Lovejoy Hall

05/03/2024

Attention all MacMurray alumni!! We are pleased to offer a 20% discount for your lodging for the upcoming MacMurray College Reunion. We have a few suites still available. Please call 217-801-6786 to reserve your room today, and don't forget to mention the MacMurray alumni discount. Please visit villadewolf.com to view the suites.

01/05/2023

FOR SALE: A once in a lifetime chance to own a National Underground Railroad Site!

C.1858, This historic church figures largely in pre-civil war and civil war history. It was known then as the "Abolitionist Church." To hear the amazing story from a Springfield Historian I found at the Lincoln Library at the time, click on the video link below for an Ilinois Stories Episode on PBS that tells the amazing story of how this church was not only the headquarters for the Underground Railroad, but also was where the Republican party had its nascent beginnings, long before the ratification process that occurred in Ripon Wisconsin.

Historian Ben Belzer of Springfield spells it out in detail on this fascinating program. It also shows some great views of this amazing building and the investment I made to turn it into a viable theater & music performance venue.

This property is priced aggressively for a quick sale at only $249,000. Two years before I purchased this property, the church spent nearly $500,000 to bring the building into ADA compliance, including a custom, large three-door elevator that was made in Switzerland.

The church is a National Historic Underground Railroad site, the property is approximately a 1.5+ acre parcel of land, is within walking distance of the town square and is on the edge of the best mansion-row neighborhood. With all these things taken into account, the value is compelling.

This would be the perfect wedding venue, theater venue, musical performance venue, etc. The options are endless.

Phone or text Scott DeWolf at 707-349-7790 to schedule a showing of this amazing property. Serious inquiries only.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FWqG6i3a-DM4%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1-71Tdkk7WJl-Rbzwyj8fPCWNwe4k9iCiS77rZVQm2t_80dqWKZjyyi3k&h=AT1twjFpJV5zOEL_B0brfkPmudchuK3nCWZQ5CfMI6T-T8H4wDE6dmlcvQ2T2jErdqy5VKf48JwoRwB4bfg95CvE4k2Ol_Dtvht-UTEwjyinDNEV-DZVly7fhPwGu5Z3e852&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT2JvO5fGoVp4zsvFVLoZc1LxeNNpsUfZfs9irkruUmfUW2UxHKcFO_qV89AOCkkHxtDf2NhkDnCP5AqLX_PDkeGeNr-rIMI-cLRUALjDFmVFdUxM9KcU-3YuySQvpnN5lk1PSi3m-ZIsp6aet8RhORoQWdadUT8-xRyZ2P_zq8rMPMtjmbUO4aMOv7N4X64Om1RuYnRtuEu

08/15/2022

Are you looking for the absolute perfect venue for your next event? Look no further. Our elegant, exquisitely unique Italianate mansion, the Villa DeWolf, will make your guests feel as though they are royalty. Our beautiful ballroom is the perfect venue for an intimate wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, anniversary dinner, rehearsal dinner, tea party, business luncheon, and nearly any other event you can think of.

Our beautiful venue creates a stunning backdrop for bridal photo shoots, for just the bride, or the entire bridal party!
We also have meeting space on our third floor that would make our venue the perfect place for a business retreat, either a one-day retreat, or why not have a two-day retreat and treat your employees to an overnight stay in one of our luxurious boutique suites?

Contact Joanne, our event planner at 217-801-6786 to design your custom package today

08/02/2022

We had a wonderful bridal expo event at the Villa DeWolf on Sunday! Thank you to everyone who supported us in any way. It was a beautiful day inside and outside. The Villa was full of conversation and beautiful vendor displays, as well as amazing wine samples courtesy of West of Wise Winery in Petersburg. The Villa is available for many different types of events, including intimate weddings, receptions, bridal showers, bridal photo shoots, anniversary parties, birthday parties, and nearly every other type of event you can think of! Of course, we also offer luxurious boutique lodging. The Villa offers a unique destination for all your needs. Please contact Joanne Gaston at 217-801-6786 to book your next event. Custom packages are available. Thank you to our fabulous vendors who so graciously shared their time with us for the expo: Girls in White Satin, Governor Duncan Mansion, Holly Cakes Bakery, Cassandra Lockhart Florals, Steve Weber videography, Troy Armstrong D.J. and officiant, Ruholl Photography, Elcrow Photography, Whisk Me Away Bakery, Hamilton's Catering, and Abigail's Florals. Please support these local businesses, they area amazing!

