Illinois Heritage, January–February 2023

Volume 26, Number 1

From the Editor

Looking ahead to the new year, the 2023 calendar is filling fast, with historical happenings popping up across Illinois like mushrooms on a warm spring day. We’re already planning historical marker unveilings in East St. Louis, Peoria, Decatur, Secor, Bloomington, Mt. Vernon, and several other cities, thanks to a grant from the WilliamG. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse, New York, and the dedicated volunteers who promote local history in their communities. We’re also getting ready for the annual “Best of Illinois History” awards, which takes place in April and honors historians, archivists, exhibitors, museum curators, writers, and the lifetime achievements of individuals whose passion for local history has changed lives, attitudes, and neighbor- hoods. Watch for details in Illinois Heritage and make your reservations early to join us for the celebration in Springfield.

We’ve planted a bumper crop of articles for Illinois Heritage and the ISHS Journal, with in-depth features that cover the depth and breadth of Prairie State history. Thanks to all of you who renewed your ISHS membership; you keep this flat- bottom, riverboat afloat on these winding— and sometimes wicked—waterways. This issue of Heritage explores so many back- water sloughs it’s probably best to let you jump in without much preamble, but I’ll note how nice it is to introduce Megan VanGorder’s “Teachable moment” essay, which we hope will be the beginning of a new and ongoing IH dialogue with Illinois history and social studies teachers.

Thanks to all who have made this issue possible—the contributors, the donors, the advertisers, the proof-readers, and especially you, the folks who read and  share this magazine with others. Here’s wishing you the best new year, and a winter of wonders in Illinois.

William Furry
Executive Director