Welcome to the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society Joanne and Jack Hilliker of Chebanse pose in the parlor after a tour of the Reprinted with permission The Herald, December 22, 2010.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year--2012!
The next membership meeting will be at the Letourneau Home on Thursday March 1, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
Letourneau Home during the Christmas open house on December 18.
The red maple was brilliant on November 1, 2011.
On October 29, Master Gardeners and Members harvested the herbs in "Le Jardin aux Potages". At left from left to right, Cathy Boucher, Pam Adams, Judy Beach, Shirley Pranger, Judy Smead, Ellen Liehr, and Malette Trudeau-Stevenson prepare to harvest while Steve Liehr rakes leaves at right.
To get ready for the June 17, 2011 Kankakee Kultivators' Garden Walk, members of the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society and Master Gardeners began the spring gardening chores on Saturday April 30.
On April 30th, BGHS members and master gardeners worked hard on gardening chores. From left to right are Tim Arseneau, Pat Persin, Judy Beach, Gary Seiner, Ellen Liehr, Steve Monts, Diane Taden, Pam Adams, and Holly O'Donnel.
Planting the new perrenials from left to right are Ken Ponton, Tom Nelson, Ellen Liehr, Pam Adams, John Hassett, and Judy Smead.
The restored Letourneau Home gardens were featured on the Kankakee Kultivators' Garden Walk on Friday June 17, 2011.
During the Garden Walk, several BGHS members greeted visitors while wearing period clothing: sisters Celeste Regnier--on left--and Mary Ann Kirsch (above right photo), Jim Paul in the wagon garden, and Ellen Liehr showing off our rhubarb.
Upcoming Craft Show: July 4, 2012
Spring 2011 at the Letourneau Home
Winter 2010-11 at the Letourneau Home
Fall 2010 at the Letourneau Home 
Cayla (granddaughter of members Pat and Jim Paul) enjoyed collecting and eating the "Letourneau apples" in mid September.
Members Malette Trudeau-Stevenson and Ellen Liehr (left to right) harvested herbs on October 16.
The Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society holds meetings on the first Thursday of each month except January, February and holidays. Meetings are held at the George R. Letourneau Home Museum on 698 Stratford Drive East and Route 102 in Bourbonnais. Each meeting begins at 7:00 pm. Members and the general public are invited to attend.
Call (815)933-6452 for any changes.
The Kankakee County Museum staff need artifacts for an upcoming "French Connection" exhibit at the Stone Barn in Kankakee, IL. If you have an item or items to donate or lend to the museum that relate(s) to your French or French-Canadian ancestory, please contact Connie Licon or Nancy Addison at the Kankakee County Musem (815 932-5279).
Members receive a biannual newsletter, Le Journal du Village (read past issues by clicking the "Le Journal du Village" link at left), pertaining to local history. Members also receive notice and invitation to all meetings and the annual dinner. Membership dollars provide the crucial support needed to keep the museum doors open! Please consider joining! To become a member of the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society, please go to the "Contact Us" page or "Membership & Events" page to send the relevant information. The French-Canadian Interview Project ("Fr-Can Interview Project" page) presents internet web pages which include video clips, photo galleries, family trees, and biographies of eighteen individuals from the Bourbonnais, Kankakee, and northeastern Illinois area. In addition to the family histories, the web pages include French-Canadian recipes, maps, and links to related web sites. Please visit the new Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bourbonnais-Grove-Historical-Society/361834132796 .
George R. Letourneau, a contemporary of Abraham Lincoln, was the only person to have been village president (first) of Bourbonnais and to also later have been mayor of the city of Kankakee. Letourneau was also a county coroner, county sheriff and state senator. George & Elodie (Langlois) Letourneau raised twelve children. He, his sons, and grandson are shown above. 