Makanda Boardwalk (Makanda Trading Co, Visions Art, Rainmaker's garden)

The community of Makanda began with the building of a boarding house and construction camp for the Illinois Central Railroad. In the earliest documents known, the valley was known as North Pass.  Cobden to the south was referred to as South Pass, and Alto Pass to the west was, of course, known as West Pass. Through each ran a line of the railroad. By 1857 the name had changed to Markanda or Markands; historians are not certain.  When the first official postmaster came to town in 1870 the name was Markauda. In 1872, it received its present name which allegedly was the name of the Indian chief last inhabiting the section.  The Village of Makanda was established in 1845 and incorporated Feb 7, 1888.

The prosperity of the community was tied closely to that of the railroad. Fortune offered the advantage of being only one day’s train ride from the market of Chicago.  Many items were shipped and sold from here, including flowers, and in springtime daffodils will still bloom in the valley, left over from the fields grown for sale.

At one time a large business community stretched up and down the valley and hillsides. In fact, a boardwalk used to extend from H. L. Bell’s Buildings to the entrance of Giant City State Park. Business thrived. There existed numerous general or grocery stores, a bank and a coffee shop, a shoe repair shop, 3 or 4 barbers, 3 doctors, a dentist, a druggist, an undertaker, a photographer, a grainery, a flour mill, a haberdashery (men’s clothing store), a blacksmith, several sweet potato storage houses, hotels, a plant nursery, a blacksmith, a police magistrate with a jail, and many other establishments.

Allan Stuck, sculptor and jeweler, said the railroad made an impact on Makanda’s economic climate. The trains ran daily to Chicago to ensure the fruit arrived fresh. Then technology allowed fruit to travel farther, bypassing the village.  “All of the farms down in Cobden, in Anna and Jonesboro seem to get more water than all of us in the little towns,” Stuck said. “Then refrigeration came into existence and Makanda stopped being important as a shipping area,” Stuck said.

Makanda went practically overnight from a shipping hub to a ghost town. Because of multiple floods and a fire that claimed businesses in the valley, prices were low and the population had dwindled. 

The affordability led several Southern Illinois University Carbondale artists to change their residences in the early 1970’s.  Shortly thereafter, Makanda found its resurgence as an artist haven. Dave Dardis, proprietor of Rainmaker Art Studio on the boardwalk, moved to Makanda with a few art school friends from SIUC in 1973.  He and his two partners rented out studio space for $40 a month. Because of the strong artist migration, Makanda is a thriving center for arts. Local art shop, Visions Art Gallery features works from more than 100 local artists.

 Makanda boasts two fairs per year in celebration of their rich arts and crafts foundations, with the annual spring Makanda Fest and the fall Vulture Fest. (Makanda Fest is the first weekend in May and Vulture Fest is the 3rd weekend in October)  The festivals feature live music, arts and crafts and in the fall, hundreds of black and turkey vultures. “I think that between our little village down here and the state park behind us, people just swarm down here,” Addington said.  Stuck said that the swarming was because “people with aesthetic senses automatically wanted to move in here.”

We spent an afternoon in Makanda and spent some time in several of the shops, and in Rainmaker's amazing garden behind the boardwalk.  

Makanda Trading Company

Makanda Trading Company offers a vast variety of art and gifts from around the world. There is something for everyone at the Makanda Trading Company. Open daily from 9am - 5pm.

618-351-0201

Visions Art Gallery

Visions Art Gallery features local artists and their works. Ranging from paintings, stained glass, to ceramics it is a must see on your visit to the valley of the arts. Open every weekend.

618-549-5523

PB&J

Rainmaker's Studio and Garden

Rain Maker Studio displays amazing metal work from jewelry, sculptures and fountains made by an internationally known artist. Visit the 1 acre sculpture garden year round. Open daily from 9am - 5pm

618-457-6282

There is so much more to enjoy in Makanda, we couldn't fit it all in to one afternoon!

