Quincy Sesquicentennial Parade, 1958

Quincy Buds Defeat the Chicago Cubs

While on a barnstorming tour two weeks before the 1907 World Series, the Chicago Cubs made a stop in Quincy. The Buds were part of the I-I League (the "Illinois-Iowa" League), and were a .500 team. The Cubs were just coming off a 116-36 season in 1906, and a 107-45 season in 1907. The 116 wins in the 1906 season was only matched by the 2001 Seattle Mariners (116-46), and the '06 Cubs 116-36 record still stands as the all-time best. The 1907 Cubs were considered one of the greatest baseball clubs ever assembled, with the legendary Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance combo patrolling the infield, and the most dominating pitching staff in the league with multiple 20 game winners. They would go on to sweep the Detroit Tigers in the World Series two weeks after the game in Quincy. That same Cubs team would also repeat as World Champs in 1908. As for this game against the Buds, on that September day in Quincy, the mighty Chicago Cubs lost, 5-2. Had it not been for 2 costly Quincy errors, the Cubs could have been shut out.

Postcards from Maine

Map of the Bounty Lands

Military Land Tracts of Illinois. Bounty lands for Veterans of The War of 1812.

John Anderson

Born in Clayton, John Anderson grew up in Quincy and Adams County. After attending college at Iowa and serving in WWII, Anderson went from performing on Mississippi River showboats to amassing hundreds of stage, film, and television credits. John Anderson's many screen roles included used-car huckster Charlie in PSYCHO (1960), the title character in THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY (1977) and a dead ringer for baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, whom Anderson portrayed twice, in EIGHT MEN OUT (1988) and the TV biopic BABE RUTH (1991). A veteran of 500 TV appearances (including Gunsmoke, the Virginian, Dallas, four guest stints on The Twilight Zone, and ironically, Quincy), John Anderson was seen as FDR in the 1978 miniseries Backstairs in the White House, the Civil War mini-series North and South, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and was a regular as Michael Spencer Hudson in the daytime drama Another World, Virgil Earp in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-61), and Harry Jackson in MacGyver (1985-1991). He was also the uncredited voice of Mark Twain in the Epcot attraction The American Adventure.

Watch John Anderson in The Twilight Zone episode, The Odyssey of Flight 33...

Quincy, 1858

5th and Maine Street in Quincy, looking north.

Tour the Mansion and Museum

Tours of The Governor John Wood Mansion and The History Museum are Tuesday through Saturday - April through October - from 10am to 2pm with the last tour at 1:15 p.m.

Other tour times can be made by appointment. Calling the Historical Society office at (217) 222-1835. Office hours are 10am-2pm.

Admission $4.00 adult, $1.50 student per site, site pass $6.00 adult, $3.00 student.

The History Museum

Built in 1885 this historically significant structure served as the minister’s home for the English Lutheran Church, which later became Luther Memorial Church, from 1917 to 1951. The red entrance symbolizes the house’s historical connection with the church, which has red doors. As a museum of the Historical Society, the building now provides an exhibition facility showcasing items from Adams County’s past.

Exhibits in The History Museum are organized by themes and include the Black and White Gallery and rooms highlighting the Civil War, early founders, education and fine arts, industry, agriculture, pharmacies and medicine, steamboats, railroads, circuses, and a major doll collection. One Adams County township is featured annually in a rotating display with items depicting its history and its Centennial Farms. Tours of The History Museum begin in the Visitors Center, which is the next building south.

Your Input is Welcome!

If you have any old photographs that you would like to share on this blog, please send them in, and I'll post them. Any old or interesting photos from Quincy, Adams County, or anything that relates to the history in said area. Old maps, and similar items are welcome. Please email them to me, but please supply the related information. By that I mean the who/what/when/where. At least the when/where. The more old pics, the more interesting your next visit to the blog will be!

Send what you'd like to share, to this link. 

(Apologies for the Photoshopped version of our city's founding father!)

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. It's been around for only a couple days, but this is what you'd call the initial public offering. Check out the earlier posts, and keep coming back for plenty more - including information about HSQAC events and anything else history related that's going on...

Contributions and help from the public are more than welcome here. If you have any old photographs related to the history of Quincy and Adams County, that you'd like to share... Please email them to meprovine@yahoo.com, along with all the details, and I'll get them on.

