Why I Love Ferguson, Missouri

In Fall 2002, I was broke, depressed, lonely and very worried about the future. Months earlier, my beloved mother had died unexpectedly and my marriage of 24 years had ended in divorce. Those were tough times. I had one thing going for me: My newly published book, The...

New Information on Schoper, Illinois

All ghost towns have a fascinating history, and Schoper, Illinois is no different. Located about eight miles from Carlinville, the town of Schoper (also known as Standard City) was originally Thomas Schoper’s 500-acre family farm. In 1918, Standard Oil of...

Carlinville and Schoper, Illinois

Update! This article was updated in 2013. To read the latest, click here! I love ghost towns. All ghost towns have a fascinating history, and this one in Schoper, Illinois is no different. It’s the real deal – a boom town that went bust and literally...