Fair St. Clair 200 helping usher in Illinois’ bicentennial
The St. Clair County Historical Society, the Realtor Association of Southwestern Illinois and 25 local historical organizations will present Fair St. Clair 200 taking place at O’Fallon Community Park on Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring a Vintage Baseball game between the Belleville Stags Vintage Base Ball Club and Springfield Long Nine Vintage Base Ball Club, sweet tunes from the Philharmonic Society of Belleville, locals in period dress, and a toast to Illinois’ 200th birthday.
Fair St. Clair 200 will offer special exhibits, demonstrations, living history, hands-on activities, and live music.
The free community event will feature many exhibitors — Belleville Historical Society, Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra, Belleville Stags Vintage Base Ball Club, Cahokia Mound Museum Society, Freeburg Historical and Genealogical Society, Gustave Koerner House Committee, Nicholas Jarrot House, Labor & Industry Museum, Lebanon Historical Society, Marissa Historical Society, Mascoutah Historical Society, McKendree University Museum, Millstadt Historical Society, New Athens Historical Society, O’Fallon Historical Society, Old Cahokia Courthouse SHS, Realtor Association of Southwestern Illinois, Scott Air Force Base, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Col. Friedrich Hecker Camp #443, Sons of the American Revolution, St. Clair County Genealogical Society, St. Clair County Historical Society, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, and Turner Brigade – 17th MO, Co. G.
“This is going to be a great day celebrating Illinois’ 200th birthday in Illinois’ First County-with fun for the whole family. From the Millstadt Historical Society offering the physical fitness test of being a farm hand 150 years ago, the St. Clair County Genealogical Society offering tips and answering questions on how to discover your family history, to baseball, music, and food, this event really has something for everyone. We hope everyone will come experience the past 200 years of St. Clair County with indoor and outdoor activities beginning at 10am with a toast at 3 p.m.” says Kati Schwierjohn, senior director of the Realtor Association of Southwestern Illinois.
The St. Clair County Historical Society, founded in 1905, strives to inspire people with the story of Illinois’ first county. The society operates two museums in Belleville, the Victorian Home Museum and the Emma Kunz House, and the historic Messinger Cemetery in Swansea. The society encourages exploration and learning through its educational programming, research facilities, social media and publications.
