Merry Christmas!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

From the Window of Clarkson's Furniture.

Coming Soon!

Joe's Pasta and Pizza is moving! We'll miss them uptown but their present location has very limited seating. The new building joins the growing South end of Town. I'll post more when they are open for business, which will hopefully be next month.

Event List for November and December

Altamont Celebrates Christmas 2013

Nov. 22, 5 – 9 am, Nov. 23, 10 am–5 pm,  Nov. 24, 10 am–4 pm, Country Treasurers Craft Show, Carriage House Event Center

Nov. 23 & 24, 1-4 pm, Christmas Trees at Dr. Wright’s House, area musicians perform as guests tour the 1889 home decorated with a tree in each of the 18 rooms, admission $6 adults, $1 students

Fri, Sat, Sun from 6-9 pm, Nov. 29 until Christmas, Ho Ho Land, Christmas lights display, Schmidt Park

Nightly from Thanksgiving through Christmas, Christmas Lights on Main Street

Nov. 30, 9:30 – 11:30 am, Santa at the Altamont Library

Nov. 30 & Dec. 1, 1-4 pm, Christmas Trees at Dr. Wright’s House, area musicians perform as guests tour the 1889 home decorated with a tree in each of the 18 rooms, admission $6 adults, $1 students

Dec. 7, 9 am-3 pm, Holiday Bazaar, Parish Hall, Immanuel Church

Dec. 7 & 8, 1-4 pm, Christmas Trees at Dr. Wright’s House, area musicians perform as guests tour the 1889 home decorated with a tree in each of the 18 rooms, admission $6 adults, $1 students

Dec. 8, 2 pm, Share the Light of Christmas, Lutheran Laymen’s League Rally, Immanuel Lutheran Church, advent music by musical groups from several churches

Dec. 10, 6:30 pm, Christmas Concert, Grades K-3, Altamont Grade School

Dec. 14, 6 pm & Dec. 15 at 9 am, Christmas Cantata, Jesus, our Treasure, Immanuel Lutheran Church,

Dec. 15, 9:00 am, Christmas Cantata, Bethlehem Morning, First United Methodist Church

Dec 15, 9:00 am, Christmas Cantata, The Light of Christmas, First Baptist Church

Dec. 16, 7 pm, Christmas Concert, 6-12 Band/Choir, Altamont High School Gymnasium

TBA, Altamont Community Choir and other area musicians performing at Christmas Trees at Dr. Wright’s House

TBA, The Fruitcake, Play by Altamont High School Students at Altamont Living Museum

TBA Christmas Vacation Children’s Program at Ballard Nature Center

Prepared by Developing Altamont’s Future --

Family Friendly Committee

St. Anthony's Diagnostic Center

The St. Anthony's Diagnostic Center is now open and will be hosting an Open House this Saturday, September 28th from 9 to 11. The new Center is equipped with the newest equipment for x-rays, ultrasounds, ekgs and urgent labs. Located on Do-It-Drive across from The Rock Fitness Center.

Garden Club Fall Festival

 Held this year on Saturday, September 7, the Garden Club Fall Festival appeared to be a big success. The weather was hot, but there was a nice breeze. Loads of people came out to sample the Chili.

 For the kids, there was games, a petting zoo, and a bouncy Castle. Bouncy Castles are genius!

There was loads of food, for those who wanted more than Chili samples.

Vendors lined the sidewalk on the North end of the Park.

Dick Francis came out of retirement to auction off some beautiful cakes. In addition to what I have pictured here, there was music through-out the afternoon and the Garden Club was selling mums, pumpkins and Fall yard ornaments.

If you missed it this year, be sure to join us next year!

Effingham County Fair Grounds

Effingham Country Fair Grounds is located on Rt. 40 on the east side of Altamont. One of the nicest fairgrounds in Illinois, it covers a full 55 acres and yearly hosts the Illinois High School Rodeo, the Effingham County Fair, The Threshermen's Show, the Schuetzenfest and a number of other events.

A newly revamped food-court can be found in the center of the grounds, along with The Schuetzenfest building (now air-conditioned), several exhibit halls and barns and a large restroom/shower building.

The fairgrounds is equipped with two camping areas--one primitive and one with full hookups.

 The grandstand faces a stage and track area.

The entire grounds is fenced in with two entrance/exit gates.  And of course, there is loads of parking!

Angels Riding Shotgun

Not really my kind of music,(and not about Altamont)  but in the opening lines, the singer mentions Effingham, and shows the Cross, so I thought I would share it here, for anyone who would like to see it.

The Effingham County Fair

Well, another Fair has come and gone! We had beautiful weather for it this year-- only one day with a short shower and the temperatures were bearable!

This year's events included numerous races though-out the week (which the Beckers called, of course!), tractor and truck pulls, the Queen pageant, the talent show, rough stock rodeo, a couple of concerts, and culminating with the Demo Derby. Plus lots of 4H animals, of course, and the exhibit halls with crafts, food, collections, antiques, art and flowers.

Carriage House Event Center

Carriage House Event Center hosted an Open House this week to introduce the newest business to the community.

Situated right off of Interstate 70 where the old Best Western Hotel used to sit, it's a beautiful building with several areas to accommodate any event. The roomy Foyer contains restrooms and an elevator to the upper level. Here,  I've pictured the main hall plus the balcony.

