A LITTLE ABOUT US

The Macoupin County Historical Society is dedicated to studying the history of the area and collecting and preserving memorabilia of its people.

The Society was organized April 29,1970, when a group of nine local Macoupin County citizens interested in local history met at the home of Mrs. Lucy Klaus to discuss whether there was enough interest in forming a Historical Society to preserve the history and events of the past pertaining to the county and outlying neighboring regions. It was unanimously agreed to organize a historical society and a meeting was soon held at the Macoupin County courthouse with one hundred thirty-three historically interested people attending and signing up as charter members, each agreeing to pay $1.00 as a membership fee. It was decided to hold monthly meetings with the meetings held in different towns and neighborhoods about the county with a local person or a group of local persons representing that community presenting the history of that part of the county.

In June of 1973 the organization had the opportunity to purchase the property owned by Mrs. Alex (Jessie) Crawford consisting of 16.5 acres containing the large two and a half story deteriorating Victorian mansion and farm buildings located in the northwest portion of Carlinville. The property was known at that time as the Anderson Mansion property. Mrs. Jessie Crawford was a daughter of John Anderson who had originally owned the acreage and built the massive home on the property. In 1996 the Society purchased an additional 11.5 acres and then later added another 4 acres.

Historically interested people from about the county and neighboring counties have donated historic furniture and household items of yesteryear to be displayed in the house as a museum. Through the years numerous buildings have been built on the grounds while others were moved to the grounds and restored. There are two large buildings displaying household items and antique farm machinery, a working blacksmith shop, a restored one room country school house, an old rural country church, a country store and working print shop. The red barn has been converted into a kitchen and serving area where food is prepared and sold for the festivals. A working sawmill has been set up with lumber sawing demostrated during the festivals. In 2011 a building was constructed to be known as the Ruyle Building which houses the genealogy library and also has a meeting area and small kitchen.

In Sept. 1971 the first Arts and Crafts Festival was held at the Fairgrounds. The next two years it was held at the Carlinville High School. Starting in 1976 the Festival was held on the Historical Society's grounds. There are now two festivals a year, one in May on Memorial Day weekend and one in the fall on the third weekend of Sept. A Christmas show is held the first full weekend of Dec. As the Society gets no federal or state money these festivals and show are our source of income to maintain the Historical Society grounds.