The annual Five Mile House fall fundraiser will include music, food, and a silent auction to raise money for educational programs as well as supporting the landmark site.

The fall fundraiser will support a history program for fourth-grade students, the summer Living History Program and the Fall Festival.

Tom Vance, president of the Five Mile House foundation, said the event raises money for restoration projects.

“This fundraiser has been an annual event for about 15 years, ever since the acquisition and restoration of the Five Mile House beginning in 1999,” Vance said.

The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Admission will be $9 for adults and $5 for children under 12 years old.

The entry fee will buy a barbecue or chicken lunch, with potato salad, green beans and coleslaw. Dessert and drink will also be provided.

The fundraiser will include a silent auction and music will be provided by the Old Time Fiddlers, a traditional string music band.

The fundraiser will be held in the Merchant’s building at the Coles County Fairgrounds and is open to the general public.

The Five Mile House foundation is a non-profit organization that helps preserve the history of the house.

The house has programs for different events planned during the year, including the fourth-grade school program and the Fall Festival.

The fourth-grade school program is put on during the summer to teach children about history.

Historical games are taught to the kids, such as Game of Graces. Other games during the program consist of rolling hoops and the broom dance.

The kids also learn a history lesson and get to experience open hearth cooking.

Events at the festival vary each year. Some of the 2014 events included a petting zoo, woodstove cooking and a performance by Mackville.

The foundation also helps repair damages to the house, preserve historical elements and made the area surrounding the house more accessible to tourists.

Vance said there are some plans to make the house more historical and attract more tourists.

“(The funds) will also go to help fund eventual archaeology and the construction of a timber frame blacksmith shop at the site,” Vance said.

Liz Dowell can be reached at 581-2812 or ehdowell@eiu.edu