Bond County Museum

05/31/2026

Our history books and donated scrapbooks collection or Bond County Genealogical Society's family research library might have something available nowhere else! And it might be relevant to your quest for knowledge. Follow Jen Schaffer, The Formidable Genealogist, for all kinds of hints and tips about finding archived records and interpreting them.

05/28/2026

PLEASE SHARE 🍕🍝🇺🇲 Join our local Benjamin Mills Chapter, NSDAR at Joe's Pizza - Greenville, IL, Tuesday, June 2nd. Eat a pie, a plate of pasta, a sub sandwich, or coffee and dessert. Joe's will share some of the night's profits, and ALL donations go back into the community to schools, Veterans, active military, and first responders.

05/28/2026

We're celebrating America's 250th with some classic 1950s cars and trucks, live music, and classic American food!

05/28/2026

You are cordially invited to the America 250 Garden Party hosted by Bond County Historical Society, Saturday, June 13th. 🌹🌷🌺🥪🧀🍒🍺🥤

Help celebrate our nation's birthday!!!

05/25/2026

Have a grateful Memorial Day

05/20/2026

This photograph was recently donated to the museum and historical society. It was amongst the Bimes family collection but none of the persons or the place are identified (which is one reason they didn't keep it!). Throw out your theories about this gathering!

05/16/2026

The next meeting of Bond County Historical Society and Bond County Genealogical Society will be Tuesday, MAY 19, 2026, at 7 pm at Bond County Museum.

The Agenda and the Minutes of the April meeting were sent out by email. [8 Hotmail addresses are bouncing! Please, if your primary email contact with the society is your Hotmail email, please provide an alternative email address and we'll update our list. You can send an email or msg to Jane Hopkins, Secretary, or send a DM to our page.]

Upcoming BCHS events

◦ June 13, Saturday -- America 250 Garden Party, 1:00 pm at the Museum
◦ June 23 -- Business meeting, 7 pm at the Museum
◦ July 24, Friday -- Historical Society Cookout at The Milk House
◦ July 28 -- Cemetery Walk & Business meeting, 6 pm at Smith Grove Cemetery

05/11/2026

Last week we lost one of our historical society members! Edie and C.W. could be counted on to attend our bigger events and programs as well as other heritage and cultural events put on by area museums. Our condolences to the Gaffner family and friends!

View Edith E. Gaffner's obituary, contribute to her memorial, see her funeral service details, and more.

View Edith E. Gaffner's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/11/2026

This is a very nice looking example of the US rifle powder flask made of heavy copper, capped with brass, known to collectors as the Peace Flask, and now known to our followers as our ! These flasks were produced by Batty and Ames from the early 1840s through the mid-1850s, for use with the US Model 1817 “Common” Rifle and the US Model 1841 “Mississippi” Rifles. The flasks received their nickname due to the embossed motif of two hands shaking, surrounded by a ring of 20 stars. The flask also has the shield-breasted American Eagle with wings outstretched, arrows in its claws and a panoply of flags and arms motifs embossed on the body. It features the early production pattern triangular sling “rings”, instead of the later circular suspension rings. The original adjustable charger spout is in place on top of the flask. These flasks were used during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War era. If you are only going to have one flask in your collection of 19th-century US militaria, the Peace Powder Flask is the best known and the most recognizable example that you could have. Find it and many more Civil War items in our Civil War themed exhibit room!

Bond County Museum in Greenville, Illinois is open Saturdays 10am-noon year round. Also open Sundays 1pm-3pm June, July, August. And by special appointment/tour.

05/06/2026

From the March-April 2024 Illinois Heritage magazine, this article by John Hallwas details the life and legacy of Robert G. Ingersoll - lawyer, political crusader, and orator. A young Robert attended an academy at Greenville!