Queen Elizabeth II is welcome to attend The Gathering of Elizabeths being hosted by Elizabeth, Illinois Saturday, June 28th. The day-long celebration will honor several women of the 1840s bearing that name and, in the process, try and set a Guinness-scale world record. The JoDaviess County community (pop. 700) plans to try and set a world record number of Elizabeths.
Those with first or middle names of Elizabeth are encouraged to attend the event. The list of Elizabeths providing identification so they can register, will be submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Other planned events include the crowning of a "Queen Elizabeth" for the day. A group photo of Elizabeths of all ages will be taken. There will also be a craft show, downtown business sidewalk sale, and a fashion show with styles from past and present.
The honors for Elizabeths dates to the Black Hawk War when the women of the Apple River Settlment in 1832 defended Apple River Fort against an attack by 200 Native American warriors. The settlement was late renamed Elizabeth in honor of several of the defending women bearing the same name.
Visitors to Elizabeth June 28th may tour a reconstruction of Apple River Fort which is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Costumed interpreters will conduct militia drills and perform other tasks appropriate to the era. In the early 1800's, small forts were common in Illinois communities and on farmsteads, especially in northwestern Illinois, where the Black Hawk War was waged.
The Gathering of Elizabeths is sponsored by the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce and the Apple River Fort Foundation. For information, go to www.MostElizabeths.com
If you are interested in other sites in Illinois worthy of a visit, check out my group Illinois Road Trip.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 1