Book of Towanda history titled "Towanda, McLean County, Illinois 1826 - 1976"

              TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forward Towanda Town Board Introduction Early History Early Settlers Early Farm Photographs Original Plats of Towanda Village of Towanda Presidents of the Towanda Village Board Calabooses Telephone Service Fire Department Towanda Fire Protection District Civil Defense Towanda Community Building Illinois Power Company Water Northern Illinois Gas Postal History Railroad 1852 Towanda Township Map Towanda Schools Churches Yesterday's Towanda The Towanda News May 5, 1905 Physicians Sawmill Flour Mills Blacksmithing Tile Factory Landmarks: Nelson Jones Home Landmarks: William R. Duncan Home Landmarks: Oliver Tilbury Home Landmarks: Smith's Grove Cemetery Landmarks: Wilbur J. Cash Organizations and Fraternal Orders Towanda Library 1954 Towanda Centennial Celebration Towanda Today Towanda Grain Company Towanda Holidays Parks Roads Barnes Merna p1 p2 p3 p4-6 p7-9 p10-20 p21-22 p23-25 p26-27 p28 p29 p29-34 p34-35 p35 p35-36 p37 p37 p37 p37-41 p41-43 p44 p45-51 p52-58 p59-72 p72 p73 p73-74 p74 p74-76 p77-78 p79 p80 p81 p82 p83 p84-89 p89-90 p91-94 p95 p95-97 p98-99 p99-100 p100-102 p103-105 p106-109

FOREWARD Through our combined efforts and the many interested persons who furnished us with clippings, pictures and first hand information we have been able to put together, in one piece, what we believe to be a true history of Towanda.

Many hours have gone into personal interviews, research and checking for authenticity. It has been a most rewarding effort on our part. We hope future generations will see fit to keep this history updated.

1

THE TOWANDA TOWN BOARD 1976

Left to right: Philip Woodrum, Richard Nice, Roy Redding, Evelyn Hirst, Clerk, Jerry M. Henderson, Mayor, Keith White, Mason Crow, Paris Hensley.

2

INTRODUCTION

The two hundredth birthday of the founding of our country seemed to be a very appropriate time to enter our local history into the record book. Both of us have our roots in Towanda Township, resulting in a natural interest and curiosity about past events in this area. As our contribution to the Bi-centennial Celebration we determined to assemble the facts, before they became further obscured by time, to be published in a book which could be enjoyed and referred to by all who might be interested. The members of the Towanda Town Board offered to underwrite the cost of publishing. They have been most encouraging and have certainly displayed a great deal of faith in our ability to accomplish a satisfactory completion of the project by July 4, 1976. We are especially grateful to Sherry Messer for her contribution in typing the rough draft of the book, and to Don Story for his help with photographic work. The list of people who furnished materials for this publication would cover many pages, and it is to them that we owe the greatest debt, for without their co-operation and enthusiasm this history could never have become a reality. Mildred Hirst Roberts (Mrs. Ralph) Elizabeth Jones Winter (Mrs. Bill B.)

3

EARLY HISTORY Illinois became one of the United States in 1818 and was eight years old when the first settlers arrived in what is now Towanda Township in 1826. Since there were no division lines prior to 1858 separating what were to become Towanda and Money Creek Townships, the history of these two is intermingled. In 1785 the Continental Congress adopted a system of rectangular surveys for measuring and describing large or small plots of real estate. Under this principle surveyors work on north-south and east-west lines and location of property is based on townships six miles square, each having thirty-six sections of 640 acres. The sections are divided into squares and rectangles, thus enabling the identification of the smallest parcel through a universal system. Consequently we are described as Township 24, Range 3 East of the Third Principal Meridian, McLean County, Illinois. Prior to 1830 McLean County had been part of Vermilion and Tazewell Counties. Government lands were purchased and transactions were entered in General Land Offices, the closest being Kaskaskia in 1804. Offices were opened in Shawneetown in 1812, Edwardsville in 1816 and still later in Danville. Persons wishing to purchase available Federal Lands had to make the journey to one of the above locations for the purpose of entering their claims in the records-thus explaining the expression "entering land". Many of these Land Grants in Towanda Township are still held by the families of the original grantees. Wood and water and wild game were the prime necessities for the early pioneers. Agriculture was their main pursuit--due mainly to the need to survive and lack of available goods through any source other than their own efforts. Since there were no established roads at the time, other than Indian trails, they had to be a sturdy, self-sufficient lot to survive the hardships. Towanda Township offered only about 480 acres of timber with Money Creek flowing through it, and was for the most part a vast prairie interspersed with swamps and ponds, which portion was considered worthless by the early pioneers. Records show that many who came, for various reasons, either moved farther west or returned to their former homes. Our concern, however, is with those who stayed in the area and established the heritage which we have today. The family of John Trimmer is credited with being the first to arrive in the township. In August 1826 they camped at a site immediately west of the present Smith's Grove Cemetery (Sec. 10, Tow. Twp.). Mr. Trimmer died in October and was the first person to be buried in Pennell Cemetery (Sec. 33, Money Creek Twp.). The family moved to the head of Money Creek Timber soon after this and later built a home in the area. On December 3, 1826 Mrs. Trimmer's daughter, Eliza Ann, married Jacob Spawr. Theirs was the first ceremony in the new settlement.

