Hamilton County Illinois Historical Society & Genealogy Library

05/20/2026

The next meeting of the Historical Society will be May 26th at 6:30 at the Big Red Barn. The speaker will be Penny Van Winkle telling us about all of the theaters that have been in McLeansboro through the years. Finger foods will be provided.

04/27/2026

The meeting scheduled for tomorrow April 28th has been cancelled due to the weather that will be going through the area tomorrow. We hope to see you next month!

03/11/2026

If you think Pirates were only on the ocean, you would be wrong! Come find out at this year's first meeting of the Historical Society. Our speaker will be Jon Musgrave and he will be telling us tales of Pirates on the Ohio. We will be meeting at the Big Red Barn on March 24th at 6:30. Refreshments will be served. You do not have to be a member to attend.

11/15/2025

Hamilton County Historical Society mourns the loss of one of our long time members. Larry Easley was one of our biggest supporters and will be greatly missed by all.

03/14/2025

The first meeting for 2025 of the Hamilton County Historical Society will be on March 25th at Farris Family Restaurant at 7:00. Our speaker will be Angela Mason who wrote Death Rides the Sky. The 100th Anniversary of the Tri-State tornado will be coming up in a few days. If you want to learn about it then come to our meeting. You do not have to be a member. Refreshments will be served.

03/01/2025

As many of you may know, on March 18, 1925, the worst tornado in U.S. history occured. It started in Missouri, went all the way across Southern Illinois, including Hamilton County and into Indiana before finally disappearing. 42 people in Hamilton County lost their lives because of this tornado. The National Weather Service will be holding a Commemoration event in Murphysboro, Illinois on March 15th from 8 AM - 4 PM at Murphysboro High School. All of the Historical Societies along the path of the tornado have been asked to make displays of what happened in their County. They will have numerous speakers all day long and a gym full of memories from that day in 1925. Please consider attending!

11/30/2024

09/06/2024

We want to let everyone know about some members of our community that went above and beyond on Wednesday to help out the Historical Society. Andy Rubenacker, Mike Cunico and Jared Pryer put up our tent and Tom Barker helped there and carried everything down from the museum and unloaded it at the tent. We couldn't have done it without them! We are blessed to have men like this in our community!

09/05/2024

Ok Folks it's that time of year again! We are set up on the Southwest corner of the courthouse. Come out and check out all of our books. We have 9 books on sale for 50% off. We are also having a raffle with great prizes. Get yourself a ticket and you could win a 1 ounce silver bar. Stop by and see us!

08/14/2024

How many of you know that a St. Louis Cardinals player named Ray Blades came from Hamilton County? If you want to hear more about his life, then come to the next meeting of the Historical Society. It will be on August 27th at the Farris Family Restaurant at 7:00 PM. Free Refreshments will be served. You do not have to be a member to attend the meeting! Hope to see you there!

12/08/2023

In 1978, the Historical Society interviewed a lot of people for an Oral History Project. We have these in typed transcripts or on cds...sometimes both. We are offering copies of these for sale. If you are interested in what they had to say about their lives---please contact Donetta Malone at 618-231-7778 for more information. If there is an X next to their name, they have a transcription and a cd.
Mary Ellen Afflack X, Earl Allen, Omar E. (Petie) Allen X, Albert Anselment X, Hazel Auten, Nancy Auxier, John Aydt, Helen Allen, Neva Brooks, Jimmie Biggerstaff, Frank Bonan, Irene Brewster X, Ralph Clark, Dana Darnell, Blanch Dulaney, Estill Drew X, Tony Eckerle, Tom English X, Vada Edwards, Freda English X, Emelia Engel X, Wendell & Emelia, Paul & Ada Friel, Rose Frey X, Christine Frey, Jake Frey X, Olivia Frey, Jasper Goin, Mano Gunter, Kath Goodrich, Mary Gwaltney, Lodge Grant X, Joel Hammonds, Corda Hogan X, Auda Hardesty, Lena Hansman, Catherine Hardesty, Ralph Harrelson X, Lewis Herzing X, Clara & Saraphine Hopfinger X, Rufus Irvin & Clyde Jines, Ovah Jones, Ben Johnson X, Laura Johnson, Nora Ward Johnson, Poems of Emory Lambert, Emma Karcher, Susie Kaughman, Minnie Kirsch X, Marjery Knapp, Beulah Levato, R. W. Linder, Mary Malone, Pearl McCollar, Alve Lasater McGill, Frank McNair X, Margaret Judd McPherson X, Ruth Miller, Julia Mitchell, Julia Hall Moore, Eulah Nance Morgan (dedication), Irene Mundy X, Emelia Nice X, Wayne Pemberton X, Nora Phillips, Felix Poore, Mayme Ross, Dortha Richardson X, Christine Rubenacker X, Ed Rubenacker X, Oscar Sapp, George Schuster, Omus, Clem & Sam Schuster, Clara & Ed Schuster X, Clarence Smith, Jerome Smith X, Omar Smith, Sarah Smith X, Otis Sodders X, Claude Spillman, Ellis Stafford, Fred (Buck) Stull, Lizzie Thomas X, Mabel Trout, Herbert Tucker X, Ralph Upton, Lela Ward & Irene Ward Jack, Lionne Warren X, Andy Wellen, Ben Wellen, Joe Wilson, Anna Wheeler, John (Hub) Wheeler X, Kate Wilson, Mabel Wright, Iva Yoder, Leslie York X, Lawrence Zachman X