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Post by Stephanie on Feb 9, 2006 20:50:22 GMT -6
What a beautiful school. Do you know what year it was torn down? Thanks Toshiko and Butch for explaining Twister Hill. I had no idea what it referred to. When I hear twister, I think tornado.
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Post by itsmeagain on Feb 10, 2006 9:09:10 GMT -6
Well I went to kindergarten, there. That would have been like 1960 or so. Then I was off to Catholic school for 1-8. I want to say I was in HS when it came down, and I graduated in '73. But it could have been later than that. Hmmm come on Streator history ppl!!
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Post by DumDave on Feb 10, 2006 12:17:50 GMT -6
This picture was taken in Blackstone. I was sitting on the old ROW where ther G.M.& O (C&A) tracks used to go through that town -Dave.
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Post by Stephanie on Feb 10, 2006 14:39:05 GMT -6
What a great picture, Dave.
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Post by BlueStar7 on Feb 11, 2006 7:08:50 GMT -6
I still have my washer & dryer I bought there, before they closed. I'm just now havin some minor problems with them....great pic DD....
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Post by daveguest on Feb 11, 2006 15:31:36 GMT -6
I still have my washer & dryer I bought there, before they closed. I'm just now havin some minor problems with them....great pic DD.... The Applegate Family's Applinace Store kept that town alive (I think). I have heard over the years that they were very reasonable & cutomer service oriented. I went to high school with an Applegate & I think he joined the family business. What a shame. The first time in my life to go to Blackstone & Applegate's Appliance store is shut down. Amazingly, they still have a small, very nice looking Methodist church there with a woman pastor. (I should have taken a picture of it to go with all of the other church pictures I took last summer.) -Dave
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Post by BlueStar7 on Feb 12, 2006 23:51:49 GMT -6
I still have my washer & dryer I bought there, before they closed. I'm just now havin some minor problems with them....great pic DD.... The Applegate Family's Applinace Store kept that town alive (I think). I have heard over the years that they were very reasonable & cutomer service oriented. I went to high school with an Applegate & I think he joined the family business. What a shame. The first time in my life to go to Blackstone & Applegate's Appliance store is shut down. Amazingly, they still have a small, very nice looking Methodist church there with a woman pastor. (I should have taken a picture of it to go with all of the other church pictures I took last summer.) -Dave Their son now works where I do, Quality Control, I think...for the contractors during outages...
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Post by cheermam on Feb 15, 2006 23:12:22 GMT -6
butch i like what you are doing for streator go and set up at the hobby show
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Post by John on Feb 16, 2006 6:57:38 GMT -6
Thank you cheerman, I do enjoy sharing Streator's history. I also learn many things from the people here that I did not know.
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Post by DumDave on Feb 16, 2006 16:26:48 GMT -6
I went to 6th grade @ Grant school. Northlawn was overcrowded. I think that Grant School was torn down in the late 60's or early 70's. I thought I read somewhere that the old site had been redeveloped? -DD
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Post by Stephanie on Feb 16, 2006 17:06:23 GMT -6
There is a nice apartment complex there now, where Grant School was. The neat thing about it is, the original sidewalks leading to the school are still there leading to the apt. complex, plus the yard is still full of the same trees. Its cool to imagine all of the kids that traveled up that sidewalk daily to go to school.
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Post by btrendy on Feb 17, 2006 2:47:40 GMT -6
In the 402 E. Main before picture, the B & R Furniture painted on the building, is that any relation to B & R Grocery? Bon and Ron of BnR Grocery were not even thought of back in the '20s, as a matter of fact their parents were probably just young kids. So no, no relation.
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Post by Stephanie on Feb 17, 2006 6:02:01 GMT -6
Thanks, BT. I never knew what the B & R stood for. Neat coincidence though.
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Post by DumDave on Mar 15, 2006 15:43:45 GMT -6
I am really not sure what I am asking for. I was told by my elderly neighbor, that there used to be a creek in my back yard. With all this rain u can see where it would have run, as it is almost running now. It has gone down since I got up this am. Isn't there some sort of land map from the "old days" Does that help Butch? Toshiko; I have a map that the Historical Society gave me 10 or 15 years ago. I was looking through my "Historical stuff" last night & came across it. Cutting to the chase, it shows a creek/drainage ditch running either through your property or VERY near it. If I can remember, I'll make a few copies for you & Butch. This map also shows where the old Crawford Car Company used to be. On this map it is called the "Streator Car Company". It is indeed bound by the Santa Fe R.R. on one side the Wabash (& a stones throw away from where the NYC branched off to follow Illinios) on the other side. The site sits on a triangle of land that is also bound on the South by James St & a very small section of Illinois on the East. On a bit newer map, the Streator Car Co. is called the "James Street Recreational Area". I remember going to the circus there one time as a small child.
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Post by DumDave on Mar 15, 2006 16:48:46 GMT -6
Thanks. That clears up that question. Now back to how & where the interurbans went to. YES! I have the answer to my own question. I found it as a side bar to a large article published by the Times-Press on July 31, 1996 about the last AMTRAK train going through Streator. HERE IS THE ANSWER TO THE INTERURBAN QUESTION. "The elcectric trains began under the Peoria, Streator and Ottawa Railway Company that was incorperated in 1906." "By the end of 1909, several miles of track had been layed north Streator, but the Illinois Railroad & Warehouse Commission denied the use of Main Street because of the steam railroad crossing. The Commission issued a ruling that the CO&P" (from the north)....... "build south on Illinois Street to the Santa Fe Railway,then southwest on a private right of way along the Santa Fe to Bridge Street, then west on Bridge Street to Everett, then north to Main Street, west on Main Street to Sterling Street, North to Hickory and west to Bloomington Street where the station is located. The line along the Santa Fe permitted the interurban to come under the protection of the interlocking plant (railroad switching tower) where the Santa Fe crossed the New York Central and the Chicago and Alton Railroads." (This would be just south of Main St & Illinios St.) Now looking at the map I have, it looks like the interurban actually followed Shabbona, before it was extended past Fourth St & out to Marilla Park where the article says that there is still some signs of the Interurban ROW. Then it came down on the west side of Owens & joined the Santa Fe just south of the plant (or where the plant is now). There are also former bridge abutments where it used to cross Otter & Wolf Creeks (at the time of this article.) I hope this clears some stuff up. Do what I did & get out a Streator map & follow the directions. Whew!! BTW When the train first got to South Ottawa, passengers had to get off the Interurban & walk a few blocks over to the C.B. & Q bridge (It's still there) in order to cross the Illinois River on a shuttle train. The Illinois River bridge was under construction then. In 1912 the bridge was completed & the Interurban was able to enter Ottawa. At Ottawa, passengers were able to then ride the Northern Illinois Light & Traction Company system. (all the way to Chicago & other destinations........ The entire line was abandoned in 1929 due to the popularity of the automobile & better roads for same. I have read that there was an amusement area about half way to Ottawa. -Dave ;D
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