12th Day Celebration

On Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 for 1-4pm the Pierre Menard Home will be celebrating 12th Day. Typically 12th Day is celebrated 12 days after Christmas and is more commonly known as the Feast of the Epiphany. 12th Day celebrates three events. It commemorates the baptism of Jesus, the arrival of the Wise Men or Magi to Bethlehem and the miracle at Cana.

In many countries it is a day for gift giving. In Pierre Menard’s time it was a day for feasting. Epiphany marked the beginning of the carnival season leading up to lent. It also marked the day to take down the Christmas decorations. However the Menard Home will still be festively decorated for the holidays and the Friends of the Menard Home, dressed in 1840’s historic clothing will once again be welcoming visitors to the home with tours as well as something to drink and pastries and cookies.

Thank you for Supporting the Christmas Open House

The Friends of the Menard Home would like to thank everyone who visited the Menard Home during the Christmas Open House and made it such a huge sucess.  With your continued support we had over 250 visitors during the course of the afternoon and we think people went away with a better understanding of Christmases past and it helped get everyone into the Christmas spirit. 

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year in 2010 and we look forward to seeing all of you at all of the events next year. 

Christmas Open House

Sunday, December 6th, the Pierre Menard State Historic Site will be celebrating the Christmas season with a Christmas Open House from 1-4pm.

The home will be decked out in all of it’s finery with the sights and scents of an old fashioned mid-19th Century French Christmas. Greenery, from boxwood, holly, cedar and magnolia leaves will festoon the outside of the home. In addition the home will be colorfully decorated with brightly colored fruits including; apples, pears and pineapples as candles will brighten one of the shortest days of the year.

Inside the home you will find more fruit, greenery and candles as well as a nativity scene occupying the parlor with all of the traditional elements that can be found with this symbol of the Christmas season.

However one thing you will not find is a Christmas tree decorating the home. A Christmas tree inside the home can be traced back to 16th Century Germany and there were Christmas trees in this country, with Hessian Troops during the Revolutionary War and with the Moravian’s in their settlements in the east and south, but Christmas trees in general did not make an appearance in this country until they appeared in the 1850 issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book. After their appearance in that December issue there was no stopping the progression of this now widely recognized symbol of Christmas.

As is tradition with the French American’s in this country, the celebration of the Christmas season will be bright, warm, scented with wonderful smells, but subdued. However you can expect the Friends of the Menard Home will be on hand, dressed in 19th Century historic clothing to welcome everyone to the Menard Home with a cup of warm cider and something sweet to eat as they show visitors through the home of the first Lt. Governor of the State of Illinois.

What a Great Turnout

We would like to thank everyone who came out yesterday for the Outdoor Cooking Demonstration. Not only was the weather perfect, the attendance more than doubled from last years event. Free samples of some of the foods that were being prepared were given out and everyone enjoyed standing around the fire as they were being told about making an outdoor fire and how things were cooked or baked prior to the invention of the modern range.

Thanks again and we look forward to seeing all of you at the Christmas Open House on Sunday, December 6th, from 1-4pm.

2nd Annual Outdoor Cooking Demonstration

The second annual Outdoor Cooking Demonstration will take place at the Pierre Menard Home on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 from 1-4pm. Once again volunteers from the Friends of the Menard Home will be dressed in historic clothing and cooking outdoors next to the home’s summer kitchen demonstrating 19th Century outdoor cooking techniques. Food cooked in period kettles, Dutch Ovens and skillets will be demonstrated and samples of items produced will be given to visitors. This is only the second year for this event, so if you have questions about how food was prepared in the 19th Century please come out to the Pierre Menard Home for an educational afternoon. Sample foods, enjoy the smell of wood smoke and take a tour of the home and newly reopened museum given by the volunteers and historically dressed staff.

This event is solely sponsored and paid for by the Friends of the Menard Home. All monies collected during special events stay on site and are used to help the home and to put on special events throughout the year.

A Huge Thank You

We really want to say a huge "Thank You" to everyone who came out yesterday for the reopening of the museum. We had a large crowd waiting at 10am for the ribbon cutting ceremony and a steady stream of people came through the home and museum all day long. According to our counter we had well over 440 people who stopped by during the day.

