Contents:
1 Historical Trolley Tours
2.Walking Tours & "Talking Building"
3.Agritourism Website
4.Edgar Lee Master's Home/Museum
5.Looking for Lincoln stories
6. Open House for Kathleen O'Hara 
7. Garden Club celebrating 50 years.

8. Grants awarded, applications available for next round of grants

1.  Historical Trolley Tours
Stier Trolley Express will offer historical tours during the months of August and September Saturdays 10AM-4PM; and Sundays 12Noon-4PM.  Tours leave from in front of the Visitors Center at Lincoln's New Salem Historic Site.  Tickets can be purchased at the Lincoln League Bookstore just east of the Visitors Center. See the link above for additional information.

Enjoy the ride!

2. Walking Tours & "Talking" Building
Stop by Abraham Lincoln Long Nine Museum inAthens to pick up your copy of the historical walking tour of thehistoric district of Athens.  Within a short distance, thefollowing sites can be viewed: Dr. William Mudd's house, LouisSalzenstein's house; site of Jonathan Dunn's steam-powered circular saw& grist mill; site of Orimal Clark's double log cabin, and more.

Also,tune in to 88.9FM and listen to the Talking Col. Matthew Roger'sBuilding.  The Museum is open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 1-5PM. For additional information, contact Curator/Owner John Eden at217-636-8755.

3.  U of I Launches New Agritourism Web Site
"Agritourismis a growing segment of the rural economy," says John Pike, a U of IExtension community & economic development educator.  Pikedeveloped a new web site & information source that will assistthose wanting to develop agritourism businesses in Illinois.  Tovisit the site, go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/agritourism/.

4. Masters' Home/Museum Open for Season

The Edgar Lee Masters' Memorial Home/ Museum will be open, starting June 3rd, on Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10AM-12 Noon & 1PM-3PM.

The City of Petersburg operates the home/museum as a memorial to honor the Prairie Poet who wrote Spoon River Anthology.  Admission is free as is on-street parking.  Donations are accepted.

For additional information, go to Attractions on the left side of the home page & locate Edgar Lee Master's Home/Museum..

Listen to the sounds and voices of Menard County Tourism Council's Radio Station Channel 1610AM QPQ702.

5. Tell us your Lincoln the Lawyer stories
The Looking for Lincoln Heritage committee is currently researching and hunting for stories about Abraham Lincoln’s days riding the Eighth JudicialCircuit.  The circuit covered 17 counties in Illinois, includingMenard County.  The committee is asking for your help inpreserving the history of Lincoln as a lawyer in the county.  Haveyou heard any stories about Lincoln during his days as a lawyer, thatyou’d like to keep from being lost forever?  If so, please contactLaurie Silvey at tourism@visitmenardcounty.com,or send them to MCTC, PO Box 531, Petersburg, IL 62675.  We’llcredit you for providing the stories, and will reprint some of them onthe Menard County Tourism website, as well as in the PetersburgObserver and Menard County Review.   When the project iscomplete, the goal is that the stories will be added to the history ofthe region and can be gathered together to preserve Lincoln’sheritage.   

6. Open House for Kathleen O'Hara
An open house to honor Kathleen O'Hara, executive director of the Menard County Tourism Council, was held on July 16 at the River Bank Lodge in Petersburg.  Many friends of the council stopped by to wish her well in future endeavors and to thank her for her years of service to the council.  She received a plaque as a tribute to her time spent serving the Tourism Council. 

The Garden Club will celebrate 50 years with the community at an open house to be held on August 28.  The celebration will take place at the Edgar Lee Masters Home from 6-8 pm that day.  Refreshments will be served.  Mark your calendar to stop by and wish them well. 

Menard County:  Discover its History, Experience its Charm