Honoring the rich history of rural western Illinois, and examining the problems we currently face
"Instead of volunteering and getting-to-know each other, community-building citizens who once typified this nation…Americans have become privatized, atomized, focused within their property lines." Cited by John Hallwas, On Community: A Crucial Issue, a Small Town, and a Writer's Experience ON THIS EPISODE Our topic today is entitled “A Nation of Strangers.” This episode serves as …
Continue reading "Are We a Nation of Strangers Living Amidst a Fading Sense of Place?"
"The best ideas are going to come from your generation...it's time to be innovative to address these issues. Action starts with you." Tara Rumler, The 1024 Movement ON THIS EPISODE We are pleased to share this interview with Tara Rumler of the 1024 Movement. Tara is a native of Forgottonia whose work has brought her …
Continue reading "How the 1024 Movement is Helping Youth Prioritize their Mental Health"
"We live in an unprecedented era, when community is under siege from a variety of forces, & the negative ramifications of that are continually mounting." John Hallwas, On Community: A Crucial Issue, a Small Town, and a Writer's Experience ON THIS EPISODE We begin our series on the book "On Community: A Crucial Issue, a …
On this episode, we’re thrilled to share an update about New Philadelphia with Marynel Corton, the executive director of the New Philadelphia Museum. Last year we interviewed Marynel about New Philadelphia, one of the most important historical communities in the U.S. and located right here in rural Forgottonia (Pike County to be exact; Marynel lives …
Continue reading "New Philadelphia Earns National Park Status: An Update with Marynel Corton"
ON THIS EPISODE "The railroads depended on population and product. The population and product depended on shipping. The railroads became the most valuable method of shipping, particularly for landlocked areas like Illinois." -Bill Leitze As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School senior Gavin Johnson sits down with local Railroad enthusiast, …
ON THIS EPISODE "The two most dangerous occupations were agricultural, and mining. I was raised on a farm and worked on the mines." David Lidwell As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School junior Braxton Humphrey interviews former miner David Lidwell, about his knowledge and experience working in the mining industry. …
"The community did the best they could with that school, rather than let it sit vacant." Daryle Coleman ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School sophomore Cooper Leonard interviews Retired principal, Daryle Coleman, about her experience with the closure of the Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. …
On this episode of the Forgottonia Project, we summarize what the 2020 census reveals about Forgottonia. This episode serves as the podcast edition of our previous post analyzing census data: Forgottonia Profile: The 2020 Census. CHS students helped create a mega document that summarizes important demographic, social, and economic patterns that persist throughout Forgottonia (check …
On this edition of the Forgottonia Podcast, our students at Cuba H.S. completed a book study of the graphic novel “Hypercapitalism” and then had the privilege of interviewing the author of this book Tim Kasser. Our students ask Tim... What hypercapitalism is & why he wanted to write a graphic novel about it How spending …
In this episode, we’re thrilled to share our conversation with Marynel Corton, the executive director of the New Philadelphia Museum. New Philadelphia is one of the most important historical communities in the U.S. and it’s located right here in rural Forgottonia! Although rural, western IL is sometimes known for being…well FORGOTTEN… there are a …
Continue reading "S4, E2 – The New Philadelphia Story, with Marynel Corton"
The Forgottonia Project 