Historical Trolley Tour of Manito

Ever wondered where some of the old businesses were located in Manito? Do you know the history behind some of our historic homes and the prominent people who lived there? What about Oak Grove Cemetery and little Mary Cox? As part of the Sesquicentennial Celebration the Manito Historical Society and the Sesquicentennial Committee is sponsoring a Historical Tour of Manito. This information along with many other Manito tidbits will be narrated to you from a historical society member while you relax and ride the trolley around town. Tours will be from 12 Noon-4pm on the hour on Saturday, August 30th at the Manito Popcorn Festival. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $2 at Manito Community Bank. If any of the four times are not filled in advance, tickets will be available at the Historical Society Booth in the park on Saturday. This is a great opportunity to give your feet a rest, learn something about historic Manito, or take a ride down memory lane.

Antique Crocheted Bedspread Raffle

An approximately 100 year old crocheted bedspread will be raffled throughout the Sesquicentennial year by the Manito Historical Society. The bedspread has Manito history as the woman who made it, Mrs. Flora Sparks, spent most of her life in Manito. Flora (Rector) Sparks was born in 1862 in Missouri and was married to Harbird “Hobbs” Sparks at Manito in 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Sparks were the parents to Dr. Joseph Sparks. Flora worked for a few years in Peoria as a governess to a family on Moss Avenue. The rest of her adult life was spent in Manito working for families when there was illness or new babies born. Flora passed away in 1945 at the age of 82 years old. The story is told that she won the contest for naming Meadow Lawn Cemetery as well as the plot where she is buried today. This beautiful queen sized bedspread was made in the early part of the century making it approximately 100 years old. The Historical Society will have the bedspread on display at all Historical Society and Sesquicentennial events. Get your raffle tickets for your chance to win a beautiful piece of Manito History Saturday, August 30, at the Popcorn Festival. The drawing will be in December.

Pottery Made in Durang Displayed at Forman Valley Library

The Manito Historical Society received a real treasure from Elsie Willett last year in the form of a plate made in Durang. This plate in encased in a beautiful wooden display case made by Mr. Wayne Meyer of Manito. The story of the plate and its origins and history are displayed next to the plate to keep our local history alive. Elsie wrote the history of the plate and those who once owned the pottery. This piece of pottery is truly a treasure beyond belief. Joseph Richard Dwyer, native of Tazewell County and later one of Manito’s citizens, was a descendant of a family of four brothers who emigrated from Ireland during the Potato famine. His grandfather Richard J. Dwyer brought his family to Illinois. This paternal grandfather homesteaded in the Glasford area near Peoria, IL where he died in 1864. His son Isaac Dwyer born in 1824 at Glasford, IL, crossed the Illinois River by boat as a young boy by way of the “Old Dike Road” landed at Old Durang Town where at the foot of Durang Hill a settlement had been founded. This settlement consisted of a tavern, a fish market, a thriving Pottery, a general merchandise store, a large grain elevator, and a few scattered houses. Durang is where the beautiful plate was made. The great-granddaughter (Manito’s own Mayme Dwyer Seelye) had this plate, which she gave to her daughter Josephine Seelye Rodell. When Josephine and her husband moved to Texas it was given to Mrs. Elsie Willett for “safekeeping.”
Mrs. Elsie Willett has generously donated this plate to the Manito Historical Society to be housed at the Forman Valley Library. How many of us have a plate manufactured in Durang in the 1800’s? Thank you Mayme, Josephine, and all the Dwyers for saving the plate for the folks of Manito, Illinois. Is this not truly a great treasure? The Historical Society is so grateful to Elsie and Wayne for their generous donations to the Community.

Old Red School House Roof Replaced

In keeping with our long term goals of preservation of our local museums, the Manito Historical Society has replaced the roof on the old Red School House located behind Manito Community Bank. After being unsuccessful in receiving a local bid, we contracted Kelley Construction of Pekin for the roof replacement. There are other smaller jobs to be done to get the buildings in good repair. If you would like to help donate time, craftsmanship or money to the preservation of these buildings please write to the Manito Historical Society, PO Box 304, Manito, IL, 61546, Any and all help from the community is greatly appreciated.

