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A harvest festival and mystery at Bishop Hill

September 24, 2016 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Bishop Hill State Historic Site will host the author of a mystery novel set in Bishop Hill (and revolving around a long-lost painting by a real local artist) as the community celebrates its annual fall festival Sept. 24-25.

Mary Davidsaver, author of “Clouds Over Bishop Hill,” will sign books and chat with visitors at the Bishop Hill Museum on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 2 to 4 p.m.

The book tells the story of a young local woman who stumbles across a mystery about what happened to the last painting by Olof Krans. He was a folk artist of the late 1800s and early 1900s whose art depicted the town’s early days as a religious settlement for Swedish immigrants.

During Davidsaver’s appearance, there will be refreshments, prizes and a drawing for a copy of her book (must be present to win). Davidsaver is donating a portion of her sales to the museum.

Bishop Hill’s Swedish roots still play a vital role in the community. The fall festival, for instance, is Jordbruksdagarna (pronounced yord-brooks-DAH-ga-na). That’s Swedish for “earth work days”

The Bishop Hill Heritage Association will host a variety of traditional craft demonstrations, such as making rope, in the village park during the festival. Visitors can try their hand at shelling corn, making bricks, pressing cider and making a corn husk doll.

 

For more information, visit www.bishophill.com.

 

Bishop Hill was founded by Swedish religious dissidents in 1846 as a “Utopia on the Prairie.” Many of the original buildings remain today, and many residents are descendants of the original settlers. It is located 20 miles south of I-80 and 17 miles east of I-74 in Henry County, Illinois.

 

The Bjorklund Hotel, Colony Church and Bishop Hill Museum are administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. IHPA protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IHPA sites include ancient burial mounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans.

 

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Details

Date:
September 24, 2016
Time:
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Event Category:

Venue

Bishop Hill Historic Site
Bishop Hill, IL United States + Google Map
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