Barry Cloyd performs in the Bishop Hill Chautauqua -- August 9.
Saturday, August 9, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bishop Hill IL
Two hundred years ago, pioneers created Henry County, and in honor of this occasion, the Bishop Hill Chautauqua, on August 9, will look back at the people who impacted Henry County history, the events at the Bishop Hill Gazebo including storytellers, historians, and musicians performing first-person portrayals of famous historical figures.
From a Native American view of Illinois history to true tales of the Underground Railroad, the founding of Bishop Hill, and the story of the immigrants who built this country, the Bishop Hill Heritage Association will celebrate Henry County’s Bicentennial in this traditional Chautauqua. The day begins at 9 a.m. with “A Storyteller's Tour of Bishop Hill,” a walking tour led by professional storyteller and historian Brian “Fox” Ellis. The tour will start at the gazebo, last about 75 minutes, and cover about three-quarters of a mile. Ellis' stories will explore the founding of the town within the context of Henry County history, and the tour will end at the gazebo in time for the first performance.
At 10:30 a.m., Jimmy Lakota Edwards will share songs and stories about the Native American history of our area, and maybe a social dance. He is a First Nations singer, dancer, and wisdom keeper. Afterward, there is a lunch break with time to visit one of several restaurants in Bishop Hill. Brian “Fox” Ellis will perform as Benjamin Dann Walsh at 1 p.m. Walsh was the first State Entomologist of Illinois. He lived just outside the Bishop Hill Colony and will share an outsider’s view of the Colony. He was also an adamant abolitionist involved in the Free Kansas Movement.
At 2 p.m., Angie Snook, retired Geneseo Historical Museum Director, will portray Harriet Cone Miller, a member of one of the founding families of Geneseo. They created the town as a station on the Underground Railroad. Miller will let us in on the secret inner workings of the Underground Railroad in Henry County. Next, at 3 p.m., Peoria singer/songwriter Barry Cloyd will reprise a crowd favorite: Illinois poet laureate and Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg. Sandburg’s sister Mary was a teacher at the Bishop Hill Colony School.
As the performances wind down, the audience is invited to join the Bishop Hill Heritage Association for Fika (free cookies, coffee and conversation) and discuss the programs with the performers at the park gazebo. The audience is invited to ask questions of the performers and share stories of their own. All of the Chautauqua programs will be held at the gazebo in Bishop Hill’s town square on the corners of Main Street and Bishop Hill Road, in Bishop Hill, IL. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, and to also bring friends.
This free public event is sponsored by the Bishop Hill Heritage Association, Community State Bank, Illinois Arts Council, Geneseo Foundation, Galesburg Community Foundation, and Fox Tales International. Regional Media is the major media sponsor, and for more information on the August 9 Bishop Hill Chautauqua, call (309)927-3899 and visit BishopHillHeritage.org.
