BLOOMINGTON - Marcia Young has promised herself not to overreact to rumors that state funding cuts could result in the closure of historic sites including David Davis Mansion State Historic Site.

Instead, the mansion's site manager is planning for an antique auto exhibition on Saturday, working with two remaining employees and volunteers to keep things running, and looking for more collaboration with community organizations.

Dozens of seasonal employees at the state's historic sites lost their jobs Friday - including three people sharing two jobs at the mansion - as part of $1.4 billion in budget cuts made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

At the moment, while it is business as usual, concern over the cuts is having effects.

Master Gardeners, who volunteer to keep the historic garden growing at the mansion, have developed a plan to relocate the historic plants if the mansion were to close.

"Bless their hearts," Young said. "The longer this goes on, there are a lot of rumors. At this point, we just wait and see."

That's the approach advocated by Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, which oversees 24 historic sites in Illinois.

Blagojevich's cuts seem to slash $5 million in employee salaries by half. "We are analyzing what this means for historic sites," he said, cautioning it's not wise to speculate about the consequences. "We can't be specific at this point."

In the meantime, employees are in limbo and are doing more with less.

Davis curator Jeff Saulsbery, well-versed in Lincoln connections to Judge Davis and the rich history of his home, now mows the grass - a job previously done by a seasonal employee. He's been doing more and more janitorial and grounds work as cutbacks continue.

"We simply work harder," he said of the site's three-person team: himself, Young and Jeannie Riordan, educator/volunteer co-coordinator.

Among other things, they're coordinating educational programs with the McLean County Museum of History and sharing garden walks with Chestnut Health Services.

The mansion attracts about 42,000 visitors each year, with out-of-town tourists spending about $130 on food, gas or other things, Saulsbery said.

About 80 volunteers help keep the mansion open and operating.

Volunteers are even more crucial for the historic Mount Pulaski Courthouse, which originally closed Dec. 1, 1992.

Wallace Kuutz, the site's superintendent, said the courthouse has remained open mostly with volunteers. Kuutz does a little contract work; the state maintains the building. The courthouse averages 60 to 70 visitors a month who want to walk on a courthouse floor once trodden by Abraham Lincoln.

Postville Courthouse in Lincoln, Metamora Courthouse, Lincoln's New Salem in Petersburg, and the Old State Capitol in Springfield are among the other Lincoln-related historic sites in the region that could be affected by the cuts.

But there is hope.

"We have not been told to cancel anything," Young said. "That's fabulous news."

GO!

What: Antique Auto Exhibition; more than 75 cars from the early 1900s through the '70s on display; music, food, walking tours of David Davis Mansion State Historic Site. "Parade of Progress" starts at 2 p.m.

Where: David Davis Mansion, 1000 E. Monroe Drive, Bloomington

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Cost: $2

Info: (309) 828-1084