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ANNUAL MEETING AND BRUNCH
HAMPTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY is hosting an Annual Meeting Brunch on Saturday, October 17th at 10:00 a.m. at the Hampton Grace Methodist Church. The general meeting agenda items will include, among other items, the nomination and election of officers and board members. ON THE MENU The delicious brunch buffet will include breakfast casseroles, fruit, rolls, and coffee. Those who attend the annual brunch meeting always enjoy visiting with others over a tasty…
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Hampton’s Only Newspaper – Are You In It?
To my knowledge, Ye Olde Hampton Towne Crier was the ONLY “Village of Hampton” Newspaper, running from April 1990 through November 2007 (17 years). It includes many articles about our school, history, people, and events. Click on the issue and enjoy. I am still working on 2003-2004 and will post them later this week. The compilation of papers below is coded as follows: The HTC prefix is for “Hampton Towne Crier”,…
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2026 Hampton Apple Festival is in the books!
Thank You to the following sponsors and volunteers The Hampton Historical Society
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The Cannon – A Story of Its Own
The Village of Hampton, Illinois, is a place steeped in history, brimming with intriguing artifacts and captivating stories. One such artifact is the cannon, placed to the right of the village hall. This cannon was not the first and was almost lost to another cause of greater good. Figure 1: Civil War enactors posing in front of the Cannon (c. 2026) On April 19, 1929, in a special meeting held with…
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The Dam Near Illiniwek Forest Preserve – Another Perspective
Found this picture of Mississippi River Dam #14 and wanted to share. Yes, this is the dam between Rapid City and Hampton, taken in 1937 from the upstream Iowa side. An amazing feat, taming the river enough to build this within her.
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People are asking about Vendors
In addition to all the homemade baked goods from our community, there will be something for everyone at this year’s Applefest. Here is a short list of vendors planning to be at this year’s Applefest. Be sure not to miss any of these tables or food trucks. (Location: 601 1st Ave, Hampton, IL)
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Museum Open This Saturday
Brettun and Black Store in Hampton, Illinois, invites the public to step inside local history this Saturday, September 5, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring the family and explore this remarkable circa-1840s landmark, where the stories of the Mississippi River, early village life, and frontier commerce come together. Visitors will get a close-up look at a time when the river was still untamed, Hampton was newly settled, and the…
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Hampton’s School – Transcending Time
The school building as it was circa 1886. This section still exists and is surrounded by updated structures that accommodate growth over the years. (Heagy, Recollections of My Old Hometown, 1936) Hampton School Schools have operated in Hampton for nearly two hundred years. The centennial of this event was celebrated Sept. 6, 1936. Lucius Wells taught the first school. The first schoolhouse built for that purpose was located just south of…
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Robert E. Lee’s Hampton Connection
In 1837, Robert E. Lee, then a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, undertook one of the most important early federal efforts to improve navigation on the Mississippi River. His assignment focused on two major natural obstacles, the Des Moines Rapids and the Rock Island Rapids, which frequently halted steamboat traffic and restricted trade along the upper river. By conducting systematic depth soundings, careful mapping, and detailed surveys,…