History, Historical Society
Since 1967, the McDonough County Historical Society, a not-for-profit organization, has been an important force for promoting historical understanding and preserving materials that reflect the county’s heritage.
Over the years, historical programs at the bi-monthly meetings have drawn upon a broad range of speakers with local expertise, for talks on pioneer settlements, early hotels, the Underground Railroad, Lincoln’s visits, the Civil War, Victorian homes, one-room schools, coal mining, murder cases, pottery factories, horse breeding, early hospitals, small villages, opera houses, bootleggers, noted lawyers, and a host of other topics that give McDonough County a fascinating heritage.