Bond County Historical Society

Preserving the history of Bond County, Illinois and its communities

Townships:  Shoal Creek - LaGrange - Mulberry Grove - Old Ripley - Central - Pleasant Mound - Burgess - Mills - Tamalco.          Communities:  Ayers - Beaver Creek - Donnellson - Dudleyville - Durley - Elm Point - Greenville - Hamburg - Hookdale - Keyesport - Millersburg - Mulberry Grove - Newport - Old Ripley - Panama - Pierron - Pocahontas - Reno - Smithboro - Sorento - Stubblefield - Tamalco - Wisetown - Woburn.

video thumbnails of large house, farmland, early automobile, and older men and women standing with memorial markers

“Bond County History Remembered: Video Legacies”
is Bond County Historical Society’s new oral history series

Check out the newest video releases in our YouTube Channel and on our Video Legacies webpage.


2026 Upcoming Events

Bond County Historical Society is planning a full year of Activities, Speakers, Tours, and Events! View the current schedule and check back often for more dates & more details.

Coming Up!

Tue, Feb 24 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Tue, Mar 24 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Apr Date TBD Mystery Field Trip! (Watch for Sign-Up News),
Tue, Apr 28 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Tue, May 19 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Sat, Jun 13 America 250 Garden Party, 1PM at Bond County Museum (watch for Ticket Info and Volunteer Opportunities),
Tue, Jun 23 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Fri, Jul 24 Cookout Fundraiser, 10AM-2PM at The Milk House (Volunteers Needed 9-3),
Tue, Jul 28 Cemetery Walk, 6PM at Smith Grove Cemetery,
Tue, Aug 25 Rural Church Potluck and History Program, 6PM at TBD,
Tue, Sep 18 Business Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Fri, Oct 23 Night At The Museum Living History Event, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Tue, Oct 27 Annual Dinner Meeting, 6PM at TBD (Watch for Guest Speaker info),
Tue, Nov 17 2027 Planning Meeting, 7PM at Bond County Museum,
Sat, Nov 28 Come Home For Christmas Celebration Activities TBD

[Last Updated February 3, 2026]


We’re Open in 2026

Welcome to Bond County Historical Society’s home, the Bond County Museum, for the 2025-2026 Season. Free admission. Donations accepted.

Come visit us for a self-guided tour Saturdays 10am-noon (& Sundays 1-3pm June, July, August only).

The museum will open for special tours, please call or email to arrange. Check dates the museum facility is Currently Reserved.

Watch our Facebook Page and local media for more information on special events!

victorian mansion in background, museum sign in foreground, text overly with address and hours of museum

Bond County, Illinois, USA

Bond County current shape
Civil War Era Room inside Bond County Museum

Bond County Museum Hours!

  • Saturdays: 10am-noon (January—December)
  • Sundays: 1pm-3pm (June—August)

Plus special occasions to be announced. Groups welcome.

The museum will also open for special tours, please call or email to arrange.

e-Newsletter

Now you can enjoy reading the semi-annual Bond County Genealogical Society e-Newsletter, published jointly with Bond County Historical Society since 2014!

two facing pages of e-newsletter, green frames, text, photos, orange table of contents

Officers

Cary Holman
President

Blake Knox
Vice-President

Jane Hopkins
Secretary

John S. Coleman
Treasurer

Kevin Kaegy
Historian


Apply for or Renew Membership here using our downloadable form:

The PDF is “interactive” so you can fill, print, save, & email this PDF.

Download Adobe PDF Reader

Business Meetings are generally the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm at Bond County Museum. Special Programs, Events or Tours of other locations may move meeting date/time. Please check our Facebook Page, WGEL 101.7FM Radio, The Greenville Advocate newspaper, or official emails from the society.


Search Historic Advocate on Chronicling America Website

Digital images of the earliest issues of the Greenville Advocate are now included in the Library of Congress’ freely available newspaper site: Chronicling America. The 256 issues, 4 pages each, were digitized from microfilm of issues published between 1858 and 1864. They can presently be accessed and searched by keyword in formats of image, PDF, and online text. Bond County Historical Society and Bond County Genealogical Society are hopeful more opportunities and funds will arise for digitizing additional years of the newspaper. Cary Holman, BCHS president said of the release, “We are off to a promising start in this partnership with the Illinois Newspaper Project and truly appreciative of the support of the Library of Congress.”


Museum Phone Number is 618-690-0469

Leave us a voicemail message to schedule a guided group tour, a tour outside regular museum hours, or to get in touch with our society board for any reason. If you are unable to connect with us via phone, please send an email or a message to our Facebook page.


Past Posters Collage - Each October, BCHS hosts our Annual Dinner Meeting Plus Program & Elections

Past Annual Meetings Poster Collage