We also want to thank the Kaskaskia Masonic Lodge for allowing us to display the General Marquis de Lafayette's sword. It was very generous of them and we greatly appreciate them letting the sword be on display.

We were also very fortunate to have some very special guests stop by to see the new museum exhibits. Senator Dave Luechtefeld, Representative Tom Holbrook, Cahokia Courthouse Site Superintendent Molly McKenzie and Chester Mayor Joe Eggemeyer were all in attendance. We would like to thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to view the new exhibits.

A Sneak Peek

Here is a tiny sneak preview of one of the cases being readied for the museum reopening. This one concentrates on items belonging to the Menard family. We know, we know it's not much of a preview, but it's enough to peak the curiosity so that you'll want to come out and see the new exhibits. We hope to see all of you on Sunday the 27th.

Museum Reopening/Lafayette’s Sword

For those of you who follow this Blog on a regular basis you know that we are planning a museum grand reopening on Sunday, September 27th, 2009. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am which will then allow the visitors to tour the new museum exhibits, but there’s MORE! In addition to the reopening we will have a very special artifact on display for the day. The Kaskaskia Masonic Lodge #86 from Red Bud has graciously agreed to lend us the General Marquis de Lafayette’s Sword for one day, and one day only, to be exhibited in a display showcasing Pierre Menard’s association with the Kaskaskia Masonic Lodge.

This is the sword Lafayette used during the Revolutionary War while he fought with George Washington to help win the independence of the colonies and form the United States of America. Lafayette gave the sword to the Kaskaskia Masonic Lodge while he was on his tour of America in 1824. This sword is rarely displayed outside the Lodge and we are very honored that the Kaskaskia Lodge has agreed to display the sword in the museum for the day.

The sword will be on display from 10am on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 until 4pm. After that it will be returned to the Masonic Lodge. Please mark your calendars and plan to come out to see this very rare piece of early American history and view the new museum exhibits.

Newspaper Article

For those of you who live in and around Randolph County you will have to find a copy of this weeks Sparta News Plaindealer. Lynn Venhaus did an absolutely fantastic article on our Site Services Specialist, Andrew and on the Home. The article takes up a large section of the front and second page of the paper as well as a Q & A with Andrew on the last page of the first section. The article on the home is a bit more in depth than most of the media coverage that the home receives and gives you a better insight in to why we fight so hard to preserve and protect the home. Plus there is an absolutely wonderful photograph of Fern on the front page. :)

We would like to thank Lynn Venhaus for taking the time to come to the home and to spend time getting to know it and those who work and volunteer their time to this once grand historic site.

It's Painting Time!!!!!

We can hardly believe this is FINALLY happening, but after a year's worth of prompting and very vigorous and constant reminders from us, the Home is FINALLY being painted by the wonderful and skilled members of the painting crew from Menard Correctional Center. The men have spent the last three days scraping and have started to paint the Home. They are doing an outstanding job and you cannot believe what a difference you can already see in the Homes appearance! It's another happy day in the history of the Menard Home.

Please don't forget that Sunday, September 27th, 2009 will be the museum reopening and re-dedication. We hope to have a couple wonderful surprises to share with you in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on the Blog for updates.

Work Continues

The painting continued in the museum this week and things are starting to shape up. A few more touch ups and we should have the easy part completed. Next will be setting up the exhibits and getting all of the details worked out.

Please mark your calendars, we will have a grand unveiling which will take place on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 from 10AM-4PM, visitors will be able to view the new exhibits and there might even be a few special things happening that day. Keep checking back for more updates.


Check back frequently for more details.

The Museum

Yesterday was a small milestone at the Menard Home. The volunteers started to paint the museum cases in preparation for a whole new museum display which will be taking shape over the next couple of months. While nothing is set in stone at this point we hope to have the museum ready for a grand unveiling by fall.

Stay tuned for updates and more information.

A Big Thank You!

We would like to thank everyone who came out for the Garden Walk. We don't have an exact final count yet, but we believe we almost tripled attendance from last year. So we owe everyone a very big "THANK YOU" for taking time out of your busy weekend to attend and show your support for the Menard Home. We are very grateful and are very much looking forward to our next event which will be the first Sunday in October to celebrate Pierre Menard's birthday.

