My name is Mike Coleman and I took sara to the Franklin County Garage 1910 Museum in Benton, Illinois. The museum is 29.3 miles from the RLCM in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The longitude and latitude is 37° 59' N/ 88° 55' W. The garage was built in 1910 as Franklin County's first Ford Dealership. The building, which contains about 90% of its original equiptment, has been restored as an automobile showroom and machine shop of that era.

My name is Amanda and I took Sarah to the site of Charlie Birger's hanging in Benton, Il (Franklin County tourism bureau). This historic site is 26.71 miles from RLCM in Mt. Vernon, Il. The longitude and latitude coordinates are 37° 59' N/ 88° 55' W. Charlie Birger was the last man to be executed by public hanging in Illinois. The original gallows is still standing with the noose used to hang Birger. The day was cool and cloudy, so Sara didn't want to get out of the car. We took our picture and then went inside for a tour of the historic court house.

Sarah goes to Halfway House Tavern

Hi, my name is Michael Koehnke and I took Sarah to the Halfway House Tavern in Iuka, Il. This historic cite is 88.64 miles from 625 Wham Drive, Carbondale, Il. Its exact coordinates are 38.629 longitude and -88,775 latitude. The Tavern is the halfway point between St. Louis, Mo. and Vincennes, Indiana. In the 1700 and 1800's it was a popular trading post and resting point for travels heading in either direction. It is rumored that Abraham Lincoln stopped at the Halfway House Tavern on more than on occasion.

On November 29th, Sarah and I went to the Dahlgren Train Depot in Dahlgren, Illinois. The Dahlgren train station was built in 1871. It was built as part of the St. Louis Railway. It is no longer in use. Sarah and I traveled 118.84 miles to the train depot and back. We traveled in my car.

Dahlgren is located on Illinois Route 142 (formerly U.S. Route 460). The Evansville Western Railway, formerly CSX Transportation, provides freight rail service to Dahlgren. CSX put 120 miles of rail line from Evansville, IN to Okawville, IL to the Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL), an operating entity of Four Rivers Transportation, Inc., in a transaction whereby CSX sold all track, ties and track equipment to PAL and provided a 20-year lease on the right-of-way. Upon completion of the sale on December 31, 2005, PAL transferred all interests to the new Class III operating entity.
Dahlgren has no regularly scheduled passenger services. The nearest passenger rail connection, which is the AMTRAK, is in Centralia, Illinois.

Hello! My name is Holly Wilburn. Sarah and I went to the West Frankfort Coal Miner's Memorial on October 26. The trip is 27.53 miles from school. It is about a minute from my house in West Frankfort. According to google earth the latitude was 37 degrees 53 feet 53.31 in. N while the longitude was 88 degrees 55 feet 44.37 in. W.

Sarah behaved while we were on the trip. We looked at the memorial and read the poems on the memorial. The memorial is shaped to represent "Little Egypy," which is Southern Illinois nickname. One enscription stated, "We can only hope and pray that this monument will always serve as an ever lasting memorial to all coal miners everywhere; those who work and live, those who worked and died, those who gave and sacrificed so much, those who gave it all." Coal mining has been an important occupation for many Southern Illinoisans. It has been a booming business in the past and is becoming more prevalent again today.

Sarah Goes to C.E. Brehm Memorial Library

Hello, my name is Adrienne Skidmore. On November 1, 2011, Sarah and I traveled to C.E. Brehm Memorial Library in Mount Vernon IL. We traveled 57.74 miles on IL-148. This took about one hour and ten minutes. Sarah was very good during the trip. She got to see the new statue about the women that has served our country. The statue featured two famous women veterans. The women are Molly Pitcher of the Revolutionary War frame and Maj. Tammy Duckworth an Iraq War veteran. Duckworth, now the Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, was injured on Nov. 12, 2004, while piloting a UH 60 Black Hawk helicopter in Iraq. A rocket-propelled grenade fired by insurgents hit her helicopter, Bruckner said. The subsequent explosion caused severe injuries to Tammy Duckworth’s legs and right arm. She now walks with the aid of prosthetics. Tammy Duckworth received a Purple Heart on Dec. 3, 2004, and was shortly after promoted to major and presented with an Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois DAR member, said she initially was reluctant to consider lending her face to the sculpture.

