Polar with a past Klan member. lol

Hey everyone, this is Blake. Polar and I decided to take a 33.5 mile trip from Carbondale, IL to Herrin City Cemetery and visit with some strange, but yet historical, characters of Williamson County history. S. Glenn Young was the former leader of the Williamson County Ku Klux Klan chapter stationed in Herrin, IL. During the time of prohibition, law enforcement officers were taken from their positions and replaced with non-curropted klan members to hold the law on bootlegging. S. Glenn Young was one of the leaders of the law enforcement teams. He was shot and killed by a bootlegger in a cigar shop in downtown Herrin. His tomb is located in Herrin City Cemetery. The interesting thing about the tomb is, its completely white and is showered in bullet holes all over. Apparently people didn't like Young so much so the drove by the cemetery, since his tomb is right near the main road and shot at how grave. Every year, present Klan members are allowed to come back to Young's grave a re-paint the white finish on his tomb....crazy people!

Suzanne and Molly go to Jonesboro, Illinois

On March 5, 2012, Molly and I traveled to Jonesboro, Illinois. We stopped at the site of the 3rd Lincoln Douglas Debate. On September 15, 1858 Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas came to the Jonesboro fair-grounds to fight over the a seat in the senate. There was a total of seven debates and Jonesboro was their third stop on their debate tour. Lincoln lost the debate to Douglas but gained popularity which helped him win the presidential election in 1860.

Molly and I traveled a total of 43.09 miles. This brings Molly's total miles of travel to 4,590.42!

Molly and Katie Go to Fort De Chartres

I took Molly to Fort de Charters in Prairie du Rocher, IL.

Fort de Chartres is the last of three eighteenth-century forts by that name erected near the Mississippi River by France's colonial government. From 1720 to 1763 French administration of the Illinois Country was centered at the forts, built successively over a 40-year period on or near the same site. The stone fort, built in the 1750s and abandoned in 1771, has been partially reconstructed to provide a glimpse of life in Illinois under the French regime.  Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, which also preserves the archaeological remains of the earlier wooden forts, is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

http://www.ftdechartres.com/page/page/1396753.htm

The total distance that Molly and I traveled was 122 miles. This brings our class total to 4,547.33miles.

Molly and Polar Go to WF!

I took Polar to "Heights Hill" in West Frankfort, IL,  to visit the Frankfort Area Historical Museum.  This museum is formerly the Logan Grade School.  It is a non-profit organization that has a tea room, gift shop, and custom quilting whose profits go directly toward the operation of the museum.  The museum is located on the Shawnee Trail and has a period room that replicates a home at the turn of the century, as well as a one room school room that would be a great visit for students. The second floor has a mural that covers 3 walls that tells the story of the early history of Frankfort. Polar and I traveled 60 miles on our journey bringing the total to 6,390.38.
Historical Museum Website-http://www.usgennet.org/usa/il/county/franklin/frankfortarea.html.

Polar & Alexandra Go to Marion Tower Square

Polar and I traveled to the Marion Tower Square to visit the deceased Veterans memorial in Marion, Illinois. The stone is dedicated to all the deceased veterans of all the wars of the United States of America. It stands on east side of the square and was dedicated in 1960. The total distance traveled was 50.0 miles. That means that Polar has traveled 6,330.38 miles!

Polar & Kaitlyn Travel to Tippecanoe Battlefield

Titanic and I first traveled to my home Crete, IL (a suburb of Chicago) then we made a trip to West Layfette Indiana for the day. West Layfette just happens to be near the Tippecanoe Battlefield Memorial located in Battle Ground, Indiana. The memorial park is a National Historic Landmark. On November 11, 1811 Gen. William Henry Harrison led his troops into battle against representatives of Tecumseh's Native American confederation. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of Native Americans from various tribes that opposed U.S. expansion into Native territory. As tensions and violence increased, Governor Harrison marched with an army of about 1,000 men to disperse the confederacy's headquarters at Prophetstown, near the confluence of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers. Harrison camped near Prophetstown on November 6 and arranged to meet with Tenskwatawa the following day. Early the next morning, warriors from Prophetstown attacked Harrison's army. Although the outnumbered attackers took Harrison's army by surprise, Harrison and his men stood their ground for more than two hours. The Natives were ultimately repulsed when their ammunition ran low. After the battle, the Natives abandoned Prophetstown. Harrison's men burned the town and returned home. Unfortunately, Titanic and I were alone so I was not able to get a picture of us together at this historic site. The total miles traveled was 806.66, which means Polar has traveled a total of 6,280.38 miles!! WOW!

Andrea and Molly Brown Go See Boomer!!!

Molly and I went to visit the plaque that remembers Boomer the dog in Makanda, Illinois. The total distance traveled was 20.18 miles.

The plaque on the monument reads: "In memory of Boomer the hound dog. Tradition says he dashed his life out against the iron abutment of the railroad bridge 300 feet south of this point on September 2, 1859, while running along on three legs trying to put out the flame in a hotbox on the speeding train of his beloved fireman-master." Legend was that Boomer could outrun trains, and the railroad didn't like it.
Story taken from: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2988