Garden Walk this Sunday

Good Evening, just a quick reminder to everyone that rain or shine the Garden Walk will take place this Sunday, June 7th from 1-4 pm. Refreshments will be served and tours of the home will be given.

2nd Annual Garden Walk

We, The Friends of the Menard Home would like to invite you to attend our second annual Garden Walk on Sunday, June 7th from 1-4pm.

The herb garden should be at its peak and offer an inviting afternoon of education, learning and fun. Our volunteer group, The Friends of the Menard Home will be dressed in period clothing and offering refreshments to visitors as well as tours of the garden, home and summer kitchen. We welcome everyone to come out, take a step back in history and enjoy an afternoon and a glimpse at a bygone era.

For more information please check out this Blog, email us at helpthemenardhome@live.com or call the Home directly at (618) 859-3031. We look forward to seeing everyone on the 7th.

Open for Visitors

Great news everyone! The home has reopened and we are giving tours...YEA!!!!! Most of the furniture has been moved back to it's proper place and most of the artifacts have been put back out on display.

We are working on some exciting changes and updates for the home. Several of the cases in the museum are going to be restored and we are working on getting new gates fabricated for both of the end rooms to the home, so they can be reopened for visitors to enjoy.

Now just because there are some changes going on please don't think for one minute that our priority has shifted because our first and primary goal is to get the needed repairs and renovations addressed and paid for. Always remember that we have a single focus and that is for the homes well being and it's very survival.

Please, please, please come out and visit us very soon. We'll welcome you with a smile and friendly greeting, because we appreciate your support.

Oh Happy Day!!!

Today was a absolutely wonderful day in Randolph County. The Menard Home reopened to visitors for the first time in five months!!!! We were so happy to see the closed signs go down, the chains across the front steps removed and activity once again taking place at the home. It's been far to long since the parking lot had cars in it and tourists walking the grounds and enjoying the home and gardens. Life has returned to the way it should be. Oh Happy Day!!!!!!!

The Menard Home Reopens on April 23, 2009

Our new Governor, Pat Quinn has decided to reopen the historic sites and has done it in a sweeping and decisive fashion. We will reopen next Thursday, April, 23rd, 2009. We've been caught off guard by this quick turn of events, but we will help get the home ready to open to visitors by next Thursday. I hope everyone will make a trip out next weekend.

Again thank you all for your support.

The Menard Home is Re-Opening...Soon!!!!

Good news everyone! We were told today that all the laid-off state employees are being recalled next week and that the historic sites will reopen shortly there after. Thank you all very much for your support, kind words and prayers that helped the home through some very dark months. We must now look forward and toward a brighter future and a renewed purpose for the home and for the volunteers.

We, the Friends of the Menard Home are still here and are still plugging away. We are still dedicating ourselves to making sure that the home is taken care of that we are doing everything that we can possibly do to alert people who hold positions of authority that the home is an important part of the history of not only this county, but also this state and this nation. We have been fighting this battle for over a year now to bring attention to the plight of this once grand home. We will continue to fight and draw attention when we can to the needs of the home, looking out for it's welfare and being watchdogs who will make the necessary noise to get the attention the home needs. Some may call us crazy...or worse, we choose to say we are passionate, but we will not stop until the home is properly taken care of.

We are already starting to work on plans to host another Garden Walk this year, please stay tuned for more information on this event, as well as many others and an opening date for the Menard Home.

A Dark Day for the Menard Home

It’s turning into another dark day in Illinois. According to an early story out in the State Journal Register http://www.sj-r.com/news/x599200598/Quinns-budget-has-income-tax-increase-employee-furloughs . Our new Governor who had promised to reopen the parks and historic sites as one of his first acts as governor has found himself, and the state of Illinois in a much larger financial crisis than had been anticipated. With that said the State of the State Address will offer our beloved Menard Home no hope of reopening anytime in the next year, simply because there is no money to run the site or any of the sites that were closed last November. It is disheartening that promises were made and we’ve been holding on to hope all of these months, only to find out that we were once again placed on the back burner.

One good bit of information that will come out of the State of the State Address is the fact the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency is being done away with and the historic sites will once again become part of the Department of Natural Resources. The historic sites will be managed and taken care of much better under DNR than the bureaucracy that existed in IHPA.

While all of this might sound like a death nel for the Menard Home we are choosing to look at it merely as an opportunity. An opportunity to work harder with DNR and their people and to bring the Menard Home back to its former glory. That does not mean that we are letting Governor Quinn off the hook. By no means is he going to get off scott free in this. He made us a promise and we expect him to keep his promise. Please feel free to call him, email him or write a letter to him. You will find his address in the left hand column of this Blog. We have to keep the pressure up so that he knows we aren’t going to go away or that we will go quietly into the night.

Tomorrow is the State of the State Address

Tomorrow Governor Quinn will give the State of the State Address and we are hoping to hear something positive out of his speech. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer or two tonight that somehow Governor Quinn will find a way to reopen the Pierre Menard Home.

Save Illinois History Benefit

1st Annual Benefit Auction

To help Support the French Colonial District of Southern Illinois
* March 14th- Doors open at 6:00, Silent Auction begins at 6:30.
* The Bullpen, 101 N. VanBuren, New Athens, IL 62264 (618)475-8050
* $15 tickets in advance, $20 tickets at the door.
* The Silent Auction will include- Trips, Gifts, Theme-Baskets, Collectibles, & Accoutrements.
* Gun Raffle
* Live Music throughout the evening with special guest-
Invicta Recording Artists-The Rockhills-www.therockhills.com
* Snacks, Draft Beer, and Wine providedAll proceeds go toward Save Illinois History. This non-profit organization was established to raise funds to reopen and sustain The Pierre Menard Home, Cahokia Courthouse, Fort de Chartres, Fort Kaskaskia.

And we wait some more.

We're still in a holding pattern and hope that Governor Quinn will reopen the historic sites and parks in the spring. I guess we have to go with no news is good news. We have to be patient and know that Governor Quinn inherited a huge mess and it will take time to wade through the miles and miles of red tape, deficits and unpaid bills before we will see where the Menard Home will fit into the new state of the State. Just know that the Friends of the Menard Home will be ready when we are given the go ahead to reopen the sites. We have lots of exciting ideas and plans for the Menard Home and can't wait to get started.

It's a New Day in Illinois!

Our former governor is now part of this history he so desperately wanted to do away with. As of a few minutes ago we have a new Governor who is sympathetic to our state parks and historic treasures. Hopefully when the sun dawns tomorrow a new day will dawn in the history of Illinois State Historic Sites. Congratulations Governor Quinn! We look forward to a credible Governor who cares about our history.

Lt. Governor's Ball Cancelled

Due to circumstances beyond our control the Lt. Governor's Ball has been cancelled and will take place at a much later date. Sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused anyone.

Lt. Governor's Ball

Please mark your calendars for Saturday February, 21st, 2009. The first annual Lt. Governor's Ball will be taking place at the Legion in Steeleville, IL . This will be a historic clothing/semi-formal attired ball and all are welcome. Reenactors dressed in period clothing will be performing dances from the 18th and 19th Century and everyone is welcome to participate.

More information to follow in a week or so.

Save Illinois History Trivia Night

Save Illinois History is planning a fundraiser for Saturday, January 31st at 7pm at the Prairie du Rocher American Legion Hall. 8-10 persons per team and each participant pays $10.00 to participate. There will be a cash bar and you are welcome to bring your own snacks. Cash prizes will be awarded!!! To reserve a table please contact Sarah at (618) 334-2741.

A second fundraiser will take place on Saturday March 21st starting at 6pm at the Bullpen Banquet Hall in New Athens, Illinois. The cost will be $15.00 per person in advance and $20.00 at the door. There will be a benefit auction, silent auction, free beer, food and two live bands. SIH is also accepting donations of items for the silent auction, if you would like to contribute an item please contact Sarah at (618) 334-2741.

If you would like to make a monetary donations checks may be sent to: SIH, PO Box 331, New Athens, IL 62264-0331. Also check out their website at www.saveillinoishistory.com or if you have questions you can email them at info@saveillinoishistory.com

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to Everyone! It is a new year and hopefully something will happen shortly with our state legislature. Thursday could possibly dawn with a House vote on impeachment. If that happens and our dear governor is removed from office it's our understanding that Lt. Governor Pat Quinn plans to reinstate all the state parks and historic sites. So, until then we are holding our breath, waiting, praying and hoping for a good outcome and the restoration of our beloved Home's funding.