Central Illinois Bed and Breakfast the Market Street Inn

Every month is “Love Month” but February is the biggest one of all. To help you celebrate with your favorite Valentine we are offering you a “Valentine Package”. Stay two (2) nights in one of our Queen or King Bedded Whirlpool Rooms and receive a 20% discount, a $20 Gift Certificate toward dinner at One East Market Restaurant and Jazz Lounge and Dipped Strawberries in addition to our high quality service and breakfasts. Pick your room and dates and call to book your reservation because, a deal as good as this is not available via online booking.  This deal is valid all of February 2013 and may not be combined with any other offer.

You can Ring in the New Year and have a good deal too!

Here is our BEST DEAL for New Years up front!  New Year’s Eve is on a Monday this year so we are offering you a deal to book any of our Queen or King bedded Whirlpool Rooms for 3 nights, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights and have the 3rd night for FREE if you book by December 1, 2012.  There are always plenty of opportunities for music and fun at local watering holes or you can simply relax after the excitement of Christmas and just hang out at the inn.  Of course, we will have refreshments and beverages each evening of your stay and offer you a late check out on New Year’s Day unless you wish to stay another night or two.

We are just minutes from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for you to enrich your historic knowledge on of the days of your stay as well as other sites in Springfield and Decatur, IL.  Maybe you couldn’t make it in to visit family over Christmas and this would be your belated visit.  Bring the whole family and do a belated Christmas around our tree.

This offer is ONLY available by calling us directly and may not be booked through any online method.  Reservations for such an important date are considered final and a full, non-refundable deposit is taken at the time of booking.  This offer only applies to our Queen or King bedded    Whirlpool Rooms.

Small towns are great because many folks know and trust and love one another and really have fun getting together and making a party for almost any reason. Garlic is a good reason to have a party. “Garlic Fest II” happens on Sunday, October 28 from 1 to 8 PM in the Morrisonville K of C Hall in Morrisonville, IL just about 10 miles from our front door. Have you ever heard of Bagna Cauda? It is

We hear so many discouraging and disparaging things about our young people. Taylorville has two young men who have completed the merit badge and community service requirements to be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. Tim Schaeffer and Justin Huber are but two of the outstanding young folks we have here in our Central Illinois community. Congratulations to these two fine young men.

10/20/2012 9:43:00 AM
Taylorville Scouts complete community service projects and achieve rank of Eagle

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TAYLORVILLE — Two local scouts, Justin Huber, son of Vern and Tina Huber, and Tim Schaeffer, son of Don and Cathy Schaeffer of Taylorville, were recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony held Oct. 6. For his Eagle Scout project, Huber chose to repair a bridge along the Chief Illini Trail in Shelbyville. Pictured are Justin Huber (left) and Jim Jachino, Justin’s uncle who assisted, standing on the completed bridge.

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TAYLORVILLE — Tim Schaeffer works to lay landscaping fabric along the Wetlands Nature Trail. Schaeffer’s Eagle Scout project was to clear, repair and update the Wetlands Nature Trail located at Lake Taylorville. He was recognized on Oct. 6th during an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony at Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.

TAYLORVILLE — Justin Huber, son of Vern and Tina Huber of Taylorville, and Tim Schaeffer, son of Don and Cathy Schaeffer of Taylorville, were recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor Ceremony held at Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium on Saturday, October 6, 2012. Both Scouts are members of Troop #68. The Eagle Scout is the highest award in Boy Scouts. In order to achieve Eagle rank, a Scout must be active in his troop for a period of six months after becoming a Life Scout. A Scout must also earn a total of 21 merit badges, and is required to serve for at least six months in a position of responsibility in the troop. The Scout must also plan, develop, lead and implement a service project that will benefit the community. The Scout is also required to take part in a unit leader conference, and finally, must pass an Eagle Board of Review.

For his Eagle Scout project, Huber chose to repair a bridge along the Chief Illini Trail in Shelbyville. Huber chose this project after his Boy Scout Troop had attempted to hike the trail, only to discover that it was inaccessible due to the complete destruction of the bridge. By working with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the guidance of his uncle, Jim Jachino, and the assistance of troop members and leaders, Huber was able to reconstruct the bridge during this past summer.

Schaeffer’s Eagle Scout project was to clear, repair and update the Wetlands Nature Trail located at Lake Taylorville. Schaeffer had visited the trail with his high school ecology class in 2011, but much of the trail was inaccessible due to overgrowth and erosion. During this past summer, Schaeffer organized work crews consisting of Scouts, leaders, family and friends to clear the overgrowth, reset landscaping timbers, lay landscaping fabric and apply wood chips on the trail. He also added a picnic table and landscaping for the table. Schaeffer hopes that school groups and visitors to the lake will use the trail to learn more about the wetlands. Alan Jackson of the City of Taylorville Lake Department was instrumental in assisting Schaeffer with his project.

Both Huber and Schaeffer plan to continue their participation in Scouting. Both young men began as Tiger Cubs in Cub Scouts, and have remained active in Scouting since that time.

We are going to make this the simplest blog yet by just adding a link to the Christian County Fair website.  The fair runs from July 10 through July 15.  Come and attend and have lots of fun.

Brenda and Gary Spurling, owners of Spurling Title Service have embarked on a facelift of their location on the South Side of the Taylorville, IL Town Square. The Square and a block or so in each direction have long been designated on the National Registry of Historic Places and restoration of many of the building facades are taking place.

