RIP Blue Mound Tavern

I took a pilgrimage to the site of the (former) Blue Mound Tavern yesterday. I say pilgrimage because it truly felt like one! Although it wasn't formally in Altamont, it was a part of us, and our history.

I spent many an evening there in my younger days. We have truly lost a landmark! The building was old (80 years, I heard) and there was probably no chance of saving it.

The twisted metal kind of twisted at my stomach. Seeing what was left of the tables and chairs, thinking "that was the one I sat at last time I was here" made me a bit melancholy.

When I was a kid, occasionally Dad took us in and bought us a soda on Sunday afternoons (a friend of his owned it in those days) and then once I was legally old enough to drink we ended weekend evenings there when the "in town bars" closed.

I had only gone out a handful of times over the course of the last few years, but it was one of my favorite places. May we always remember it fondly.

RIP, Mayor Brauer

I've never posted an obit on here, but Carl Brauer was our mayor for 20 years (1979-1999) and I know my readers who grew up here will like to know. I know he will be missed by more than just his family.

Find his obit here.

Altamont Power Sports

With the cold weather ahead, and the tales I'm already hearing about deep snow, you might want to dig your snow mobiles out and have them tuned up!

Chicken Dance Polka Medly

Remember, Schuetzenfest is next weekend!

Business Crawl

Altamont Artisans

Hopefully, cold weather is still months away, but if you are one of those people that like to prepare ahead, make a stop at Three Brothers (across from the VFW) and check out the display of locally make caps, hand crafted by Amy Byrum. If there is a color or pattern you need, find her on Facebook (Amy Loesche Byrum). She'll do her best to make what you need!

American Legion

The American Legion is hosting a rummage sale at Schmidt Park this Saturday, July 25 with the proceeds to benefit the Garden Club. The Garden Club is responsible for all of the flowers around town. It's a daily duty that they have committed themselves to, and it's not cheap, so if you are out and about, stop in. They will be in their pavilion (I believe it's on the west side of the park) from 7 to noon. 

Altamont Lady Indians Welcome Home Ceremony

German Heritage Day

The second German Heritage Day started out sunny with enough breeze to keep the temperatures more than pleasant at Klitzing Heritage Park! The crowds were a bit sparse during the early hours due to a kids' fishing tournament at Ballards and, of course, the Girls State Championship. But where there is food, there are people!

 The park hosted a bake sale, German brats and potato salad, vendors, displays by the local Churches and kids events. There was a speaker at 1 o'clock and traditional German Music. A few old-style cars buzzed the area. I always love the old cars!

Tours at Wright's Mansion were featured in the afternoon.

And the City got to show off the new restrooms at the park. Nice!

Lady Indians Win State Championship!

The whole town is so proud of our Lady Indians! On Saturday, June 7, our girls won the High School's first ever State Championship. Way to go, girls!

Lauren White powered Altamont to school history, as her two-run home run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference in a 2-1 win over Campbell Hill Trico in the Class 1A state championship game clinched the Indians' first-ever state championship Saturday afternoon.
Trico took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on a solo home run by Emily Bauersachs to dead center field. Altamont had pressured the Pioneers, leaving two on in the second, third and fourth, but went down in order in the fifth.
Lauren Ohnesorge led off the inning with a single, and White made her at-bat count with a homer of her own to dead center as well.
"We knew we had to put up, come out dangerous and we did," she said. :It was sailing, but I was jumping up and down going to first hoping it was over."  Read the rest of this story from the Effingham Daily News. 






The story can also be found here in The Herald and Review.




Top photo from Herald and Review, click here for slide show

Bottom photo of Lauren White from EDN.

Memorial Day in Altamont

 Altamont hosted its annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26. It's a nice little parade that starts at the High School and ends at Union Cemetary, where there is a ceremony to mark the day.

 Along with the obligatory firetrucks and ambulances, tractors and horses, there was also the color guard, church groups and Shriners.

And of course, lots of candy for the kids!

Come Celebrate Altamont's Heritage!