Sesquicentennial Home Tour

The Manito Historical Society is sponsoring a home tour as part of our Sesquicentennial celebration. Historic homes to the current homes of today will be available for tour on June 21, 2008 immediately following the Garden Thyme Bridal Show at 3pm. Five homes will be open for tour with complimentary refreshments. The homes on tour are currently owned by Mike and Dee Hohenshell, Harold and Donna Thompson, Jason and Erika Hunter, Rebecca Switzer, and Ed and Teresa Buck. The tickets may be purchased in advance at Manito Community Bank or at the Old School House behind the bank at 2:00-4:00pm on June 21st. Come tour and enjoy these beautiful homes and their part in Manito’s History.

Ed and Teresa Buck Home
201 S. Washington Street
The Buck home was built in 1881 by John Marshall at the cost of $3,500. The home was owned by the Marshall family until 1940 when it was purchased by Harry and Henrietta Selke and their three children, Lawrence, Harold, and Ruth. Ed and Teresa Buck bought the home in 1980. The home has been restored and today features a new master bedroom suite completed in 1999 and a new custom built kitchen completed in 2008. The wedding dress on display at the home was worn by Emma Pollard in 1904. Emma and Ephrem Pollard lived in what is currently the Dan and Cris Willett home. Emma was responsible for bringing Eugene Buck (Ed’s father) to Manito from Ohio in 1931. Come visit to see all the old and new beautiful features of this historic home.

J.A. Marshall Home built in 1881
History of J.A. Marshall as taken from the Mason County History Book

J.A. Marshall is one of the most enterprising business men of Manito, being now engaged in the sale of buggies, surries, wagons, hardware, stoves, and everything found in a first-class establishment of this kind. He was born September 23, 1846, in Madison County, Ohio, and is a son of Joshua Marshall who was born in Virginia in 1814. Joshua moved to Kankakee, Illinois, in 1846 and built a new hotel that burnt in 1858 and suffered losses of $6,000. This caused him to move to Mason County where he was more prosperous. In March 1838, he married Drusilla Rackstraw, and to them was born J.A. Marshall.
In 1878 J.A. built the North Elevator in Manito at a cost of $3,500, and in connection with his brother Horace engages in grain dealing. In the fall of 1881, he came to Manito to purchase lots and built him a home. He has a fine residence 14x28 feet, with a front 18x20 feet, two stories in height, with a kitchen 20x14, built at the cost of $3,500. It is supplied with all the modern improvements and is one of the finest homes of the village. He also built his hardware and implement store at a cost of $3,400. There is a hall above the main building with a stage, and seating capacity of 300. In his store is the public telephone, and he also has a private telephone connected with his house. Mr. Marshall married Elizabeth Docker on October 23, 1873 and they had 3 children. In 1883 Elizabeth passed away. Mr. Marshall again married on December 10, 1884, his second union being with Sarah A. Strickler and later born one child, Samuel J. in 1886. J. A. Marshall is sagacious and far-sighted and by his perseverance and well directed efforts he ahs gained a handsome property which numbers him among the substantial citizens of the community.

Mike and Dee Hohenshell Residence

In 1894, Dr. M.S. Blazer and his wife Agnes moved into their newly constructed house on Broadway Street, which served as an office and residence to Dr. Blazer. An etched glass window advertising his practice remains in the front door today. Leading to the front door is a quarried stone walkway, said to have been cut to Dr. Blazer’s specifications by prisoners at Joliet State Prison and shipped to Manito by rail. Serving Manito as a country doctor for nearly 42 years, Dr. Blazer treated patients in his office and sometimes performed surgery in a large room on the second floor. Occasionally patients spent the night in the house or were transported by train to a hospital in Peoria.

After the deaths of Doctor Blazer in 1931 and his wife in 1939, the property sold at auction in 1940 to Robert and Mattie Jane Cranwill, who raised their large family in the house. The next owner, Ed Skaggs, purchased the house more than 40 years later with the intent of restoring it. Before completing the restoration, he sold the house to John and Lois Crown, who finished much of the restoration. They sold the house located at the corner of South Street and South Broadway Street to the current owners, Mike and Dee Hohenshell. In 1994, 100 years after the house was first occupied by Dr. Blazer, the Hohenshells moved in.
The original woodwork, lattice work, built in china cabinet, and front door remain inside the house. Outside, lilac bushes and jonquils said to have been cultivated by Dr. Blazer


Mr. and Mrs. Harold Thompson Residence

The home of Harold and Donna Thompson located at 107 West Market Street is one of the oldest homes in Manito. It was the former residence of the Hodkinson family and was also the dental office of one of the sons, Dr. Frank Hodkinson. It is possible the home came into the Hodkinson family via the mother, Caroline Black Hodkinson.