4

Following the Trimmer's removal, Frederick Rook arrived and remained for about a year at the Grove. He then left for Livingston County and settled on a creek which would later bear his name. The family of David Smith arrived in the spring of 1830 at the grove which was later named in his honor. Smith entered the land and remained for a number of years. This and another large tract of Smith's Grove later passed into the hands of the Jones family, some of whom arrived in 1849. Jesse Walden arrived in Towanda Township in the early 1830s and eventually settled permanently in Smith's Grove. Family histories and letters tell of some of the experiences of the early settlers. Virgin sod was broken by means of oxen pulling walking plows. Horsedrawn riding plows were to come much later. Wheat and corn were the main crops, and although Cyrus McCormick had patented the reaper in 1834, many farmers still were using the scythe and cradle in 1850.

Scythe and cradle used on Jones Farm in early days

Wood for houses had to be cut and fitted by means of hand tools, and due to a lack of means for easily transporting heavy logs, these early homes were built either in or close to the timber; perhaps explaining the popularity of Smith's Grove. The first settler on the Towanda Prairie was William Halterman, between 1840 and 1850. Another settler, Jacob Baylor was one year old when his parents brought him in a covered wagon in 1849 from Columbus, Ohio to this vicinity. His vivid memory of early days gives a picture of the almost unbelievable amount of labor and accomplishment of the women of the period. He remembered seeing his mother card wool from his father's sheep, then spin it and weave it and make by hand the men's and boys' suits, underwear and the women's heavy dresses. Every garment worn was made by hand in the home. Hose and mufflers were hand-knitted. Candles were made at home as was the soap for the family, using ashes from green wood instead of lye.

5

Apples and pumpkins cut in rings, green beans strung like beads, were dried; and as if all this, added to cooking, cleaning, laundering and gardening were not enough, his mother grated corn into meal for the corn pones. Her tool was a heavy piece of tin pierced by driving a square nail through it to form a grater. Even so, families had time for merry making, apple paring and husking bees, singing schools and spell downs. Bee trees were located and cut down to furnish "sweetening" to augment the sugar supply. Two or three trips yearly were made to Peoria to take corn, wheat and buckwheat to be ground; to purchase salt, sugar and coffee, the latter not always available. Then the housewife managed a parched corn and rye substitute. The fall trip brought back the grocery supply for the winter. Sugar, of a dark brown color, came in big hogsheads. Elijah Crose was born in 1840 near Heyworth. At the age of ten he came with his parents to the vicinity of Towanda and lived here more than eighty years. As a young man he drove a team helping to build the Chicago and Alton Railroad through this section. Prior to 1854 the prairie trail from the village to Bloomington wound around swamps and was without a single house. Even before the railroad went through, Towanda was an important shipping point, cattle being driven overland to Chicago. One such herd of two hundred was driven by seven men and required nine days for the trip at a cost of one dollar per man and horse per day; meals twenty-five cents. Swampy areas abounded on the flat-lands and malaria was an ever present threat to the health of those who settled near them. It wasn't until the introduction of land drainage and the resultant reduction of these health hazards, that the value of the prairies -for agriculture was recognized. The use of the mole ditcher in the 1860's and early 70's was a beginning but temporary solution to the problem. In 1879 Edgar M. Haefer of Bloomington began manufacturing clay tile which would prove to be a big factor in the draining of the swamps. At about the same time Oliver Tilbury opened a tile factory at Towanda. In the late 1870's and early 1880's John Crichton with a crew of men laid almost one hundred miles of tile in this area and thus helped to open up the local prairie for farming. It was quite a common sight to see farmers waiting in line at the Tilbury factory to load tile while it was still hot from the kilns. An important winter activity was the cutting of ice from frozen ponds and storing it for use the following summer in preserving perishable foods. The blocks were placed in thick-walled buildings and covered with sawdust. This insulation allowed a minimum of melting in even the hottest weather. The delight of a summer day was a visit to the cool, dark interior of the ice house for the purpose of chipping off a frozen chunk to replenish the supply in the kitchen icebox.

6

Some of the Settlers in the Rural Area of Towanda Township Prior to 1866 Although there are others who would qualify for this list, the following are names which were brought to our attention. We regret any omissions for they are not intentional. Date Came 1852 1856 1855 1856 1864 1853 1849 1854 1836 1864 1864 1865 1862 1863 1857 1861 1849 1855 1856 1857 1856

Name

-

H.

-

Section 9 21 33 34 8 29 5 18 1 23 18 9 6 7 17 14 24 3 9 6 10

Business Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer & Stock Shipper Farmer

Abbott, Joseph Arnold, Gottlieb Ballard, B. F.

Ballard, James H. Barkalow, T. P. Barnes, Calvin Baylor, Peter Bedinger, Joseph P. Biddle, Darrel F. Cameron, John E. Chorn, Josiah Clark, Robert Corwin, James E. Duncan, William R. Falk, John Ford, J. T. Frehauf, H. Geiger, John G. Heller, Charles M. Henderson, Frank Jones, Abraham R., Sr.

7

Name

-

-

-

Section 15 10 15 16 5 17 3 25 3 12 13 35 35 5 28 2 26 10 7 19 24 10 4 9 36

Business Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Raiser Grain Dealer, Postmaster Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Dealer Farmer

Date Came 1849 1850 1856 1849 1856 1860 1860 1854 1855 1855 1862 1862 1862 1852 1859 1853 1856 1827 1857 1844 1864 1830 1861 1855 1855

Jones, Abraham R., Jr. Jones, Cyrus Jones, Francis M. Jones, Nelson Kinnan, D. S. Kraft, Frank Kraft, Timothy Krause, Carl Lormor, Hugh Mack, John T. Mathias, George Mecher1e, Christian Mecher1e, Fred Moore, William D. Nichols, Walter Nichols, Charles M. Rebensdorf, Carl Rook, Frederick Riddle, A. A. Sawyer, Smith Schlosser, George Smith, David Stretch, Benjamin Sunderland, A. H. Sutter, Ignatz