 On the balcony level there is more seating and a dressing room.

There is another smaller room also available with a kitchen area directly off of it.


I will include some contact info soon.

About Town

Another section of the Community Room painting. This painting is of the Railroad Station. 

Welcome!

Hex Sign at Kull's Furniture Gallery.

About Town

More color! A new sculpture in front of Dr. Sehy's office on the corner of Third Street and Division.

Altamont Centennial

For those of us old enough to remember, 1971 was the year we celebrated Altamont's Centennial. My Mom was in the Jr. Woman's and we were very involved in the events of that summer. Here are two pictures I recently found. The first is from the Fair parade, if I remember correctly. The second is our family in our Centennial glad rags.

If anyone has a picture you would like to share, just send it as an attachment to me. (e-mail address is on the right, there)

The Flowers Are Back!

 Flowers have once again made their appearance all over town! The Garden Club and the business people have done their usual excellent job of beautifying the Triangle and the uptown area.










If you have a chance, take a walk and enjoy all of the color!

About Town

If you have never seen it, there is a mural painted on the wall in the Community room in the Municipal Building. Several local artists painted it, I'm thinking back in the 80's, but I'll have to check that to be sure. The pictures are all buildings and things from Altamont's past. It's amazing how good it still looks. If you haven't seen it, take a few minutes to check it out. I'll post more pictures from the wall in the next couple of weeks.

German Heritage Day

The first German Heritage Day was held on June 1st at the City Municipal Building. Originally planned for Klitzing Park, rain caused plans to be changed! The local Churches set up displays chronicling their personal histories, plus displaying some German items of interest. There were stories and games for the children, a bake sale with some German pastries, plus bratwurst and hot dogs for the hungry folks! Hopefully, this will be a celebration that grows from year to year!

Memorial Day Parade

  I'm a bit slow, and my camera wasn't working well that day, but here are few pictures from this year's Memorial Day Parade. We had beautiful weather and a nice crowd lined the streets as the parade passed down Main Street on it's way to Union Cemetery for a short service.

German Heritage Day Update

German Heritage Day           

         

Come to Altamont the first Saturday in June for German Heritage Day at the Klitzing Heritage City Park.

Developing Altamont’s Future celebrates Altamont’s German roots with a fun day for children, parents, and grandparents. The German love of flowers is shown downtown with the fantastic hanging baskets provided by the Garden Club and the large flowering pots thanks to businesses and the Altamont Chamber of Commerce.

June 1^st festivities begin in Klitzing Heritage Park at 10 a.m. where the Altamont Public Library will present “Tales of the Black Forest”.  A display will tell about the German settlers who came in the 1860’s. They organized five Lutheran churches that continue today.

Starting at 10:30 a.m. children will enjoy old fashioned games played by the German settlers. Leading the games will be the Recreation and Parks Committee. Bratwurst, sauerkraut, wieners, soft drinks, and German desserts will be for sale starting at 11 a.m.  Families can listen to recorded German music during lunch time. Bring a lawn chair and join the fun.

Klitzing Heritage Park is named for one descendent of the early German settlers. In 1873 a school was built on the site of the park. It was replaced in 1904 with a school for first grade through 12^th. That was the Altamont High School until 1954 and Altamont Grade School until 1976.  The three park pavilions symbolize the three railroads that connected the German settlers to the rest of the country.

Two blocks north of the park is the home of Dr. Charles M. Wright, doctor to the German settlers. The house museum will be open from noon to 2 p.m. Admission for tours is $5 for adults and $1 for students.

Then travel east of Altamont on the old National Road or US Route 40 to Ballard Nature Center and walk trails through the timber and prairie found by the German settlers. “Traveling the Prairie” will be presented from 1 to 2 p.m. at the center.  

While in Altamont, select plants at the three garden centers and find treasures in the antique stores. The churches will not be open, but a map will show their locations. Several members of the German families have served in the US Armed Services. Many of them are listed on the Veterans Memorial in Altamont Union Cemetery, located north of the park on Main Street.

The Family Friendly Committee invites all ages to Altamont on June 1^st to celebrate German Heritage Day. Find Developing Altamont’s Future on Facebook or phone Christy Seidel, 217-690-8082.

info submitted by Linda Schmidt

Wolf Creek Antique Mall

Wolf Creek Antique Mall has replaced Savannah's at the corner of Main and Division Streets (3 N. Main). Owned by Brent Vonderheide, the store is open from Tuesday thru Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm and on Sunday from 11 am to 5:30 pm.  The store features a wide variety of antiques--something for every collector!
For more information, call 217-690-8290.

 
 
 

German Heritage Day

Saturday, June 1 will see Altamont's first German Heritage Day! The day will kick off at 10 am at Klitzing Park. Activities include a display of photos and information about the first German settlers, "old fashioned" games for the kids, brats and German pastries, and of course, German music. Wright's Mansion will be open for tours from noon until 2 and Ballard Nature Center will be open from 1 to 4.

For more info, contact Linda Schmidt, 618-483-6397 or Christy Seidel, 217-690-8082, or find Developing Altamont's Future on Facebook.