A Walk Down Main Street, Streator

[John]

Ah yes, the Farm Tavern on W. Frech St. did have delicious fried chicken. Those streets out there all had their own little taverns. West Third St. had The Cottage Tavern just before you enterd the race track grounds. West Second St. had Retoff's Tavern, Burt's Gables and the Club Grove.

[DumDave]

By the time I could legally order a beer, I didn't care for those places. Tooo risky for me. My local bar of choice was Oliver's. Now that place had class! I just never saw it.

I feel sorry for Pine whatever. Streator changes just like every place on earth. If you thought you could go home & see a movie @ a local theator in Streator, look around where you live now. They probably have a mutiplex that has 20 different movies playing & I'll bet you go there.

Enjoy Streator for what it is & not for what it was. As some smart person said..."You can never go home again." I think what was meant was that you can never go home to the place where you grew up because that place (and people) is gone & you are not a kid anymore.

You create memories, everyday you wake up.
-Dave

[Job]

Dave:

"You Can't Go Home Again" was the name of a book by Thomas Wolfe. (Not the guy who wrote "The Right Stuff.") You probably read it in Lit. 101 at SMU. Your response to Pinehallmanor was right on, however. It took me a couple of dozen trips over the years to get past his/her reaction. My trips to Streator last year were great. The essence of the town is still there, but you have to know where to look.

Most of my drinking in Streator was when I was "underage." As a result, my favorite watering holes, were Stony's (AKA Del Monte's) and Olivers.

One of my few forays into a "nice" bar in town was a couple of drinks in the bar beneath the Plumb Hotel. I forget the name of the place; after all, I was only there once. I was in college, and was trying to look "cool," drinking mixed drinks, etc.

The guy I was with was "of age" and was small. A guy at the bar, who I will not mention by name, was ragging my friend around for about an hour. The guy was both big and rich; his daddy owned a factory in town. I finally told him to shut up. To the cheers of his bimbo girl friend, he advanced "menacingly" toward me.

I decked him and we left the bar post haste. I stayed out of the "nice" bars in town after that. Needless to say, I never mentioned the incident to my parents. About five years later, I learned that someone at the bar had picked up my last name; but, the blame for the fight had been variously attributed to my brothers or my uncle. Like many Streator stories, my single punch had been magnified to a severe beating.

I wonder if he reads this forum. I know that he is still around town. Of course, sons of rich parents in Streator rarely leave town. I don't blame them. If my parents had been rich, I would probably be hanging out at the country club, getting soused, pretending that I had earned my money, and bemoaning the changes in the town.

[DumDave]

Somehow, I was invited to a party that was at a private home. 90% of the folks there were country club folks. One guy just kept jacking with me. I tried my best to behave myself & ignored him. Finally I'd had it. I deposited a very hot sandwich into his face & ran like hell. He was twice my size. Back then, if you didn't catch me in the first 100 yds, I could run forever. Ah youth!
-Dave

[larrylampson]

I really enjoyed my "walk down Main Street"! I do remember most of it. Larry Lampson

[larrylampson]

I think that great bowl of Chile at Stacy's was made by my Uncle Artie Lampson, who ran the counter there for many years. I know he was there around 1950 for sure. Larry Lampson

[larrylampson]

The Stonie's bar that you refer to was run by Stonie Long, a cousin of mine, and he served alcohol to anyone with money regardless of age. Larry Lampson

[DumDave]

larrylampson said:

I think that great bowl of Chile at Stacy's was made by my Uncle Artie Lampson, who ran the counter there for many years. I know he was there around 1950 for sure. Larry Lampson

Larry I think your'e right. The guy that worked there was named "Artie". They also had a HS kid work in there sometimes.
-dave

[John]

The 100 block of South Bloomington St. in the late 1800s.

[BlueStar7]

Is that a Farmer's Market on the east side of the street? Some of them look like semi-permanent lean-to's.

[John]

It kind of looks like an early Farmer's Market.

[DumDave]

I wonder which church's are in the backgournd. Notice. No Library. Thanks Butch!
-DD

[Stephanie]

I drove past the green/yellow Victorian house next to the Elks yesterday and noticed they have some windows boarded up. I hope that house isn't going to meet the wrecking ball. I love that house. I'd like to get a hold of it and fix it up. Don't care much for the location, but the house has some great details to it.

[galsal]

A great little book with lots of history of some Streator Homes is: "One Hundred Years Past - Built to Last!" I obtained this at the historical society. I looked for info on the house on N. Park St. that you are talking about, but nothing in this book. It was owned by Dr. Lester, an eye doctor. I think his widow died recently.

[Stephanie]

I've got that book! I love it. I hope they do another one. There are so many houses in town that I've wondered about the history.

Including: The brick house that sits kind of behind the American Legion. Its so unusual looking, kind of gothic. Then there are quite a few of them on South Monroe Street that I like.