Altamont German Heritage Day

Come to Altamont the first Saturday in June

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 with the fantastic hanging baskets provided by the Garden Club. The large flowering pots on the sidewalks are thanks to businesses and the Altamont Chamber of Commerce. 

The June 7^th festivities begin in Klitzing Heritage Park on North Main Street at 10 a.m. with displays telling about the German settlers who came in the 1860’s. They farmed, opened businesses, and organized churches that continue today. These creative Germans made many items and today residents continue that tradition.  Altamont craftsmen will sell their handmade items until 2 p.m.

Activities for children begin at 10:30 a.m. They will enjoy the old fashioned games played by the German settlers. Leading the games will be the Big Brother/Big Sister board members. Children can listen to German stories from the Altamont Library.

German plate lunches, bratwurst, wieners, potato chips, soft drinks, and German desserts and other baked goods will be for sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Families will listen to recorded German music during lunch time. Bring a lawn chair and join the fun.

At 1 p.m. Elaine Becker Fletemeyer will tell about “The Rich Heritage of Being Bilingual: Speaking Plattdeutsch and English”. Elaine spent her childhood in the Altamont community. Concluding the event at 1:45 p.m., the Altamont Community Choir will sing German songs.

Klitzing /Heritage Park was named for a descendent of the early German settlers. In 1873 a school was built on the site of the park and the first Altamont High School class graduated in 1892. That school was replaced in 1904 with a school for first grade through 12^th.   When a new high school was built in 1954, this was the Altamont Grade School.  In 1976 the building was torn down and the block became a city park. The Altamont High School 2014 graduation class includes descendants of the German settlers.

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 2 – 4 p.m. Admission for a tour 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 the trails through the timber and prairie found by the German settlers.

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 Klitzing/Heritage Park.

The Family Friendly Committee invites all ages to Altamont on June 7^st to celebrate German Heritage Day. The rain location is the First United Methodist Church. Find Developing Altamont’s Future on Facebook or phone Linda Schmidt at 618-483-6397. 

info provided by the Family Friendly Committee

Wright's Mansion Tours

Sunday tours start again this weekend (April 27) at Wright's Mansion. The house will be open from 2 to 4 each afternoon. Price is $5 for adults, $1 for students.

Group tours can be scheduled for other times. (618-483-6397)

Three Brothers

Phil Evans bought the former Lyons Liquors building and after remodeling the sales floor, has reopened as Three Brothers. He carries a full line of liquors, beers and wines. New coolers guarantee "The coldest beer in town", just in time for hot Summer weather! He offers drive up window service for his customers' convenience.

Business hours: M-Th 8 am to midnight, F-Sat 8 am to 1 am, Sun- noon to midnight

 Coming  soon-- a game room! We'll let you know as soon as it's open!

Plus, Phil is still working on getting in a full line of tobacco and lottery tickets!

Find on Rt. 40 across from the VFW.

Schuetzenfest Fundraiser

NTC Champions

Altamont wins this year's NTC Championship, beating out St. Anthony Bulldogs in the final game!!! For the whole story, click here (Premier Broadcasting, Inc.) 

Stuckemeyer Auction Barn

Stuckemeyer Auction Barn, found on Route 40 on the East Side of town is now hosting an indoor Flea Market every 1st and 3rd weekend of the month. Hours are 8 to 3, Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free!

The Sun Rises on a Brighter Day!

Just for a taste of the fun we've been having, I'm sharing this video. I think you have to go to YouTube to watch it. The last 30 seconds or so are our stretch of road. People have talked about the "Snow of '82" for years (18" that year) but I think this is worse, just because of the colder temps.

 The new Joe's Pizza and Pasta is now open! They have moved from their small restaurant uptown to a beautiful new building just north of the the I70 exit, (next to McDonalds, across from Dollar General).

Their menu offers a variety of pasta dishes, salads and pizza. They also now offer some beers and wines.

Joe's offer eat in service as well as carry out. The new restaurant has a large dining room with a second room available for overflow and I assume private parties.

New hours: 11 am to 10 pm 7 days a week!