This Library is one of the oldest functioning libraries in Illinois. C.E. Brehm Memorial Library is located on latitude longitude coordinates 38-19'03"N and 088-53'51"W. The library was erected in 1904. The library services were started in 1893 when women started a Shakespeare Club. In 1894, the club took rooms on the south side of the square in what became the second floor of the downtown Mammoth Department Store. The circulating library opened its doors on January 9, 1895. Andrew Carnegie was a local businessman that donated 12,700 dollars to the construction of a library. He is now considered one of the founding members of the library.

This trip was very enjoyable for my mother and myself because we are walking distance from the library. Both of us had not seen the new statue and was very surprised by the detail the sculptor used. It was very engaging to visit a local jewel in the middle of our town.
-Adrienne Skidmore.

Frank goes to Tunnel Hill Bike Trail

Franks adventure to Tunnel Hill State Trail started off a little rough. From SIU the car ride is 35 miles to the trail, however it is much worth the drive. My home is on the way to the trail, so we stopped to introduce him to my new kitten, Muffin, that did not like him very much. After he was fed, we took out on the trail for a walk to take pictures of this beautiful bike trail. My daughter made the trip with us, and for a six year old turned out to be a great photographer! She has been to the bike trail all of her life because it is only three miles from our home.
If the 45-miles of the trail could be seen in cross- sections, it would taper to its lowest points at either end, with Harrisburg and Karnak the lowest point and Tunnel Hill having the highest point. This point being just high enough to for the railroad builders to decide to tunnel through it, rather than go over it. The result is a comfortable 2 percent grade for the length of the trail. In 1929 a portion of the tunnel collapsed and this landmark was shortened by 300 feet, now 543 feet long.

During the 19th century the trail was a railroad that was a part of the cross country railway system. Among the developers was a Civil War General, Ambrose Burnside. Burnside was best remembered for his facial hair now called "sideburns. This railway system transported passengers, coal, salt, wood products, and orchard grown peaches and apples.

Sarah's Trip to the Granada Theater!

My name is Kelly Ellis. On October 28, 2011 around 11:00 a.m. Sarah and I, along with two of my children drove in a car to the Granada Theater located at 106 N. 9th street in Mount Vernon, Illinois. According to my Tom Tom, G.P.S. navigational system the latitude is 88 degrees 54.156 W and the longitude 38 degrees 19.075 N. Sarah traveled 59.60 miles and that took one hour and ten minutes.


The Granada Theater was built in 1937 by the Boller brothers. It was the first theater in Mount Vernon to have air conditioning. It began as a theater then in the 1970's it was used as office space. It was again used as a theater in the 1980's and I saw many movies there as a pre-teen and teenager.
Now the Granada Center for the Performing Arts is working on restoring the building to it original beauty. It can be rented for public and private functions. The money goes toward the restoration project. For more information copy and paste this site,
http://www.granada.mvn.net/Facility%20Rental%20Information.html
Occasionally a family friendly movie will be played at the theater for no charge. This is a good time for families to go enjoy a night out with no additional costs. The have played "It's A Wonderful Life" and recently the showed the animated film "Shrek".

Sarah's trip to Garden of the Gods

On Oct 2nd, Sarah and I decided to go for a hike at the Garden of the Gods located near Herod IL. The Garden of the Gods in located in southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest. The wilderness area is over 320 million years old and covers over 3,300 acres of beautiful forest. The sediment rock in this area is over 4 miles deep and the fractured bedrock and created various rock formations. Sarah and I observed many rock formations and wildlife. The rock formations included: Camel Rock, Turtle Rock, and Knights of the Round Table. We traveled to Garden of the Gods by car and it took us over an hour to reach our destination. The trip from Wham to Garden of the Gods was over 60 miles. The latitude and longitude coordinates were 37.609880 - 88.387985. Sarah behaved well for me, but I didn't let her stray very far for the high cliffs can be dangerous.

