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#105: Lincoln and Kankakee – Shocking New Discoveries with Tom George and the Kankakee County Museum
Abraham Lincoln paid a visit to Kalamazoo, MI only one time in his life. This once in a lifetime visit actually has a connection to Kankakee, IL. On this episode with the Kankakee County Museum, Tom George, Vice President of the Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Institute, shares his passion for local history and his research on…
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#99: Honoring Local POW/MIA – Kankakee County Museum
Kankakee Podcast is presented by, Puter Pros, Digital World Design, and Stitch Prints in Bradley. Learn more at myputerpros.com, digitalworlddesign.com, and stitchprints.com. Episode 99: I’m excited to share with you a special episode of the Kankakee Podcast that I recorded in collaboration with the Kankakee County Museum. The episode is all about Rolling Thunder, a…
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French Heritage Museum Open For the Season
Happening this Saturday, April 1st from 10am to 2pm is this season’s reopening of the French Heritage Museum at the Stone Barn, sponsored by Riverside Healthcare. Not only will attendees be invited to enjoy coffee from Brew Head Espresso while browsing the museum, but patrons will also have the opportunity to discover and explore more…
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#92: Kankakee Geology with Abigeil Davis – Kankakee County Museum
Kankakee Podcast is presented by, Puter Pros, Digital World Design, and Stitch Prints in Bradley. Learn more at myputerpros.com, digitalworlddesign.com, and stitchprints.com. Episode 92: It isn’t uncommon for the topic of Kankakee’s history to come up on the podcast. Today, however, we head deeper than ever into Kankakee County’s history with the Kankakee County Museum.…
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#80: The Air Age Coming to Kankakee with the Kankakee County Museum
 Kankakee Podcast is presented by, Puter Pros, Digital World Design, and Stitch Prints in Bradley. Learn more at myputerpros.com, digitalworlddesign.com, and stitchprints.com.  Episode 80: Believe it or not, The Greater Kankakee Airport used to offer passenger service from 1968 to about 1970. During those two years or so, Air Wisconsin provided the public…
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#75: Gougar’s Grove – Kankakee County Museum
From 1883 to about 1915, Gougar’s Grove dominated the tourism industry in the Kankakee area. It was a beautifully wooded picnic area located about two miles upstream from Kankakee, just south of Baker’s Creek. Gougar’s Grove had several attractions to lure people in for miles around including a beach, shooting gallery, bowling alley, merry-go-round, dancing…
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#67: Kankakee Paranormal Investigations Team – Kankakee County Museum
Happy Halloween! Please enjoy this spooktacular episode of Kankakee Podcast that was recorded live at the Kankakee County Museum with the Kankakee Paranormal Investigations Team on Saturday, October 15th, 2022. The team shares some of their spookiest paranormal experiences in Kankakee County and so much more. After the recording, we headed over to the Taylor…
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#62: The Great Inter-State Fair – Kankakee County Museum
The Great Inter-State Fair existed in Kankakee from 1911 to 1932 and took place in what is present day Old Fair Park. At one point, it was almost as large as the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Jack Klasey of the Kankakee County Museum joins us once again to share the incredible story. Upcoming events…
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#57: Electric Park – Kankakee County Museum
Long before the days of what is present day Beckman Park in Kankakee, stood Electric Park from 1894 to the early 1920s. Jorie Walters and Jack Klasey from the Kankakee County Museum join us on this episode of Kankakee Podcast to give us the history of the once popular entertainment spot. The museum’s fall mums…
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#52: Hotel Riverview – Kankakee County Museum
Before all the grand homes were built near present day Cobb Park in Kankakee, stood the luxurious Hotel Riverview. Even though the hotel only lasted from 1887 to 1897, it’s legacy has become one of the many crown jewels in our county’s history. I’m delighted to once again be joined by Jack Klasey and Jorie…
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Episode 44: The Small Family – Kankakee County Museum
Dr. Small at right, Len at left holding infant grandson Len Howard, and in middle, Len’s son Leslie (father of Len Howard). This Sunday, May 22nd, the Kankakee County Museum will be hosting their 32 Annual Rhubarb Festival from 10:00am until 4:00pm. One of the many things being celebrated that day includes the unveiling of…
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Episode 40: Nell Clark – Kankakee County Museum
This month’s episode with The Kankakee County Museum takes back in time to when Nell Clark ruled Kankakee’s underworld. For about 50 years, from the 1890s to the 1940s, Nell ran a brothel in what is now City Tavern on 367 South West Avenue in Kankakee. Local renowned storyteller, Jack Klasey, explains to us why…
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Episode 36: Women’s History Month – Kankakee County Museum
It’s that time of the month where we are joined by staff members of the Kankakee County Museum to talk about a particular subject in our county’s history. We are lucky enough to have both Jorie Walters and Jack Klasey join us on this episode to celebrate Women’s History Month. Jorie and Jack introduce us…
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Episode 34: 10 Most Listened to Episodes of 2021
Here’s who made the cut for the 10 most listened to episodes of Kankakee Podcast in 2021! Did your favorite make the list? Listen to this episode to find out! Special thank you to: Seth & Mary Burkey, Josh LaMore, Brianna Whittler, Franklin & Anna Weber, Dawn & Jim LaMore, Lizzie Yolich, Noble Dairy Queen…
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Episode 29: Native American Heritage Day 2021 – Kankakee County Museum
Hey! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving filled with lots of love, food, family and friends. With today being the day after Thanksgiving, most of us are thinking about it being Black Friday. However, there is a more important civil holiday we should be celebrating today, Native American Heritage Day. Veronica Featherston of the…
