Great River Road, 2016

Browse Items (132 total)

  • Tags: culture
Thumbnail Title Description Date Date Added
Arthur Vambaketes Follow Up Oral History Interview In this interview Brian K. Weaver, Sr. follows up a previous discussion with Arthur Vambaketes concerning the immigration process of his family from Greece at the turn of the 20th century. The interview delves deeper into the Greek heritage cultural patterns in Madison County and the greater St. Louis Metropolitan area. Special attention is given to the role that their family business, Tony's Ranch House Restaurant and Lounge in Godfrey, Illinois, plays in the social structure of northeastern Madison County and environs. June 10, 2024 July 30, 2024
Arthur Vambaketes Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Brian K. Weaver, Sr. describes the Greek American heritage of the Alton-Godfrey region. Brian Weaver also discusses immigration and entrepreneurship concerning the Greek community, as well as community change of the region from the 1960s to the 2020s. Arthur Vambaketes, part of the Vambaketes family owners of Tony's Ranch House Restaurant and Lounge, describes the Greek American experience in Madison County. May 28, 2024 July 30, 2024
Ivan Simms Oral History Interview This interview with Ivan Simms discusses African American student cultural changes within the tight-knit community framework of Madison, Illinois since the 1980s and 1990s. October 20, 2023 November 20, 2023
Nevart Hagopian Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Nevart Hagopian was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

Nevart Hagopian is a survivor of the Armenian genocide who left Armenia with her mother at the age of 12 in 1920 and migrated to the Lincoln Place neighborhood of Granite City. In the interview, she discusses the Armenian community and culture in Lincoln Place.

Hagopian primarily speaks in Armenian in the interview, with Vartan Kassabian serving as a translator. Father Kassabian was a priest for St. Gregory Armenian Church in Granite City.

Note: The original archive copies of the interview transcript and biographical summary had grading marks and corrections on them. We converted the transcript and biographical summary to editable text and made the corrections to remove grading marks.
November 18, 2001 May 5, 2020
Mary Spaich Oral History Interview This oral history interview with Mary Spaich was part of oral histories conducted in the fall 2001 semester of History 447: Oral History.

In this interview, Mary Spaich discusses growing up in the Lincoln Place neighborhood of Granite City. She was born in Granite City in 1916 to Serbian parents who had immigrated from Yugoslavia in 1914. She describes her life in Lincoln Place and changes in the area since her childhood.
November 16, 2001 April 29, 2020
Kathy Childers Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Kathy Childers discusses her family's Macedonian heritage and her father John Bellcoff, who was the mayor of Madison, Illinois from 1985 to 1997 and the Madison County Democratic Chairman from 1990 to 1994. She discusses how her family continues to practice Macedonian cultural traditions, including food, clothing, and dancing. She also describes her father's political career, including his role in establishing the Gateway Racetrack in Madison. She also discusses her grandfather's grocery store in Madison, Bellcoff and Son, and her and her father's work with funeral homes. July 17, 2019 November 4, 2019
1838 Marriage Certificate for Barnard Gabriel and Julia Huber This marriage certificate is the oldest marriage certificate on file at the Madison County Clerk's Office in Edwardsville. Barnard Gabriel and Julia Huber were married August 11, 1838 in Madison County.

This certificate was scanned by the Keith Sternberg as a part of History 400: Community-Engaged Digital History.
August 11, 1838 September 16, 2019
Mary Huntley Oral History Interview In this oral history interview, Mary Huntley describes her career as the director of the Hayner Public Library system in Alton, as well as her and her husband's involvement in the Civil Rights movement when they lived in Alabama. She also discusses her involvement with the local Democratic Party, her husband's role as director of the SIUE University Museum, and her childhood in North Carolina. May 27, 2019 August 29, 2019
Bethalto, Illinois Telephone Directory, 1951 This directory was printed in 1951 for the Madison Telephone Company subscribers on the Bethalto telephone exchange. It lists the address and phone number for individuals and businesses in Bethalto, along with local advertisements. The first page of the book lists the policies and procedures regarding the use of the telephone system. The directory is printed on heavier paper with a card stock cover. The cover and pages are made of single sheets, bound with two staples. 1951 July 22, 2019
1940s Budget Bank Toy Made by Marx Toys This budget bank was manufactured by Marx Toys and has an image of the United States Capitol Building. It was likely sold in the 1940s as a toy for children to save money.

This budget bank was scanned as part of a Madison Historical class visit to Civic Memorial High School in spring 2019. It was brought to class by Nick Walker.
Circa 1940s May 21, 2019