY MARION.
HE WOULD GO ONTO OPEN AND OFFICE
IN RALEIGH AND HIS DESK IS ON
DISPLAY.
THIS IS THE DESK OF THE GREAT
ORATOR ROBERT INGERSOLL WHO
EXTOLLED THE VIRTUES OF THE
FREETHOUGHT MOVEMENT AND EARNED
HIM THE NICKNAME, "THE GREAT
AGNOSTIC" FREETHOUGHT THOUGHT
THAT IDEAS SHOULD BE BASED ON
SCIENCE AND REASON, NOT
TRADITION OR RELIGION.
MOST REMEMBERED FOR HIS
SPEECHES, THAT COULD LAST OVER
THREE HOURS AND ATTRACTED LARGE
PAYING CROWDS, HE WAS ALSO AN
ATTORNEY WHO RODE THE CIRCUIT
AND PRACTICED LAW ALONG SIDE
JOHN A LOGAN.
HE COMMANDED A VOLUNTEER CALVARY
UNIT IN THE BATTLE OF SHILOH AND
LATER WAS A PROMINENT VOICE IN
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
SPEAKING OF POLITICS, ON DISPLAY
IS A CAMPAIGN POSTER FOR A MAYOR
RACE IN 1913.
THE CANDIDATE RAN WITH THE
SIMPLE SLOGAN "IF NOMINATED AND
ELECTED, I WILL DO MY DUTY."
HERE, IN WHAT USED TO BE THE
COUNTY POORHOUSE, ARE SOME THEME
ROOMS WHICH REMIND PEOPLE OF
WHAT LIFE USED TO BE LIKE AND
REMINDS THEM OF THIS COUNTY'S
HISTORY.
THERE IS A RECREATED BEDROOM
FROM AROUND 1900, A SEWING ROOM
WITH A 19TH CENTURY TAPESTRY
FROM AN OLD HOTEL, AND A PARLOR
WHICH HAS ON DISPLAY THIS
ADJUSTABLE SCREEN THAT WAS USED
TO BLOCK THE FIRE'S HEAT FROM A
PERSON'S FACE.
FOR A TIME, WOMEN'S MAKEUP WAS
WAXED BASE AND COULD EASILY
MELT.
THERE ARE ALSO REMINDERS OF
GREAT NATIONAL EVENTS.
ON DISPLAY ARE A SERIES OF
PHOTOS FROM THE GREATEST FLOOD
IN THE HISTORY OF THE OHIO
RIVER.
ALTHOUGH HARRISBURG IS 23MILES
FROM THE RIVER, MOST OF THE TOWN
WAS COVERED BY WATER. OVERALL,
FOUR STATES WERE AFFECTED.
NATIONWIDE, ONE MILLION PEOPLE
WERE LEFT HOMELESS AND CLOSE TO
400 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
THE FLOOD OCCURRED DURING A
PERIOD OF RECORD BREAKING RAINS
IN JANUARY OF 1937.
IT WAS A DISASTER THAT STRAINED
THE FEDERAL AND STATE RESOURCES
WHICH WERE ALREADY DEALING WITH
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE
AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE DUST BOWL.
BY TODAY'S DOLLARS, IT IS
ESTIMATED THAT THE FLOOD COST
MORE THAN $8BILLION IN DAMAGES
AND PROPERTY LOSS.
IN ANOTHER ROOM DISPLAYS
HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE MAJOR
INDUSTRIES OF THE AREA, MINING.
BY THE 1920'S, FOUR COMPANIES
WERE OPERATING 16 MINES IN THE
REGION.
UNDERGROUND, MULES PULLED THE
TRAMS.
THERE WERE 60 TO 70 IN EACH
MINE, HAULING TWO THOUSAND TONS
OF COAL PER DAY.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES
OF EQUIPMENT FOR SOME MINERS
BACK IN THOSE EARLY DAYS WAS A
CAGE LIKE THIS FOR CANARIES.
