Illinois Bicentennial Follow-up, in Vandalia

Today is the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Because of that anniversary, July 4 is also the day that the star of a newly-admitted state is added to the US flag.  And it was 200 years ago today that the 21-star flag debuted, as the 21st star for Illinois was added to the US flag, after it was admitted as a state on December 3, 1818.

So today's occasion seems an appropriate follow-up to the Illinois Bicentennial of December 3, 2018.

As another appropriate follow-up to the Illinois Bicentennial, I participated in the festivities for the Bicentennial of Vandalia, IL, the 2nd state capital city.

Kaskaskia was the first state capital city of Illinois when it became the 21^st State in 1818.  To avoid having a city with such an important role in a place vulnerable to Mississippi River flooding, the powers that be decided to move the capital to a different location, the city of Vandalia, in 1819, which was established on March 30, 1819.

And so I headed down south in Illinois once again on Flag Day, Friday, June 14, 2019, to partake of Vandalia's Bicentennial celebration.

Just like I did last year for my weekend excursion that included visits to all the Illinois capital cities, I drove along I-57 closely paralleling the eastern border of Illinois.  Near Mattoon, I exited and went east to Charleston, IL, to the Coles County Fairgrounds (#25 on my secondary Illinois 200 list), the site of the 4^th Lincoln-Douglas debate and the 4^th debate site I’ve visited.  On the eastern edge of the fairgrounds is a small museum (#26) and statues of the two figures.  

Some people helping out at a tractor pull event were kind enough to get photos of me and then we got chatting, one of which appears above.  (Mr. Douglas is to the left and Mr. Lincoln is to the right.)  I remarked how this was my first visit to Charleston, and something I knew about the city is that it’s the hometown of former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar (#27).  Mr. Lincoln's parents also lived nearby.

(Please note, all photos in this post are mine, except where noted.)

I then drove back west to Mattoon where I got dinner, and then drove about an hour on I-57 to Effingham, and then westward on I-70 to Vandalia.  I exited at US 51 and then drove west along Veterans Drive to stop and admire the fiery breath of the Kaskaskia Dragon (#28) against the dark night sky, which you can see in the photo below.  There was a brilliant moon to the south, and lightning in a thunderstorm to the north.

The next day, Friday, June 15, I waited out a downpour before heading to downtown Vandalia.  I wasn’t clear how the festivities would be held with the rain that had been falling that morning.  I figured a good place to start would be the Old Statehouse building, which you can see all decked out in patriotically festive decor in the photo below.  

The various historical displays with costumed individuals sharing about them were moved inside, which was a good chance to go inside the various rooms of the statehouse, normally cordoned off and viewed from outside in the hallways.

Here's a display for a 19th Century medical professional.

Brian Ellis, a history presenter, invited people to come upstairs to hear about indigenous American perspectives on Illinois history, in the old House of Representatives chamber.  He shared some traditional songs and told stories about tribes like the Sauk and Fox, interweaving stories about creation and going all the way to the time of Blackhawk (#29).  Some of the stories were heartbreaking about what the government did to indigenous peoples.  But it was also awe-inspiring how he concluded, saying his presentation was about sharing stories with us, and he invited us to share stories with him, a kind of sharing of “the light” with each other.

Following this presentation was a musical presenter who shared various songs from 19^th Century Illinois history.  Abraham Lincoln walked in as his presentation began, and sat in the area of the room where he likely would have sat while serving as a state legislator, as you can see in the photo directly below.

There was a great variety of songs, like the Illinois state song (including an alternate final verse written in the 1960's), the Shawnee town song, a song used by people steering flatboats on the rivers, and a Lincoln campaign song, "Lincoln and Liberty".  Mr. Lincoln even joined in on a number playing a small harp instrument, which you can see in the photo directly above.

