The Weekly Post
Thursday December 7, 2017 Vol. 5, No. 40 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
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Before becoming a state, Illinois had its own Liberty Bell By TRAVIS LOTT
No exploration of the 200 years of Illinois history would be complete without a look at what preceded those two centuries. While Illinois became a state in 1818, its story began nearly 150 years before that, in 1673, when Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette explored the Mississippi River in search of a route to the Pacific Ocean. When the two explorers’ travels led them near hostile Spanish territories, they turned back and traveled along the Illinois River, finding safety among the Kaskaskia Indian tribe. Marquette founded the Mission of the Of the County Journal
Immaculate Conception, but left the mission in the hands of Father PierreGabriel Marest due to Marquette’s poor health. The mission had to be moved several times due to conflicts between the Kaskaskia, Illini Confederation and the Iroquois. Eventually, the mission planted roots at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Michigamea River, which is now known as the Kaskaskia River.
The village of Kaskaskia was established in 1703, and was mainly inhabited by French traders and their wives. The village’s fertile ground in the American Bottoms, along with its positioning at the confluence of two rivers, led it to be a hub of agriculture and trading. It also became a focal point for warring British and French during the French and Indian War. In 1756, fearing attack, the townspeople built Fort Kaskaskia on a hill overlooking the town. The fort was then destroyed by the townspeople who feared it would fall into British control after the French lost the war. Those who did not want to live Continued on Page 2
WILLIAMSFIELD LIBRARY
Libraries can even serve as a summer clubhouse
Farmington talks tax levy hike, ban on hunting bows By BILL KNIGHT
FARMINGTON – The City Council on Monday heard the first reading for a 2018 tax levy providing for $344,497 in tax revenue out of a total $2,812,240 budget. If approved at the Council’s Dec. 18 meeting, the levy would be about a 4.3 percent increase, Inside according to City Ad• Elmwood City Counministrator Rollen cil takes no action on Wright and City Attorlights. Page 9. ney Bill Connor. • Brimfield High Two other subjects School won its chess were discussed and retournament. Page 12. ferred to Terry Dick’s • Iowa hunting trip Ordinance Committee. produces plenty of The first was a draft of pheasants. Page 13. changes to a local ordinance restricting not just firearms and fireworks, but “any type of bow, compound bow or crossbow” while on public grounds. However, Aldermen Joey Boggs, Ryan Lambert and Leslye Smith preferred an outright prohibition within the city, including private property. “Accidents happen,” Smith said. “We had a recent incident that could’ve been much worse.” Continued on Page 8 For The Weekly Post
By NANCY DAVIS
WILLIAMSFIELD – Libraries meet a different need for each patron. Librarians work to fulfill the various needs and requests, even when they may be a bit unusual. Marilyn Johnson, author of “This Book is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All,” writes, “[Librarians] would be whatever they needed to be that day: information professionals, teachers, police, community organizers, computer technicians, historians, confidantes, clerks, social workers, storytellers, or guardians of my peace.” According to Tamra Smith, Children’s Program Director, one summer the Williamsfield Public
When George Rogers Clark’s expedition of American troops arrived in Kaskaskia to liberate the town from the British, residents rang this bell, the Liberty Bell of the West.
For The Weekly Post
Children’s programs and activities at Williamsfield Public Library are in a separate room that can be closed off when the kids are engaged in a noisy activity. Photo by Nancy Davis.
Library District’s new building became a special place for a small group of boys who were just old enough to ride their bikes around town without adult supervision. They had formed a club and needed a place to meet. They didn’t seek permission, but the library became their clubhouse. They would ride to the library to meet up, and plan their
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exploits for the next few days. The librarians kept an eye on them, but had no reason to interfere. At the end of the summer, one of the boys came in with a DVD and handed it to the librarian. Each of the club members had chipped in to buy their favorite DVD to donate to the library in appreciation for being Continued on Page 10
A Holiday Open House Friday, December 15 during lobby hours in both offices.
Enjoy holiday refreshments and register to win door prizes.
Don’t miss out on the fun – we’ll see you there!
BANK OF YATES CITY LOCATIONS Farmington
1010 East Fort Street Farmington, IL 309.245.4000
Member FDIC
Yates City
107 E. Main Street Yates City, IL 1.800.556.8909 309.358.1415