A Road Scholar Program by Dennis Stroughmatt

In a time almost forgotten, the Midwest and upper South were once home to thousands of Americans who lived and worked on the rivers as share croppers, fishermen, mussel-shellers, button cutters, traveling minstrels, and even moon-shiners. Work was their lives, and the work was hard. But though they were the backbone of industry in cities like Muscatine and Cairo, they played too, enjoying the music of Memphis and St. Louis along their way. Join Dennis on a voyage of discovery using performance and presentation including artifacts, photos, folktales, and river-based musical styles.

This event is Free and Open to the public. For more information, please contact Julie Mastny, 815.734.9928.