Take a Step Back in Time with Josh Pryer: An Evening at Historic Clayville

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Step Back in Time: An Evening at Historic Clayville

The Sangamon County Historical Society will open its 2026–27 program year with a special evening at Clayville Historic Site, just east of Pleasant Plains, on Tuesday, September 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

This September program offers members and guests an opportunity not simply to hear about local history, but to experience it in the very place where so much of that history unfolded.

Clayville traces its beginnings to the Broadwell family, who settled along Richland Creek in 1820. The historic Broadwell Inn became an important stopping place along the stage route between Springfield and Beardstown and remains one of Sangamon County’s most significant early structures. The settlement took the name Clayville in honor of Henry Clay, reflecting the area’s strong ties to Whig politics and the people and ideas that helped shape nineteenth-century Illinois.

The evening will also mark something of a homecoming for the Sangamon County Historical Society. Clayville’s restoration was already underway when our Society was taking shape in the early 1960s, and SCHS was an early supporter of efforts to preserve and share the site with the public. More than six decades later, returning to Clayville provides a meaningful opportunity to celebrate that shared commitment to preserving Sangamon County’s history.

Josh Pryer, President of the Pleasant Plains Historical Society, along with fellow board members and volunteers, will welcome SCHS members and guests and share the remarkable story of Clayville—from its early frontier and stagecoach years through periods of restoration, uncertainty and renewal. Their work represents the very heart of grassroots historic preservation: not simply saving buildings, but preserving the stories, character and sense of place that connect one generation to the next.

Guests will also learn about the tremendous community and volunteer effort that helped rescue Clayville after years of deterioration and continues today through the dedication of those who care for its historic buildings and grounds.

Registration is not required, but if you do register, you will receive a reminder email.