Mr. Crenshaw's Yard: Investigating a Pre Civil War House & Yard

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"Legend and fact are so intermingled that a true separation is impossible."'
Brinkman, Grover. Grover Brinkman's Southern Illinois. Pg. 99. House on Hickory Hill.

This house in Gallatin County, Illinois, occupies an interesting place in the memories of many southern Illinoisians. For generations, starting in the 1920s, the owners opened it to the general public, giving tours and talking about its original owner, John Hart Crenshaw. He reportedly kidnapped free African Americans and sold them into slavery, the tour guides said. The backdrop for the dramatic stories was the third-floor attic decorated to look like a jail. The historical investigation suggests the rooms date from the Crenshaw era, but they may have been constructed to accommodate railroad passengers. Crenshaw planned to build a railroad that would pass beneath this house, according to one researcher. But the plan fell through. An architectural study determined the space once appeared as nice accommodations with freshly plastered white walls. The last owners allowed the space to deteriorate into a dark, forbidding space, then added bars and other props to suggest it was used to hold African Americans who would be sold into slavery.

For 70 years, the family hosted tour buses, school field trips, and individuals passing through, including author and Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow. On Halloween 1996, the State of Illinois bought the property. As of today, 2023, the house remains closed and in disrepair. Yet, in 2010, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency contracted with Southern Illinois University’s Center for Archaeological Investigations to study the house and yard. CAI contracted with my company, Oakview Road Media, to document the excavation and create this video.

The house is a remarkable structure. As written in the narration, Hickory Hill survives from a pre-Civil War chapter of Illinois history. It’s a simple timber structure covered with clapboard siding, yet it has a certain appeal because of its location on a hill overlooking the Saline River floodplain.

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00:00 Introduction
02:00 Artifact of Lessor Known Illinois History
03:13 Investigation Begins
06:11 Attic Names
07:50 First Yard Feature Found
08:59 Crenshaw Kidnapping
10:25 Walkway Feature Found
10:51 Charles Swedlund Visits
11:32 New Yard Features & Historic Flood
13:48 Artifact Processing
14:22 Flood Waters Recede - Digging Begins
16:53 The Facts Behind Uncle Bob
18:02 Excavation Nears Conclusion
20:33 Crawl Space Investigation
22:44 Looking for the Summer Kitchen
23:35 Artifacts Tell a Story
25:32 Back to the House & Yard
27:06 3D Rendering of the Attic
27:53 Conclusion
28:34 Credits

[bobtaylor]

No mention of a Creshaw Family Cemetary back a ways behind the Main House...My Brother & I visited the House back around 2002 but it was closed & there was a chain put across the driveway with a sign that stated the State of Illinois had purchased the property...We went back up the road leading to the house & then we made a left turn at the first biggest road we came to & seen a small dirt road immediately to the left so we drove up into it just a little ways & found the Graveyard...It was badly over grown so we didn't go any further...There were several old headstones with the name Crenshaw & one female with the name Taylor which may have been his wife or sons wife...She may have been a relative of mine in someway because my last name is Taylor and my Grandparents & Parents were from Southern Illinois...Very interesting!!!

[foxfirevalleyvineyrd]

Thank you so much for posting. I am happy to know this place is being researched. I and a couple of my friends happened upon this place thirty-five years ago. We stopped and it was not open, however, there was a man there that either owned it, or worked there. He gave us a tour of the place. He showed us the room where allegedly Lincoln slept while on his first campaign trail. He also showed us a hideous device used to ensure male slaves could not breed. He took us to the stalls/rooms in the attic and showed us which allegedly belonged to "Bob". It was a very memorable visit that left quite an impression on three young men. I hope much success on your research.

[brendablackwood]

We toured the house in the 70s. It was so interesting! I was looking it up today to see if it was still standing because go I ng through pictures I found the pamplet I got while there with much history printed on it. So glad I found this site to follow the excavation! Hoping you find much history buried!

[timme]

When i was there last back in the early 90s the old Beechnut tree was still there. A placard said the tree came from a cutting of a tree that grew on Mt. Vernon, George Washington's estate. That tree was massive!

[farmers-daughter]

Thank you for telling us all. I wasnt aware of this and I have lived in illinois for 71 years, all my life.

[mairghead]

Visiting this place when it was a museum had more impact on me than any other museum I have visited in the 30 plus years since. Thank you for such a great video!

[kellybee]

Saw this place in the early 90’s. Took quite a few photographs. I hope you find the answers to bring historic facts to light about this property and what occurred there.

[jerryw]

I grew up in Jefferson County. I remember my father taking me there when I was young. That would probably in the 50's. I barely remember what the inside looked like. My great great grandfather and his son, my great grandfather, both fought out of Illinois in the Civil War .

[LarsSmith-rvot]

I was there as a kid. Had to have been before 1975. My guess around 1970. Remember it fairly well. All the stories, the upstairs, ect. The "See Old Slave House" signs were everywhere.

[davidk.]

Yes I visited that house in 1984. Good work thanks

[charleshundley]

Went there twice in the late 80s and twice in the early 90s always enjoyed the history of the place. You can really tell the state of Illinois owes it by the way it is taken care of!

[bethbartlett]

This project is observably well planned, organized, clear focus goals, and moving along with highly precise Dig Protocol and Ground Management. Impressive efforts, and the era is fixed/known, so they won't be required to "date and create", they already know what the property was used for: (housing and administration for his Business).

Yet there's much to gain from the efforts of establishing what the artifacts and property reveal, and any potential letters, journals, diaries, that may still be on the property or in the community.

I'd be interested in the project's: full findings, details, and Outcome Completion Statement.

Beth Bartlett
Sociologist/Behavioralist
and Historian
NW Tennessee

(ground 0, New Madrid Faultline)

[MAYKNG]

Such important, painstaking work. Fascinating to follow the incredible knowledge and dedication involved in discovering history.

[christophermckinney]

I haven’t finished the video yet, but I stopped to take a look at your channel, liked what I saw, so I became subscriber #109. Now I’ll be able to say I got in before everyone knew about you! 😉 I can’t wait to not only finish this lesson, but to continue through what all you’ve already produced, and hope you continue to put out quality content for a long time! 👍🏻

[kelliethomas]

You're video just popped up. I enjoyed watching the video. I am subscribing!!

[HigherPrime]

We were driving back from the Garden of the Gods and were just exploring and stumbled upon this property a few years ago. We did some googling and were fascinated with what we found on the property.

[Common_Sense_For_Americans]

I had visited this house a few times when it was open. I hope it opens again history must not be forgotten. They also talked about the Lincoln bedroom when it was open that Abe spent the night when campaigning. They did not mention this in the video.

[howspecial]

Very interesting and a joy to watch, I love these kinds of videos, Just finding your channel so will subscribe hoping to find more like this! Thank you for the time to make this!

[ltvanburen]

This was so interesting! I hope they do a video about the conclusion of the study.

[homerth]

The Meakin mark dates to after 1891 based on the use of the country name ENGLAND. In 1891 the McKinley Tariff Act required imported manufactured goods to be marked with the name of the country.