The Local Literature Class and Drama Club hosted a 1920s Mystery Night. Participants were transported back in time to Bishop Hill on Saturday, February 4th, 1928.
The Mystery:
In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 28th, 1928, the “Big Brick” apartment building in Bishop Hill, Illinois was destroyed by fire. Nineteen families were living at Big Brick at the time, and nearly all of their possessions were lost. Thankfully, there was no loss of human life. As recorded in The Galva News, many relics from history were lost in the fire, however, a few were able to be saved. These few saved relics were taken to nearby homes and businesses for safekeeping.
Fast forward one week to the afternoon of Saturday, February 4th, 1928. Henry County is still reeling from the disastrous fire, but previously scheduled events are still taking place at the local hotel, including a Suffragette reunion, the Henry County Business Association meeting, and an advertisement company's Star Search auditions. Add in regular hotel guests and employees, a family displaced by the fire, and a few undercover celebrities, the hotel is full of potential suspects when it is discovered that a crime has taken place. Something important has disappeared and a body has been found.
Who did it?
Why?
Was it you?
The mystery was researched by the Local Literature class by reading newspapers from the 1920s and visiting local museums in Galva, Bishop Hill, and Galesburg and written by Jillian Rodseth. There were thirty-seven participants who were the characters who solved the mystery.
If the amount of laughter, accusations, and dancing is an indicator, then our 1920s mystery night was a roaring success.
Galva Local Literature and Drama Club would like to thank all of our guests at the 1920s Mystery Night for participating. We'd also like to thank the Galva Performing Arts Booster Club for renting the venue for us, the Bishop Hill Heritage Association for making the Dairy Building Available for rentals, Sharon Wexell, Brooke Dooley, Destiny Zurek, Joanne Hefner, and the Burris and Rodseth families for donating decorations and/or snacks. We also would like to thank the Galva Foundation for Educational Enrichment for their generous grant we will apply towards future Local Literature fundraising events.
Finally, the Galva Dance Drill team made the night special with their demonstrations of three 1920s dances: Black Bottom, the Charleston, and Sing! Sing! Sing! Thank you, dancers and Coach Ali.
