Wayne County Historical Society

05/27/2026

Thursday, (May 28th) meeting of the Wayne County Historical Society at the Fairfield Public Library meeting room at 6pm.

This will be an important meeting for the Cemetery Tour scheduled for September 2026. Your input is always helpful at these planning meetings and we will be discussing ad sales for the program booklet. Assisting with the event is always fun, but there are also several ways to help leading up to the big event. In addition to securing ad donations, volunteers can also help with research, script writing, props, costumes, narration, and acting. If you, or someone you know would be interested in acting we need to secure their commitment to this fun event. Doug Aman is the chairperson.

05/22/2026

On this day in 1849, Abraham Lincoln received a patent for a method of lifting boats over shoals. He is the only US President to own a patent.

To learn more, visit ilstatehistoricalsociety.substack.com

05/19/2026

The May meeting of the Wayne County Historical Society will be Thursday, May 28th at the Fairfield Public Library meeting room at 6pm.

This will be an important meeting for the Cemetery Tour scheduled for September 2026. Your input is always helpful at these planning meetings and we will be discussing ad sales for the program booklet. Assisting with the event is always fun, but there are also several ways to help leading up to the big event. In addition to securing ad donations, volunteers can also help with research, script writing, props, costumes, narration, and acting. If you, or someone you know would be interested in acting we need to secure their commitment to this fun event. Doug Aman is the chairperson.

05/08/2026

On this day in 1837, 33 year old blacksmith John Deere created a moldboard steel plough and changed farming and agriculture.

To learn more, visit ilstatehistoricalsociety.substack.com

04/20/2026

On this day in 1769, Odawa war Chief Pontiac was assassinated near the French town of Cahokia.

To learn more, visit ilstatehistoricalsociety.substack.com

04/15/2026

04/06/2026

On this day in 1862, the Battle of Shiloh began in Hardin County, Tennessee.

To learn more, visit ilstatehistoricalsociety.substack.com

04/03/2026

On April 3 and 4, 1866, Springfield was visited by one of the greatest orators of the 19th century and the best-known, and most photographed civil rights activist in the world, Frederick Douglass.

To learn more, visit ilstatehistoricalsociety.substack.com