Frank Learns About Coal Mining in Southern Illinois!

Hello! My name is Kara Stark, and Frank and I spent some quality time cruising around good, 'ole, Southern Illinois! After jamming out to some awesome 90's tunes in the Escort, we decided to make a stop in Herrin, IL, where we observed the Coal Miner's Memorial. We had a little trouble finding it at first. Frank finally decided to stop and ask for directions, and we were able to find it. It was hidden away on the corner of 14th Street and E. Cherry. It was only 16.12 miles (37.803574 latitude, -89.026445 longitude for the map readers out there), but it sure seemed to take all day! After we got out to explore, we were overwhelmed with how many names there were. Frank and I first stopped to read the inscription at the base of the statue, which read, "In memory of coal miners who gave so much that future generations may benefit with a better life. They labored, served their country, sacrificed for their families and some lost their lives. We honor and salute them so that they will never be forgotten." We learned that the monument, dedicated on October 14th, 2000 (my birthday!), depicts a miner returning home and being greeted by his son. We also learned that Southern Illinois used to be a huge coal mining community. In fact, it was the reason that many of the towns in southern Illinois were created! Coal was even called "black gold". As Frank pointed out, it was amazing to see how many names were around the Memorial. It sure is something to know that that many lives were impacted by the coal mining industry. We tried to stay and read all of the dedications, but it was past Frank's bedtime, so we had to make the trip back. It was definitely an interesting trip, and I hope that we can go back, soon!

Sarah visits Capaha Park

Hello, my name is Brandi Baldi. Sarah and I took time this weekend to visit Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This is located at 37.3125506 latitude and -89.5370368 longitude. Capaha Park was home to the Capaha tribe during DeSoto's expedition. In 1792, Louis Lorimier was sent from Spain as an ambassador of Indian relations.
At the entrance of the park are several memorials placed there to remember members of the community which have died while serving our country. Sarah, my daughter Lily, and myself took a minute reading all the names of those who defended our country so bravely. A replica of the Statue of Liberty is also present near the memorials. Sarah enjoyed all the beautiful flowers which had been planted in the area to make it more appealing.
After we had spent our time exploring the park and Sarah running through the hills, we were invited to take part in the Southeast Missouri State University homecoming parade as part of the campaign efforts of my sister-in-law, Holly Rehder, who is running for Missouri state House of Representatives. Sarah was tired after running through the park so she was allowed to ride along in my nephew's stroller while my daughter pushed. My nephew, Kaydin was happy to share his suckers with Sarah as the crowds of people cheered for our group of walkers. After the parade, my sister-in-law invited Sarah and I to have our picture taken with her to help complete our expedition.
We really enjoyed our time in Cape Girardeau and at Capaha Park. We had planned on visiting the Lorimier Cemetary but it was not open at the time we were visiting. However, Cape has many historical sites which Sarah and I agreed would call for another visit soon to this riverside town.

The Dogwood Tree

Hello, my name is Rob Robinson. Sara and I took a trip through the country to see the largest Dogwood tree in the state of Illinois. The tree is located at the Union Chapel Cemetery in Texico, Illinois. Latitude 38 Degrees North and 88 Degrees West. The first burial at this cemetery was December 29, 1895. It is unknown the exact date the tree was planted but would guess as the dates provide a timeline between 1895 and 1914, more likely between 1896 and 1913 either way the tree would be at least 100 years old.

