16th annual Frontier Settlement Day to be held Saturday in Quinsippi Island Park

QUINCY — The Lincoln-era Log Cabin Village in Quinsippi Island Park will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 during the 16th annual Frontier Settlement Day.

The Friends of the Log Cabins Association is the host of this free event. The Friends of the Log Cabins encourages re-enactors and others with period costumes to come in costume to add to the event. 

During restoration, the Friends of the Log Cabins have saved and restored as many of the original 1800s logs as possible and replaced those that have deteriorated beyond saving with 1800s-era logs. The village is in a public park, so there is year-round access “dawn to dusk” for the public to see the outsides of these 1800s-era structures. 

During events such as Frontier Settlement Day, tours, plus a May Open House, the Friends of the Log Cabins provide the public a chance to see the interiors of these historic structures. 

Lunch will be available, provided by the American Legion Auxiliary. Many raffle prizes will be available. Winners do not need to be present to win.  The proceeds will assist in restoring, maintaining and utilizing this resource in a Quincy park. 

Many re-enactors and displays will show what life was like in the 1800s. The 1828 Fraser Log Cabin, originally a stagecoach stop on the way to Ursa, has been set up inside like an 1800s schoolhouse. The schoolhouse will be open Frontier Settlement Day so visitors can see what a pioneer school looked like.

FLC members and retired schoolteachers Jane and Paul Moody have donated items to set up the inside of the Fraser Log Cabin to look like an 1800s pioneer school, complete with a school marm in the front next to an authentic slate blackboard. Historical interpreters Terry and Sharon Mitten will be in the cabin to answer questions. 

Three other 1800s-era log cabins also will be open.  One is the 1835 D.D. Hull Log Cabin, set up like a pioneer home where the Hull family raised 13 kids.  The restored 1850s Clat Adams Log Cabin is set up like a pioneer store with additional items provided by the Quincy Museum. The 1850s Herleman Log Cabin contains a display of the ice cutters used to harvest ice from Quinsippi Bay and other displays. In front of the 1800s-era log church, Rev. Paul Schwartzkopf portrays Asa Turner, the first minister to Quincy. A blacksmith will show how items were made out of metal for a farmer to use in the 1800s. 

The Daughters of the War of 1812 will be serving tea, and Jane Moody will conduct pioneer-type games.  The Standing Bear Council has a display of Indian artifacts.  Other displays include chair caning and tatting.  Souvenirs and other items will be available in the Clat Adams General store. 

Frontier Settlement Day is listed as a “signature” event on the statewide “Looking for Lincoln” website at: https://www.lookingforlincoln.org/ under events. Information about other “Looking for Lincoln” events in Illinois will be available at the Friends Information Booth.

Village information is at www.logcabinvillagequincyil.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfTheLogCabinVillageQuincyIl.