Clinton County Historical Site Crawl brings communities together for America 250

Celebrating America 250. Pop in at one of the five libraries in Clinton County — Breese, Carlyle, Germantown, Trenton or New Baden — for a passport for the Clinton County Historical Society's Historical Site Crawl. There are 13 locations throughout the county where visitors can explore to celebrate America 250.    In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, the Clinton County Historical Society is inviting residents to step outside, explore their towns and connect with their neighbors through the Clinton County Historical Site Crawl.
    The crawl began Monday, April 18, and runs through July 18, inviting residents and visitors to explore local history while celebrating American independence. The event is free and open to all.
    Families, students and residents of all ages are encouraged to travel across Clinton County, visiting 13 local sites that represent the original 13 colonies. Along the way, participants aren't just learning about the past — they're rediscovering the places and people that make up their own communities today.
    From Albers to Trenton, each stop offers something unique, but the goal is the same — bringing people together.
    Maya Leslie, a student at Kaskaskia College, helped bring the idea to life.
    She was inspired by her sister, who works at Case-Halstead Public Library in Carlyle, and her sister helped organize a similar “library crawl,” where participants visited multiple libraries and collected stamps.
    Leslie said the goal of the historical site crawl is to bring communities together while encouraging people to learn more about local history.
    "We really wanted to create something that brings people together," said Leslie. "Not just to learn history, but to experience it across the whole county."
    How the site crawl works
    Visitors can pick up a “passport” at five local libraries — Breese, Carlyle, Germantown, Trenton or New Baden — or the Clinton County Historical Society in Carlyle, and begin their journey.
    At each historical site, participants:
    •Find the “Historical Site Crawl” sign (located outside at the establishment). The sign has a brief description of each site, which finding out the history is part of the fun.
    •Record the letter displayed on the sign in their passport.
    •Complete a mystery word using the collected letters on the back of the passport.
    Once completed, participants can bring their passport to the Birthday Bash at the Clinton County Historical Society in Carlyle on July 18 for a chance to win a $100 gift card.
    Featured historical sites
    Each of the 13 locations highlights a piece of Clinton County's story — from parks and monuments to historic gathering places.
    The crawl includes the following locations across Clinton County:
    •Albers — William J. Lehrter Community Park: 500 Park Ave., Albers
    •Aviston — Aviston Vintage Village Hall: 99 Spring St., Aviston
    •Bartelso — Standin' Proud Veterans Tribute Museum: 1509 Carlyle Rd., Bartelso
    •Beckemeyer — Coal Miner's Monument: 391 Louis St., Beckemeyer
    •Breese — Breese Historical Society Park and Garden: 482 N. Second St., Breese
    •Carlyle — General Dean Suspension Bridge (west side): Corner of First and Fairfax streets, Carlyle
    •Damiansville — St. Damian Church and Schoolhouse: Corner of Parish Ln. and West Main St., Damiansville
    •Germantown — Germantown Lake Park Monument: 100 Munster St., Germantown
    •Hoffman — Husmann Park: Huey Road, corner of the park
    •Keyesport — "Old" School: 634 Clinton St., Keyesport
    •New Baden — Village Hall: 1 E. Hanover St., New Baden
    •St. Rose — Wessel's Corner Market: 17909 St. Rose Rd., St. Rose
    •Trenton — Trenton Sun Newspaper: 19 W. Broadway St., Trenton
    America 250 Birthday Bash
    The crawl wraps up July 18 with a Birthday Bash at 1 p.m., where completed passports can be turned in at the Clinton County Historical Society Museum (1091 Franklin St., Carlyle) for a chance to win a $100 gift card. The drawing will be at 2:30 p.m. on that day. Other giveaways also will be given out. There will be activities and a tour of the Clinton County Historical Society Museum at 1:30 p.m. as well on that day.
    The July 18 date is meaningful not only as part of the America 250 celebration, but also because it falls close to the birthday of Judge Sidney Breese.
    The Clinton County Historical Society museum is located in Breese’s 1886 home. Breese played a major role in Illinois history — helping secure the Illinois Central Railroad, advocating for westward expansion, and contributing to early Illinois literature.
    Judge Breese also had a 25-year friendship with Abraham Lincoln. In 1841, the first slave freed by then-attorney Lincoln was the result of an Illinois Supreme Court decision made by Breese.
    More than anything, Leslie said, the event is a celebration of the people and families of Clinton County — past and present — and the connections that continue to shape its future.