Workshops & Events
Upcoming Events
Getting to Champaign—History of Transportation in Champaign Urbana
Wednesday, May 1
7:00-8:00pm
Lewis Auditorium
Local history buffs can enjoy a presentation examining Getting to Champaign, the photography exhibit currently on display at Illinois Terminal (free and open to the public). The exhibit highlights significant milestones in the evolution of ground transportation in Champaign-Urbana. The presentation shares insights, photographic highlights, and interesting historical details.
Four local experts on ground transportation in the community will share in the presentation:
- George Friedman, Jr., an expert on the "Street Railways of Urbana and Champaign, Illinois," the city and interurban lines within Urbana and Champaign. Mr. Friedman is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois.
- Ben Halpern, Photographer, whose work serves clients with needs in the fields of architecture, engineering, and historic preservation. To date, Mr. Halpern has had four exhibits at Illinois Terminal which focus on the history and development of rail and bus transportation in, and around, Champaign.
- Dan McCullom, historian, former Champaign Mayor and Champaign City Council member, and current Champaign City Historian. Mr. McCullom has written numerous articles about the history of Champaign County, and has also published several books that focus on themes related to local history.
- Bill Volk, Managing Director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD). Mr. Volk has managed MTD for more than 30 years and has witnessed a great deal of growth and change in the community. Mr. Volk has a unique perspective as the leader of the local MTD for three decades and is knowledgeable about transportation history, challenges, and trends throughout the country.
Upcoming Workshops
Spring 2013 Workshop Series: Local History & Genealogy
To register, please call Parkland College at 217-353-2055. You may also pick up an application in the Champaign County Historical Archives on the second floor of The Urbana Free Library. Parkland College Registration Form (PDF)
Oral History Interviews for Genealogists [Rescheduled]
Saturday, June 1 [Please note the new date]
2:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 820-001
Fee: $30 • Registration Deadline: As soon as possible
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Virtually every manual on genealogy tells researchers to start by talking to living relatives. Noah Lenstra will show you that oral interviews can be used for a wide variety of purposes throughout family history research, and changing technologies make new things possible. Topics include jump-starting your genealogical research; producing audio-visual family heirlooms; strategies for scheduling, conducting, and transcribing interviews; how to use free digital devices to record digital oral interviews with relatives around the world; and oral interviews, archives, and preservation.
Intermediate Genealogy
Thursdays, March 28 - May 2
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 418-001
Fee: $65 • Registration Deadline: March 21
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
You have started finding documents about your family. Now what? Nicole Miller will show you strategies for analyzing and interpreting information. Topics include: transcribing, abstracting and summarizing documents; evaluating conflicting sources; land records and agrarian research; incorporating historical research into family history; evaluating information with timelines and extraction forms; and more.
Courthouse Research for Genealogy
Saturday, May 4
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 825-001
Fee: $20 • Registration Deadline: April 26
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Join Robert Johnson in exploring all aspects of conducting research in courthouse records, including a discussion of “hard to find” sources, and often overlooked resources. Various research paths and tips will be discussed. Both online and on-site methods will be considered.
Cemetery Care and Restoration
Saturday, May 11
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 326-001
Fee: $55 • Registration Deadline: May 3
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Saturday, June 8
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 326-002
Fee: $55 • Registration Deadline: May 31
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Save pieces of history: Learn how to preserve a cemetery and do basic grave stone repair. Develop a preservation plan, learn how to probe and what cleaning methods and materials to use, and do simple grave marker resetting. Gain knowledge about related resources, laws, and support groups. John Heider will explain cemetery care, marker preservation, and restoration. We’ll meet at The Urbana Free Library in the morning then proceed to a nearby cemetery for hands-on work in the afternoon.
Gravestone Repair
Saturday, May 18
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 341-001
Fee: $55 • Registration Deadline: May 10
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Saturday, June 15
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Course Number: WLI 341-002
Fee: $55 • Registration Deadline: June 7
Location: Lewis Auditorium at The Urbana Free Library
Gain valuable hands-on experience in repairing and resetting gravestones. Activities will include recognizing grave location clues, marker discovery, removal, handling, and cleaning. Learn to repair simple breaks and fill cracks by using appropriate adhesives and mortar mixes. John Heider will teach some of the latest methods for preserving grave markers, an invaluable resource for those interested in best practices for cemetery preservation. Prerequisite: Cemetery Care and Basic Restoration or by instructor’s approval.