07/29/2022

Imagine YOUR next event at Villa DeWolf.
Sunday July 31st. ☑️ WINE ☑️ CHEESE ☑️ FUN
FREE ADMISSION TO ALL!

07/23/2022

It seems since I put up the hundreds of years old style Italian knocker on the front door of the big mansion here at Villa DeWolf, some historic people seem to be knocking on my door! Yesterday was quite a surprise I must admit. The guest who showed up needs no introduction. David Nance is a very good Lincoln impersonator, and he came to see the original portrait of Lincoln by Ron Keas. He was so impressed with it it nearly brought him to tears. So I reached out to the artist who provided a very high-quality reproduction which he framed and sent to the house here so I could give it to David to keep it as home. Ron Keas asked me to do a video of David in his full Lincoln attire so he could post these videos and still shots that I took on his own webpage. Ron is focusing attention on his masterpiece portrait of Lincoln which many people say is the best they’ve ever seen regardless of when the painting was done.
Video #1 on left, Video #2 top right.

07/13/2022

This historic pictorial of the neighborhood Villa DeWolf validates my contention that walking through this neighborhood for tourists and locals are like is virtually walking through a history book. There areas many stories told and untold about these houses and their history. I am planning at some point to script walking tours from Duncan Park and Illinois College area to our historic town Square. My idea is to train the local college students to conduct these tours to the benefit of those who take them, as well as to the benefit of promoting and expanding historic tourism in our amazing neighborhood here in Jacksonville. It is my plan this coming winter to spend the time it takes to organize this project in a wonderful way. So I solicit anyone who has interesting and credible anecdotes about the history of the various homes in the area that I might include on my tours. Of course, we will check with history experts to make sure that we are separating legend from history. Check out this pictorial essay, and know that you, Jacksonville residents, live in a town that is one of the most historicallly significant places in America. Enjoy checking out the pictures here in this post.

Moving along down east back towards Central Park in Jacksonville on West State Street, we encounter the August Ayers House, constructed in 1857. That date of construction makes it an incredibly ear…

07/12/2022

360 of the Community Park

07/12/2022

DR. Joe Show cont’d
(ON LOCATION AT ASYLUM SITE)

07/11/2022

This afternoon, Dr. Joe Squillace will be at the Jacksonville Public Library at 3:00 P.M. to meet and greet folks and talk about the history of the local Insane Asylum (later known as the State Hospital and Jacksonville Developmental Center). Dr. Joe is staying at the Villa DeWolf tonight, and after breakfast we will have a special impromptu interview show with one of the most knowledgeable historians in this area. So watch for the FB LIVE SHOW to start at approximately 9:30 A.M. tomorrow 7-12-22. Right after the show, Dr. Joe is going to take me and Paul Przepiorka, who will video our interview here at Villa DeWolf, on a tour and we will get of the actual site of the Jacksonville Insane Asylum. We will get a better sense of what an amazing self contained community it was. He will also be signing copies of his books tomorrow at Our Town Books on the Square. Check with Jessica at the bookstore and she can tell you the exact time this takes place at her store on the east side of the Square. You can buy Joe's book he wrote on the Insane Asylum at Jessica's as well as the book he wrote on the fascinating history of the "Poor House" (yes there was such a place here). Tune in to the show tomorrow at 9:30 AM and you will get a great history experience with one of the most knowledgeable people in this area. At one time he was a professor of history at MacMurray. Tell any alums of MacMurray to tune in and hear a great interview with one of their best known professors. See you at the show tomorrow on the Lovejoy Hall page at 9:30 AM.

07/01/2022

Get Up And Live
The Friday Edition

06/30/2022

The last day of June edition

06/24/2022

GET UP AND LIVE!!!
The Cowboy Poet’s edition

06/24/2022

One of all time favorite cowboy characters, Cowboy Poet Baxter Black, passed away this past June 10th at 77 years old (just a year or so older than myself). I will turn 76 on July 2. I used to go to the Cowboy Poetry gatherings in Nevada and elsewhere and had a chance to meet this totally friendly cowboy poet/storyteller several times. He was a living legend, but was always humble and willing to stop and talk to you. I will miss seeing him at those events and so will many other folks.

This morning I will talk about his life and work. In this video he gives an example of his combination storytelling and cowboy poetry.

