Daily Life In Small Town Illinois

My wife and I have found that Lebanon possesses many interesting locations: the quaint Mermaid House, McKendree College, The Cedars Restaurant, and the town square. All of these have both interesting and long histories. In addition, much of the excitement revolves around the notable people who have visited this town, and we highly recommend that each of you share the experience.

I will never forget the first time that I brought my wife to town. She could not believe seeing the corn growing up to the property limits of the homes on the outside of the town. She was aghast at seeing the corn surrounding everything as we approached. However, Lebanon is much more than the farming community. It pervades one's very soul. It becomes a part of your very being. Live the life, visit Lebanon.

Quick Tips:

Two days in the area should be sufficient to see all that you can in Lebanon. If you travel to nearby St. Louis, you will want more time, though. I strongly recommend that you spend a day visiting the downtown arts and crafts area on historic St. Louis Street. Then, visit some sites in St. Louis and other areas nearby on your second and third days. Then return to visit McKendree College. Eat at some of the local restaurants to get a flavor of the area and its gastronomy. Then, sit back and contemplate the sights and sounds, the smells and the feel of the wholesome earth and gentle breezes that pass through this part of the country.

Best Way To Get Around:

You will want to have an automobile present to travel from one location to anothert in the area. It is possible to park and walk to most of the local attractions, but a car makes getting to some of the areas more feasible.

You will want to wear comfortable shoes as you walk from one shop to another. The older sidewalks can often bring blisters to the feet of those not properly attired. However, all will be well when you visit areas travelled by Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln, and Charles Dickens.

A romantic night away from home was the goal that I had when my wife and I visited The Landmark on Madison Bed & Breakfast Inn. This delightful place is a classic Greek Revival home built in 1906 on the corner of South Madison and East Main streets in the historic town of Lebanon. You can only imagine the surprise in my wife’s face as we pulled into the parking area for this establishment.

We entered the foyer and immediately saw the charm of crystal chandeliers, solid brass hardware, hardwood floors and marble fireplaces. There are many such places in this country, but this was our first experience. We noticed that the inn was decorated in rich colors and an eclectic mix of antique and traditional furnishings. In fact, the inn is elegant, yet cozy with every door and hallway leading to new and delightful surprises. We were encouraged to explore the fineries of this inn, and were delighted by the richness and warmth of the interior of the building.

All of the guests were encouraged to help themselves to refreshments and goodies in The Magnolia Room. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cold drinks were on hand at all times. The evening was one that reminded me of visiting my grandmother when I was a child. We were able to relax in the parlor with some of the other guests. We played board games (which also reminded me of my family) until 11:00, then went to our room and relaxed in the elaborate 4-poster bed. This was a special treat for my wife. The next morning we went strolling through the town and enjoyed shopping in the antique shops and other small establishments that still exist along the historic West St. Louis Street.

Two weeks ago, one of my students (Megan) asked for permission to leave my laboratory about 40 minutes early. It seems that she had been called into work due to an illness to another employee. Since she finished her work early, there was no reason to tell her no. But, my curiosity was piqued. Megan said that she works at Dr. Jazz. And I had never heard of the place. The other students told me that the place was very interesting and that college-age and older hung out at the restaurant. So, I decided to try it out on my way home.

The establishment is located in the historic district, situated among all of the antique shops and tourist attractions. As soon as I entered Dr. Jazz I was taken back to my first job. There was an old-fashioned soda fountain with all of the traditional favorites (plus a few new ones). The food at the restaurant ranges from Chicago-style hot-dogs and Italian roast beef to quarter-pound hand-formed burgers and grilled chicken Caesar salads. But, there are twelve flavors of ice cream and phosphates, ice cream sodas, malts and other delights that are served. This really reminded me of that Rexall drugstore where I worked.

Last, I didn’t want to forget the two juke boxes that spew out jazz tunes. One can hear swing music from Glenn Miller as well. I cannot wait to bring my wife to the restaurant, as she will love the music. And so will you!

