OAKLAND – What if your hometown was the scene of one of the defining moments in American history – and nobody could agree on how to preserve and promote that heritage? Oakland, situated on the northern edge of Coles County, is such a community.
Historical Significance
Lincoln lost the case, and some historians believe that Lincoln may have held back from giving Matson the benefit of his best effort. Some believe the ruling in that case set the stage for the increased tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery states, and the Civil War.
Rutherford’s home still exists, preserved by Oakland Landmarks, Inc., one of two historical societies in the town of 900. The other organization, The Oakland Historical Foundation operates a series of museum displays at the Columbian Building on the square, which occupies the former site of Ashmore’s Tavern.
The Last Quarter Century
Oakland had a small but steady stream of tourists shopping the square and visiting its landmarks during the time the Inn on the Square bed-and-breakfast was open from 1983 to 2004.
That stream of business dried up in 2005, when the Inn was purchased and converted into a private residence. According to Mayor Sharon Houchens, nine businesses closed their doors the following year, and a dramatic decline in sales tax revenues available to the community.
The fiery destruction of the former Inn on the Square in Oakland is symbolic of the erosion of the town overall. What once was a vibrant set of shops along the square, featuring crafts, antiques, and gifts, now sit a dark set of turn-of-the-20th- century storefronts, most of them still sound but in danger of crumbling away if not put to use soon.
When the property went back on the market in March of this year, the community had a short-lived dream that a buyer would surface who would put the home back into service as a business, and bring back that tourist trade.
The Future?
The last of the craft stores on the square is set to close this year, when the Oakland Noodle Factory expands into the storefront currently housing Mary’s Stuff, a store cum classroom for quilters operated by Mary Etchiston. Mary plans on continuing quilting classes, but from her home.
Mary and her husband Hap have run the Oakland Noodle Company at the same location, and their business survived a fire back in the 1980s.
According to Hap, when the Etchistons moved to Oakland in 1979 the town “had a lot of draw” which lasted through the 1980 and ‘90s. They have seen nearly a total cessation of retail business since the Inn closed, as has Susan Humphreys who once ran a shop featuring hand-loom weaving, and other crafts sold on consignment by local artisans.
Humphreys closed her business last November as she has every winter since first opening in 2003, but could’t justify reopening it this spring. Humphreys says she didn’t make enough last year to even keep the lights on.
But Humphreys, who sits on the board of Oakland Landmarks, hasn’t called it quits. Both of the historical societies are working together to promote bus tours with boxed lunches to the community from nearby Arcola and Arthur, both of which have large tourist crowds each year.
“It takes imagination and energy to make things work,” Humphreys said. She sees a potential for revitalizing the craft shops in town, but only if everyone works together, a sentiment shared by everyone interviewed.
Humphreys, who holds a masters degree in leisure studies from the University of Illinois “There’s a town dying here for new blood and new ideas to bring people back in. The potential is here, we just need the people.”
According to Kyle Phillips, the chamber of commerce has been focused on one thing the past year – bringing in a grocery operator and supporting the still existing business base.
The grocery store picture is looking brigher, with Robert Knoebel in negotiations to re-open the grocery store. Knoebel is the son-in-law of grocery operator Frank Lucas of Siddel, and plans on relocating his family from Terre Haute to Oakland to operate the store.
Striving to Promote
“We only have a budget of $3000,” Phillips said. “We do what we can advertising the community, but there’s only so much that can be done.”
Eric Coon of the Landmarks organization is hopeful that a recent designation from the National Park Service will draw more people to the community. “Oakland was recently designated as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom community,” Coon said.
The Rutherford House is only open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until noon, something Coon knows needs expanded. There are only a handful of active members in the Landmarks organization to operate the house and Coon said he “… really wish there were a few more people involved.”
Coon said his organization is working with the Finding Lincoln program operated by the Illinois Department of Conservation, but feels like it is being run “like a franchise, with operating rules we can’t meet.” He is hopeful that the new “wayside attraction” program grant application will be met more favorably. Meanwhile, his organization is in the middle of raising funds for further preservation work at the house.
Roger Ashmore heads up the Oakland Historical Foundation, and for good reason. His great-grandfather Gideon operated the tavern, and was at least partially responsible for the creation of the town. Like the Landmarks program, the Foundation has only a handful of members, and can only conduct exhibits on a limited schedule.
“There’s only so much money available out of Springfield for history,” Ashmore said.
Humphreys, Coon, and Ashmore were all asked why there was a need for two historical societies in such a small community. “Each organization is focused on slightly different elements of the town’s history,” Humphreys said.
“Someone needs to create traffic flow,” Etchiston said. “We all need to work together.”
- 74 reads
Post new comment