Northwest Territory Museum, Dixon

I’d driven through Dixon, IL, previously, en route to the John Deere Historic Site (a wonderful place to visit, if you like agricultural history, which I do). But on that earlier visit, I’d read in a brochure on the area that there was a Northwest Territory Museum in Dixon, so I was determined to return. Last week, after a speaking engagement in Tampico, I came home by way of Dixon and located this wonderful museum.

The building, which was once a school, is imposing. It’s located within a block of Ronald Reagan’s childhood home and is, in fact, where he attended school. But while that is acknowledged, the museum is about the Northwest Territory, the region that would become Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The museum is actually a Smithsonian affiliate, which means it is impressively sophisticated. On the first floor, there is an exhibit about the building of the Lincoln Highway, then upstairs, there is a series of rooms that move from wilderness and Native Americans (including a young Black Hawk), up through settlement, conflict, and development of the area. Displays are detailed, with figures beginning to talk as soon as you approach, to introduce you to what is happening in the time period you’ve just entered.

That history follows one side of the large building, with the other side offering more focused exhibits. One room celebrates veterans from the area. One room looks at the rise of chautauquas (events where people would gather for a week or two for lectures, plays, music, and book discussions), Dixon having been the site of one of the largest ones. And there is one room about building the town.

The NW Territory Museum is definitely worth a couple of hours. Added to the John Deere site, plus a couple of other historic sites I’ve seen on other visits to the area, I definitely recommend this area for a visit, if you like Midwestern and American history. And then there is the bonus of the possibility of enjoying a drive along the Rock River, which offers a beautiful setting of small towns and handsome forests. Delightful area for a day trip or weekend away.

Family Farm

I keep reading articles about how the family farm is a thing of the past and people don’t care about the land anymore. I figure these articles must have been written by people who live in cities, because if you get out into the countryside, at least in the Midwest, you find that this simply isn’t true. In fact, in Illinois, 96 percent of all farms are family owned. That’s roughly 70,000 farms, many of them in the same family for generations. Some of the farms are larger these days, simply because far fewer people are interested in doing the hard work of farming. But being large doesn’t mean you can’t still be all-in-the-family. To “meet” some of these farm families, you can visit “We are the 96” on this site: https://watchusgrow.org/we-are-the-96/

If you go through the videos on my blog (see link under categories), you’ll find evidence of numerous family farms from several states—because Illinois is not alone in being very family-farm-centric. At least in the Midwest, this is the norm.

I recently wrote an article for Newcity Magazine about how to reconnect with the world of farming if you happen to live in Cook County Illinois. There are links to the places mentioned in the article, should you live in the area and want to follow up. But if you don’t live in the area, perhaps it will encourage you to search and find out what is near you. Because the myth of the vanishing family farm is just that—a myth—though it could happen if we keep ignoring them. Here’s the story: https://resto.newcity.com/2023/10/04/not-just-corn-and-soybeans-the-big-food-disconnect-and-how-to-fix-it/

So do what you can to find out who is farming where you live. See if there are options for learning more. Because the problem with having everyone believing the myth of the vanishing family farm is that it makes it all that much harder to hang on to those family farms.

Return to Bishop Hill

Several years ago, on the return from a speaking trip to Iowa, I routed myself toward a town I’d read about—the Swedish settlement of Bishop Hill. This was a great idea, as Bishop Hill, a State Historic Site, is glorious. It’s also small, so easily explored—but really beautiful. Lots of historic buildings, tree-filled park, gardens, museums, shops.

That first trip, amid my exploring, I stopped for lunch at P L Johnson’s. This delightful little shop offers classic Swedish dishes, and it became my go-to place on return trips.

Because I have returned. In fact, if you’ve read my book Destination Heartland, you’ll know that Bishop Hill—and P L Johnson’s—are included in the book. Just too much history to not have it in a book on the region’s history! (And if you haven’t read my book, I figure your two options are getting my book or visiting Bishop Hill. Maybe both. Because there is a lot of very interesting history here.)

