•September 3, 2025•

Moultrie County Monthly Quarter Madness will hold its September Quarter Auction on Wednesday, September 10. The event will be held at the Sullivan American Legion Post #68. The organization of the month is the Sullivan AMBUCS Chapter. They are a non-profit organization consisting of men who are dedicated to inspiring people to conquer challenges related to mobility and independence. They are best known for their work to include Amtryke adaptive trykes and ramps for houses.

Following the Springfield Road

•September 3, 2025•

by Janet Roney

Of all the early trails that once crossed central Illinois, the origin of the Springfield Road that the Tom Lincoln’s family, including his 21-year-old son, Abe, followed to Decatur is known. The road was just four years old when the Lincolns used it, for it was surveyed and marked with a plowed furrow in 1826 by the state of Illinois to accommodate the increasing flow of emigrants going west to the popular Sangamon Country. Amos Williams, one of the founders of Edgar County, was the surveyor. A copy of the original survey made by Williams is in the archives of Edgar County.

2015

Not only was the Moultrie County Courthouse receiving some repairs and restoration, but the square around it was getting repaved, as discussed by the Sullivan City Council at their last meeting. According to Commissioner Ken Johnson, the courthouse square was paved thirty years ago with asphalt.

ALAH Knights volleyball started their match with Tuscola at Arthur High School strong, scoring twenty straight points in the first match. “I was extremely impressed with how the girls came out of the gates last night,” Knights Coach Emily Crossman said. Tuscola was able to rebound to overcome the Knights 25-20 in the first game and 25-11 in the second, leaving the varsity team with a 0-1 early-season record.

The Springfield Road

•August 27, 2025•

By Janet Roney

No one knows for sure the route Abraham Lincoln’s family followed when they passed through our county in March of 1830 on their way to their new home west of Decatur.

From Paradise in western Coles County, they may have passed east of the large Kickapoo Indian winter camp site on the south side of the Shelbyville Moraine, and noted the cabins of the Whitley and Waggoner families, who had only recently settled along the ancient Whitley Point Road. At some point, they would have followed the Kaskaskia-Detroit Road that led to the young village of Nelson.

Nelson had few residents when the Lincolns may have stayed there, for it was recently platted in 1829. The next night, they camped at the edge of the timber near the Selby cabin (near the CRP prairie grass field south of Lovington, east of Route 32).

Last Saturday, the Sullivan American Legion post hosted a Bike Day during the afternoon, open to the public. Food was provided by Griffin’s BBQ Crew Catering, and drinks by the American Legion to all who attended.