What a thrill to hear that my hometown — Carlinville, Il https://www.carlinville.com/ — has been chosen by Hallmark as this year’s Merriest Christmas Town! https://merriestchristmastownscontest.hallmarkchannel.com/
Santa’s House on the Carlinville town square. Credit: Roger Doolin/TenSixteen Photography
And deservedly so. Carlinville (pop. 5,500) is a charming small town that has always sparkled at Christmastime. Several articles and posts on the Hallmark contest point out unique features that make Carlinville stand out: It’s located on the legendary Route 66, is home to Blackburn College, has the largest collection of Sear’s catalog homes (I was actually born in one!), and is noted for its picturesque town square and gazebo, the “Million-dollar” court house, the Historical Society (Anderson’s Mansion, as we always called it) https://macoupincountyhistoricalsociety.com/, and the list goes on.
I left the town many years ago, but as Longfellow writes, “the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts,” and the heart of the town has always stayed with me. As a writer, it has found its way into most of my stories, in one way or another.
Carlinville and the surrounding area feature largely in my Christmastime WWII series. Though most of the action is set in Manhattan, there is a parallel story line that takes place in a small central Illinois town. I was able to draw on my parents’ memories and stories from their generation — characters such as the old farm hand Ed and the stoic farmer Abe Creight have their origins in a real time and place. Kate and her children, as well as the town itself, are rooted in the people and landscape of my youth. Even the German POW plot line has its genesis in a persistent memory that my mom spoke of now and then.
(Link to my Pinterest board “Kate’s Farm” — seasonal images: https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/kates-farm-the-christmastime-series/)
My novel And So We Dream is even more closely based on Carlinville (renamed Greenberry in the novel). It takes place one summer in 1970 and features scenes of the county fair, the town carnival, the train that runs through the town, Anderson’s Mansion (it was still abandoned back then), bike rides through the country, strolls around Blackburn College and the town square — and the neighborliness and friendliness that is part of small-town charm.
(Here’s a link to a post on the novel with photos I took of Carlinville and the countryside: https://lindamahkovec.com/2022/07/25/summertime-in-greenberry-1970-and-so-we-dream-a-novel/)
(For nostalgic and picturesque images of small-town and rural Christmas, see my Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/christmas-rural-and-small-town/)
Carlinville is a beautiful place to visit spring, summer, and fall. But for a taste of small-town Christmas magic, stop by Carlinville during the holidays and enjoys its many charms!
From NBCChicago.com: “Located between Springfield and St. Louis, Carlinville was recognized for its historic square, which hosts a light-filled holiday ceremony and for the town’s many festivities, which make it a “holiday destination.”
“For years, we’ve heard visitors say Carlinville looks like something straight out of a Hallmark movie, so to have Hallmark itself recognize our town in this way is incredibly exciting,” Karin Doolin, executive director of the Carlinville Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “We’re proud of the traditions and community spirit that helped get Carlinville here, and we hope this gives even more people a reason to come experience our town for themselves.”
Carlinville’s annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony in the town square. Credit: Roger Doolin/TenSixteen Photography