8

Name Sutter, John

-

-

-

Section 19 28 10 15 18 10 10 1

Business Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser 1st to arrive in Township Farmer Farmer Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Stock Raiser Farmer & Brick Layer

Date Came 1848 1861 1826

Swetze1, William Trimmer, John Walden, Jesse Wentz, I. S. White, George C. White, George W. Wilson, William

Early 1830s 1865 1850 1850 1859

9

Log cabin that is typical of the homes built by the pioneers who settled in this area. This one was located north of Towanda. (Sachs Photo)

Rail corn crib was the type used in the early days for storing corn. As the crib was filled additional rows of rails were added to increase the capacity. (Sachs Photo)

10

Forerunner of a modern kitchen shows cookstove, wood and cob box under kitchen cupboard and table which served for working and dining. (Sachs Photo)

It was in a kitchen of the type shown above that the housewife did her cooking, canning, preserving, baking, ironing (the early irons were heated on the stove), laundry, and since this was the location of hot water it was also a convenient place for the "Saturday Night Bath". The farm kitchen had even more diversified use. When baby animals or chickens arrived during cold or inclement weather, it was quite customary to place them near the cookstove in order to give them a warm start in life. It was here also that the farm wives cooked huge amounts of food for the "threshing runs". During this season the farmers helped each other harvest the wheat and oats, and it was the custom for the man on whose farm the work was being done, to feed the crew. There was much rivalry among the women for the title of best cook in the area.

Corn was picked by hand in the days before mechanical harvesters. The purpose of the high board on one side of the wagon was to help to deflect the ears into the box as they were thrown by the men who were walking alongside doing the picking. (Sachs Photo)

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF TOWANDA, ILLINOIS

"The protonym is Towanda, a town in Bradford County, Pennsylvania the name of which, according to Heckwelder, came from the Delaware Taweundeunk, signifying "where we bury the dead", a name bestowed because the Nanticoke, a Delaware tribe had a burying ground there. The name bears a remarkable resemblance, however, to two Seneca place names, Gowanda and Tonowanda in New York. Gowanda has evolved from a term signifying "almost surrounded by hills or cliffs", while Tonowanda has been defined as "confluent stream" or "swift l water". A verified account of how Towanda got its name seems to elude us, but former McLean County Superintendent of Schools, the late William Brigham, was the authority for Towanda, Pennsylvania as the inspiration for the name of this Illinois town, since the former had been the birthplace of Jesse Fell, one of the founders of the Illinois Towanda.

VILLAGE OF TOWANDA (McLean County History 1879. Le Baron and Co.)

The village of Towanda is located in the northwest part of the township of the same name. This land was entered by Peter A. Bedeau. The certificate of entry was dated February 18, 1853. The original plot of the village included only 40 acres from the center of this quarter section. The original 40 acres was donated by P. A. Bedeau for town purposes and was recorded December 7, 1854 with the County Recorder, having been mapped out by Jesse Fell and Peter Bedeau. The name of the former appears on several property abstracts. The remaining quarter section was sold by Mr. Bedeau to Jesse W. Fell and Charles W. Holder on May 1, 1855. The proprietors immediately surveyed it and laid it off into town lots. These were afterward sold to such as wished to embark in business and become residents of the new town on the prairie. The square of the village was bisected diagonally by the railway with the business section located on one side and grain elevators, implements, and lumber on the other. As time went on North and South plazas (parks) filled out the square. Although the Illinois Legislature made provisions by which several counties might adopt the township organization several years earlier, McLean County did not adopt it until 1857. Previously Towanda Township was included in Money Creek Precinct. When the railroad station was made here many of the people moved in so that the old place of voting on Money Creek became inconvenient. By order of the County Board the place of voting was changed to the Village of Towanda September 6, 1856. It was still Money Creek precinct.
l Source: "Indian Place Names in Illinois" by Virgil J. Vogel.

23

James Gilmore, Sr., Hadley J. Short and Silas Waters were appointed commissioners to divide McLean County and to establish township organization. They reported February 26, 1858, Town 24 North, Range 3 East of the Third Principal Meridian was called Towanda and constituted a voting precinct. Since that report many of the townships have been changed but this one remains as first organized. The first election under the new order of things was held April 6, 1858. Houses constructed in the early 60's were built of oak and walnut timbers. One of the first residences within the limits of town was that of William D. Moore. One of the first buildings to be erected on Main Street was Roadnight Hall, named for its builder Charles Roadnight, then a Chicago and Alton Railroad executive who owned a great deal of land on each side of the railroad. It was a large building, 50' x 100' with an ornate front, frame back and brick ends. It was considered to be a very modern and outstanding for its day and patronized by wealthy society of Bloomington and other towns. The upper floor housed a ballroom and was used as a community center. The lower floor was used for business concerns. Later it was sold to George Howard and converted to apartments, storage and salesrooms. It burned to the ground near the turn of the 20th century and shortly thereafter a new building was built in its place.