The tree was planted by Rebecca Green she was born September 26, 1846 and died January 8, 1914 she is buried at Union Chapel Cemetery. In the 1900 Census Rebecca Green was living in Field Township with her husband Francis M. Green and seven children. According to the IL Statewide marriage index Rebecca Clark and Francis M. Green were married May 7, 1884 in Jefferson County, IL.In the 1880 Census Rebecca Clark is living in Field Township as the head of household with two sons ages 6 and 5.The IL Statewide marriage index shows a Vestal A. Clark was married to Rebecca Penacuff on June 5, 1874.

At first Sara and I thought that this would be kind of silly to adventure, but we are both glad that we went. When we first arrived to the cemetery, we both knew exactly which tree it was, it was just there by itself and even thought it was not in bloom you knew that it was the tree. Sara and I both felt that the tree gave the place a peaceful and calming feel. You kind of knew that God has used his creation to give peace to the families that have lost someone that is buried there. Overall, Sara and I enjoyed our time together.

Sarah visits army tank

My name is Sarah Speraneo and I took the Sarah home with me for a week. On October 18th, Sarah and I braved the freezing cold rain to travel by car 17.88 miles to visit the VFW's army tank. The army tank is located at the Veteran of Foreign Wars building in Marion Illinois at latitude 37.75 and longitude -88.93. The tank is an actual tank recoverd from a foreign war (unknown which one) and available for viewing to the public. This would be interesting to take a class to and show them what type of tanks were used in foregin wars. Students of all grades would enjoy the trip because they could physically see the tank as well as experience being close to it, touch it, take a picture with it, which most students would find an army tank just "so totally cool!" The main uses for tanks in a war were for protection, to carry weapons, and to move from place to place. Tank development has consisted of making changes in order to improve protection, mobility and firepower. Improvements to engines and suspensions enable tanks to move faster over rough terrain. Tank armament is constantly being upgraded; tank weapons have ranged from machine guns to missile launchers.

Frank's Gateway Arch Experience

Hi, my name is Amanda Long! When Frank received the opportunity to come home with me I was unsure where we should go. I told Frank that my boyfriend and I had to go to Fairview Heights, IL to pick up a bridesmaid dress this weekend. I didn’t want to be rude, so I told him he could come along and we could go on some historic adventure. Frank said he didn’t want to be a 3rd wheel, but he would really enjoy visiting the Gateway Arch. I haven’t been to the Arch since I was a child, so I told him that was a great idea and he wouldn’t be a 3rd wheel! On October 16, 2011 we traveled a total of 202 miles to the arch and back home to SIUC. The Gateway Arch has the Latitude of 38.624901 and Longitude of -90.186317. Before we left Frank asked me if I knew much about the Gateway Arch, and to be honest I did not. So I told him this would hopefully be a learning experience for the both of us. We drove my car first to pick up my dress, which Frank thought was lovely, than we went to the Arch. At the Arch, we learned that the arch is the nation’s tallest monument, reaching 630 feet tall! The Arch is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. There was a nationwide competition in 1947-1948 to design a monument in St. Louis honoring western pioneers. The architect Eero Saarinen (August 20, 1910 - September 1, 1961) won the contest with his sleek arch. Saarinen came up with this idea from Eads Bridge connecting Illinois to Missouri. Frank and I found all of this information out by watching a short video before traveling to the top of the Arch. Frank, my boyfriend, and I were surprised to see the small tram we had to ride to the top in. I think Frank may be a little claustrophobic, but we made it to the top without getting sick or having a panic attack. Frank enjoyed looking out the windows at the top, though he would have preferred the windows to be open so he could stick his head out and feel the air. We rode the tram back down, and traveled back to SIUC. This was a great experience for Frank, my boyfriend, and I. I think I can say we all had a great time!

