Museum to celebrate Christmas with open house

BY AMY LONG

DANVILLE — Christmas at the Vermilion County Museum includes visits from Dr. William H. Fithian, Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Holloway and “Uncle Joe” Cannon, among others

The museum will celebrate the season with an open house Dec. 19. Santa Claus will be there to greet everyone at the 1930’s era street scene. Visitors can have their photo taken with Santa, and children will receive small treats.

There also will be homemade cookies and cider for all to enjoy.

There will be various performances, which will begin at 1:30 with Jodi’s Dance Unlimited. The Four on the Floor barbershop quartet will be performing at 2:30 and the last performance by Marilyn’s Danceworks at 3 p.m.

Stop by and check out the old-fashioned toy display presented by Ken and Mona Hunter.

The Fithian house also will be open for all to enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas. The house also will be filled with costumed characters from Vermilion County’s past. Dr. Fithian, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives “Uncle Joe” Cannon, and others will be on hand to greet visitors.

Dr. Fithian was a local doctor and a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. In fact, Lincoln would occasionally stay at Dr. Fithian’s home.

Fithian was known as a saddleback doctor and would travel all over visiting patients in their homes. His office was located on Main Street near the David S. Palmer Arena. Fithian also owned 3,000 acres of land. He even deeded some of this land to the Fithian area, where the town of Fithian was born.

According to museum director Sue Richter, “Fithian is the only town by this name in the United States.”

In 1880, Dr. Fithian retired, but still practiced medicine out of his home to close family and friends. In 1884, he was fully retired.

Sophia Holloway is another character to visit while at the Fithian home. Mrs. Holloway will be portrayed by Jennifer Dixson. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Holloway were prominent in the Georgetown area. Sophia became famous because she brought her beautiful and fabulous piano with her across the country when her husband was in the military. Their daughter married John Thompson, who started a restaurant chain, which became the birth of the fast food chain industry.

Sophia and her husband will be in the Holloway room during the event. They will be giving a brief history about their character and they will also be happy to answer any questions visitors may have. Most of the items in the Holloway room belonged to the couple.

Dixson is excited to play this part because it is exciting to “bring history to life.”

A group from the Danville Light Opera —Tom Fricke, Bryan Schroeder, Ann Soderstrom and Kathleen Spain-Swiersz —will sing in the parlor of the Fithian home and will be heard throughout the home.

Richter is looking forward to seeing 200 to 300 people during the open house. This event has been a Christmas tradition for families. Many visitors bring their cameras.

IF YOU GO

The Vermilion County Museum, 116 N. Gilbert St., will host its annual Holiday at the Museum from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 19. The event is free and open to the public. For information, call the museum at 217-442-2922. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

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