INCORPORATION

At 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, 1870 a grand mass meeting of the citizens (the legal voters) was held at the George Howard Hardware store in Roadnight's Hall. The meeting was called to order by Frank Henderson, chosen to preside as president of the meeting, and William H. Holderness was chosen secretary for the same. They were duly sworn by William D. Moore, a justice of the peace in said town, and entered each upon the discharge of his respective office. The president of the meeting declared the polls as being open for voting. The result of the canvass of the votes for a ballot; "For incorporation" received twenty-seven votes, "Against incorporation" four votes. On Tuesday, the twentieth day of September, 1870 A.D. an election was held at George Howard's store, formerly Roadnight Hall, to elect five trustees, to act as such, in and for the corporate limits of Towanda. The polls were opened at 2:00 p.m. and closed at 6:00 p.m. The following were elected: Samuel Ware, Frank Henderson, M. J. Wise, James S. Hemstreet and Dr. E. Holderness. The organization meeting of elected officers was held October 26, 1870. Samuel Ware was elected president of said board of trustees. The oath of office was administered by William W. Jones an officer qualified to

24

perform said. The certificate of qualification was filed on October 26, 1870.2 Authority for Incorporating - By an enactment of the people of the State of Illinois, the General Assembly represented the residents and inhabitants of any town in the State of Illinois containing a sufficient number of inhabitants (legal voters) may constitute and declare themselves a body corporate and politic if the same is done in conformity to the statue laws of the state.2 Style of Corporation - Therefore, be it known that the Town of Towanda, in the County of McLean, is incorporated and will be known by the name and style of "The Town of Towanda".2 The board of Trustees of the Town of Towanda met again on January 13, 1871 for the purpose of adopting ordinances for the Village. Each of the ordinances was read and accepted separately The first to be adopted was (in reference to town limits) that the corporate limits of the Town of Towanda shall embrace the original Town of Towanda and Fell and Holder Addition thereto, as per the plats and profile of the same on record in the office of county clerk of the County of McLean, State of Illinois. On April 10, 1871 the Board of Trustees met to set up an election to be held April 22, 1871 "for or against the extension of the present town limits, to extend the same to one square mile adding 1/4 of mile on each side to present corporate limits to present corporation." The election was held in the postoffice. The polls were opened at 2:00 p.m. and closed at 6:00 p.m. of the same day. The election resulted in the following: "For extension of incorporation" Twenty-two (22); "Against extension of incorporation" Five (5); total vote twenty-seven (27). A meeting in the office of W. W. Jones, Sr. was held January 9, 1875 to consider the petition, with the legal number of signers, to take a vote for "Village organization under the general law," January thirtieth (30) 1875 at one o'clock p.m. to four p.m. at G. W. Howard's store. The results of the election for or against organization under general law, there were twenty-one ballots cast and all were "for organization under the general law." The foregoing canvass and result of said Village election for organization under general law as held on the said day January 30, 1875 hereby declare the same to be duly organized under the statute laws of the State of Illinois and it is hereby ordered that the canvass and result of said election be entered upon the records of said Village of Towanda by the clerk of said Village.

2 Direct1y quoted from Revised Ordinances of The Village of Towanda. Published by Authority of the Board of Trustees of Said Village July 20, 1903 A.D.

25

PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARD

The following have served as Presidents of the Board for the Village of Towanda since its incorporation in 1870: 1870 1871-72 1873-74 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880-81 1882-84 1885 Samuel C. Ware Franklin Henderson Samuel C. Ware John A. Miller Robert Conover Henry Coons William W. Jones Henry Coons John G. Foster E. A. Peterson John G. Foster 1906-09 1910 1911-12 1913-14 1915-16 1917-18 1919-20 1921 1922 B. G. Fa1kingham E. E. Fincham E. B. Gatliff W. J. Cash E. I. Hunderson E. E. Fincham B. G. Falkingham C. J. Falkingham C. J. Falkingham (to Nov. 1922; L. H. Orendorff elected to fill unexpired term) 1886 1887 1888 1889-90 1891-93 1894 1895-96 1897-98 1899 Sam Marsh M. J. Wise J. H. Fa1kingham M. J. Wise B. G. Falkingham J. G. Foster W. J. Fincham B. G. Fa1kingham George Peterson (resigned in Aug., B. G. Fa1kingham appointed to serve unexpired term) C. B. Roberts 1923 1924-30 1931-32 1933-34 1935-40 1941-44 1945 H. V. Hilts E. E. Fincham Bert Hoots B. G. Fa1kingham E. E. Fincham Ed Wesley Horace Evans (resigned Feb. 1946 - Theodore Stapleton) Theodore Stapleton (appointed Pres. pro-tem in August) Theodore Stapleton (apppointed to fill unexpired term until April 1947) 1905 M. H. Fincham (replaced by B. G. Falkingham August 1905)

1946

1900-01

1947

1902-04

George D. Foster

26

1947

Harold Shoel (elected to 2 year term) Harold Shoel

1964-70

Murray Livingston (died in office) Jerry Henderson (appointed to fill unexpired term April 6, 1970 until regular election April 1971)

1948-52

1970-71

1953-56 1957-60 1961-63

Paris Hensley Jerry Henderson Paul V. Merritt (resigned August 1963) Murray Livingston (nominated to fill unexpired term of Paul Merritt 1971Jerry Henderson

1963

In 1889 the law was changed to elect the President of the Board, also trustees and clerk, by the legal voters. Prior to this, legal voters had elected a board of trustees who in turn chose officers from their own ranks. Since our incorporation each Board of Trustees has strived to improve the village to make it a better and safer place to live. In 1873 and 1874 money was allocated for the purpose of building the first sidewalks in the business and residential areas and slough crossings. In the business district the walks were 2 boards wide, of 2" oak and pine lumber with 3 or 4 oak sleepers or cross ties. The first walks in residential areas were 2" oak boards, one board wide. The slough crossings were made 3 boards wide and elevated above the high water level. The cost of these walks was shared equally by the property owners and village. In 1891 brick sidewalks were laid in the business district to replace the wooden walks. In 1904 a Sidewalk Ordinance was passed to replace walks in residential areas with brick. The first concrete sidewalk was laid through the North Park in October of 1916 and a small wall was built around the bandstand. In 1937 business men were asked to subscribe $100.00 each as their share of the cost for the blacktopping of Main Street by the Federal Works Project. Today all streets in the village are blacktopped and sidewalks are laid throughout. During 1974-75 some of the old sidewalks were replaced.

