WCHS is helping to locate possible family members of the Oscar Stephen Cole family that lived previously in Goreville, Johnson Co. then in Marion from before 1920-1955. They had 2 columns mounted in front of the home at 1305 W. Main in Marion with COLE inserted, and they have recently been taken down, the owners wondered if family would be interested in them. The family lineage we have found is Oscar Stephen Cole b 1872- d 1943 & Clara Belle Foster d 1904, (sister to Clara, his second wife Celia Ann Foster died in 1955. The two sons by Clara, Dausa Webster Cole b 1896 Goreville- d 1939, wife Mary, and Cline Merwin Cole b 1902 Goreville–died 1973. Cline M married Claudia Thomas, they had 2 children; Kay Cole Hopkins of Madison, Wisconsin and Charles M. “Tommy” Cole of Knoxville, Tennessee. Cline and Claudia were living in his mother in 1950, after which they were in Madison, Wisconsin. They had 3 children; Craig Cole Hopkins, Kelly Kay Hopkins, Edie Roceen Hopkins. Any contact information would be appreciated. We can be contacted at 618-997-5863 or emailed at wchsmail@yahoo.com
WCHS participated in the first Marionopoly, presented by Marion Carnegie Library on June 12, 2025 from 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock on the tower square. We naturally were in the Go to Jail spot on the board. We handed out candy, brochures to the museum, Williamson Co. Jr. Deputy stickers and set up for attendees to have their photograph made with possibly the only married couple from the 1920’s Tiger Girl and Candy Kid who robbed banks and jewelry stores (not from so Illinois), aka our very own Michael and Gloria Spinks who did a great job.
Along with WCHS were 24 other local business participating at locations around the square/game board. At the end players also received a commemorative bookmark from the Carnegie Library.
The WCHS museum and library hasn’t had a paranormal group come look around since before covid struck. That all changed on June 7th, 2025 when a group called Phantastic Ghost Hunters from Paducah, Kentucky came to see what they could find. The group is comprised of husband-and-wife team, Paula and Gavin Kelly with assists from their friend Sami Collins. They also occasionally work with the assistance of Gavin’s father and Vietnam vet, Joe Stimas.
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On June 4th, 2025, our museum hosted a tour for S.I.U. ‘s Center for English as a Second Language group (C.E.S.L.). Dr. Colin Robinson of SIU brought 18 foreign students in for the tour after having toured the AISIN factory in Marion. The students were from a diverse range of locations around the globe including Japan, S. Korea, Laos, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Ivory Coast, Panama, Nicaragua, Chile and the island of Comoros.
This is the second year Dr. Robinson has brought the students here for a tour and it turns out to be a pleasurable experience for all involved.
Periodically we receive items that are not related to Williamson County. Recently within a collection we received a postcard of a Spandrel Bridge built in 1926 that crosses Hills Branch by the Chocolate Factory in Pope Co. Illinois. When we contacted them they had never seen this example of the bridge and they also had some papers for us, so it was a perfect opportunity for a Sunday road trip.
Pictured on left, Sharon Vansaghi, Curator at WCHS, on right, Cheryl Cossey, Secretary, Pope Co. Historical Society. If you ever have the chance or just need a Sunday drive, check out Pope Co. Historical Society Museum, in Golconda, Illinois located at 112 Columbus Ave. They are open April-Nov Saturday 9-3:30 and Sunday noon to 3:30. They have wonderful exhibits pertaining to their area and volunteers that will help inform you of history.