The Road was Home with Jamie Poorman, an Illinois Road Scholar
Program Survey
Complete and mail to archivist@HighlandParkHistory.org
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, central Illinois was often visited by the Cooper family, a traveling band of Gypsies, who traded horses, told fortunes, and made many friends throughout the area. The death of a young daughter, and her burial in Marshall Cemetery, solidified the family’s relationship with the area, and they continued to visit for many more years. The Romani families left many traces of their visits here – not only in the tombstones in the cemetery, but also tales of a Gypsy Queen’s blessing on the town of Marshall, a small frame church outside Salem, a Gypsy wagon in Findlay, and memories with those who knew them. Their travels took them over much of Central Illinois, and their family roots spread all across the region.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, central Illinois was often visited by the Cooper family, a traveling band of Gypsies, who traded horses, told fortunes, and made many friends throughout the area. The death of a young daughter, and her burial in Marshall Cemetery, solidified the family’s relationship with the area, and they continued to visit for many more years. The Romani families left many traces of their visits here – not only in the tombstones in the cemetery, but also tales of a Gypsy Queen’s blessing on the town of Marshall, a small frame church outside Salem, a Gypsy wagon in Findlay, and memories with those who knew them. Their travels took them over much of Central Illinois, and their family roots spread all across the region.
Jamie Poorman is Head Librarian at Marshall Public Library. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University and an MSLS from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
She is a dedicated genealogist and local historian, and serves on the board of the Clark County Historical Society.
Personally, she and her family are dedicated to a small homestead raising lots of veggies, goats, Saint Bernards and one sassy Chincoteague Pony.
This program is supported by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars of Illinois Humanities and partial grant of the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy Demands Wisdom and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council Agency], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
Admission is free.
Live at the Highland Park Public Library,
494 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park, IL 60035
Simulcast on Zoom
Thursday, March 28, 2024
at 7 PM Central Time
Available virtually via Zoom
If you are not already on our email list and wish to be informed of the zoom link,
please e-mail: archivist@HighlandParkHistory.org
About the Highland Park Historical Society: The mission of the Highland Park Historical Society is to preserve our community’s past, to inspire an appreciation of its history and culture, and to share them with the community and scholars. The Society is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is administered by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Archives and Research Collections are housed in the Highland Park Public Library. For more information about the Highland Park Historical Society, visit https://highlandparkhistory.com
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