27

CALABOOSES

The first calaboose was a one story building constructed on property that is now the North Park. In 1878 a new calaboose 12' x 12' x 7'2", covered with cold tar or oil and mineral paint, was built, presumably on the same site. On January 2, 1892 a salaried officer was hired to patrol the streets from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday and Saturday 6 to 10 p.m. The town records dated February 6, 1901 show that a committee was appointed to investigate what became of the calaboose since it had apparently disappeared. As of this writing we have found no record of ;'what happened to the calaboose". In June 1904 a new jail was discussed and in 1912 a new brick jail was built behind the old town hall which was located on Madison street just south of the railroad. During the "Depression" of the 1930's the jail was used to house passers-through who were down-on-their-luck and in need of a night's free lodging. This structure was later demolished and a building was erected to store town maintainance equipment. In 1975 a much larger garage was built for this purpose.

New maintainance equipment garage. 1976

28

TELEPHONE SERVICE

The first telephone service was brought into Towanda on December 11, 1901 when the Towanda-Merna Telephone Company was granted the right to enter and maintain poles and wires under the supervision of the Street Commissioner and Marshal. In June 1916 Consolidated Switchboard Company, a farmers' exchange, was given a 99 year permit to build a building behind the town hall. No record shows that this structure was ever completed. The switchboard had been previously installed on the second floor of the Foster Retail and Wholesale Store in the Charles Howard Building on Main Street. The first switchboard operator was Mrs. Hester, assisted by her daughter Ina. Later Zina Cary Fincham became the operator and continued in this position until after the fire that completely destroyed this building, along with all the telephone equipment and records. Dr. May, whose office was in the building that now houses the laundromat, offered the use of his waiting room as a telephone office if the Telephone Board, composed of P. N. Jones, Albert Geiger, Sr., John Barnard and Henry Sutter, could obtain a switchboard. They installed a secondhand one at this temporary location until the Hirst building, then under construction, was completed. The equipment was moved to the second floor of that building where it remained until 1957. Eldon Dean, Sr., who had served as relief operator, took over the duty full time until a new operator could be found. Mrs. Frank Ratliff was hired as the new operator. Her husband Frank, and Theodore "Dory" Sawyer built and maintained lines and poles throughout the township. The first switchboard had 60 lines. It was increased to 150 lines, then to 250, and when Mrs. Ratliff retired in 1939 there were 400 lines. Mr. and Mrs. Chester served until 1957 when an successors and assigns to and system in the Village and Board of Trustees. Kirk took over the switchboard operation in 1939 and ordinance authorizing Inland Telephone Company, its construct, operate and maintain a telephone plant of Towanda, was passed and adopted by the President

FIRE DEPARTMENT

When the Village of Towanda was first established there was no organized means of fighting fires other than by the help of what might be referred to as the "bucket brigade" which was made up of any citizens who chanced to be around to throw water on the flames. For a small town Towanda has quite a fire record. Mr. Sunderland's large stream flour mill and warehouse were the first victims. The next fire

29

destroyed Mr. Warner's new mill. Mr. Campbell's dry goods store was burned and the new school house under construction was destroyed before its completion. Mr. Laney also lost a grocery store by fire. On September 22, 1905 a fire of unknown origin virtually destroyed the business portion of Towanda. The fire started in the George Howard building at 1:00 p.m. As the building was old, flames spread rapidly to the next building owned by a Mrs. A. P. Carr; next was the frame building used as a storehouse by Lormor and Cash, and beyond that the office of Dr. Keith. The brick building of Lormor and Cash was the salvation for the remaining part of the town. The merchandise and furniture from the stores, that had been piled in the street for safety, were also consumed by the flames. Since there was no supply of water, surrounding fire companies could not be called. The Alton Railroad sent an engine and men and by their heroic work the depot and elevator were saved. Many buildings in various parts of town caught fire from the sparks of the burning buildings but no serious losses were reported. The telephone operator and also the telegraph operator of the C. and A. were forced from their posts thus leaving the neighboring citizens to guess the results. In 1906 the Board of Trustees passed a fire ordinance to the effect that any building built thereafter should be erected of fire proof material, brick, stone or iron. In October of 1915 a representative of Obenchain-Bayer Company met with the board to explain the chemical fire engine. The company sent one engine for demonstration. It proved to be satisfactory and was accepted November 10, 1915. The following proposition was tendered by the company: Would furnish 2 engines, 30 ladders, 30 charges and a 24" fire bell for $800.00. The Town would have 4 years to pay at 6% interest. The proposition was accepted and the fire engines were moved immediately into the town hall. In October 1916 the fire engines were moved to Dr. Mays barn and kept there. The fire bell was installed on top of the Hirst building on November 20, 1916. It was later removed because of structural damage to the building. It is rumored that this bell originally came from the old Court House building in Bloomington. Who bought the old bell from Towanda Fire Department? We wonder too! On February 4, 1920 a Model T Ford truck was purchased from Henry Quensel on which the fire engines were mounted. On January 1, 1930 a meeting was held with Bayer and Company for new fire apparatus which included 2 tanks, 500 feet of water hose and Model A Ford truck. The Chrysler Marine fire engine has been preserved to the present. In 1934 Sam Arbuckle was appointed fire chief by the town board and was allowed $50.00 per year for all town calls and he was to collect a fee for calls outside the corporate limits. He was also paid $25.00 rent for storage of the fire truck.

