Step Back In Time During Frontier Settlement Day

Celebrating America's Frontier Settlements during 16th Annual Festival

​Celebrate frontier heritage with period clothed impersonators, demonstrations and more 
throughout the Lincoln-era Log Cabin Village during the 16th annual Frontier Settlement Day! 

About the photos: Chris and Marion Dye and their kids Breck (10) and Ayla (7) pose in period-costume at the Lincoln-Era Log Cabin Village on Quinsippi Island. John Gebhardt invites the public to the annual Frontier Day on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 11 am-4 pm. Arts Quincy would like to give a special thanks to Quincy Community Theatre for providing costumes for the photos, which were taken by photographer Lisa Wigoda. 

​The Friends of the Log Cabins Association will host a variety of 1800's period activities on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 11 am-4 pm. The free family event will feature educational activities, log cabin tours, farm animals, pioneer games and more!
“The day will include a variety of free activities that recreate this historic period in America,” said John Gebhardt, President of the Friends of the Log Cabin Association. “This is a great opportunity to celebrate our past and teach the younger generation first-hand how these early pioneers lived.” 

​The opening ceremonies will begin at 11 am with the raising of an 1800’s flag followed by a discussion in the log church about religion on the frontier and a period wedding will be performed. The Daughters in the Sangamon Chapter of the War of 1812 will serve a period tea party.  
During the day, the log cabins will be open for tours and visitors will learn the importance each structure played in the daily life of a pioneer. These buildings include the Lord’s Barn, the general store and a stone smokehouse. The village herb garden will be in full splendor and visitors will learn how homesteaders not only used herbs in cooking but also in many homeopathic practices.
The 1850 Herleman Log Cabin has a display of ice cutters and photos showing how they were used to harvest and store blocks of ice from Quinsippi Bay to sell to locals and folks in St. Louis during the summer. 
Another highlight of the village is the one-room cabin that housed the family of David Denton (D.D.) Hull in 1835. The Hull cabin is furnished like an 1800s home and it has been documented that the D.D. Hull family raised 13 kids in this cabin! A docent is available to explain how some of the items on display were used by pioneers in everyday life. 
During your visit, don’t miss a unique photo-op with our nation’s 16th president! President Abraham Lincoln (Fritz Klein) will be visiting the village to interact with attendees. There will also be a large photo of a mural by Bob Craig (housed in the All Wars Museum at the Illinois Vets Home), depicting a steam train engine that carried President Lincoln as he awarded the first Medal of Honor Awards to soldiers who tried to steal this train from the South during the Civil War. 
Other activities planned include demonstrations of wool spinning, needlework, chair caning, felt hat making and rug making. The Quincy Museum will also furnish the Clat Adams Store like it would have been set up in the 1800s, and 1800s era toys will be available for purchase!

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Frontier Settlement Day is a free activity designed to promote an interest in the history of the region and encourage people to see these authentic structures that were donated to the Quincy Park District and re-located to Quinsippi Island off of Bonansinga Drive. Proceeds from the event benefit the upkeep and preservation of these historic structures. Lunch and snacks will be available for purchase.  
Learn more about these events, the Village or become a member or volunteer for the Friends of the Log Cabins, please visit logcabinvillagequincyil.com and be sure to follow Friends of the Log Cabin Village on Facebook for important updates. The Village is open every day from dawn until dusk.