Books and the Secrets of the David Davis Mansion

Dr. Marcia Young, published historian, former site manager of the David Davis Mansion, and recipient of the Illinois State Historical Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award, presents on her new book, The David Davis Mansion 1872-2022: 150 Years at Clover Lawn. 

In its 150-year history, the David Davis Mansion has been home to several notable inhabitants, among them Judge David Davis (Abraham Lincoln’s friend, presidential campaign manager, and appointee to the US Supreme Court) and Davis’s wife, Sarah, who played a role in the mansion’s story. It was also home to the judge’s descendants - his son, George Perrin Davis, who left an important legacy to historians, and his grandson David Davis III who preserved the home’s heirloom garden dating back to the 1870s.

What was actually happening behind the stately walls of the David Davis Mansion? Dr. Young will share its stories and reveal the significant role that books have played in the mansion’s unique history.

This event will take place in the library's Community Room. All in-person events will follow current library policy regarding masks.

Registration is required and space is limited.