Randolph County’s own Emily Lyons was recently presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Illinois State Historical Society at their Best of Illinois History Awards.
Lyons wears many hats, working to preserve and share the rich history of Randolph County.
In recognizing Lyons for the award, it was noted that since 1710, generations of her family called Kaskaskia home, and she grew up there herself. She became the de facto historian for Kaskaskia Island, spending countless hours identifying and restoring historic buildings there. She also oversaw the reconstruction of the Immaculate Conception Church there after the Great Flood of 1993.
For more on Lyons, please see this week’s print edition.