Let's face it, the what's new at SRFHS always involves something old.
Current Events | Past Programs | Newsletters
 
Two New Brochures Available. Click on brochure Image for details, then order your Free supply Now! |
There is always a lot going on at the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society. Select one of the topics or scroll down to keep abreast of what's happening. Be informed also that we are looking to add new material to the museum and are interested in any donations related to the history of our community.
CURRENT EVENTS
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Board Approves Director and Curator Position |
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Bryon Andreasen Featured Speaker at Lincoln Statue Dedication |
Lincoln Statue Dedication and Sponsorship Opportunities |
| Lincoln and Sterling For a detailed historical look at what this celebration is all about. Read more... |
 The Renaissance of the Manahan home in Sterling. Home where Lincoln slept needs restoration to become an asset to the community Read more... |
| Newspaper Article The Daily Gazette (Sterling, Illinois), Wednesday, February 15, 2006: Editorial: Preserving Lincoln's visit for posterity. Read more... |
| Newspaper Article The Daily Gazette (Sterling, Illinois), Wednesday, February 8, 2006: Meeting will focus on bronze sculpture. Read more... |
 Kirk and Dillon Descendants of Dillon home owners meet and tour historical society museum. Read more... |
PAST PROGRAMS
 May 18, 2008 Forrest Frank was an 18-year-old farm boy who grew up fast US Navy in 1943. He was in Nagasaki, Japan three weeks after the second atomic bomb was dropped August 9. 1945. Many of his anecdotes now seem humorous in the telling. Read more... |
 Apr 13, 2008 The Walgreen-Dixon Connection was the topic presented by Greg Langan. One of the good things Chas. Walgreen did for Dixon was to personally guarantee all deposits in the Dixon bank during the Bank Holiday during the Depression. Read more... |
 Mar 9, 2008 Alice Fitch Zeman, of Paw Paw, presented a slide/tape program which focused upon Wabansi, a Potawatomi Indian leader who made his home in our area. Read more... |
 Jan 13, 2008 The Battle of Altoona Pass, and the involvement of Whiteside County soldiers in Company F, 93rd Illinois Infantry in particular, was the subject that Tom Gaard of Clove, Iowa chose. Read more... |
 Nov 11, 2007 The history of credit unions in general as well as the founding of the original Sterling-Rock Falls Teachers Credit Union more than 50 years ago was the subject presented by Don Olson, former president and CEO of Select Employees Credit Union. Read more... |
 Oct 14, 2007 Elmer Stauffer, Site Superintendent of Franklin Creek State Natural Area, spoke of the settlement of area in 1830's and 40's and then discussed the reconstruction of the historic Franklin Creek Grist Mill, originally built in 1847. Read more... |
 May 20, 2007 WW2 Ex-POW Laurence Dennis, assigned to the 92nd Bomb Group, was held as Prisoner of War for eighteen months in the infamous Stalag 17B in Krems, Austria. Read more... |
 May 10, 2007 SRFHS sponsored a special program presenting Dr. Clarice C. Boswell who spoke on "Pre-Civil War Quilts: Their Hidden Codes to the Freedom of Slaves through the Underground Railroad". The talk, which was at the Bethel Reformed Church in Sterling, was well received. Read more... |
 April 15, 2007 Phil Johnson of the Dixon Park Distict spoke on the part northern Illinois played during the Black Hawk War (1830-1832). Read more... |
 March 11, 2007 Ann Edmonds spoke to an overflow crowd when presenting her original research on Pastor David Gerdes and his pacifist Church of the Brethren of Malvern, Illinois. Read more... |
 February 11, 2007 Eighty-six people were on hand to hear amatuer Historian Wolf Koch, a SRFHS board member, give a most interesting update on the Hopewellian culture associated with the Sinnissippi Mounds here in Sterling. Read more... |
 January 14, 2007 Dan Maloney, the present Chief Illiniwek, brought his story to the Sterling area and spoke before a large group of about 75 persons who expressed interest in the background behind in his native American based dance of high kicks and foot stomps that have thrilled thousands of Fighting Illini fans. Read more... |
 November 12, 2006 The program Main Streets & Back Alleys was given by member Linnea Koch, who has found much interest in architectural details in the Sterling-Rock Falls area. While nearly all photographs were recognizable, more than a few stumped the audience, and most were everyday scenes that one sees in going about town. We simply don't stop and enjoy the beauty, shape and color of what we are looking at-- the hidden beauty of our fair city. Read more... |
 October 8, 2006 Bill Shaw, retired Publisher of Sauk Valley Newspaper, gave an outstanding presentation on the commission ceremony of the nuclear-powered aircraft USS Ronald Reagan! It was not only informative as to the ship's capability , but graphically a world tour, showing the many ports of call made immediately following construction in 2002. Read more... |
 May 21, 2006 Ed Cox, representing Sterling Main Street, speaks on the restoration of the Martin building in downtown Sterling. Quite a project! Read more... |
| April 9, 2006 Terry Buckaloo spoke on events surrounding Lincoln's 1856 visit to Sterling. His talk provides reasons for supporting the upcoming celebration and dedication of statue. Read more... |
 March 12, 2006 More than 80 hear Ed Abbott talk about the Underground Railroad. History includes a counting stick with 28 notches, thought to be one notch for each slave. Read more... |
 February 12, 2006 Local artist Don Morris talked about his vision of creating a life size bronze of Lincoln, sans beard. Read more... |
NEWSLETTERS
No newsletters are published during the summer months, June-September, or December.