IT WAS USED TO DETECT HIGH
LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE.
SINCE CANARIES HAVE A HIGH HEART
RATE, THEY WOULD PASS OUT BEFORE
THE GAS WOULD REACH A LEVEL
LETHAL TO HUMAN BEINGS, ALLOWING
MINERS TO VACATE THE AREA.
ALSO IN THE EARLY DAYS, WORKERS
USUALLY LIVED NEAR THE MINE IN
COMPANY HOUSING AND HAD THE RENT
DEDUCTED FROM THEIR CHECKS.
THE COMPANIES WOULD ISSUE THEIR
OWN FORMS OF MONEY GOOD FOR
PURCHASING PRODUCTS ONLY AT THE
COMPANY STORE.
HERE IS AN EQUATION, TAKE
THIRSTY MINERS, ADD PROHIBITION,
AND WHAT DO YOU GET?
AN ILLICIT WHISKEY MARKET, A
MARKET SERVICED BY SEVERAL
INDIVIDUALS, BUT ONE NAME STOOD
OUT IN THIS AREA,
CHARLIE BURGER.
HIS FEUD WITH SHELTON GANG
CAUSED THE NEXT COUNTY OVER, THE
NICKNAME BLOODY WILLIAMSON.
ON DISPLAY ARE A SERIES OF
PHOTOS OF HIM AND HIS GANG.
CHARLIE RAN A BARBECUE SHACK
CALLED THE SHADY REST.
THE PATRONS GOT FOOD, BEER,
WHISKEY, AND ENJOYED AN
OCCASIONAL COCK FIGHT.
CHARLIE REGARDED HARRISBURG AS
HIS TOWN. HE WOULDN'T TOLERATE
ANY CRIME IN THE CITY LIMITS.
ONCE WHEN A STORE WAS ROBBED,
CHARLIE MADE GOOD, AND THE
SUSPECT WAS LATER FOUND DEAD.
STORY IS TOLD CHARLIE WOULD
PROVIDE COAL FOR NEEDY FAMILIES
DURING WINTERTIME.
CHARLIE'S END CAME WHEN HE WAS
TRIED AND FOUND GUILTY OF
ORDERING MURDER OF THE MAYOR OF
WEST CITY.
THE TRIAL WAS HELD IN FRANKLIN
COUNTY, AN AREA HE DID NOT
CONTROL.
JUST OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM'S MAIN
BUILDING ARE THESE TWO JAIL
CELLS.
THEY WERE ONE OF FOUR CELLS THAT
COMPRISED SALINE COUNTY'S FIRST
JAIL.
FOR A TIME, THESE CELLS WERE
HOME TO CHARLIE BURGER, THE
WALLS, CEILINGS AND FLOORS ARE
MADE OF IRON.
MEALS WERE PASSED THROUGH THIS
HOLE NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR
ON A LONG POLE TO AVOID CLOSE
CONTACT WITH THE PRISONERS.
THERE IS A STORY TOLD ABOUT
CHARLIE BURGER THAT ONCE WHEN HE
WAS IN JAIL IN HARRISBURG, A
FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE.
HE TOLD THE OFFICER IN CHARGE
THAT IF HE WOULD LET THE
PRISONERS OUT OF THEIR CELLS FOR
SAFETY PURPOSES, HE WOULD
PROMISE THAT NONE OF THEM WOULD
ESCAPE, AFTER THE FIRE WAS OVER,
THEY ALL CAME BACK, AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
ELSEWHERE ON THE GROUNDS STANDS
THIS LOG CABIN BUILT BY A FRENCH
FAMILY WHO MOVED INTO THIS AREA
IN 1849 FROM KASKASKIA.
KASKASKIA, FOR THOSE OF YOU UP
ON YOUR ILLINOIS HISTORY, WAS
ORIGINALLY A FRENCH COLONIAL
TOWN.
