Years ago, Sheri Hunter, a Carterville High School teacher at the time, noticed a photo collection at the local library. She mentioned to one of her former students, Jennifer Spence, that “this was a treasure that needed to be shared with the community” and that she would like Jennifer to help her create a book of these photos one day.
Now retired, on a visit to Nashville where Jennifer lived, it was discussed by Sheri and Jennifer over dinner that it was time to create this book. What started as a need to share a photo collection in the library, turned into a Photo Scanning Day where the community lined up out the doors of First Baptist Church, with their favorite photos in hand and stories to tell. Working on the book for an entire year, researching, conducting interviews, co-writing more than 40 chapters, and designing and publishing the book themselves, Carterville, Cambria & Crainville: A Look Back At Our Towns was delivered to Carterville just in the nick of time for book launch celebrations on June 25, 2011. The 400+-page, hard-back cover, all four-color book is filled with more than 2,000 images, timelines with every chapter, community interviews and Facebook features utilizing community comments.
Thanks to sponsorships sold in every chapter, the community came together to pay for the production of this unique book for our town. A new, 501C3 charity was formed, Carterville Heritage & Preservation Foundation, with a mission to preserve and restore the history of Carterville, Cambria and Crainville through development and educational projects. All proceeds from the book sale go to this charity, a gift from the authors and supporters to the entire community for generations to come.
Carterville, Cambria & Crainville: A Look Back At Our Towns sells for $30 (which includes tax) and can be purchased currently at the Heritage Museum (Open Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.), Carterville Water Office, Village of Crainville, and the Anne West Lindsey – Carterville District – Library.
Book orders may be placed by e-mailing dglennon@live.com.