Two days ago, I was back in Bishop Hill, this time giving a presentation. Happily, agricultural history is a popular topic out here, so I’ve had the pleasure of a couple of visits through the Illinois Humanities “Road Scholars” program, in addition to my earlier visits, when I first explored the town. Of course, I had to go to P L Johnson’s. While I don’t have Swedish meatballs every time I visit I go, I did this weekend. The side salad had the option of lingonberry vinaigrette, which was my choice, and having had some wonderful soup there over the years, I couldn’t resist getting a cup of Swedish cheese soup. Yum.

But if you have an opportunity to be anywhere near Bishop Hill, I highly recommend a visit. There are B&Bs, if you want to stay a little longer. It’s a peaceful, lovely place, so a great option for a weekend away, and the wealth of history makes it a remarkable stop.

Marbold Heritage Festival

I’ve mentioned visiting local history museums as a way of learning more about a place, but I recently had the pleasure of exploring another method of discovery: a history festival. Near Greenview, Illinois, a town not far from Springfield, I had the very great pleasure of attending the Marbold Heritage Festival. In this case, I had learned about the festival because they wanted to have a speaker, and they invited me to give two presentations over the two days of the festival. While it’s always fun to share with an appreciative audience, I was also delighted to both learn more about the purpose of the event and enjoy the community gathered to support that purpose.

The Historic Marbold Farmstead was built in 1850 by German immigrant John Marbold, who was a successful local businessman and farmer. The house had fallen into disrepair, and the festival was part of the ongoing effort to raise funds to fully restore it. There is still a fair bit of work to be done inside, but the house is beautiful and definitely taking shape.

The festival involved tours of the house, but also featured amazingly talented local artisans (beautiful carved wood, woven wheat, hand-made jewelry, rugs), purveyors (local honey, pies, BBQ), plus wonderful musicians, a Civil War reenactment group, and antique tractors from local collectors. One individual had an impressive collection of corn-related items, and since I was there to talk about the history of corn, I of course had to visit his display. Most of what he had was familiar, from years of research—devices for shelling corn, gloves and hooks for protecting hands while shucking corn, and more. But proving my contention that there is almost always something new, I found that he had a device I’d never seen before. I’d seen large-scale systems for bagging corn, from the days when all grain was shipped in two-bushel bags. But here was a small-scale device for a lone farmer bagging his own crop. I’d never seen it before.

So next time you see a promotion for a heritage festival, consider going. You never know what you might learn.

Wheeling History Museum

In my book, Destination Heartland, I encourage people to visit smaller, local museums—places that include “Historical Society” or “Historical Museum” in the name. Often, these museums offer collections that hark back to things I remember from childhood: a ViewMaster, an old phone book, savings stamps. But even in very small museums, I always find something I’ve never seen before.

Today, I visited the Wheeling, IL, History Museum, and while there were numerous things that were familiar, either from life or from other museums, there were a couple of things I’d never seen before.

First and foremost was the Mignon typewriter. Created in 1902 in Berlin, this typewriter predates typewriters with keyboards. Below is a photo, but here is a link to some background, focused on a slightly later model than the one in the museum. This site also includes a link to a video that shows how the typewriter worked. Really remarkable.

Also, while I have seen a wide range of stoves over the years, especially old wood-burning varieties, here was one I hadn’t seen before. This one has a lid you can put down, to create more counter space—but the lid bears the warning “Extinguish fire before lowering lid.”

The little museum used to be the Village Hall, and as the center of all things legal, there is a jail cell inside. There are only three rooms, so you don’t need to allow a great deal of time. But that can be an advantage in busy lives. Nearby on the property, there is a lovely little barn and an old church that is now used as a community center.

So definitely get out there and check out local museums. To find one near you, just type the name of a town or county and the words “Historical Museum” or “Historical Society.” And after you discover a local museum, you may even consider joining. We need to keep these places alive.