30

31

32

Another fire truck, a 1936 Chevrolet referred to as "Old Whitey", is still maintained by Towanda Fire Protection District and used as a stand-by. It was formerly housed in a building on Main Street. This building was partitioned off and served as a meeting place for the Village Board until the new Community Building was completed in 1965. With the continued growth of Towanda fire still plagued the village. Early on the morning of October 14, 1951 fire, possibly incendiary, completely destroyed the office and warehouse of the Towanda Grain Company CoOperative. The alarm was first sounded at 5:15 a.m. by the telephone operator who noticed the line open as though someone were trying to callout. The blaze threatened the adjoining lumber yard as well as nearby homes and businesses on the Main Street less than a block away. Only a change in the wind was credited by local firemen with saving some of the nearby buildings. Firemen from Lexington, Bloomington and Normal were called to help battle the flames. The old town hall was destroyed by fire of unknown cause on April 5, 1966.

Towanda Town Hall which was immediately north of the site of our present Post Office. Building had originally been the Methodist Church, but had been purchased and moved to this location when new church, seen in background, was built. (Pantagraph Photo)

33

Fire has always been a cause for grave concern on the farm. Prairie fires in the early days became less of a hazard as fields were laid out and cultivated. Lightning was one of the main causes of fires, but with the invention of the lightning rod this problem was brought pretty much under control as far as farm buildings were concerned. Storage of improperly cured hay frequently caused spontaneous combustion in barns, and much livestock was lost to fire for this and other reasons. Sparks from coal burning locomotives often caused the destruction of many acres of crops. When a field caught fire, if possible the farmer tried to plow a lane wide enough to contain the conflagration, but on a windy day this was a futile attempt. When farm buildings caught fire the rule was to save what you could, then get a comfortable chair and watch the rest burn. Today this situation has been changed by the availability of modern firefighting equipment which is manned by the well trained crew of volunteers of the Towanda Fire Protection District.

TOWANDA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Early in 1962 a group of citizens determined Towanda's fire protection to be inadequate and antiquated. They found that almost $100,000 would be required to update the department which also served the surrounding rural area. It was further learned that the town could be held responsible for any fire damage occurring within its boundaries while the equipment was outside the corporate limits. Mason Crowe, Don Wade and Don Story canvassed the township to see if there might be enough interest to proceed with forming a fire protection district. Their findings were very encouraging. James Turner and John Scheets joined in the crusade and conducted organizational and planning meetings at the Old Town Hall.

Community Fire Station. 1976

On December 15, 1962 an election was held and the formation of a fire district was overwhelmingly approved. Judge Wayne Townley, Jr. appointed Chief Don Story as President of the Board of Trustees, with James Turner, Treasurer and John Scheets, Secretary. A $50,000 bond referendum was approved by the voters in 1963. In 1964 the present firehouse was erected on property donated by Amos Barton, president of the Towanda based Barton Construction Company. That same year two new trucks

34

were purchased; one a pumper, the other was a tanker. The 1936 fire truck ("Old Whitey") was purchased from the Village for $1. 00, with the provision that it would remain in the town at all times, in the event of an emergency while other equipment was on an out-of-town call. All units were radio-equipped in 1965. The District added a Utility Van in 1970, and in 1974 replaced it with the present lime-yellow, six-man cab, covered utility van. Towanda was first in the County to utilize the new emergency equipment color and is using it on all trucks as they need repainting. The Department maintains a well-trained crew of about twenty-five volunteer firemen, who answer an average of forty alarms per year. An area of approximately fifty-five square miles is covered by the District. A Volunteer Rescue Squad has been formed in the past few years. Its members have taken and passed a course in Paramedic Training. The squad is presently composed of Mrs. Russell McKinney, Richard Stephenson, and Mr. and Mrs. James Monical. The unit does not provide ambulance service, nor is it equipped to transport the sick and injured.

CIVIL DEFENSE

In 1968 money was appropriated for Civil Defense Fund. Defense Radio equipment was purchased by Civil Defense members. Over a period of years equipment has been added. There are now six (6) or seven (7) weather spotters that participate in weather watch program. In case of power failure these radios can provide communication with the outside world.

TOWANDA COMMUNITY BUILDING

The need for a new community center became a matter of much discussion in the early 1960's. The decision was finally made to go ahead with plans for a new building and the project was completed in 1965. Murray Livingston was the town mayor at the time. A brick exterior was used on the one-story structure which is one hundred feet in length by fifty feet in width. The interior contains a multiuse auditorium, kitchen, rest room facilities and an air-conditioned office which is used for Board meetings and the storing of town records and business equipment. The south section is presently used to house part of the town maintainance machinery until the new town garage is completed and ready for occupancy.

35

36

The Community Building in addition to its governmental functions, is used as a meeting place for organizations, family reunions, summer recreation center for youth and many others. Private groups are charged a nominal fee for the use of the facilities. ILLINOIS POWER COMPANY Electric lights were turned on in Towanda for the first time on May 1, 1926. The franchise was held by the Illinois Power and Light Company, which has since become the Illinois Power Company and still serves the town with electric power.

WATER Because of the diminishing water supply from privately owned wells and the failure in trying to locate new veins of water, sufficient enough to supply the needs of the village, the Board instituted action to buy water from the city of Bloomington. A special election was held November 30, 1938 to vote on the proposal of raising funds to construct a water works system for the purpose of supplying water for public and domestic use and fire protection in the Village. The system was constructed by the Public Works Project. The storage tower is located in the south park. As of this writing the Village is again negotiating a plan for the construction of a new under-ground water storage tank.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS In November of 1964 petitions were filed to bring natural gas to our Village. The project of laying a 10 inch gas main from the terminal north of ElPaso and establishment of local service was completed by late 1968 and residents could enjoy another modern convenience.