Facelift for an old building

Please note the date on the peak of the facade as being 1892. This building and the Market Street Inn were both built in the same year, only 400 years after Columbus discovered America.

The pressed metal facade has been scraped of loose paint and is being painted in a complementing color scheme. Prior to this the building front was all white which is still visible in the lower right corner.
If you note the building to the left, a brick structure, you will see a facelift which was accomplished several years ago by Brett Mason.

Architectural enthusiasts will find cast iron facades by Mesker Brothers and Capitol Iron Foundry in our historic district as well. We love it when folks walk and gawk at the remaining beauty of our square. 

Who thinks about Persimmons today? Probably not a lot of folks but the Persimmon Fest in Central Illinois at the Christian County Historical Museum sure does draw a crowd from all over the country and then some. Actually the persimmon is a sought after fruit in Asian Countries.

The Lovely and Versitile Persimmon

Persimmons are not ready to eat, at least by local standards, before they have undergone a “killing frost” and we have had one now so the persimmon harvest is coming in, they are being washed, pitted and mashed into a pulp for use in all sorts of tasty dishes including puddings, pies, steamed persimmon pudding, spiced persimmon cake and other baked goods.  Darleen Wilson is making 24 persimmon pecan pies for this event.  Abraham Lincoln would have loved Darleen’s pies.

Persimmon Bundt with Walnuts

Persimmon Bundt with Walnuts Recipe

 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Myrna, our chief innkeeper, is a survivor of  6 months. Our effort in promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month is to invite you to a stay at the Market Street Inn Bed and Breakfast for the weekend of Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30 or anytime through November 21, 2010 AND  10%  of your room rate will be donated to Cups for the Cure and/or Breast Cancer Research.  The donation will be in your name.

Some special events in Taylorville, IL   

** One East Market Restaurant invites you to make a $15 donation to attend a tasting of five fabulous wines and a complimentary, hand painted wine glass.  11 am to 5 pm    You may purchase any of the wines either by the bottle or case and all proceeds will go to breast cancer awareness and research in a ten-county area in Central Illinois.

** Lunch on the “Pink Plate Special” for $8.50 and $1.00 of each lunch will go to breast cancer research.

** The drink of the day at One East Market Restaurant will be the Flirtini Special for $7.50. Each Flirtini Special sold makes a $2.50 donation to Breast Cancer Research.

** There will be a 50/50 drawing and Gift Basket Raffles.

** There will be Art Bra’s on display, one by your innkeeper, and you may let your $$ vote for your favorite and, of course, all proceeds go to breast cancer awareness and research.

** There is NO COVER CHARGE for live music by 48 Connection from 5 to 8 PM. This band is known for their roadhouse blues and rock music.

Have fun, donate to a very worthy cause and enjoy Central Illinois finest lodging.  See us at www.marketstreetinn.com/

On Sunday, October 31st, Garlic Fest II will happen at the K of C Hall in Morrisonville, IL  just about 9 miles from the Market Street Inn Bed and Breakfast.  Tickets are $8 at the door and what a good time you will have.  Garlic!!!!  The doors will open at 1 PM and Bagna Cauda will be ready about 1:30 PM.  This gives you time to soak up a bunch of Bagna and beer preparing for the meal which will be at approximately 3:30 PM consisting of Garlic Sausage, Slaw & Mostaccioli.  There will be music by “The Music Men” from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.  Garlic Fest II is a revived area tradition and golly, did we miss it when it was gone.  Thanks for the revival.  You cannot have more down home fun than is available here.      

Bagna Cauda Recipe

Garlic Fest II Where Garlic is King

Lincoln once said, “To this place, and the kindness of its people, I owe everything.” He was speaking to the community of Springfield Illinois, where he made a home for himself and found his wife.

Today, much of what made Springfield a home to Lincoln is still here. His law office, which he ran with his partner William H. Herndon, is now on the registrar of historic places, and one can take a tour of the historic building. In the summertime, there is a costumed guide portraying Lincoln’s clerk.

Market Street Inn is near Springfield IL Lodging. We are approximately 29 miles from Springfield.

There are several other interesting historical Lincoln sites in Springfield. One can visit Lincoln’s home; the

Abe Lincolin's Home in Springfield IL

only home he ever owned, where he lived for 17 years before leaving for Washington D.C.

It was also here in Lincoln Hometown that Abe delivered his “House Divided” speech. It was during the Republican National Convention; only after that speech did the concept of a “divided House” become common terminology.

Lincoln addressed the people of Springfield at the train depot before leaving to take office in the White House. It was here that he spoke the kind words about his community members quoted at the top of this page. You can visit this Great Western Railroad Station, where Lincoln bid farewell to his friends and family to take on the greatest responsibility of his life.

And, of course, Lincoln’s tomb is also here in Springfield. After his assassination, his remains were returned to the town he loved so much, and great speeches to his unparalleled service were spoken. His tomb is a sizable 117-foot tower, and contains the bodies of his wife and three of four sons. The outside of the tomb features sculptures of Lincoln, and inside are many excepts from Lincoln’s speeches and famous words. It is a powerful place, and an essential part of any visit to Lincolnland.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, an extraordinary new facility, opened just a few years ago.   It is open 7 days weekly w/ Wednesday being the late day.   One should allow approximately 4 hours for this tour.   

I hope you will come to visit us, and Lincoln, soon. There is a wreath-laying ceremony at his tomb on February 12. Starting in June and throughout the summer there is a flag lowering ceremony every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the tomb.

A humble man, Lincoln remains alive because what he did with his life affects us all today. Come and visit the home of this American hero.