My wife and I were extremely interested to see the famous Mermaid House, formerly a hotel (inn) in the 1800's. When we arrived in town, it was a surprise to see that the structure was so tiny. It is only about 20 feet by 30 feet in size. However, that does not negate the historical impact of this building. Every April, Dickens Days celebrates Charles Dickens' stay at the Mermaid Inn in 1842. It was built in 1830 as a hotel and the House has been restored by the Lebanon Historical Society. While visiting the Looking Glass Prairie, Dicken's documented his visit in "American Notes." Many believe that Dickens' "Christmas Carol" was also based on his stay.

Another famous visitor to the inn was Abraham Lincoln. The story is told that Lincoln made his mark in Lebanon during his first Lebanon visit. Lincoln, known to be a slow eater, was very clever about arranging so that he had enough time and food to eat. While in Lebanon, he missed his departing stagecoach because he had not yet finished eating his dinner. After the stage left without him, Lincoln commented to the owner of the Mermaid House and local law-enforcement, Lyman Adams, that the silverware was missing from the dining room. He implied that someone on the stagecoach might have taken the silver, sending Adams in pursuit of the stagecoach. When Adams escorted the stagecoach back to town, Lincoln had finished his meal so he boarded the stage and told Adams that his silverware could be found in the coffeepot.

As you vist the site today, you can arrange a tour of the building. There is no cost to see the Mermaid House nor is there a major problem in arranging the visit. Do not expect to walk in without prior arrangements, though. We spent about 45 minutes walking around the building, noting the stories of famous people who had visited the location, and thinking of the location as it might have existed over 150 years ago. I know that you will enjoy seeing this wonderful site from our recent past.

I work as an adjunct professor at McKendree College. This is one of the finest small colleges in the United States, and it is located in Lebanon, Illinois. It was established in 1828 by pioneer Methodists, and it is the oldest college in the state of Illinois. Further, it is the oldest in the nation with continuous ties to the United Methodist Church. For the fifth consecutive year, McKendree has been recognized as one of America's 100 best college buys, reflecting the college's affordable tuition and high standards of excellence.

As Illinois' oldest college, McKendree has several buildings of historical significance. The buildings are a blend of the traditional, such as Old Main and Bothwell Chapel, and state-of-the-art facilities (like the new fitness center and the new Marion K. Piper Academic Center, housing classrooms, faculty offices, the admissions center and the computer lab).

The athletic program at this institution is extremely competetive for a facility of its size, with programs in football, basketball, and track and field ranked in the top 5 of the nation for colleges of its size.

The college sits in a residential area of the town reminiscent of bygone days... taking the visitor back in time to the mid 1800's. Visitors can walk the campus to see the living history, or tours of the campus can be arranged by appointment. Every time that I go to my classes, I feel an excitement that can only come from knowing that I am a part of the finest in small colleges in this country. No trip to Lebanon would be complete without a visit to this historic campus.

One of the passions in which my wife dabbles is cross stitching. One of the first stops on a trip when we first met was to look at cross stitching patterns. That has continued to this day. Well, my wife has found the perfect place to indulge this passion. Mom & Me, LTD has cross stitch supplies, accessories, buttons, classes, custom framing, antiques and collectibles, and handcrafted baskets. All of those things designed to take my hard-earned money for those little things that my wife likes are located in this one shop.

Well, it's not all that bad. Seriously, I was surprised at the large amount of inventory and supplies that could be found at Mom & Me. Plus, I don't have to travel 100 or more miles to look for something (then not find it). Almost everything you'd want for the hobby can be found in the store. We even found a computer program that will take our travel photos and make them into cross stitch patterns. This is enough material to keep the wife happy with her hobby while I watch ball games for years to come. (Ha, ha).

The store seems to be open from 9:00-5:00, Monday through Saturday. I found the ladies inside to be helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. I know that my wife will be happy for a long time now that we have found this store.