IN 1818 WHEN ILLINOIS BECAME A
STATE, KASKASKIA BECAME OUR
FIRST STATE CAPITOL.
ANYWAY, THE CABIN WAS LOCATED IN
SALINE COUNTY'S FIRST
SETTLEMENT, SOMERSET.
IN 1963 EACH BRICK AND LOG WERE
CAREFULLY NUMBERED, BROUGHT TO
THE MUSEUM GROUNDS AND
REASSEMBLED.
IT IS AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF
A CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE KNOWN
AS "SADDLEBAG."
A ONE ROOM LOG CABIN IS CALLED A
PEN, THE SIZE OF THE PEN IS
LIMITED BY THE LENGTH OF THE
LOGS AVAILABLE TO THE SETTLERS,
AS WELL AS HIS ABILITY TO
PHYSICALLY HANDLE THEM.
IF THE FAMILY NEED MORE SPACE,
ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION WAS TO
BUILD ANOTHER PEN ABUTTED
AGAINST THE OLD ONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN
1853.
ONLY FOUR YEARS AFTER THEY
ARRIVED.
THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS STYLE IS
THAT EACH SIDE CAN SHARE THE
SAME CHIMNEY.
TODAY THE TWO ROOMS SHOWCASE THE
MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF ARTIFACTS
DATING FROM THE MID TO LATE
1800'S.
ALSO, FROM THE SAME FAMILY IS
THIS BARN THAT WAS LAID OUT IN
DOUBLE CRIB STYLE.
ONE SIDE WAS FOR STORING GRAIN.
THE OTHER SIDE WAS FOR HOUSING
LIVESTOCK.
IN THE MIDDLE WAS THE THRASHING
FLOOR.
THERE, THE WHEAT WAS LAID OUT
AND FLAILED TO SEPARATE THE
GRAIN FROM THE HUSKS AND STRAW.
WE ARE TOLD THIS MIGHT BE THE
LAST THRASHING FLOOR LEFT IN THE
STATE.
SOMETIMES A BOARD WOULD BE
PLACED ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE
FLOOR TO PREVENT GRAIN FROM
SPILLING OUT.
THAT BOARD WAS CALLED A
THRESHOLD.
BEHIND ME IS A CABIN BELIEVED TO
HAVE BEEN BUILT IN 1790 AND USED
BY RIVER PIRATE NAMED JAMES
WILSON.
IT SAT ON A CLIFF WITH A VIEW OF
THE OHIO RIVER SO JAMES COULD
SEE BOATS AND BARGES COMING FOR
MILES. HE WOULD THEN ALERT HIS
ACCOMPLICES WAITING ON THE RIVER
ISLAND BELOW OF THE APPROACHING
CRAFT.
IN ADDITION TO THIS HISTORIC
BUILDING THERE IS AN INTERESTING
RECREATION.
THIS BLOCKHOUSE WAS BILL IN 2004
USING THE SAME TECHNIQUES AS
USED IN THE 18TH CENTURY.
BLOCKHOUSES WERE COMMON IN THE
EARLY SETTLEMENTS, NOT ONLY
PROVIDING SAFETY IN CASE OF
RAIDS BY NATIVE PARTIES, BUT
DOUBLING AS A MEETING HOUSE AND
PLACE TO HOLD WORSHIP SERVICE.
THE MOST COMMON DESIGN WAS TWO
STORIES HIGH WITH AN OVERHANG TO
PREVENT ATTACKERS FROM CLIMBING
ON THE ROOF.
AS MIGRATION INCREASED AND THE
POPULATION GREW, THE NEED FOR
SUCH STRUCTURES GREATLY
DECREASED.
TODAY, THIS RECREATION STANDS AS
A REMINDER OF THE DANGERS AND
REMOTENESS EARLY SETTLERS FACED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SALINE CREEK PIONEER VILLAGE AND
MUSEUM CALL (618)253-7342.