Rebel Frank visits Jefferson County Historical Village

Hello, my name is Regan Parks. Rebel Frank and decided to travel to Jefferson County Historical Village in Mt. Vernon, Illinois on Friday, October 7th, 2011. The Historical Village has the latitude and longitudinal coordinates of 38.332354 and 88.924563. We enjoyed our travels north in my car from SIUC to Mt. Vernon relishing in the emerging fall colors of the season. We traveled a total of 119.08 miles. We decided to stop off at my sister’s home in Woodlawn and share the historical experience with my nieces, Emma (14 years) and Ava (7 years). Jefferson County Historical Village is an authentic representation of buildings and artifacts from the original settlement of Mt. Vernon in the late 19th century. Rebel Frank, Emma, Ava and I especially enjoyed the medical building as showcased medical equipment and tools of the time period. We discussed how technology has changed over time and how many of the diseases like diphtheria which threatened lives of people from that era, is no longer a communicable threat. The general store was appealing as it displayed genuine products of the 19th and 20th century. My favorite building was the little school house that portrayed the look and feeling of the 19th and 20th century educational building. It visually symbolized the original multiage classroom. The Jefferson County Historical Village is an amazing reflection of the past that exemplifies the spirit of the people from the time period and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the past.

Sarah Travels to Orland Park

My name is Stephanie Schofield, today is October 11,2010 and I took Sarah to the Twin Towers Church located in Orland Park Illinois. We began our journey by taking a train to Homewood Illinois and then drove to my hometown of Orland Park. Sarah was kind of restless towards the end of the train ride but made lots of friends on the train. We traveled a total of 638 miles round trip, 37.717764,-89.222193 to 41.628776,-87.862428!
When we were finally finished traveling, we reached The Twin Towers Church in Orland Park, Illinois. The church was originally built in 1898 by Architect William Author Bennet. In 1989, the church was added to the National List of Historic Places. As we walked around the church, the most unique characteristic we saw is the is the two hexagonal towers at opposite corners, one of the only remaining churches in Illinois to have this unique architecture. We also learned that during the 1920's the church was the first place in Orland Park to show silent films. Before we left, Sarah and I took a picture on the steps of the church. After many attempts to take a picture (my dad could not figure out how to work my phone) we decided this was the best picture. We also decided to add another picture so you can better see the beautiful architecture of the church. Sarah and I enjoyed our trip, but after another six hour trip back to Carbondale, are happy to be finished traveling for the day!

Sarah Goes To See Historic New Harmony, Indiana

My name is Vicki Aud. I decided to show Sarah the town of New Harmony. We left on Friday, September 30, 2011. I know this town very well. I use to work there by cleaning some of the restaurants, homes and rooms at the Inn. My husband, John, and my son, Logan, both wanted to join us on our journey. Sarah traveled 180 miles round trip. The coordinates for the trip are Latitude: N 38.128625 and Longitude: W -87.938965 We drove in my Pontiac G6 to New Harmony and then we walked between sites.

New Harmony is the site of two of America's great utopian communities. The first, Harmonie on the Wabash in 1814, was founded by the Harmony Society, a group of Separatists from the German Lutheran Church. The town was transformed by one of the owners, Robert Owen, buying the land of the other. The town has many Harmonist (1814-1824) buildings and 12 early 19th century buildings and 20 from mid-19th century, Gardens, a reconstructed Harmonist Labyrinth, a museum, library, gallery, Thrall’s Opera House, Murphy Auditorium, Beal House, log cabins, Roofless Church, and a theater. The New Harmony Inn has a Conference Center that offers the comforts of city-living in a rural setting. The town's unique history comes alive on guided tours offered to 15 historic sites which begin at the Atheneum/Visitor Center.
The day was gorgeous with perfect weather. My family decided to walk around New Harmony to various sites. This allowed Sarah to stretch her legs from the long car ride. We began our journey at the New Harmony Inn. I showed everyone where I had formerly worked. Then we visited the Roofless Church, some log cabins, and a garden/labyrinth. Then we walked to the Visitor Center. We took time at the Atheneum/Visitor Center. Sarah ran freely on the huge lawn before entering inside. There is a museum display and educational signs and maps describing the history of New Harmony. We watched a 20 minute film informing us about the history of New Harmony. We learned that world-renowned scientists and educators settled in New Harmony. New Harmony is also the site of the early headquarters of the U.S. Geological Survey and provided the earliest geological and natural science collections for the beginnings of the Smithsonian Institute. From 1830 until 1860 New Harmony was one of the most important training and research centers for the study of geology in America.
Sarah posed for some fun photos to share with everyone and then took a small nap in the sun before the long journey home. We all had a great day together.