POSTAL HISTORY The nearest post office to early settlements was located in Mackinaw, Tazewell County. Men on horseback drove cattle to Peoria and on their return trip would stop and pick up mail. If anyone wished to send letters, the cost was 25� per stamp. A post office was established at Blooming Grove, east of Mackinaw. Later a mail route was established from Ottowa to Springfield and since Money Creek Timber was on this route a post office was set up near Fifer Bridge on Money Creek, several miles north of where Towanda was mapped out.

37

William Bishop was appointed June 7, 1843 as Towanda's first postmaster. He would go once a week, on horseback, to the post office at Fifer and return with the mail. On June 3, 1854 William D. Moore was appointed postmaster and the post office was located in his home just north of the Village on the H. V. Hilts farm. Mail was contracted to be carried by train in 1855 and a post office building was established on Main Street. On August 3, 1855 David S. Kinnan was appointed Postmaster. The building was near the location of the now vacant barbershop. Later the post office equipment was moved to the Roadnight Hall. It was located in the east end of this building. It was later moved to the Cash and Lormer grocery store.

38

After the Roadnight Hall burned in 1905 and new buildings were erected by Hans Sachs, the post office was moved to the building now owned by Mrs. Lillie Ratliff. It remained at this location until the new post office on the south side of the railroad was built and dedicated on May 27, 1971. Until as late as 1955 mail was brought in and sent out by local train service. All of this mail is now brought in and taken out by truck. Postal service to rural areas is provided by a rural mail carrier.3 This notice appeared in the Towanda Newspaper in 1902 from F. H. Lormor, Post Master: "Letters to be delivered on rural route must have a 2� stamp on them." Postmasters and Dates of Appointment William J. Bishop...June 7, 1843 William D. Moore....June 3, 1854 David S. Kinnan.....Aug. 3, 1855 Thomas Y. Laney.....Jan. 30, 1856 C. G. Strother......Nov. 10, 1856 Jeremiah Ewing......Apri1 21, 1859 Alexander Fincham...Oct. 8, 1866 George Peterson......Mar. 30, 1889 Alonzo E. Nichols....May 23, 1893 Francis Moats........April 30, 1896 Fred H. Lormor.......April 27, 1899 Roy Vanneman.........Dec. 3, 1907 Sam McMul1en ........June 17, 1922 (Mrs. Imo Kenyon......Feb. 1, 1940 Acting PM) J. Amelia Crichton...Jan. 1, 1941 Charles W. Gruber....Ju1y 1, 1962 Donald L. Miller.....April 19, 1968 Dorothy M. White.....Dec. 1, 1973

Jeremiah Ewing......Mar. 24, 1868 William H. Macy.....May 6, 1870 Samuel C. Ware......Feb. 10, 1874 Franklin Barnes.....Dec. 30, 1886 Mathias Fincham.....Nov. 30, 1887

Following is the available rural route information concerning the Post Office at Towanda, Illinois. Carriers Benjamin K. Gatliff....7/1/l902 - 1/0/03 Roy C. Vanneman........6/l7/l922 - 10/31/38 John T. Smith..........l/10/1903 - 6/16/22
3 Compiled from records of the State and Archives of Washington D. C.

39

Route #2 established September 1, 1904. Carriers Walter A. Dotson......9/1/04 - 7/9/24 Ralph W. Crose........3/2/25 - 10/31/38 Benjamin Dotsch.......7/10/24 - 2/28/25 (Temp. ) Route #2 discontinued October 31, 1938. One carrier used for combined routes. Ralph W. Crose....10/31/38 - 2/1/63 Albert Mi11er....2/2/63 - present

Towanda Post Office. 1976

The present Post Office was dedicated on May 27, 1961. Following is the Dedication Program: Master of Ceremonies.........................Jerry Henderson Band Music...................................Director - Mr. Pike Recognition of Sponsors and Committees.......Amelia Crichton Invocation...................................Rev. Walter Davis Saxaphone Solo...............................Stanley Hirst Introductions
Federal Records Center, 1724 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103.

40

Official Letters History......................................Louis F. Hirst Address Dedication and Prayer..........Rev. Earl O'Neal

Message from Post Master General Day Dedication Address...........................Earl Barnhart Presentation of Safety Award and Flag........Earl Barnhart Advance of Color Guard ......................Lee Miller Legion Post Ode to the Flag..............................David Winter Flag Raising Ceremony National Anthem Pledge of Allegiance Benediction..................................Rev. John Adams Open House Music........................................Roger Lubbers Our Postal Zip Code 61776 is most appropriate for this Bicentennial Year.

RAILROAD

In February 1847 an Act was passed by Congress granting a charter for the construction of a railroad from Alton to Springfield. Another Act was passed in February 1851 which extended the railroad on to Bloomington. Completed in 1852 it was called Chicago and Mississippi Railroad. Another Act was passed to complete the railroad to Chicago. The railroad from Alton to Chicago was completed in 1854 and became known as the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad. The first station was built in Towanda in 1854. Wesley F. Bishop was the first station agent and served in this capacity before any dwelling had been erected. As the community grew and was incorporated the Board of Trustees passed ordinances to insure the safety of its citizens. The first of these was an ordinance in 1890 that trains were not to run any faster than 6 miles per hour through town. In 1907 they asked that electric bells be installed at each crossing within the corporate limits.