Baxter Black is known to millions as a Western humorist and cowboy poet. For years he was a semi-regular guest commentator on NPR's "Morning Edition." When D...

06/21/2022

🇺🇦 A week ago Saturday and Sunday during our Ukrainian fundraising event, our Ukrainian guests Yuriy & Tetiana Safronov spoke to young students and 4H kids. Herbie North, a Christian Rapper and his children attended the event. Later that evening, Herbie woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the hardships the children and families of Ukraine were having to endure, and it touched him deeply. He got up, and in about a half hour had written the lyrics to this song he performed the next day at the general public fundraiser event. He read these lyrics before rapping them, and I noticed the audience was deeply moved by these words he had only written the night before. Herbie said he had NEVER written words to a song so fast in his entire life. I believe those words he wrote were inspired, and the reading of them left our audience deeply moved. I am printing the lyrics here for our audience who were not able to attend the event. I think it is pretty awesome for a one time quickly written song lyric! POST your comments here, and let us know what you think. We raised more than $1800 for Ukrainian relief. Yuri called me recently to say how much he appreciated the support from those who were in attendance.
Here are those amazing lyrics that so moved our audience.🇺🇦

06/17/2022

The thunder & Blazes Edition

06/16/2022

The “NO SHOW” show

06/14/2022

It was indeed a joy for me to host Ukraian philanthropists, Yuri & Tetiana and three wonderful ladies from the Belleville Symphony at Villa DeWolf Bed & Breakfast this past weekend. Adding to the substantive morning breakfast conversation are Mayor Andy Ezard and Jacksonville’s first Lady Janissa Ezard. They had a lively discussion with Yuriy & Tetiana Safronov of Ballwin, MO. Also at this breakfast gathering was Franklin native and and now Jacksonville resident, Timothy Smith, the new CEO of our non profit The Esprit DeCorps Academy. Tim had an in depth networking session with Cathy Stoltz, Sue Knepper & Judith Martin of the historic Belleville Symphony and youth orchestra. The Belleville Philharmonic symphony is the second oldest Philharmonic Orchestra in the entire United States, second only an age to the New York Philharmonic. The Belleville orchestra was formed and has been continuously functioning since 1866. Also in attendance was a Tamara O’hearn, former professor emeritus of English and creative writing at McMurray. She has joined our Board of Directors. Tamara will set up scholastic studies tutoring for our future students so they can maintain and pull up their general education grades while pursuing music and dramatic arts within our institution. It was so wonderful to see so much substantive conversation and networking happening that Sunday morning, as I assumed the background role of host and waiter for the event! No sooner was breakfast over, when we had a visit from neighbor Dr. Alex and his family. Alex’s parents were Ukrainian natives, so it was great hearing them converse in their native language. Later, Jeremy Coumes, newsman/radio personality from WLDS radio, conducted a nearly one hour recorded interview with Yuri & Tetiana in the mansion’s library. Later, we went down to Lovejoy Hall for a moving and inspirational session with the Ukrainian couple, who told us many interesting stories and up-to-the-minute news from Ukraine. Herbie North of Northstar wrote an inspirational rap song dedicated to the children and families of Ukraine,especially the farming families who are having such a tough time of it. There were a lot of tears in the eyes of the audience after he read that truly inspirational lyric. Rodney Nicholson inspired us with his unique vocal style singing several gospel songs before closing the program with Amazing Grace. The entire audience stood and sang the final chorus together. Polly Pully of Spirit Of Faith Soup Kitchen and Church gave an inspiring invocation prayer to start off this event, and Dr. Dennis Doyle ended the event with a closing prayer. The weekend events raised more than $1800 for this worthy Ukrainian cause! We passed out sunflower seeds encouraging everyone to grow them in their front yards to show solidarity with the brave Ukrainian people. The Jacksonville area can really identify with the farming culture of Ukraine. We both have rich black soil and we both grow corn, beans and sunflowers! Mayor Andy Ezard took a lot of these sunflower seeds and they will be planted on our town square to show solidarity with the Ukrainian farmers. I want to personally thank all who came and made this event a big success.

06/10/2022

GET UP AND LIVE
The Everything’s coming up sunflowers Edition

06/10/2022

LET THE PUBLIC OUTCRY OVER THE SUDDEN CANCELLATION OF MARK MCDONALD'S ILLINOIS STORIES GO VIRAL NOW!!!

