|  In 1852-53, Austrian immigrants settled in a fertile Illinois valley which they called kornthal – valley of grain. Though at one time their community consisted of a church, a church school and parsonages, a box factory, grist mill, county store and a distillery, it was never incorporated and today all that remains is the church they so lovingly built. Heritage Conservation Network has partnered with the Kornthal Union County Memorial and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale’s Preservation Summer Program to preserve the church parsonage built next to the church c. 1905. This project is part of a larger initiative to stimulate heritage tourism in the Southernmost Illinois region.
The current wood frame parsonage was built to replace the original parsonage which was destroyed by fire. It is a two-story, white clapboard structure  with fine detailing and attention to craftsmanship that typifies Queen Anne style houses. The Kornthal church and parsonage were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and the vacant structure has received no maintenance since that time.
The Kornthal Memorial has been actively working to preserve this church. With funding from the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois several years ago, they were able to repair the untouched interior and install heating and cooling systems. They are now enthusiastic about bringing the parsonage back as well. This effort is being aided by students in the SIU Preservation Summer Program, who will be involved in workshop preparation.
 At the workshop, participants will be involved in a number of different tasks, from preservation carpentry to scraping and repainting. The front porch will be the main project, along with floor repair and replacement and, with enough participants, window repair and replacement. Many of the skills that will be taught and applied are relevant to historic structures of all types, making this an excellent workshop for historic home owners to attend.
HCN has been working with contacts in southern Illinois for the past few years to develop heritage tourism initiatives. These initiatives are designed to bring workshop participants who will discover the history and beauty of the region while they help local communities preserve historic resources that will attract additional visitors. HCN is working with the Illinois Barn Alliance on a barn conservation workshop that is scheduled in Union County for 2008.
The 2007 workshop will be two weeks in length and participants may register for either one or two weeks. This workshop has two choices of accommodation: Host and Bed & Breakfast. Those selecting Bed & Breakfast will stay in one of the area’s historic B&Bs, while those selecting Host will stay with a local family. The B&B will be air conditioned; if choosing the Host option, let us know if air conditioning is requested.
The cost for the Bed & Breakfast option is US$1250 for one week and US$2400 for two weeks; the cost for the Host option is US$550 for one week and US$1000 for two weeks. For participants not requiring lodging, the rate is $165 per week. Workshop fees cover lodging, breakfast and lunch (dinners not included), insurance, workshop materials and instruction. Transportation to the workshop is not included and is the responsibility of the participant. There is a discount for early registrations received by May 1, 2007; see Registration Form. Volunteers from the community who are able to contribute a day or two - or more - of their time are encouraged to join in. Please contact the Kornthal Memorial directly to register.
Participants may check in on Sunday of the week they are attending. Saturday night, July 21, 2007, is not covered unless the participant is attending both weeks. Participants will gather at the Kornthal Church Sunday at 5 p.m. for an orientation, followed by a "church supper". This workshop is ideal for bringing a non-participating partner as there are numerous sites to visit, from historic architecture to vineyards to anthropologic digs. Accompanying partners are welcome at the Sunday evening orientation and dinner.
The workshop will include field trips each week, as well as a day-long excursion on Saturday, July 21 for those who register for the two-week session. Participants attending for two weeks are also encouraged to explore the many other attractions of the region, including: Thebes Courthouse, Paducah, Kentucky, St. Genevieve, Missouri, Union County's historic barns, and Shawnee National Forest.
Summer in southern Illinois can be hot and humid with daytime average highs of 32 C (90 F). Please bring clothing that is appropriate for the weather as well as protective while working. Water bottles, sun screen and insect repellent are highly recommended. Please be conscious that safety is an important issue at any work site.
If you need additional information, please contact us at workshops@heritageconservation.net or call +1 303 444 0128.
If you find this project intriguing, but are unable to attend, you can still participate by supporting conservation work at the Kornthal parsonage and at other project sites with a tax-deductible donation to HCN. We have partnered with Groundspring.org to make it easy and
safe for you to donate online:
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form. |
