The generosity of the Estate of Charles “Chuck” J. Bednar, Jr. has resulted in a new display at the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg.
Chuck Bednar had a lifelong interest in Carl Sandburg due to his family’s friendship with the author. His mother Juanita Bednar played an instrumental role in the acquisition and development of what became Carl Sandburg State Historic Site. She served as president of the Carl Sandburg Association from 1959-1967. Chuck followed in his mother’s footsteps, serving as president of the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association from 2011-2014. During his tenure as president, he helped secure the instillation of a nine-foot statue of Carl Sandburg by artist Lonnie Stewart in Galesburg’s public square.
During Chuck’s lifetime, he collected a variety of books, letters, and materials on Sandburg. Eleven pieces from the collection are currently on display at the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site. Verses of poetry in Sandburg’s own writing such as “Fog,” “Look at Six Eggs,” and “Canticle,” among others, are included in the exhibition. Letters between Carl Sandburg and Juanita Bednar are also featured. A signed program and ticket from “An Evening with Carl Sandburg” complement the display. Images of Carl Sandburg are exhibited with these documents.
A reception will be held Saturday, September 12 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. to open the exhibition. The items will remain on display through December 31, 2021. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which operates the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, is grateful to Marilyn Bednar and Melissa Bednar for the opportunity to display these pieces.
The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, located at 313 E. Third St. in Galesburg, includes the birth home of the famed poet and biographer. For more information, visit www.sandburg.org.
***Report Courtesy of Carl Sandburg College***
