The stories of Williamson County, IL
8 narrated audio stories from across Williamson County — hidden history, true crime, food legends, and local lore from its towns, landmarks, and back roads.
Williamson County
How “Bloody Williamson” Got Its Name
Coal, bootlegging, and violence shaped a county’s grim reputation.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
From Ordnance to Open Water
A wartime landscape remade for wildlife, work, and weekend escape.
Williamson County
When a Strike Turned Into a Massacre
A coal strike near Herrin collapsed into labor violence and lasting infamy.
Williamson County
When the Klan Moved Into County Politics
How fear, Prohibition, and elections turned Klan strength into local power.
Williamson County
S. Glenn Young and Williamson County’s Violent Crossroads
A lawman became a political symbol in a county already primed for conflict.
Williamson County
Shift Change at Crab Orchard
How wartime work remade daily life in southern Illinois.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
When Farm Country Became a War Factory
A World War II plant remade Crab Orchard and the lives around it.
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
Where Birds, Anglers, and Industry Meet
A refuge shaped by war, migration, recreation, and uneasy coexistence.
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