These invited visitors from the past attended the Morrison Historical Society (MHS) Open House Sunday, April 24, 2016. Morrison Music Theatre Association performers delighted the public with their autobiographical interpretations, taken from People To Be Remembered, Stories of Notable People Who Lived in Morrison, IL. The book was written by members of Morrison Historical Society in 2007.
Left-to-right are Carolyn Aiken (as her cousin, Anna Buis Huisingh); Connie Swanson-DeSpain (birthday celebrant and centenarian Phoebe Vennum); Carol Janvran (Tena Klimstra); Kim Meyers (Senator and Whiteside News-Sentinel Editor Charles Bent.)
MMTA members are available to entertain with songs at events. Call Presidernt Eric Phend at 815-355-6999.
MHS member Steve Siefken began the program with a personal remembrance of “Tommy Hotdog” Golfinopolis. The first of Siefken’s photographs on display was the gravestone of Thomas G. Golfinopolis and his wife, Fatima. He was born in 1888 and came from Greece in 1952.
To celebrate the Fourth of July years ago, six-year-old Siefken wanted a cap gun. That morning he went to The Coney Island on Main Street, Golfinopolis’s restaurant that specialized in hot dogs. Before opening that business, “Tommy Hotdog” worked in the lead mines of Galena, IL; had a candy store for two years in Clinton, IA; owned a fruit store for two years.
“He was interested in sports and was friends with the teams,” Siefken remembered. Golfinopolis “worked Saturday nights until closing, then had a meal. In October 1952 he passed away in a [restaurant] booth. They closed all the businesses so people could go to his funeral. The football team was his pall bearers.”
For Siefken, Golfinopolis is a person to be remembered.
Watch for future entertaining programs. Become a member of Morrison Historical Society and help plan them.
Morrison’s Heritage Museum, 202 E. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL, is open Friday through Sunday, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Contact the museum at 815-772-8889 to arrange a visit at another time. The building is accessible to all.