BEFORE WE QUOTE A HISTORY, IT WAS HERE. BEFORE THE TIME OF CHRIST, IT
PROVIDED MANKIND WITH FOOD.
BEFORE THIS COUNTRY WAS BORN, IT
WAS A HIGHWAY OF EXPLORERS, AND
THE ALONG THE BANKS OF SPRING
SETTLEMENTS WHOSE ROOTS SINK
DEEP ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER.
HI, I AM JIM WILHELM.
IN A LAND OF FEW ROADS, THE
RIVER WAS THE MAIN HIGHWAY.
HERE BEARDSTOWN GREW INTO A BUSY
COMMERCIAL PORT.
THEN THE RAILROADS ARRIVED, AND
THE FUTURE LOOKED BRIGHT FOR THE
TOWN FOUNDED AS A TRANSPORTATION
CENTER.
IN 1819, THOMAS BEARD CAME TO THE NEWLY FORMED STATE OF ILLINOIS TO SEEK A LOCATION TO
START A SETTLEMENT WHICH WOULD
EVENTUALLY BEAR HIS NAME.
HE CHOSE THIS AREA BECAUSE THE
RIVER WAS SHALLOW ENOUGH TO
OPERATE A FERRY, BUT THOMAS WAS
NOT THE FIRST TO COME HERE.
BEHIND ME ONCE STOOD SEVERAL
INDIAN MOUNDS.
HIGHEST RISING OVER 80 FEET.
IN FACT, THE EARLY FRENCH
EXPLORERS REFER TO THIS AREA AS
MOUND VILLAGE.
SINCE THE ICE AGE, PEOPLE HAVE
LIVED AND HUNTED IN THIS AREA.
ALTHOUGH THE CIVILIZATIONS THAT
BUILT THOSE MOUNDS WAS LONG GONE
BIT TIME THE FIRST EUROPEANS
ARRIVED.
THE MOUNDS, TOO, WOULD DISAPPEAR. THE SURROUNDING LAND UPON WHICH
THOMAS PLOTTED HIS TOWN WAS VERY
SANDY.
SO NEWLY ARRIVING SETTLERS DUG
INTO THE MOUNDS FOR TOPSOIL.
YOU COULD SAY THAT BEARDSTOWN
LITERALLY SITS ON THE FOUNDATION
OF AN EARLIER CIVILIZATION.
JUST LIKE THE PAST CULTURES, SO, TOO, DID THE RESIDENTS OF BEARDSTOWN DEPEND ON THE RIVER,
NOT ONLY FOR FOOD, BUT FOR
ECONOMIC SURVIVAL AS WELL.
THE ABUNDANT RESOURCE OF THE
ILLINOIS RIVER GAVE BIRTH TO
SEVERAL INDUSTRIES: ONE OF
THESE WAS COMMERCIAL FISHING.
IT WASN'T UNCOMMON FOR CATCHES
TO EXCEED 50,000 POUNDS.
IN FACT, ONE DAY IN 1903,
SEVERAL FISHERMEN BROUGHT TO
MARKET OVER 2 MILLION POUNDS OF
BLACK BASS.
IN ADDITION TO BACK WATERS AND
BAYS ALSO ATTRACTED HUGE FLOCKS
OF WATER FOWL, WITH THE
EXPANSION OF RAILROAD SERVICE,
THESE BIRDS WERE TRANSPORT TODAY
RESTAURANTS IN CHICAGO, AND AS
FAR EAST AS NEW YORK CITY.
IN WINTER, HUNDREDS WERE
EMPLOYED HARVESTING ICE FROM THE
RIVER.
IT WAS CUT INTO HUGE BLOCKS
STORED IN SEVERAL HOUSES OR
SHIPPED BY RAIL TO OTHER TOWNS.
BEFORE PLASTIC, MUSCLES WERE
COLLECTED FOR THEIR SHELLS FROM
WHICH BUTTONS WERE MADE AT THE
LOCAL FACTORY.
HERE IS A COUPLE OF SHELLS IN
WHICH PEARLS WERE FOUND, THE
GATES AND HOW MUCH THEY WERE
SOLD FOR.
TODAY THESE ITEMS AND PICTURES
ARE ALL A PART OF THE RIVER
MUSEUM LOCATED ON THE GROUND
FLOOR OF THE OLD OPERA BUILDING
AND ARE PART OF THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE'S OFFICE.
AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, SHIPPING PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE TOWN'S ECONOMY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES LOCALLY
WAS RICHARD HULETT.
HE WAS A RIVER PILOT WHO OWNED
AND OPERATED SEVERAL STEAMERS
OUT OF HIS SHIPYARD.
ONE OF THOSE BOATS WAS THIS ONE
NAMED MARY AFTER HIS WIFE.
SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO EARN
A REGULAR PILOT'S LICENSE FOR
THIS TERRITORY.
INTERESTINGLY, THEIR SON,
GEORGE, WHO WAS AN ENGINEER ON
ONE OF THE FAMILY STEAMERS WAS
UNABLE TO QUALIFY FOR HIS
PILOT'S LICENSE BECAUSE HE WAS
COLORBLIND.
IN ORDER TO MEET EXPENSES, HIS
WIFE GOT HER LICENSE.
THE TWO OF THEM, ALONG WITH
THEIR CHILDREN, WORKED UP AND
DOWN THE RIVER.
YET IT WASN'T JUST THE TOWN'S
RIVER LOCATION THAT BROUGHT
PROSPERITY, IT WAS ALSO DUE TO
THE EFFORTS OF ITS FOUNDER.
REMEMBER THOMAS?
BECAUSE HE DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE
POLITICS OF THOSE WHO RAN MORGAN
COUNTY, HE CREATED CASS COUNTY
AND MADE BEARDSTOWN ITS SEAT.
HE ALSO DONATED THIS LAND IN THE
MIDDLE OF TOWN WITH THE PROVISO
IT BE USED AS A MARKETPLACE TO
ATTRACT AREA FARMERS N1844, HE
HELPED FINANCE AND BUILD THE NEW
COURTHOUSE FOR THE NEW COUNTY
WHICH LATER BECAME THE SITE OF
LEGENDARY TRIAL.
IN 1858 ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN
THIS COURTROOM, A PROMINENT
ATTORNEY TAKES TIME OFF FROM HIS
CAMPAIGN FOR THE SENATE TO
DEFEND THE SON OF AN OLD FRIEND.
THE SON NAMED DUFF ARMSTRONG IS
CHARGED WITH MURDER.
HIS LAWYER, IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
IT SEEMS THERE WAS AN ALTER
CRAITION INDICATION AFTER A
REVIVAL MEETING IN BATH,
ILLINOIS.
DUFF AND ANOTHER BOY NAMED
NORRIS WERE ACCUSED OF USING
CROSSBAR OF OX YOKE TO BEAT A
KID ABOUT THE HEAD.
HE RODE HOME AND THEN DIED.
NORRIS WAS IMMEDIATELY CONVICTED
AND SENT TO THE NEW STATE PRISON
IN ALTON.
DUFF WAS ALSO SCHEDULED TO BE
TRIED IN BATH, BUT EMOTIONS WERE
RUNNING SO HIGH THAT LINCOLN WAS
ABLE TO GET A CHANGE OF VENUE
AND THE TRIAL WAS HELD IN THIS
COURTROOM.
THE PROSECUTION HAS A STRONG
CASE.
ON THE STAND, THEIR KEY WITNESS
STATES HE SAW THE BEATING BY THE
LIGHT OF THE MOON.
DURING THE BREAK, LINCOLN GOES
TO LOCAL PHARMACY AND BUYS A
COPY OF THE ALMANAC THAT SHOWS
THERE WAS NO MOON ON THE NIGHT
IN QUESTION.
DUFF ARMSTRONG NEVER TOOK THE
STAND, AND HE WAS AQUITTED.
ANOTHER INTERESTING THING ABOUT
THIS ROOM IT IS THE ONLY
COURTROOM IN THE STATE WHERE
LINCOLN PRACTICED LAW THAT STILL
BEING USED AS A COURTROOM TODAY.
DURING THE TRIAL, A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER P PERSUADED LINCOLN TO SIT FOR THIS PICTURE.
IT IS THE ONLY KNOWN PHOTO OF
LINCOLN WEARING A WHITE SUIT, A
SUMMER OUTFIT SINCE THE TRIAL
WAS HELD IN AUGUST.
AS FOR THE COURTHOUSE, IN 1876,
AFTER THE PEOPLE REFUSED TO
DONATE FUNDS AND REFUSED TO
ALLOW NEW COURTHOUSE TO BE BUILT
IN THEIR OPEN SQUARE, THE COUNTY
SEAT WAS MOVED DOWN THE ROAD TO
THE TOWN OF VIRGINIA.
HOWEVER, THE STUBBORN FOLKS OF
BEARDSTOWN REFUSED TO GIVE UP
THE COUNTY RECORDS.
LATE ONE NIGHT, SEVERAL PEOPLE
FROM VIRGINIA BROKE INTO THIS
BUILDING AND TOOK THEM.
TODAY, THE BUILDING CONTAINED
RECORDS OF A DIFFERENT SORT.
PART OF IT IS THE TOWN MUSEUM
PRESERVING BITS AND PIECES OF
BEARDSTOWN'S HISTORY.
IN ONE CASE, WE FOUND A PICTURE
OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY IN
THE ALMANAC TRIAL WHO IS STILL
REMEMBERED TODAY FOR SOMETHING
VERY UNUSUAL THAT HE DID.