I stepped out after the songs ended and went outside to find lunch.  I was back in the old House chamber by 1 PM for Brian Ellis’s next presentation, in which he portrayed William “Billy” Herndon (#30), Mr. Lincoln's longtime law partner in Springfield, as seen in the photo below.  Mr. Herndon shared his perspective on Abraham Lincoln, particularly related to his lawyer career.  He framed it with 5 different questions that people consider about how Mr. Lincoln learned to be a lawyer, and whether he was more politician or lawyer, and used many stories to shed light on these questions.

There were intriguing stories about cases he tried, like the Illinois Central railroad, a woman going through a divorce (which resulted in a stride toward rights for women), and a woman in her Golden Years accused of murdering her husband.  When that accused woman said she was thirsty, Mr. Lincoln said she could get water in Tennessee.  Mr. Herndon offered us plenty of food for thought, especially toward the conclusion of the presentation, when he spoke about how Mr. Lincoln mastered the art of storytelling, which has a kind of power.  Certainly Mr. Ellis is a master storyteller in the way he brought history alive to give us plenty to ponder from the new perspectives we encounter in those stories.

When he finished his William Herndon presentation, it was almost 2 PM, and the rain had stopped and the sun was starting to shine through the clouds, just in time for the parade on Gallatin Street.

The parade started with a fife and drum group.  There were plenty of other historical characters, like a group of youths dressed up as characters including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and the Statue of Liberty.  There were some businesses that compared windows and heating units then and now.  There was one marching band with youths, but I couldn’t read their shirts and tell of what school or group they were part.  There were also cars that had toured the national road in various years throughout the 20^th Century up to 2019.  The parade finished with a bubble bus.

Fife and drum group

Costumed figures

Some of the cars that toured the National Road

A cannon rolling along

Climate controls then (a fire) and now, HVAC systems

Window units then and now

Bubble bus

Fredbird, the St. Louis Cardinals mascot

Then, the crowd gathered a block west on Gallatin where there was a photo shoot, and remarks from people like Vandalia Mayor Ricky Gottman.

Once that finished, I went inside Lya’s and Friends, a boutique store, to eat some birthday cake, in the photo directly below, and then buy a commemorative souvenir tote bag to conclude my time at the Vandalia Bicentennial festivities, along with taking a few more photos in the downtown area.

Outside a display across Gallatin Street from the Old Statehouse Site

Looking eastward towards the grounds of the Old Statehouse Site

Sign celebrating Vandalia, beside the grounds of the Old Statehouse

Flag for the Vandalia Bicentennial celebration on a post beside the Old Statehouse Site grounds

Model of the Old Statehouse at Gallatin and 5th, a block west of the Old Statehouse

Also while there, I went to see the sites of the first two capitol buildings in Vandalia that were used before the third, which is preserved as a historical site.

The site of second state capitol building of Illinois (#31) is at 5th Street right at the intersection of Johnson Street, the location of The Leader-Union building, Vandalia's local newspaper.

Above is a plaque on the wall of The Leader-Union building, and below is a view of the front of the building.

The site of Illinois's third state capitol building (#32) is directly across 4th Street from the Old Statehouse Site.

Above is a display for the 3rd Illinois state capitol building on the wall outside the building currently on the site, a commercial property, the front of which is in the photo below.

I have to say, it was a really nice commemorative celebration, probably the best I can ever recall attending.  They had plenty of activities, presentation, displays, and a really nice parade that incorporated so much history, especially in the way of costumed characters.

It was also great to continue celebrating Illinois by engaging with its history, learning more about what has made Illinois what it is.

And everyone made the best of rainy conditions to have a great celebration.  While I was uncertain about what I could do, I ended up having a fantastic time inside the statehouse with the various presentations.

Indeed, it was a sight to behold when I was sitting in the Old House of Representatives room, where Illinois State Representatives did the work of governing that shaped Illinois years ago, and to see history come alive there in the celebration that took place when I visited on June 15.

That's truly the power of telling the stories of history as we take the time to be present to it again, and then join with it as we continue shaping history while doing the work of our lives in the present.

US Representative John Shimkus, R-IL District 15, took this photo of me posing with Abraham Lincoln.