Next year marks the 200th anniversary of Vermilion County, but the celebration begins at this year’s Festival of Trees at the David S. Palmer Arena in Danville.
Sue Richter is Director of the Vermilion County Museum. She says a scene depicting a parlor at Dr. William Fithian’s home will greet people as they enter the Palmer Arena….
{AUDIO: “On Friday night for the Gala, we’ve got singers that’ll be here. And then the rest of the week at different times, there will be costumed people here and regular people here, to give out information on the 200th. (It’s) So that people will know what’s coming up and when they’re able to go. And we’ve got a Q-R Code. It’ll direct them to the website so they can find out all the events for the year, both for the 200th and throughout the county.”}
The Festival of Trees runs November 15th through 19th. Todd Lee, the other co-chair of the committee that has been planning the 200th anniversary events, notes a lot has changed over the years….
{AUDIO: “Two-hundred years ago Native Americans were still here. The first settlers arrived, knowing the river resources, and they saw the salt. And soon after that realized we had a huge vast coal resource here. Those early settlers were able to tame the prairies. Industry followed our coal and we progressed to probably a peak period as far as economics – in the very late 1960s.”}
And Lee noted the economy is ever-changing for the new world.
Lee added a lot of volunteers will be needed for various activities planned during the next year to celebrate the county’s 200th birthday. If you would like to volunteer, he says contact Sue Richter or Heather Urbanski at the Vermilion County Museum.
