Thebes Historical Courthouse

Sitting high atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Thebes, Illinois is the 1848 Courthouse. Standing nearly 165 years, it is a testament to architect Henry Ernst Barkhausen, who was awarded the contract for designing and supervising the erection of the Thebes Courthouse in 1845. This landmark was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The purpose of the Thebes Historical Society is to preserve and maintain this historical courthouse and to maintain the photos, historical artifacts, books and documents held within. Our members are unpaid volunteers and open the courthouse for visitors and public tours, for which there is no admission fee.

2013 Memorial Day Raffle prizes

Tickets are $2 each or 6 for $10 & can be purchased from a Thebes Historical Society member or at the Courthouse. The drawing will be Monday, May 27th at 3 PM at the Courthouse. All proceeds go toward the preservation of the Old Courthouse.

The beautiful quilt on the left was made by Faye Prater of Thebes.

The second raffle prize is a beautiful afghan made and donated by Sonjia (Orick) Baugher of Mammoth, Arizona.

The third raffle prize is an apron made by Patty Tapley of Thebes and embroidered by Go2 Designs of Thebes.

The Courthouse will be closed on Sunday, May 12th so our volunteers can enjoy Mothers' Day with their families.
We appreciate your understanding.

VENDORS' application can be found by holding your mouse over the "2013 Memorial Day Weekend" page tab. You'll see the page "Vendor Application" just below that tab.
It's a good deal for vendors - just $5 a day!

Thanks to all who braved the chilly courthouse on Thursday, March 14th to do some de-cluttering before we open. The help is much appreciated! Don't forget we open to the public tomorrow (Saturday, March 16) 10 AM to 4 PM.

We received a beautiful crocheted afghan in the mail today from Sonjia (Orick) Baugher who lives in Arizona. She has donated the afghan to add to our quilt raffle for Memorial Day weekend this year. It is even prettier than in the pictures which were posted about a week ago. Thank you so much, Sonjia!

Courthouse to Re-open for 2013 in March
On Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th the Courthouse will be open to the public once again. Weather permitting, this will be the beginning of our open season for public tours. Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays and Noon to 4 PM on Sundays. We will be closed on Easter Sunday.

Thebes Historical Society Members Visit Tollhouse Museum

On February 25, 2013 Historical Society members Twyla Wareing, Debbie Goins and Phyllis Allison met with Charles Althoff at the Tollhouse Museum in Cairo. We discussed ideas for hosting a Civil War Reenactment or Living History Event at the Thebes Courthouse this September.

Plans Underway to Host a Civil War Era Living History Event at the Thebes Courthouse

In addition to our plans for Memorial Day Weekend 2013, we are excited about developing plans for the last weekend of September. In this photo we are discussing plans for a Living History Event or a Civil War Reenactment at the Courthouse this year. We also met with
Cindy Lynch at Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbus, Kentucky. She wasvery helpful as she shared information and knowledge gained by years of hosting their Civil War Days. This year's event at Columbus-Belmont State Park is scheduled for October 11-13. You can
get more information by calling 270-677-2327 or email cindy.lynch@ky.gov

Thebes Historical Society Members Attend the SIAM Annual Meeting at the Gambit in Vienna in August

Please see our "Meetings" page for further information about the Thebes Historical Society.

Courthouse Was Closed Temporarily for Repairs: June-July 2012

Four windows were being replaced on the entrance side of the Courthouse. The wood had rotted and the windows themselves were in poor condition. Contractor David McCain replaced the windows for us and a generous grant from Southern Foundation funded most of the work. We are sorry for any inconvenience during the time we were closed. Thanks for your understanding.

Thebes Historical Society members present March 2012
Front Row (L to R) Samantha Bruer, Jo Smith, Debbie Goins, Janet Bradley
Back Row (L to R) Evelyn Caldwell, Raymond McAfee, Twyla Wareing, Phyllis Allison, Faye Prater, Jay Smith

We continue to seek photos and information about area veterans and active military personnel. You may submit photos with names, dates, branch of service and any other interesting information to: Thebes Historical Society, P.O. Box 53 Thebes, IL 62990
If you contact us through the contact page on this website, we can arrange to get your submission by email.

We plan to display these photos in an album, as well as with a PowerPoint or DVD which will be playing throughout the 2013 Memorial Day weekend. Thank you for helping us to honor the brave men and women who have served our country.

Thanks to Lynda and Ray Smith and to Martha Vines, we will have DVDs available with photos of the Thebes Railroad Bridge which was completed in 1905. The DVD also includes other photos and interesting information about the RR bridge and the Historical Thebes Courthouse. They have also provided us with new postcards, prints of photos and several other creative and unique items. We also have Courthouse T-shirts in maroon, royal blue and light gray. All proceeds and donations go toward the preservation and maintenance of the courthouse.

Our main concern right now is to protect the interior from weather damage due to broken windows, a leaking roof and improperly fitting doors. There is some termite damage as well. We know that there are many cosmetic things that need done. We are also concerned about the condition of the front balcony and the roof.

We appreciate your support for this worthwhile endeavor.

Winter Meetings continued 2011-2012

We decided to continue to meet throughout the winter to work on projects for spring and summer. Meetings will be the 2nd Thursday of each month, beginning at 6 PM. We meet in the parsonage next to the Thebes 1st Baptist Church. Bring your ideas for helping to improve our displays for visitors at the Courthouse!

CHILI SUPPER
The Thebes Historical Society had a chili supper fundraiser on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The meal was held at Thebes Baptist Church from noon to 4 p.m.
Thank you to all who made donations, desserts, and for those who cooked and served meals on that day. Proceeds will go, as usual, toward the preservation of the Thebes Historical Courthouse.
See the photo page for a few pictures of the chili supper.

October 27, 2011
Please be aware that the Courthouse was open its final weekend for 2011 on October 29th and 30th.
We will be closed from November through March due to winter weather. The Historical Society will continue to meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month and work on Courthouse projects and planning. Bring a friend and join us!

NEW Tshirts Available
We now have our Thebes Courthouse tshirts available in sizes 2X and 3X, in addition to S, M, L and XL. They are available at the Courthouse for donations of $15 each. Send us a message on this website's Contact Page if you want us to make arrangements to mail one to you - we'll just add the cost of shipping.
A special thank you to Nancy Kerr for donating a rack that we are using to hang up the Tshirts. We also have beautiful costume jewelry which was donated by Nancy Kerr. All proceeds go toward maintenance and preservation of the Thebes Courthouse.