Where the Wild West was Born

You might be surprised to find out how far east the Wild West actually began.

Annie Oakley was born in Darke County, Ohio. You can learn more about the legendary sharp shooter at The National Annie Oakley Center at the Garst Museum, in Greenville, Ohio.

Wyatt Earp was born in Monmouth, Illinois, in a lovely Victorian house on a quiet suburban street that doesn’t hint at the adventurous future (other than the large picture of Earp, to make sure you know you’re in the right place). He grew up in Iowa, which is where his youngest brother Morgan was born. Older brother, Virgil, was born in Kentucky. Like many in the 1800s, the Earp family just kept moving west. Wyatt Earp first became a lawman in Kansas—and would later offer advice about recreating the Wild West to another Iowan, John Wayne.

Wild Bill Hickok was born in Mendota, Illinois. There is a statue of him outside the Mendota historical museum. (A delightful museum that is a good reason to stop in Mendota.)

Buffalo Bill was born in Le Claire, Iowa, where you can drive down Cody Road to the Buffalo Bill Museum. The bar that lays claim to being a favorite hangout, Glur’s Tavern, is in Columbus, Nebraska. (And you can still dine at Glur’s. Pretty good burgers.)

Calamity Jane was born and raised in Missouri, a pretty wild place in the early 1800s.

Jesse James was also born and raised in Missouri, and died there, as well. (The last place James lived is just out the back door of the outstanding Patee House Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri.)

Another notorious outlaw, Harvey Alexander Logan, better known as Kid Curry, was born in Iowa. Curry was said to be wildest member of The Wild Bunch.

Zane Grey, the writer who created the Western literary genre was from Ohio—near Zanesville, which was named for Grey’s grandfather, explorer Ebenezer Zane. (If you want more on Grey, he is remembered in a section of the National Road & Zane Grey Museum in Norwich, Ohio.)

Missouri (St. Joseph) is where the Pony Express originated. (Another great museum.)

Iconic Western towns such as Wichita and Dodge City are in Kansas.

Just to say that its worth remembering that much of the history of the Wild West is, in fact, the history of the Middle West.

Of course, it’s also worth remembering that the speed with which the Midwest grew meant that you had to keep moving if you wanted to stay wild.

(Above photo was taken at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Le Claire, IA.)

Pontiac, Illinois

A friend who had introduced me to a number of historic locales in central Illinois had told me I needed to stop in Pontiac next time I was nearby, and so on my way home a couple of months ago from a conference in Springfield, I did just that—and was, as always, pleased that I had. Because Pontiac offers a number of delights—not least of which is its position on the historic Route 66.

One of the things for which Pontiac is famous is its glorious murals. There are dozens, all over town, celebrating various aspects of the town’s history.

But the real draw, for most folks, is the Pontiac Museum Complex. This complex includes most notably the Route 66 Museum and Hall of Fame, which is packed with information about every iconic stop along the Illinois section of the Mother Road, along with a considerable amount of memorabilia from Bob Waldmire, an artist most noted for his detailed art capturing the essence of just about every inch of Route 66—but the whole thing, not just the Illinois section.

Equally remarkable is the War Museum, in the same building, and covering every era of conflict from World War I to the present. Hundreds of uniforms fill the many rooms of this section of the complex, representing all those from this area who served in every branch of the military. The volunteers in this museum are themselves veterans, and so they are happy to share their part of the story. In addition to information on service, there is also a section that recreates life on the homefront during the 1940s.

Small but still worthwhile museums within the complex include Music of the Civil War, Life on the Titanic, and more on artist Bob Waldmire. So definitely a worthwhile stop. Allow yourself a couple of hours to see it all—especially if, in addition to exploring the museum complex, you want to use the available map of murals to try to see them all.

The museums are free but, of course, donations are welcome. Volunteers are enthusiastic, but money is needed to keep the lights on.

I didn’t make it to the Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum on this trip—but I have to leave something for next time.

