Meeting Schedule

Meetings are held
5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday
of each month at
192 W. Third Street, Manteno.

32nd Annual Heritage Banquet

April 2021

Due to the Corona Virus experienced this year, we apologize for the obvious cancellation of the 2020 Heritage Banquet necessary for the protection of all.

We are rescheduling the next Heritage Banquet for April 11^th, 17^th or 24^th of 2021 when Jerry Pearce and Tim Nugent will be honored as the Citizens of the Year and Ken Klipp will receive the Lucille Thies Personal Achievement Award at the Manteno Sportsmen’s Club.

We will announce the confirmed date in the future and ask your patience and understanding through this difficult and historic period.
31st Annual Heritage Banquet

April 14th 2019

On April 14th of 2019, the 31st Manteno Historical Society Annual Heritage Banquet was held at the Manteno United Methodist Church. Each year the Society honors the Manteno Citizens of the Year and 100-Year-Old historic structures at this event. Since 2012, the Lucielle Thies Personal Achievement Award has been added to acknowledge Manteno/Rockville residents who have made great achievements beyond their hometown upbringing.

EVENTS

LUCILLE THIES PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Since 2012, the Lucille Thies Personal Achievement Award has acknowledged Manteno/Rockville residents who have made great achievements beyond their hometown upbringing.

2012 – Anne Piepenbrink
2013 – Ambassador John Malott
2014 – Dr. Jeffery Long
2015 – Elmira Smith Wilkey & Suzanne Smith Pruchnicki
2016 – Steve Bertrand
2017 – Troy Trepanier
2018 – Dr. Karen Emmons & Dr. Cheryl Emmons
2019 – Breanne (Nelson) Harms
2020 – Heritage Banquet Canceled
2021 – Ken Klipp

Citizen of the Year

The 1988 Heritage Banquet was the first held with the award of Manteno’s Citizen of the Year continuing every year since.

1989 – Stella Guimond Crawford*
1990 – Arvada Ruder* and Merle Bloom*
1991 – Gerald Jarvis
1992 – William Mansfield*
1993 – Juanita Ivy* and Leo Hassett*
1994 – Madelyn Bourelle Merwin*
1995 – Wendell Marr*
1996 – Richard and Wauneta Balgeman
1997 – Robert Fairchild*
1998 – Donald Wulff*
1999 – Eugene Ivy*

2000 – Mary Ella Farrell
2001 – Russell Thompson* and Calvin Meyer*
2002 – Robert Reed*
2003 – Gordon St. John and Francis Smith
2004 – Gale Dodge
2005 – Henry “Irish” O’Reilly*
2006 – Augusta Mansfield
2007 – Lois Meyer
2008 – Jeff Jarvis
2009 – Merwyn Laney*
2010 – Richard Van Pelt

2011 – Jerry Dole & Richard Kozuch*
2012 – Adam & Tricia Dotson and Rondy & Annette Lamore
2013 – Eloise and Ken Bertrand
2014 – Leah Freeman-Krause and Dave Schreiner
2015 – Louise Wanner, Paula Hampton & Patrick Mallaney
2016 – Dave and Debbie Fortin
2017 – Steven P. Hoyt & Rev. Jack McCormick
2018 – Mindy Farmer & Cindy Simmons
2019 – Jackie Hammond, Jim Stauffenberg & Mark Stauffenberg
2020 – Heritage Banquet Cancelled
2021 – Jerry Pearce & Tim Nugent

Living Experience

A World War I and World War II Presentation

Cody McCullough will be providing an interesting program on World War I and World War II with a PowerPoint presentation in live dress at the Manteno-Rockville Museum on Saturday, September 26th from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. Although the 2020 Manteno Oktoberfest is cancelled, we will plan to proceed with this program with social distancing guidelines and face masks. Please call 815-933-2055 to confirm the program will be on schedule.

George Godfrey, Watchekee Descendent

A World War I and World War II Presentation

Pending any further safety precautions, George Godfrey will be honoring the Manteno Historical Society with a presentation on his Native American ancestors at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2020 at the Manteno-Rockville Museum.

Mr. Godfrey is a descendent of Watchekee, the namesake of the City of Watseka, Illinois. A Citizen Potawatomi, he lived his childhood on the Potawatomi, Sisseton-Whapeton Sioux, Hopi, Omaha and Winnebago reservations. He has written five books and is the President of the Potawatomi Trail of Death Association.

Please call 815-933-2055 to confirm the program will be on schedule during this time of uncertainty.

Social distancing guidelines with face masks will be practiced.

Manteno Historical Society

1986 marked the founding of the Manteno Historical Society, followed by the purchase of the historic Charles Skinner House which has been converted to The Manteno-Rockville Museum at 192 West Third Street in Manteno, Illinois.

Admission

Free will offering

Museum Information

We're open the first Saturday of each month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

Museum and Society Offices

192 W 3rd St

Manteno, Illinois

Ph: 815-933-2055

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