2009 Calendar of Events

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABE LINCOLN!
February 12 -1:00-54:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Come celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday with the Early American Museum as we open this year's special exhibit, "The Many Faces of Abraham Lincoln." examining some lesser known facets of Lincoln's life and personality, as a reader, a father, a surveyor, a backwoodsman.
Come have a piece of cake and enjoy the day!! Free Program

PRAIRIE STORIES
September 19 , 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Enjoy a day of family fun at the Early American Museum as we do work and play from an earlier time. Dress in old time clothes, listen to the strains of Banjulele as they play old time songs of Illinois. Dip candles, make and eat a hush puppy, churn butter and try many old time crafts, wander down Blacksmith row as they each create works of art or necessity as they show their skills and individual talents - There will be a silent auction, proceeds to go to the Early American Museum and Campbell Center. Featured will be a handmade wooden box with forged utensils inside. Take a look and place your bid. The annual Dog House Building will once again take place with someone who helped build that afternoon having the winning ticket drawn from the fish bowl.

Go for hikes through the Prairie and learn about the history of the prairie in Illinois and the plants and animals that call it home. There will also be an hour presentation by Ken Robertson on Prairies.

NOVEMBER MOON
November 14, 6:00-8:30 P.M.
Early American Museum and Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden
Join us at the Early American Museum as we enjoy the magic of an evening program. We will create garden lanterns for our program and hear stories of Champaign County as we listen to storyteller Camille Born as she takes us back in time to experience an October evening. The program will end with snacks around a bon-fire

TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE GO
December 5, 1:00-4:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Join us for our holiday program as we once again create stations throughout the museum for children to make and take Christmas tree ornaments or presents for family members. Each year we create ideas for new gifts and ornaments. Gift wrap station available too. We will have a puppet show and try singing a Christmas Carol all together! Free program

STOCKING STUFFER EVENING
December 18, 6:30-8:30 P.M.
Early American Museum
Christmas can be a hassle. Enjoy a quiet evening alone or with your special someone at the Early American Museum. Shop in our gift shop for stocking stuffers and remembrances for friends. Meet artisans who will be on hand to show you their specialty and one-of-a-kind items. Meet your friends, enjoy classical music, sip complimentary spiced cider, and sample our signature spice cake as your presents are being gift wrapped. Free program

SENIOR PROGRAMS
"Champaign County's Lincoln"
Prairie Winds: 10:00 a.m. February 2
Windsor of Savoy: 10:00 a.m. February 5
Clark-Lindsey: 7:00 p.m. February 5
A viewing of the video produced by the Lincoln Exhibits Committee, with a brief introduction before, and discussion after by Barb Oehlschlaeger-Garvey,
Early American Museum. Reservations required, Contact Early American Museum by January 31, 217-586-2612. Free Programs

"The Many Faces of Abraham Lincoln"
Prairie Winds: 10:00 a.m. May 4
Windsor of Savoy: 9:30 a.m. May 7
Clark-Lindsey: 7:00 p.m. May 7
An introduction to this year's special exhibit examining some lesser known facets of Lincoln's life and personality, as a reader, a father, a surveyor, a backwoodsman.

GOOSE POND LECTURE SERIES
Abraham Lincoln spoke at the Goose Pond Church in West Urbana in 1856 to a crowd of antislavery proponents and abolitionists in support of Fremont, the presidential candidate for the newly formed Republican party. In honor of the Lincoln Bicentennial, through a grant provided by the Illinois Humanities Council, the Early American Museum presents the "Goose Pond Lecture Series" in February, March and April of 2009. FREE PROGRAMS

"African Americans in Frontier Illinois: "
Lecture
February 28, 2:00-3:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Although African Americans were-- in theory--free, many restrictions were placed on their life and liberties in the frontier "west" of Illinois. In this lecture, Professor James Simeone, Illinois Wesleyan University, will discuss the plight of freed blacks and fugitive slaves in the state of Illinois before the Civil War. Supported in part by the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Council of Negro Women, Community United Church of Christ, and the Douglass Branch Library, Champaign.

"Bring on your Arguments, Gentlemen': Woman's Rights and Abolition."
March 7, 2:00 - 3:00 P.M
Community United Church of Christ , 805 S. Sixth Street, Champaign
In this talk, Professor Stacey Robertson, Bradley University, explores the complex and lively relationship between the movement to battle slavery and the movement to battle women's oppression.
Supported in part by the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Council of Negro Women, Community United Church of Christ, and the Douglass Branch Library, Champaign.

"Illinois in the 1850s: Chipping Away at Racism."
March 21, 2:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Jane Ann Moore, noted author and ordained minister, will speak about the Underground Railroad and Illinois Black Laws of 1853, Frederick Douglass's visit to Illinois, and how Illinois colonization laws and black school laws of 1855 were used to maintain the dominant Democratic political power in Illinois.

at 3:15 P.M. "How Abraham Lincoln Held the Rag-Tag Coalition Together,"
In this lecture author and director of the Owen Lovejoy society Bill Moore will discuss the political fusion process of Conscience Whigs, Anti-Nebraska Democrats, Know Nothings, German Americans and the Antislavery Movement, who all came together at the Bloomington Anti-Nebraska Convention in 1856. Moore will explore the important roles that Joseph Cunningham and Champaign County played in helping Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy to mold that Convention into an effective Republican Party..

