Saturday, January 16, 2016

Home Sweet Home............

I thought I would share some pictures....past and present of my "home sweet home" that I am working so hard to get back to............a little farm town in Illinois.............where all my ancestors settled when they came to this country from Ireland during the potato famine.  I was told they settled here because it reminded them of Ireland.
Lots of rolling hills dotted with farms and plenty of trees too.
This was a picture taken by the Illinois Board of Tourism where they called it "the best little town by a dam site"!   You can see the older bridge in this picture.
In this old picture you can see the bridge, the dam and "lover's lane".  The bridge then was an old iron trellis bridge which are still around in some places.
Here's picture taken back in 1923........when all my Aunts and Uncles and my Mother were growing up although they didn't live in town.  They had a farm about halfway between Hanover and Galena, IL off of Blackjack Road.  My Mother said they used to take the horse drawn wagon into Galena with their crops as there was a market there and also the railroad.

Most of the old pictures I was able to get from Terry Miller, a wonderful historian who works at Grant's Home in Galena.  The one below might be from my cousin Barb, who takes beautiful pictures of the area and who grew up there also.  Her photos of Hanover were published in Country magazine! Now can you see why I miss winter?  It's beautiful there any time of year! Oh, and Fall.....gorgeous!
This is the Methodist Church where I went to Sunday School as a child and also where every funeral was for every one of my relatives.  It is exactly the same as when I was little.



This is a covered bridge which I never even knew existed.  Probably because it wasn't there by the time I was born.
  I need to find out where this was.  There's writing on the sign above the entrance but I can't read it.
 This isn't my Aunt's house but she had Hollyhocks like this and that flower always reminds me of her.  I plan on planting many when I get there.
This is where I got the best Rainbow Ice Cream in the world and the man and wife that ran it were so nice.  This picture was taken long ago before my time and the cabins were gone when I was growing up or at least I don't remember them.  I had a one track mind for the ice cream!  I had no idea until I was older that he was actually the great or great-great grandson of the real Daniel Boone! I just thought he was named after him but not because he was related. Another ancestor of his and I think it was Daniel's daughter lived in Hanover and led a group of women to tear down the local drinking establishment back in the 1800's! They razed the entire building!   If I had realized any of this I would have been all over him asking questions!  I had no idea there was meaning behind it being named after Daniel Boone!  People in those days were so humble and never talked about themselves. Alas, now he's long gone but he gave many youngsters fond memories and we loved him and his wife regardless.


Here's a current picture with the new bridge they built last year....I like the old bridge better....but time marches on.  The old bridge was built in 1939 and was the one I grew up with and remember.
On the left is what used to be my cousin's farm where I played as a child and on the right, the white house is the one I was looking at to buy.  It would be within walking distance to town, library and country hikes.  From the vantage point of the photographer and behind the camera is a road that goes up the hill and Evergreen Cemetery is located there where most of my relatives are buried.  Some older ones are buried in the Old Log Church Cemetery out in the country.  The old log church burned down years ago but I have a picture somewhere from Terry.  Terry has been a blessing with all his pictures of the history of the area and he is loved and appreciated by many.
This is the Apple River and is a tributary of the mighty Mississippi.
Here's the most recent picture taken by a drone..........I feel like that country song......"oh how I want to go home".  I have never heard anyone who lived there complain and the ones that leave always want to come back.  It truly is "the best little town by a dam site"!
Happy Trails!








20 comments:

  1. I loved reading this post. Such a beautiful spot.

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  2. Beautiful pictures! I live in northern Illinois. We travel this way often! Very pretty countryside! I hope you can get back there soon!

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    1. Hello! I remember you and have finally written down your blog address so I don't lose touch with you again! I can't wait to get back there and so nice to talk to someone from my home state!

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  3. I pray you can make it back where your heart yearns to be.
    I've traveled by Galena many times, but I've not driven through it.

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    1. It is a beautiful town also (bigger) and so much history and they have preserved all the old buildings. It looks like time has stood still there.

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  4. I hope it all works out for you Sam! Looks like a pretty place to live...almost Wisconsin and almost Iowa:)

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    1. Yep, right up in the corner of those 2 states. We used to shop in Dubuque, IA and go to Monroe, WI for cheese! LOL! Part of what makes it pretty is it's HOME. When they say "there's no place like home" they knew what they were talking about.

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  5. Good memories and lots of incentive too. I revisited my childhood home a few years ago for a family reunion and just walking through the home and yard where I had my first six years was a blessing. I could see with adult eyes what my child memories had left in my brain. It settled a lot of things I had sort of worried about as I was growing up and that was good for me.
    Joy

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    1. I think you are right! I know not all people have good childhood memories but I certainly do. My first 5 years were the best...the innocence of childhood is part of it...no prejudices and an open heart. When my Mother moved me to Chicago I hated it but at least I got to go back every summer and stay with my relatives.

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  6. Oh I hope you're able to go back home soon Sam. It's obvious by the pictures and by your words just how much you miss it and how much your heart longs to be there. Being from the Midwest, I understand how you feel. Our family are all back there and I miss them. But I must admit, I prefer the summers here in the Northwest over the humid ones in the Midwest! I loved looking at all these pictures today...what wonderful history.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  7. Betsy said everything I wanted to say. :) You've been preparing yourself mentally for a while and are taking action to make the move happen so I pray that everything falls into place soon. Best wishes, Tammy

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    1. Thank you, Tammy. I am just so slow...I wish I had the energy of my youth and the stamina but I am making progress and I have a plan so hopefully things will speed up as I get more done. I'm certain with everyone's good wishes and prayers I will be there before I know it!

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  8. I love reading the post
    Very pretty place ❤️

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    1. Thank you, Cucki....and I love reading yours with your beautiful stitchery! I hope to get back to some embroidery and quilting after I finish up these January birthdays. Meanwhile I love looking at yours!

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  9. Thank you for sharing. This has been very interesting to see the befores and afters.

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  10. Such a beautiful town... no wonder you long to 'go home' again!!
    I do hope that you are able to make your dream come true :)
    Thank you for sharing your pictures and thoughts with us. I find it amazing that the more things change, the more they stay the same ...**smiles**. Like the way you feel about your home town.

    Warm wishes..
    ~K.

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  11. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos. Such happy memories. I really hope you are able to move back soon. I've just bought some hollyhock seeds. They're one of my favourite flowers. I'm going to plant them in trays in France next time we go and hopefully next year we will have an abundance of them over there! X

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  12. Oh how very pretty. No wonder you want to get back there.
    Greetings from Australia.

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