With the passing of all the Hodkinson family, the two sons Dr. Frank and Clyde (a rural mail carrier who never married), the house became the property of Birdie Schmidt. Birdie had been the housekeeper for the family for many years.
At the time of her death the house set empty for many years. When it was finally sold at public auction it was purchased by John and Mary Thompson, parents of Harold Thompson. The property by this time was located on the Manito Blacktop, a road not in existence in the early days of Manito.

The home has under gone extensive remodeling. The dentist office is now the front room of the home. A summer kitchen was torn down and an apartment built for Donna’s mother Pearl Lee, was added on the back of the house. With Pearl’s passing it is now an all family dwelling. Visit on the tour for more stories of “Old Manito.”

Students Experience Life in the 1800’s

The Midwest Central fifth graders got a unique experience on behalf of the Manito Historical Society and the Forman Valley Community Foundation. In conjunction with Manito’s Sesquicentennial, the students got to experience a day of activities to learn about life in the 1800’s. The day was planned to be held entirely behind Manito Community Bank where the Historical Society Museums of the Old Red Schoolhouse and the Old Jail are housed. Due to inclement weather, parts of the day’s activities were held at the Forman Center. The students were all given a t-shirt to wear to the event.

The students started off the day with Brian “Fox” Ellis (storyteller and author) telling about Abraham Lincoln’s life from the perspective of Austin Gullaher, a childhood friend of Lincoln. The students learned about Lincoln as a young man and student.

The students then went to different stations throughout the day. Becky Switzer, Donna Thompson and Norma Jean Hilst educated the students at the Old Red Schoolhouse about school, rules of conduct and a teacher’s life in the 1800’s.
Zoerene Worner entertained them with music of the time period from the old organ. An Old School bell was rung to signal the rotation to the next station.
Ken Lacey and Bill Heinhorst were hosts at the Old Jail. Ken told about the history of the jail, the old crimes in Manito and gave a tour of the old jail. Bill gave his perspective on the Bank Robbery in which he and other bank employees were tied up by two bank robbers in the 1960’s who were later apprehended. The students asked a lot of questions. They received a reproduction paper of the Manito Community Express of all the well known crime stories of the Manito Area compiled by Ken Lacey.

A big part of life in the 1800’s was horse and carriage transportation. The students were given the opportunity to take carriage rides. This was most of the students first time to ride in a carriage.

At the Forman Center, the students played games from the 1800’s such as Jacob’s ladder, pick-up sticks, games of graces, and others. This station was supervised by Jan Blair.

The students then went on to the next station to dress up in 1800’s style clothing and get their picture taken by Ernie Nall. Annalee Heinhorst and Nancy Proehl supervised this station.

The next station was the craft station. The students decorated a wooden frame that said “Manito 1858-2008” to be used with their pictures. This station was supervised by Charlene Nall.

The students were given the opportunity to guess how many Lincoln pennies were in a jar for a prize of a Manito Sesquicentennial puzzle. The winner was Krystalynn Alexander.
Lunch was served to the students while Rod Horner recited poetry and stories of old time favorites.

At the end of the day, the students sang “Happy Birthday to Manito” and cake and ice cream was served. The cakes were reproductions of the Old Jail and the Old Red Schoolhouse. They were designed and created by Corr’s Custom Cakes in Manito and were delicious to all.
The day would not have been the success it was without the help of Mrs. Heinhorst’s World History students from Midwest Central High School. These students helped at each station. The other Historical Society members who helped that day were Terri Heinhorst, Beverly Meyer and Judy Owens.
A special appreciation goes to the generous donors to the Forman Valley Community Foundation for without their financial help this day wouldn’t have been possible.

Antique Appraisal

The Manito Historical held an Antique Appraisal and dinner at Willett’s Winery and Signature Wood on Saturday April 19th at 6:00 pm. Darlene Lewis was the appraiser and went from table to table appraising items to the best of her knowledge. Everyone enjoyed seeing other people’s collectibles and fun and fellowship was had by all. Food was catered by Oney’s and dessert was catered by Corr’s custom cakes.

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