Working at the history center is a very energetic and exciting place where people bring their passions of the past into action. I am always impressed by our many demonstrators who bring their ...

THE retting of flax, which is a delignification and a degumming process brought about by microorganisms, has been used in Europe for many years in the linen industry. Retting is usually applied to the ...

In the pioneer era, many of the first settlers to Central Illinois killed (in the case of animal furs and skins) and grew (in the case of cotton, hemp and flax) much of what they wore. Although there ...