William F. Moore and Jane Ann Moore are ordained ministers in the United Church of Christ and co-directors of the Lovejoy Society. Supported in part by the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Council of Negro Women, Community United Church of Christ, and the Douglass Branch Library, Champaign.

"The Underground Railroad in Illinois,"
April 4, 2:00 P.M.
Douglass Branch Library, Champaign
Owen Muelder, Director of the Underground Railroad Freedom Center at Knox College, will trace the history of slavery and how it came to the New World and North America, the emergence of abolitionism and the Underground Railroad nationally, and the antislavery movement and the UGRR in Illinois. His talk will conclude with a discussion of the place of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in the national discussion of slavery. Supported in part by the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Council of Negro Women, Community United Church of Christ, and the Douglass Branch Library, Champaign.

SECOND SUNDAY ARTISAN SERIES
June 14, 3:00-5:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
The Art of Bonsai with Marvin Lukasik
Mr. Lukasik works at the ancient art of Bonsai. He creates miniature trees with pruning, wiring and a sense of balance. Some trees are well over 20 years old and only 8-12 inches tall. Visit with Mr. Lukasik as he does a demonstration pruning and gives a talk on his collection of Bonzi trees, some of which will be on display. Some sales, Free Program

5:00-6:00 P.M. -Susan Williams Band
Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden
The Susan Williams Band hails from Danville, Illinois. The will be on hand from 5:00-6:00 p.m. with oldies but goodies. If you enjoy classical rock and blues, then this is the concert you cannot miss! The Susan Williams band will power up and keep us on a wild ride of songs and sounds to evoke memories with some "cool" tunes. Free Program

"The Camera and Abraham Lincoln, "
October 4, 2:00 P.M.
Early American Museum
Mark Pohlad describes the photographs of Abraham Lincoln as they appear in the history of photography. Lincoln was the first extensively photographed President, and the first for whom the media helped sway an election. The sixteenth President once described his most frequent photographer, Mathew Brady (1823-96), as "the man who put me in the White House." Through vivid, large-scale projected images, art historian Mark Pohlad - a specialist in photo history - will trace the images of Lincoln and his circle while describing the nature and challenges of photography in the mid-nineteenth century. Supported in part by the Illinois Humanities Council.

"Tailing Veterans: Finding Your Ancestors in Service Records"
November 8, 2:00 P.M..
Early American Museum
Cherie Weible, Head of Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery; Associate Professor of Library Administration, will discuss how to find your ancestors in a variety of genealogical sources. Weible will focus on Civil War, World Wars II and II. Special question and answer period included.

*Grand Prairie Kids
(for Ages 5-12)

June 17 - Tastes from the Hearth
9:30 - 11:00 - Join us at the museum as we talk a little about loading a wagon and heading west. Once we get to Illinois what do we eat before our first crops are ready? What about after our first harvest?

July 8 - Settler Children and Chores
9:30-11:00 - Saturday morning cartoons, afternoon ball games, your time is your own, but what if you lived on a farm 100 years ago, what would you be doing with your time then?!?

July 22 - Rhymes and Tales
9:30-11:00 - Enjoy a morning of stories and fun as we learn how tales are created. We will work on our own story we want to tell, dress up and act it out for a small audience!

Programs for Home School Families
All programs require pre-registration and pre-payment. Parental
accompaniment is recommended for all programs, and required where
noted. Suggested minimum age is provided. Cost will vary, call for
information: 586-2612

Lincoln's Birthday Party
February 25, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Early American Museum
Celebrate Abe Lincoln's 200th birthday! Get a sneak-peek at our 2009 Lincoln exhibit at the museum. We will "get to know" Abe, the man, before his presidency. And, yes, what's a birthday party without cake!
This class is designed for the whole family, with parental accompaniment required. Fee is $3.00 per child, 2 and up. Registration and payment are due February 18. For further information and to register, call Sandy at 217-586-2612.

Civil War Class
March 10 and 17, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Early American Museum
We will focus on the effects of the Civil War on Champaign County citizens. Components include exploring our Civil War gallery, businesses, lives of farmers and soldiers, and more. You will attend both days, and there will be homework to do between sessions.
This class is designed for students interested in and/or studying the Civil War, and is aimed at the fourth grade through junior high level. Parent accompaniment is recommended. Fee is $8.00 per child. Registration and payment are due March 3. For further information and to register, call Sandy at 217-586-2612.

Settler Curriculum
September 16, 30, October 14, 28, November 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m. every day
Early American Museum
Topics covered include settlement information of Champaign County, daily life of adults and children, one room school, prairie plants and animals, writing historical fiction stories, and Christmas. You will attend all 5 days and there is homework each session.
This class is designed for ages 6 and up, with parental accompaniment required. Fee is about $18.00 per child, depending on guest author's fee. Registration and payment are due September 9. For further information and to register, call Sandy at 217-586-2612.

Prairie Adventures
September 25, 9:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Early American Museum
This is a fast-paced and busy day! You will rotate through 3 sections - settler's harvesting, prairie animals, and prairie plants. You will shock and shell corn, identify mystery animals, "build a bison", witness a mini prairie burn demonstration, and more!
It is recommended for children 9 years and up, with parental accompaniment suggested. Fee is $3.00 per child in Champaign County, and $4.50 per child out of Champaign County. Registration and payment are due September 18. For further information and to register, call Sandy at 217-586-2612.