LERNA - Visitors to the Stephen Sargent Farm on Friday were greeted by the warmth of crackling fires, the aroma of chicken pot pies baking and the soft sound of dulcimer music.

The atmosphere was festive during the Thanksgiving event at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, but there was an air of sadness at the Sargent farm.

Costumed volunteer pioneers seemed to field as many questions about the future of the historic site as they did about 1840s Thanksgiving celebrations. On Sunday, Lincoln Log Cabin is scheduled to close for at least seven months due to state budget cuts.

"It just seems like part of history is dying when they close places like this," said Stewardson resident Dwane Hartman.

The retired farmer and his wife, Maude, decided to pay their first visit to the annual "Day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer" after hearing about the upcoming closure.

"We try to get out here once a year. We were really disappointed it's closing," said Maude Hartman, a retired teacher.

Using a small digital camera, she preserved memories of their visit to the Thanksgiving event. She proudly displayed photos of volunteers at work peeling and dicing fresh vegetables in the Sargent farm's kitchen and at rest playing dulcimers by the hearth in the house.

Former Coles County resident Linda Keeler and her husband, Dennis, also decided to turn out for the Thanksgiving event after learning the site will close soon.

Keeler, who now resides in Delaware, said she has not been to Lincoln Log Cabin since she was a child but has fond memories of school field trips to the site.

"We thought while we were in the neighborhood we should get out to see an old childhood memory," Keeler said. She was in the area to visit her parents, who live outside Ashmore.

Regular Lincoln Log Cabin visitor John Dallas of Charleston said the volunteers who staff the historic site and put on demonstrations there are amazing. He and his 12-year-old son, Isaac, sampled a cheese dip spiced with curry while chatting with volunteers.

Isaac said he wanted to do "everything in my power" to help Lincoln Log Cabin, so he collected about 1,000 signatures on a petition that called for the historic site to be kept open. He said the site brings tourists and tourism revenue to Coles County, and is an employer.

"I am not very happy about it closing," Isaac said emphatically.

Dallas said Friday was one of the last days Lincoln Log Cabin will be open for a long while, so they wanted to check out the historic site at least one more time before the closure.

While the historic site closes Sunday afternoon, Lincoln Log Cabin is scheduled to be open Dec. 5 only for the annual "Christmas Candlelight Tours," an event operated mostly by site volunteers.

rstroud@jg-tc.com|348-5734