Adams County Map, 1875

Riverview Park Observatory

Riverview Park Observatory in Quincy, circa 1900.

Looking up towards Riverview Park.

Roy Brocksmith

A veteran of the stage and screen, Roy Brocksmith was born in Quincy on September 15, 1945. A multi-talented entertainer, after graduating from Quincy College, Roy moved to New York to perform on Broadway - before moving to Hollywood starting his career as a character actor in the late 70's. Noted for his appearance in TOTAL RECALL, Brocksmith’s other films include ARACHNOPHOBIA, THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE and the Coen Brothers film THE HUDSUCKER PROXY. He also appeared in numerous television shows, such as "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "L.A. Law," and was a regular on the CBS series "Picket Fences" from 1992 to 1996. In the course of his acting career, Roy had small but memorable roles in 35 films, and over two dozen TV shows. He passed away in 2001.

Read Roy's IMDb profile and his bio at Stark Trek's Memory Alpha.

Commercial from the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi hit, TOTAL RECALL:

Steamer Quincy

This is a small collection of images of the Steamer Quincy, harvested from various sites around the internet. Most of the photos and vintage postcards depict the vessel in 1911.

Special thanks to Scott K. Williams of Florissant, MO and his site, stlouistimeportal.com, where I got this information, and most of the pictures. A cool site worth checking out.

The steamboat Quincy at the St. Louis riverfront, postmarked 1911. This is at least the fourth steamboat by the name Quincy. The vessel was built in 1896 at Dubuque, IA and ran the Diamond Jo Line from St. Louis to St. Paul, MN.

The Quincy sunk in the Mississippi River in July 1906 near Trempeleau Mountain, WI. But that was not the end. The ship was raised and continued to serve through 1917. She was raised reequipped with new boilers, extra guest rooms were added and in 1911 ran from St. Louis to New Orleans. Her last run was in 1917. The Quincy was the last side-wheeler in the St. Louis-New Orleans route.

Give to the Historical Society

The Society's mission is to provide for the education of its members and others about the history of Quincy, Adams County, and the surrounding area. The Society is committed to the collection and preservation of documents and other physical objects related to local history. Preserving and maintaining the Governor John Wood Mansion as a historic and architectural structure is a key priority of the Society. We also maintain The History Museum and an 1835 pioneer log cabin. The Visitors Center houses the Society's office and library as well as Quincy's History Shop. The Society offers Candlelight Christmas Tours, programs on various historical topics and educational programs for school children. The Society also provides a Speakers Bureau for local organizations as a community resource. Gifts and bequests to support our mission may be given to the “Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County,” the legal name of the not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable entity. Gifts may be designated for a specific purpose; for the Operational Fund, Building Fund or Endowment Fund; or left unrestricted.

Please contact our office at 425 South 12th, Quincy , IL 62301 or telephone (217) 222-1835. Our e-mail is hsqac@sbcglobal.net. In addition, the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area offers the Historical Society Fund. They may be contacted by telephone (217) 222-1237 or by e-mail qacf@adams.net.

Volunteer Positions

The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County offers rewarding opportunities for the volunteer. The time donated by you the volunteer helps keep the history of Quincy and Adams County alive.

Please contact the Society office at (217) 222-1835 to discuss one of these opportunities...

Garden Docent

Will provide assistance in the Victorian flower garden on the north side of the Governor John Wood Mansion and at the log cabin.

Office Assistant – General

Provides general assistance on an as needed basis or by schedule.

Quincy's History Shop Docent/Clerk

Greets and provides information to visitors, brochures, and directions to area points of interest. Conducts sales of Quincy and area merchandise.

Research/Library Assistant

Assists librarian in cataloging collection artifacts, which includes: all necessary and accurate research, complete and accurate item description, full item photographs.

Educational Program Docent – 4th grade

Works with a team to present and interpret the Governor John Wood Mansion to 4th grade students.

Educational Program Docent – 3rd grade

Works with a team to present and interpret the 1835 Log Cabin and pioneer life of Adams County.

Interpretive Tour Docent

Presents tour of Mansion and/or History Museum that are thematic, historically accurate, and tailored to suit audience interest.

Curatorial Docent

Organizes artifacts, cleans, and appropriately stores items in collection.