HIS NAME WAS J HENRY SHAW N1881,
HE WROTE A DEED TRANSFERRING
PROPERTY ALL IN RHYME.
PARTS READS "LOT TWO IN BLOCK
40, SAID COUNTY AND TOWN, FOR
ILLINOIS RIVER FLOWS PLACIDLY
DOWN, AND WARRANT THE TITLE
FOREVER AND I, WAVING HOMESTEAD
AND MANSION TO BOTH A GOOD-BYE."
>> WE ARE TOLD THIS PAPER IS
CITED IN SEVERAL LAW BOOKS AS AN
EXAMPLE OF UNORTHODOX BUT LEGAL
DOCUMENT.
AFTER THE ALMANAC TRIAL,
MR. SHAW WOULD GO ONTO BECOME A
JUDGE.
ALSO ON DISPLAY ARE THE PLATES
AND DISHES THAT ONCE GRAZED THE
TABLE OF THOMAS BEARD.
FROM THE 19 20'S ARE THESE
MODELS DESIGNED BY COUPLE OF
LOCAL INVENTORS TRYING TO
PERFECT VERTICAL FLIGHT.
THERE IS A COLLECTION OF PAPERS
AND UNIFORMS FROM BOTH WORLD
WARS.
WELCOME BACK TO THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM IN BEARDSTOWN WHICH HAS ON DISPLAY A RATHER LARGE GUN
COLLECTION.
THE EARLIEST ARE THESE KENTUCKY
LONG RIFLES WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO
THOSE USED IN OUR REVOLUTIONARY
WAR.
THESE ARE FROM THE EARLY 1800'S.
THEY ALL RANGE ABOUT FIVE FEET
IN LENGTH AND WEIGH ABOUT TEN
POUNDS.
INTERESTINGLY, THIS STYLE OF
RIFLE WAS DEVELOPED BY GERMAN
IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN
PENNSYLVANIA TO MODIFY THEIR OLD
WORLD DESIGNS TO MEET THE NEEDS
OF FRONTIERS MEN.
ALSO ON DISPLAY IS THIS 1847
HARPER'S FERRY MUS CAT OWNED BY
JOHN GILES, A MEMBER OF THE
SHARPSHOOTER.
HE DIED OF SMALLPOX AND WAS
BURIED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
FROM THE DAYS OF THE COVERED
WAGON COMES THE IN-GATE GUN.
IT WAS LOADED WITH BROKEN CHAINS
AND NAILS AND FIRED AT WHILE
RESTING ON THE BACK GATE OF THE
WAGON.
ALL THESE GUNS WERE PURCHASED
AND GATHERED BY MR. BLACK WHO
UPON HIS DEATH LEFT THE ENTIRE
COLLECTION TO BEARDSTOWN.
BUT HE DIDN'T JUST COLLECT GUNS.
IN ADDITION TO THE WEAPONRY, ARE
PIECES OF POTTERY AND TOOLS
OTHER CIVILIZATIONS LEFT BEHIND.
WITH THE PROMISE OF A BRIGHT FUTURE, THE RIVER HAS ALWAYS DRAWN MANKIND TO ITS BANKS.
BUT IN THOMAS TOWN, THE FUTURE
HIT SEVERAL SNAGS.
IN 1922, THEY BEGAN A NASTY
RAILROAD STRIKE THAT ENDED ONLY
WHEN THE RAIL COMPANY LEFT TOWN.
THAT WAS ALSO THE YEAR THAT
GREAT FLOOD DESTROYING
INVENTORIES, BYS AND HOMES.
COMBINE ALL THAT WITH THE
CONTINUING DRAIN OF THE BACK
WATERS AND BAYS FOR FARM LAND,
OVER FISHING, POLLUTION, IT
SEEMED MANKIND HAD LEFT THE
RIVER.
TODAY MUCH OF THE TRAFFIC ON THE
ILLINOIS RIVER PASSES BY THIS
ONCE BUSY PORT.
BEARDSTOWN IS NOW PROTECTED BY
HIGH FLOOD WALL AND ALMOST
SYMBOLIC SEPARATION OF THE TOWN
FROM THE RIVER THAT GAVE IT
LIFE.
BEARDSTOWN IS, OF COURSE, FAR
FROM DEAD.
BUT TODAY ITS ECONOMY IS MUCH
LESS DEPENDENT UPON THE RIVER.
TODAY THE EMPHASIS IS UPON AGRI
BUSINESS, SMALL INDUSTRY AND
CONSTRUCTION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION WHEN THE
BEARDSTOWN RIVER MUSEUM IS OPEN,
CALL (217)323-3271.
TO ARRANGE A TOUR OF THE
COURTROOM, CALL (217)323-3110.