FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Historical Society to recognize sesquicentennial churches in
2010
August 27, 2009
Contact:
William Furry
217-525-2781
NEWS FROM THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Illinois State Historical Society’s Centennial Awards program will turn its
focus on 150-year-old churches in 2010. Churches of all denominations
established in Illinois in 1860 or earlier are eligible to apply for the special
award, which includes a certificate, a complimentary one-year membership in the
Society, invitation to a special awards banquet at Wheaton College, and
statewide recognition.
The Sesquicentennial Church Awards will be held in conjunction with the
Society’s 31st annual Illinois History Symposium at Wheaton College, which also
celebrates its sesquicentennial in 2010. The symposium theme for 2010 is
“Abolition: The Spark that Ignited the Second American Revolution.” Churches
established in 1860 or earlier are considered ante-bellum institutions. However,
not all churches in Illinois were opposed to slavery, which was legal in the
United States until 1865, making the Prairie State a hotbed for abolition and
the Underground Railroad, and paving the way for Abraham Lincoln to be elected
president.
Eligibility requirements for the Sesquicentennial Church Award include
documentation of continuous operation for 150 years or more, supported by one or
more of the following items: minutes of early church meetings; marriage or
baptismal records (photocopies are acceptable); official charter; contemporary
newspaper advertisements or articles; old city directories. A $50 non-refundable
application fee is required with each application. Applications are available
online at www.historyillinois.org. For more information, call 217-525-2781.
xxx
For More Information Contact:
Illinois State Historical Society
P O Box 1800, Springfield, IL 62705-1800
Tel:
217-525-2781
FAX:
217-525-2783
Internet:
wfurry@historyillinois.org