URL: http://www.newharmony.org

Sarah visits John A Logan Museum!

My name is Haley Bollman and today, September 26, 2011, I took Sarah to visit the John A. Logan museum! We traveled 8.52 miles to Murphysboro, Il at 37.762403, -89.341533 to learn interesting facts about the Civil War. The museum has a ton of photographs from John A. Logan's life, portraits, memorabilia, and weapons from the Civil War! John A.Logan was a general for the Union Army during the Civil War. There is also a trail that leads around the land of the museum with other interesting Civil War historical site such as the Samuel H. Dalton house who was a freed slave that served in the Union Army! We saw a lot of really cool stuff that helped us learn about the Civil War and John A. Logan!

Fort Massac State Park

FORT MASSAC STATE PARK
Hello. My name is Christina DeWitt. Today, September 24, 2011


Frank joined our family on a trip to Fort Massac State Park. Our family dog was jealous so we had to take him along as well. Frank and Rebel our dog became best buds. Frank traveled 129.14miles round trip. The coordinates for the trip are Latitude: 37.149371 and Longitude: -88.694344. Fort Massac has a replica of an 1802 American fort site. This site is where the original French and American forts were built. The park has statue of George Rogers Clark. Fort Massac was dedicated, the first state park in Illinois in 1908.
There are places to picnic, look at the river, look at the fort, and there is lots of brochures. They have an encampment 2 days October where they recreate the atmosphere of the late 1700’s. We visited the visitors center at the state park, where we saw artifacts and many replicas of the time. It is a very interesting and educational place to visit. Frank had a lot of fun we pretended to go on a boat trip in the visitors center, looked at the fort, and stood by the statue of George Rogers Clark, and went down by the river and collected some rocks. The park has play areas for kids, camping, hiking, picnicking, hunting, boating and fishing. There is lots to do for everyone and history everywhere. Frank was a little unhappy that he had to be held, but the park has a leash law, and I did not have a leash for him. The park is located at 1308 E. 5th Street, Metropolis, Ill.

Sarah Goes to Cedarhurst!

Hi! My name is Elisha McDowell. Today, Sarah and I visited the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, IL. The latitude and longitude for this museum is 38 degrees N and -88 degrees W. Since Sarah lives in Carbondale, this was a fairly lengthy trip for her. The miles she traveled round trip were 118.24 mi. Sarah enjoyed this road trip as we traveled in my car and she was able to look out the window to see all the lovely sights along the way.

John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell were local philanthropists who created Cedarhurst for education and enjoyment. They collected several pieces of art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and upon their death, they left their estate to benefit the residents and visitors of Mt. Vernon. The Mitchell Museum opened on November 2, 1973 and it is one of the art display centers. In 1992, the Cedarhurst Sculpture Park was initiated and it displays sculpture in nature's outdoors. Additionally, the Beck Family Center Gallery contains hands-on activities for children to experience art and learning.

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is full of interesting pieces of art and historical art displays. Currently, the Mitchell Museum is displaying the 24th Biennial Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Southern Illinois Artists Open Competition and Exhibition. The exhibition lasts until October 16 and features various pieces of contemporary art from local and other artists. Sarah enjoyed viewing the interesting artwork, including oil paintings on canvas, forged steel, and photography. After viewing the exhibition, Sarah and I traveled down the hall to view quilts from the Cedarhurst Quilt Exhibit. Then, we saw the permanent collection of John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell. Sarah and I enjoyed learning about some of these historic art works and artists.

