WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield History Department invites the public to participate in the 2024 History Harvest, themed “Making a Living.” Participants are encouraged to bring work and business memorabilia for digitization and archiving. UIS history students will collect and preserve photos, artifacts and documents, adding them to an online archive.

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 19

WHERE: Dana-Thomas House (Carriage House), 301 E. Lawrence Ave., Springfield

DETAILS: The History Harvest provides an opportunity for the public to share their unique stories and contribute to a broader understanding of the region’s heritage. By digitizing these materials, UIS ensures they are available for future generations to study and appreciate.

The event is a collaboration between students in Associate Professor Devin Hunter’s Monuments, Museums and Memory class and Associate Professor Ken Owen’s History and Digital Media class.

UIS first hosted the History Harvest in 2016, focusing on political and election history. The 2018 harvest celebrated Illinois’ bicentennial with the theme “Being Illinoisan.” In 2022, “The Great Road Trip” featured travel and tourism artifacts.