Press release submitted by the Village of Hampton

The Village of Hampton Illinois will be hosting its annual Apple Festival on Saturday September 27 2008 from 12PM to 4PM. Activities will be centered at the Brettun & Black Museum located at 601 1st Avenue Hampton Illinois. The event is sponsored by the Hampton Historical Society.

The activity is Hampton’s most popular event, with hundreds of visitors each year. Events include a huge inventory of apple dumplings, pies and other apple goodies along with sandwiches & soft drinks. There will be live demonstrations of a 19th century apple cider press (with free samples), a Silent Auction with many interesting items, and people in attire of the 19th Century. Admission is free to the event. All food items are for sale and benefit the Hampton Historical Society, a not for profit organization dedicated to the historic preservation and education of the area.

The Celebrity baker is Jane Nelson of Hampton Illinois. Mrs. Nelson has perfected the recipe for the apple dumplings, pies, apple butter and other items. People literally come from dozens of miles each year to stock up on the various baked treats. Mrs. Nelson has appeared on the Paula Sands Show on TV Channel 6 on numerous occasions. Mrs. Nelson writes her on column Jammin’ With Jane in Hampton’s e-newsletter, The Hampton Cannon and is a retired home economics teacher from United Township High School.

Hampton is one of the area’s earliest settlements, from 1828, when it was started as a steamboat wood refueling stop by Henry McNeil & Joel Thompson. The community was first called McNeil’s Landing1828-0835), then Milan (1836-1837) and finally Hampton in 1838. The town predates Davenport, Moline, Bettendorf, East Moline & Silvis.

The Brettun & Black Museum was the largest mercantile store in Northwest Illinois when first opened in 1849. It is a 3 story brick structure that had a working elevator (the oldest known in the area). The elevator was fully restored by the late historic preservationist Ron Nelson of Bishop Hill in recent years.

Hampton is located on Illinois Route 84, between East Moline and The Interstate 80 Bridge. Signs on highway 84 direct persons to the Brettun & Black Museum. For further information, please contact Bill Beals @ 309-755-8370 or 309-912-2393. The Museum’s webpage is: www.hamptonhistory.org.