2011 Will County Thresherman's Association Antique Tractor and Steam Engine Show at Dollinger Farm

UPDATE: 2012 Will County Threshermen's Show

The Will County Thresherman's Association will host their 49th Annual Antique Tractor and Steam Show this weekend at the Dollinger Family Farm in Channahon, Illinois.  Admission is five dollars for adults and two dollars for children 11 and under.   The show runs from Thursday, July 21 to Friday, July 24.  The show features a flea market, crafters, and a petting show.

The Steam Show also will feature antique tractors, antique steam engines, and demonstrations of threshing wheat.  Before the invention of the combine, farmers cut their wheat and then hired a farmer with a  threshing machine to come to the farm and thresh the wheat.  The threshing machine separated the wheat from the chaff.  Farmers would generally help each other out with threshing, and would trade labor in that fashion as the farmer who owned the thresher--the "thresherman"--made it to each farm.

According to my grandparents, the day of threshing at the farm was a big day for the farm wife as she had to prepare enough food for all of the neighbors who had arrived to help.  The farm wives would often try to outdo one another's lunches and desserts.  I remember a story of a time when a neighbor forgot to put the sugar in a cherry pie.  The threshers said it just needed a little extra sugar as they reached for the sugar cup and poured some on.  The farm wife eventually realized she had forgotten the sugar and was quite embarrassed, but it made for a good story and a concrete memory of that year's threshing.

The Will County Thresherman's Association was created to remember the old time method of threshing wheat and other old-time agricultural methods and community events.  According to the Association, "In August of 1963, Ray Kestel originated a yearly threshing bee on the Ed Kestel farm in Will County, Illinois. In subsequent years, the show was held at the Ray Kestel farm three miles south of New Lenox. On February 15, 1966, Ray called a meeting to propose that an organization be formed to support the annual show celebrating old-time agricultural methods. The forty-five men in attendance approved Ray's plan, and the Will County Threshermen's Association was born. Ray served as the club's president for its first five years. The organization's purpose is to honor and preserve America's agricultural legacy. It is especially appropriate that Will County host such an association, for a significant chapter in American history took place there."


Here are some photos from previous Will County Thresherman's Shows:

Steam Engine at the Will County Thresherman's Show

Antique John Deere and Oliver Tractors at the Will County Thresherman's Show

Tens of Thousands without power in Joliet and throughout Will County

There are tens of thousands of people and businesses without power in Joliet after a morning storm that downed trees and power lines. 

According to ComEd's website, more than 10,000 customers are without power in the Joliet region.

In Joliet, traffic lights are out at Six Corners and Larkin and Route 30--among others--creating traffic back-ups.  Joliet police were out at both intersections directing traffic.

Several homes and businesses lost power right after morning storms, while others lost power this afternoon. 

Breaking News: Local Group to Protest Peotone Airport at Quinn's visit to Tinley Park

Governor Quinn will be in Tinley Park tomorrow for a Soutland Chamber of Commerce event.  STAND--Shut This Airport Nightmare Down--a local group opposed to the proposed Peotone Airport, will also be outside the event demonstrating against the use of eminent domain for the land proposed to be used for the Peotone Airport.  Full story at Peotone Airport News.

Search Will County Property Sales and Transactions

Thanks to a free service from the Will County Recorder of Deeds you can now search Will County property sales and mortgage information online.  Searching by last name, you can find out information on the amount of money a property sold for.  The website also contains records of mortgages and mortgage releases.  Trust information is also available.

Go to the Will County Recorder of Deeds Website to find records of property sales.  This is also a great tool for genealogy, as you can search your family's property transactions.  The records go back to 1967.

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Needs Volunteers to Help Plant 10,000 Wildflowers!

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie has 10,000 native wildflower plugs that need your help to become part of the prairie!   


Midewin has received a grant from the National Forest Foundation to purchase these plants.  They have arrived and now Midewin needs your helping hands to get them in the ground quickly. 

Join fellow nature lovers at Midewin on any of the following workdays and you can help make a huge difference.  The plugs will be planted near the beginning of the Prairie Creek Woods Trail where they can be enjoyed by hundreds of visitors each year.  This half-acre could be a new favorite spot to view beautiful native wildflowers in a huge open space.  Groups and families are always welcome.  Our goal is to join together at least 50 people ages 7 and up. 