I have been fortunate to have three Illinois Stories shows produced by Mark McDonald. The first two shows were shot on the same day a couple of years ago. One was about the 1889 John Alan Ayers mansion (son of Marshall Ayers, Augustus Ayers' brother). The other was about Lovejoy Hall and the then unfinished pre-civil war 1857 Augustus E. Ayers Mansion. These shows were done a couple of years or so prior to the most recently aired show about the then nearly completed restoration of the Ayers Mansion at 876 W. State St.

During the course of the Illinois Stories TV programs, I grew to have great respect and admiration for Mark McDonald’s significant talent for doing these historic documentary programs. He had an amazing memory for detail that was most impressive. He would interview me off camera about myriad details and anecdotes I told him, and almost always in one take, he would skillfully ask me questions leading to the details he wanted to tell of on the show. He remembered EVERY detail, every time! When there were need of re-takes, it was ALWAYS on account of something I did incorrectly. I was also in awe of how intuitively artistic and skillful his cameraman, Randy Phillips was. Randy and Mark had this wonderful ability to work together as an artistic team, almost on a totally intuitive level and got great results very efficiently.

When I heard the stunning news of the abrupt cancellation of this wonderful collaboration of Mark McDonald and Randy Phillips in the Illinois Times, I was stunned. I believe the management powers that effected this sudden cancellation of the program, in my view, did not understand that Illinois Stories, as done over these many years was not just a TV show. Indeed, it had become an institution, that wove itself into the cultural fabric of the people of Illinois and all its diverse sub cultures throughout the state. It enriched the community's sense of History and the collective consciousness of Illinois at large. I believe strongly that I am not the lone ranger in my opinion. I believe thousands of people will take to social media and other mediums to make their voices heard loud and clear, of how bereft we all are about this. I believe if the outcry is strident and unceasing, that they should re-think this decision and give back to the people of Illinois a cultural experience we would all miss if this ill-conceived decision stands. I encourage all to take this and these three programs viral with hundreds of SHARES to everyone you can think of, and encourage all of THEM to do the same. YES! We can DO THIS! so LET's get it started NOW! I want to see 200 SHARES at least from this page in the next couple of days...

Below is the link to the Illinois Times story by David Blanchette and the links to the Illinois Stories TV shows.

https://www.facebook.com/132021010827/posts/10161672903340828/?d=n

https://youtu.be/nVFBzZbSpo4

https://youtu.be/WqG6i3a-DM4

https://youtu.be/WI_0L-DMFm0

06/09/2022

GET UP AND LIVE!!!
The Ukrainian sunflower edition

06/07/2022

Thank you Jeremy Coumbes and WLDS for your great coverage of our upcoming Ukrainian Relief events at Lovejoy Hall on June 11-12. 🇺🇦

A pair of special free events aimed at providing relief to the people of Ukraine are coming to Jacksonville this month. A free concert is scheduled for Sunday, June 12th at Lovejoy Hall, previously…

06/06/2022

🇺🇦 This weekend (June 11,12) Lovejoy Hall will be hosting a free fundraiser for Ukrainian Relief. Please attend this important event as we attempt to raise funds and awareness to the atrocities currently happening in Ukraine. Yuriy Safronov and his wife Tetiana will be performing traditional Ukrainian songs and providing updates on the current situation in Ukraine. Anyone who would like a packet of sunflowers 🌻 please text Scotty at 707-349-7790 with your address. We are targeting the Historic District, including W. State, W. College and W. Lafayette and all streets in between. Hope to see you there!

06/03/2022

GET UP AND LIVE!!!

06/02/2022

sunflower edition

05/27/2022

05/26/2022

GET UP AND LIVE!!!
The Ukrainian Relief story, Cont’d
Plus more AYERS family history

05/26/2022

This is the same Yuriy Safronsov who will be coming to Jacksonville with his wife Tetiana to speak and play Ukrainian music for our audience on June 12th. Also, we invite students of all ages to come on June 11th at 3:00 PM to hear Yuriy and Tetiana tell first hand what is going on in Ukraine right now. See this article below for further details. They now reside in Ballwin MO.

https://www.stlmag.com/news/ballwin-resident-recalls-heartbreaking-departure-ukraine/

05/20/2022

GET UP AND LIVThe TGIF Edition