Brucemore Update

My book, Destination Heartland, is not the only way one might have heard of the splendid historic site of Brucemore in Cedar Rapids, IA, but it is because I included it that I get regular updates. The reason updates are welcome is that in 2020, a horrific storm known as a derecho devastated a good bit of the Midwest, including Brucemore. (I actually did three posts on the derecho at the time, including this one, which offers a bit of history.)

I have followed the progress of repairs and just received this latest update. The damage on Brucemore is reported to have been among the most dreadful to any historic landmark in U.S. history. So I was glad to see the amount of headway that has been made. The Brucemore YouTube channel also has a shorter video that shows how extensive the damage was, including massive loss of old trees. There is still work to be done, but it is encouraging to see that so much headway has been made, and and definitely pleasing to see that Brucemore, while still hurt, has been able to resume its place as a center for the arts in the area.

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1824 Cornbread

While this blog has grown to include anything about the Midwest, it still focuses primarily on history and food. Of course, the name of the blog does make it clear that corn/maize is where we started. As the author of the book Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland, I clearly have an interest in that iconic American grain. So I thought I’d share a video on making cornbread 200 years ago. Happily, this video also connects Midwest Maize with my newest work, Destination Heartland, because the historic cooking reenacted here takes place in St. Genevieve, MO, which is featured in the new book. If you, too, like food and history, you may find much to enjoy on this channel. Hope you enjoy this visit to the past.

One-Room Schoolhouse

Forest Grove No. 5

There are so many things for me to love at Forest Grove No. 5, a one-room schoolhouse in Pleasant Valley Township, Iowa (Quad Cities area). It is history. It is education. It is community.

Opened in 1873, this is the last of the five schools that once existed in this township. It made it possible for children on the surrounding farms to get an education that was probably better than what was available in many city schools.

What drew me to this particular schoolhouse was friend Alane Watkins, whose family once  lived on one of the farms once served by this school—though it was her father and uncles who attended here, not Alane.

The school closed in 1957. Over the decades, the school had fallen into disrepair, until a group of volunteers, including Alane’s father, decided that perhaps it could be salvaged. The whole community got behind the project—and if you visit, there is a wonderful, professionally-produced video you can watch that documents the restoration but also interviews the remaining teachers and students still around at the time the project began. It is charming and heartwarming to see the community pulling together to save this bit of history. There are additional videos on their website: https://forestgroveschool.org/ The Forest Grove No. 5 schoolhouse reopened as a museum in 2021.

The school, which accommodated grades K–8, actually still sits on the site where it was originally built, and Alane points out that the massive oak trees on one side of the building were there back when the school was still in use.

Inside tremendous attention to detail has brought the school as close to what it was a century ago as is possible. As was the norm in one-room schoolhouses, desks are different sizes, with the smallest up front and largest at the back, to accommodate the multiple grades. Students would go to the blackboard by grade level, with other grades focusing on reading, writing, or other projects they could do on their own.

If you compare the photo from the 1940s (when Alane’s dad was a student there) to the photo I took a couple of weeks ago of the interior, you’ll notice that the globe on the right is above the level of the blackboard. The rope attached to it allowed it to be lowered when needed but keep it out of the way when it wasn’t.

Alane now works as a docent at the schoolhouse, but she is not alone in this. Others in the community participate, plus there are special events, such as a costumed teacher inviting local students for a full day of instruction as it would have occurred in the early 1900s. Slates, pens and ink, and old books make participation really engaging.

There is an information sign out front, that gives a good bit of additional intel, but try to be there when it’s open, as there is much more to see inside—and if you visit, definitely ask your docent to explain the Giant Stride out on the playground (chained now to keep visitors from using this once popular piece of equipment). And if you’re really good, they might even let you ring the school’s bell.

So if you have any reason to be in the Quad Cities area, consider dipping into a bit of the past at the Forest Grove No. 5 one-room schoolhouse.

Inside the school

Forest Grove class, 1940s.