How to get there:

Take I-57 to exit 45 onto 148.
Follow 148 North.
Turn left onto Grassy rd.
Twice you will turn/veer left to stay on Grassy.
Turn left onto Giant City rd.
Turn right onto S Church rd.
Continue on to Baptist Hill rd.
From here you will meet up with main street, go left for Allan Stuck's amazing art gallery or go right for the boardwalk!

Old King Coal Festival

Southern Illinois just came out of the longest, coldest winter EVER.  So how lucky for us that the Old King Coal festival (normally slated for September) came early this year.

Luehr's Ideal Rides set up and maintained the midway this year.  There were more rides for children this year, but the same old favorite for us older kids (Starship 2000 being my personal favorite.)

As always, the OKC festival will have a full line-up of musical entertainment. At 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, the “Skyline Band” will take to the Main Stage across from the Moose Lodge. At 7 p.m., Friday, “We’ve Got It Covered,” a popular band who opened up for Blake Shelton during the Du Quoin State Fair will entertain from the main stage. On Saturday, the “Emily Clark Band” and “3rd Story” band will also be on the main stage starting at 9 p.m.

Of course it wouldn't be the OKC without the parade and memorial services honoring an industry whose men and women are rooted in West Frankfort. At 10 a.m. on Saturday the Coal Miners Memorial Service will be held at the Downtown Miners Memorial as will the induction of this year’s “Walk of Honor” inductee, Sylvia Tharp. At 1 p.m., the OKC parade will march down Main Street. Finally at 3 p.m. on Saturday a special tribute will be paid to the Coal Mining Industry at the main stage.

Jim Hall, 73, will reign over this year’s Old King Coal Festival.  Hall, a 1960 graduate of Frankfort Community High School, served in the U.S. Navy before beginning a career in the coal mines in 1967.  His mining experience spans more than three decades and includes stints as a roof bolter, mechanic, repairman, shuttle car operator, and scoop operator at a number of mines, including Old Ben 24, and Zeigler mines 2, 4, 5, and 11.  Hall, a 40-plus year member of the United Mine Workers of America, comes from a family of coal miners: His father, brother and uncle worked in the mines.  Hall has also taken an active role in the community, according to his friend Curt Innis, who nominated him for Old King Coal.

“Many people have seen Jim volunteering his time in our town to spruce up and clean up our city. He takes great pride in wanting to have the town’s appearance to be a welcoming sight to everyone,” Innis wrote. “He is very active in his church. He is always available to help with doctor’s appointments and anything else he can do to help his fellowman. He is always aware of other people and their needs, never hesitating to do what he can do to make their life a little bit easier.”

Samantha Steely, a senior at Frankfort Community High School, will preside over this year's Old King Coal Festival.  Steely was crowned Princess Flame 2014 on Saturday at the end of Princess Flame Pageant in Paschedag Auditorium.  Runner up was Janna JoAnn Harner of Dongola, who attends Shawnee Community College.  Next was Alyssa Reinhardt of Murphysboro, who attends SIU.

During the evening gown and on-stage question portion of the competition, which had nine contestants, Steely was asked by pageant emcee Andrew Chismar what makes her happy.  Steely said she likes being with her friends and losing herself in laughter.

"It's the small things in life that make us really happy when you think about it," she said.

Steely is the daughter of Jo and the late James Steely. She plans to attend SIU and study nursing.  The winner of the Teen Princess Flame pageant was Ivy Nessa of Du Quoin. She is the daughter of Angie and Shawn Nessa.  The runner up was Madison Mueller of Murphysboro. She is the daughter of Kimberly and Michael Mueller.

For me, the highlight of any fair is the food, and OKC is no exception.  They have several specialty booths along with all your standard midway fare.

There were a lot more games this year, too.  To be honest though, it's far from the highlight of the midway.  Not many people were playing the games.

OKC has always bee good about local crafts.  There's a whole section of booths with craft and handmade items, and everyone is so friendly.  The people are what make Southern Illinois so great.  

If you would like to keep up with or attend next years OKC festival, go to www.oldkingcoal.com