January Collections Spotlight Last year, the McHenry County Historical Society celebrated 60 years of collecting, preserving, and sharing its county's history with the public. To commemorate this anniversary, our featured exhibit, “60 Years, 60 Objects: Stories from McHenry County,” remains on display through October 2024. This exhibit highlights sixty artifacts from the historical society’s collection. Object #37 is an unfinished violin made by Silas Pierce. The finished portion of the violin includes the soundboard, fingerboard, and scroll. The violin lacks a bridge, tailpiece, pegs, and strings. It has not been varnished. Silas Pierce, a son of Mavel and Eleanor White Pierce, was born in Spring Grove on March 22, 1849. His parents had come to what became Spring Grove in 1838. Silas lived all his life in Spring Grove except for a couple of years in Michigan. He married Lizzie Rix of Volo, and they had four children. Silas owned a “wood shop” at 8007 Blivin Street, where he...