Before we left, Sarah and I had our picture taken in front of a Cedarhurst sign located in the front lobby of the building. We also took some free brochures with us so that we could have a keepsake of our trip and continue to learn more. I enjoyed this trip and I think Sarah did, too!

Sarah visits the Saline Creek Pioneer Village and Museum

Sarah and I decided to visit the Saline Creek Pioneer Village and Museum on September 15th, 2011. I took Sarah and my children on car ride of 39.26 miles, to the location in Harrisburg, Illinois. The latitude and longitude coordinates are 37.718357, -88.552909. The Saline Creek Pioneer Village is a settlement from the era of 1800 to 1840. It contains log homes, blockhouses, barns, a Quaker church, a school, and jail. Saline County was organized in 1847 with Abraham Lincoln serving as the attorney. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and fresh air ! It was a wonderful learning experience for us all!

Sarah visits 138 year old church site!

On September 16th, my children and I took Sarah on a bike ride about 1/2 mile from our home. Sarah rode in the seat on the back of my bike. I think she enjoyed the fresh air! We chose to visit the original site of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church. This log cabin church was built 138 years ago in 1873 by John and Howard Gentle. In 1992, the church was relocated to the Historical village in Mt. Vernon,IL. The original footprint of the church is still at the site and is clearly marked. Mt. Olive Church is still at the location, though they have built a new building .
While we were exploring we discovered the cemetery behind the church. We stumbled upon the grave of the founder of Bluford (my home town). We also found the tombstone of a soldier that fought in the war of 1812!
Sarah traveled a total of 75 miles from her home of 625 Wham Drive in Carbondale, IL to Roosevelt Lane in Bluford, IL. Sarah seemed to love the outdoors and the fall scenery.

Sarah Visits the Mount Vernon Historical Village!

My name is Chelsie George. I took Sarah to the Mount Vernon Historical Village on Monday, September 12, 2011. My boyfriend, Doug, went with us to the Historical Village. We took our car there, so I made sure Sarah buckled up in the backseat! Sarah traveled a total of 118.98 miles, so she was very tired. The coordinates for the Historical Village are 38.332354, -88.924563. I chose the Historical Village because it seemed really interesting and I had never been there before, even though I live in Mount Vernon. The Historical Village represents life in Jefferson County from the mid 19th century to some more recent years. In the village, there is a welcome cabin and gift shop, Koy Cabin, Clifton Cabin, East Hickory Hill School, City Calaboose, Mt. Olive Church, a blacksmith shop, the Jeffersonian Print Shop, a general store, the medical building (where Sarah and I took our pictures), and Schweinfurth Museum and Interpretative Center. The Schweinfurth museum holds exhibits of the history of camera, quilts, clocks, musical instruments, and bridal gowns. There are also two trails at the Historical Village. One leads travelers to the Old Union cemetary where there are graves of early settlers. The other leads through grasslands where markers are to describe historical events. The Historical Village is open from May through October. They also have many events, such as Kids Halloween Make and Take, Heritage Days, and Historical Village Kids Halloween. Needless to say, Sarah and I had a wonderful time at the Historical Village and learned a lot.

Frank visits old friends at Woodlawn

On Saturday, September 17, Frank and I went to Woodlawn Cemetery in Carbondale to visit some of his old Civil War friends. We did not have to travel far to get to our destination but it was still a very eye-opening experience nonetheless. Woodlawn Cemetery is located in the middle of Carbondale with latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of 37.726941, -89.21088. The historical site is the burial ground for several Civil War Veterans and those involved in the war in one way or another. Some of the sites within the cemetery that Frank and I found most interesting, include a mass burial of over 30 freed slaves who died of smallpox on their way north. Unfortunately, none of their names are remembered. There was also a woman, whose casket rests above ground because she was a supporter of the south and refused to be buried in "Yankee soil." Overall it was a good experience, I learned a lot and both Frank and I enjoyed the trip.