River Road Seed Beds at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Open space along the Prairie Creek Trail at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Please RSVP for any of the following dates to Allison Cisnernos (Volunteer Coordinator) at 815-423-2149
Saturday, July 16
Sunday, July 17 (only if we are rained out on July 16)
Monday, July 18
Tuesday, July 19

Work will start at 9am and end at 2:30pm.  Meet at the River Road Seedbeds/Trailhead (directions below).  Feel free to join us for a Half-day if it's better for your schedule.  
Midewin will provide tools, safety gear and water.  Remember to wear layers, field boots and a hat.  Please bring your own lunch if you plan to stay. After the workday, grab your bike or binoculars if you want to explore our trails and hike through a woodland or prairie restoration. 
This is somewhat short notice, but Midewin need lots of helping hands so if you cannot join us, please pass this invite on.


Directions to the River Road Seedbeds:

To the River Road Seedbeds

From I-55:  Look for exit 241, Wilmington.  At the top of the ramp (both northbound and southbound), turn left or east.  Travel about 2 miles on New River Road to an intersection labeled Boathouse Road or State Game Farm.  Turn left or north, and follow the gravel road to the parking area.  

OR: Take I-55 to I-80.  Head east, or toward Toledo.  Follow the directions below for I-80.

From I-80:  Look for exit 132, State Route 53 and Chicago Street.  At the end of the ramp (both eastbound and westbound), turn right or south.  Travel south on State Route 53, also known as Historic Route 66, for approximately 15 miles -- past the race tracks, the town of Elwood, and Prairie Creek grain company.  The Welcome Center will be on the left or east side of the highway.  Continue approximately 1.0 mile further south on State Route 53 to the intersection with New River Road.  Turn right or west, and travel approximately 2 miles on New River Road to an intersection labeled Boathouse Road or State Game Farm.  Turn right or north, and follow the gravel road to the parking area.

From I-57:  Look for exit 327, Peotone.  From the northbound ramp, turn left or west.  From the southbound ramp, turn right or west.  Travel approximately 15 miles on the Wilmington-Peotone Road to the lighted intersection at State Route 53.  Turn right or north, and travel approximately 1 mile to the intersection with New River Road.  Turn left or west on to New River Road, following the signs for I55.  Travel approximately 2 miles on New River Road to an intersection labeled Boathouse Road or State Game Farm.  Turn right or north, and follow the gravel road to the parking area.

Joliet Fourth of July Fireworks

Fireworks filled the Downtown Joliet sky as both the Joliet Slammers and Bicentennial Park fired fireworks:

Joliet 4th of July Fireworks at Bicentennial Park from Silver Cross Field, Union Station in background

Joliet 4th of July Fireworks at Bicentennial Park from Silver Cross Field, Union Station in background

Fireworks after the Joliet Slammers baseball game at Silver Cross Field


Fireworks after a Joliet Slammers win:

Tonight, July 4th, there will be fireworks in Joliet at Memorial Stadium--3000 West Jefferson Street.  The fireworks will begin at 9:20.  

Romeoville Fourth of July Fireworks

The Village of Romeoville will celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks on Sunday, July 3rd at 9:15 p.m. at Village Park--900 W Romeo Road in Romeoville, Illinois.

Prior to fireworks, there will be music, inflatables, and concessions starting at 7 p.m. at the Amphitheatre, 1050 W Romeo Road.

Come out and celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks!

Beecher Fourth of July Fireworks and Parade

Beecher, Illinois will hold its 85th annual Fourth of July Festival this weekend.  The Independence Day Parade will start at 4 p.m. on  July 4, 2011.

Fireworks will begin promptly at 9:30 p.m. on July 4th and will be launched from a field north of Fireman's Park.  Spectators are encouraged to sit on the high school soccer field.

Beecher Independence Day Parade photo from last year

Here is a video from last year's 4th of July parade in Beecher, Illinois:

New Lenox Fourth of July Fireworks

UPDATE: 2012 New Lenox 4th of July Fireworks

The Village of New Lenox will celebrate July 4th with a family-friendly night of music and fireworks at the New Lenox Village Commons.

Starting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 4th, a rock and blues band will play.  Then at 8:25 p.m., the Lions Club will hold their 55th Annual Raffle.  At 8:30 p.m. the Joliet American Legion band will play.   Fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m..

The Village will provide free parking at the Metra lot and a free shuttle bus to the Village Commons.  The shuttle will begin at 6:30 p.m..

Here is a video of the New Lenox Village Commons, surely a great place to celebrate the 4th with the community!: