Honoring the rich history of rural western Illinois, and examining the problems we currently face
“When small towns lose, we lose a piece of ourselves.” Marcus Boyer ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School juniors Cooper Leonard and Sam Thum explore the history and impact of the old Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. Like many small towns, the school in Smithfield …
"I couldn't wait to leave, but then I couldn't wait to come home." Lori Noe ON THIS EPISODE As part of our Oral History in Forgottonia series, Cuba High School juniors Cooper Leonard and Sam Thum explore the history and impact of the old Red Brick School in Smithfield, Illinois. Like many small towns, the …
"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 "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 …
To gain a better idea of what the 16 county region known as Forgottonia actually looks like, we compiled some data from the 2010 census. What follows is an overview of each county's demographics. Click here for a profile of each county's presidential election results, and a brief overview about the history of each county.
To gain a better idea of what the 16 county region known as Forgottonia actually looks like, we compiled election data by county over the past 20 years. Please note, the purpose of this examination is to not endorse one political party or policy over another, but to gain a better understanding of this place we call Forgottonia. Although political party affiliation in Forgottonia over the past 20 years is complex and ever-changing, our study reveals that there has been and continues to be growing support for the Republican Party throughout Forgottonia. This trend occurred even before the presidential election of 2016, which subsequently sparked greater national interest in all things rural.
On this edition of the Forgottonia podcast we’re sharing a conversation about mental health in rural America with our friend Lyndsey Larson, the manager of a local yoga studio in Canton, IL called “The Breathing Tree.” Lyndsey is also a native and recent returnee to Canton, IL where she lives with her husband and their surprise triplets!
The Forgottonia Project 