41

Steam engine switching freight cars at Towanda. Probably about 1908.

Driving a horse and buggy to Bloomington was an all day trip, so most people went on the train, a "local" pulled by a steam engine. There was always such a crowd waiting to make the trip, one was lucky to find a seat either in the depot or on the train. For years the "Denver" came through 10:00 A.M. and the "Noon" train about 12:30 and the "Hummer" at about 9:30 P.M. In about 1896 when the inter-urban railroads were starting to be built, several railroads introduced one car steam engines to compete with them. The C. and A. operated trains hourly each way between Bloomington and Pontiac. They made stops at any R.R. crossing to pick up passengers, milk, or produce. In 1905 weekly excursions made it possible to go to Chicago and return for $2.50 and to Springfield for $2.05. The night train often had to be "flagged" to stop for passengers unless it stopped to let some off. "Posy" Sands was one of the early railroad telegraphers and he taught numerous young men of Towanda the trade. Many men were employed as section hands on the railroad. There was a residence along the track north of town in which the section boss and his family lived. Boxcars parked along the siding housed the laborers. The Cotter family, early residents of Towanda, lived in a house along the R.R. northeast of town. Mr. Cotter and his four sons became high executives in the railroad world. Later the Mansky family came to Towanda from Germany and lived in what was the section house. Mr. Mansky was section foreman for many years. His son Frank became an engineer on the C. and A. Another son, Gus, served as agent in Towanda for many years, later went to Pontiac and then to Normal and Bloomington, continuing his career as agent until his death. He also served as band-master while in Towanda. In 1917 the original C. and A. depot, a source of complaint of Villagers, was set afire by lightning. A local humorist remarked that the man who put out

42

the blaze deserved to be arrested. The same bolt struck and destroyed the switchboard in the telephone office and cut off all communication. On August 26, 1920 ground was broken for a new C. and A. depot at Towanda. The new structure was a much appreciated improvement and served as a passenger depot until late 1920's and continued as a freight station until 1972. The building was torn down in 1974. One of the men who helped in removing the concrete foundation remarked "it has to be old - it's as hard as iron and the concrete must surely have been hand mixed and poured" - it was. It also might be noted that on May 20, 1903 a permit was issued to Bloomington, Pontiac and Joliet Railway Co. for building an electric railway. They were to lay down, construct, maintain and operate a single or double track railroad to be powered other than by steam, within the corporate limits of Towanda. Since the specified time limit was not met the system was never developed. By an Act of Congress on September 20, 1850, the Illinois Central Railroad was granted the even numbered sections contiguous to the railroad, six sections wide on each side from Chicago to Mobile, Alabama. In the event that such sections had been previously granted, the boundary could be extended as far as fifteen miles to compensate for the shortage. Over 2,000,000 acres were granted to the Illinois Central in Illinois for the purpose of promoting the building of a line from Chicago to the Gulf. The subsequent sale of these lands helped finance the building and operation of the system. On the accompanying map the shaded area indicates the lands granted to the Illinois Central Railroad in Towanda Township as filed and recorded June 4, 1852 in Deeds, Book "R", pages 280 and 286, at the McLean County Recorder's Office. The two sets of double-diagonal lines, extending northeast to southwest, represent the then-existing main roads through the territory and reportedly originated from Indian trails. The Town of Towanda had not yet been laid out. The south end of Money Creek Timber is shown in Sections 4 and 5, while Smith's Grove is indicated in Sections 10 and 15. In 1882 the Illinois Central Railroad built the Kankakee Branch Line, running east and west across the southern part of Towanda Township. More information on this may be found in the Barnes and Merna sections of this book.

43

44

TOWANDA SCHOOLS

Education has always been considered of prime importance by the members of the community, and the first school was established before the Town of Towanda was laid-out. Eventually there were seven elementary schools and a high school in the Township.

(1) Smith's Grove - Dist. 156 Smith's Grove School was named for the grove in which it was located. The first organized school in the township was held here. The building which was constructed from logs, served as a school, church and community meeting house. Earliest records show that the first classes were conducted in 1850 for twenty-seven registered pupils, with Joanna Beaty as teacher. The School Directors were Jesse Walden, William Halterman and Mr. Bishop. l On April 14, 1855 a meeting of the legal voters was called for the purpose of selecting a site for a new school building. A. R. Jones was Chairman. Cyrus Jones, Clerk, recorded "ten votes cast for the location of said school house nearly six rods inside the field North West of the old school house". One vote was cast for Blue Mound. As determined by this vote, a new building was constructed that year in the southeast corner of Section 9. It was used, with a few remodelings, until 1948 when the McLean County Unit District 5 was formed. l

Smith's Grove School in the 1890's.

1 Taken from Smith's Grove School Ledger which is now on file at Illinois State University.

45

SMITH'S GROVE SCHOOL 1897 Front row Henry Skinner, Leora Jones Van Petten, Ellis Skinner, Etta Jones Dawson, Len Jones. Ruby Jones Cash, Essyl Jones Stubblefield, Imogene Heller Kenyon, Luella Cameron Parr, Mabel Jones Cary, Guy Cameron, Jesse Jones, Asa Abbott. Lottie Cameron Reed, Leila Heller Payne, Ezva Steele, Vesta Jones Cary. Charles Abbott, Della Heller Wakefield, Enoch Hirst (teacher), Ethel Heller.

2nd row

-

3rd row

-

Top row

-

46

(2) In the Town of Towanda - Dist. 158 Towanda's school history frame building was located on Jefferson St., on Monroe. The the building was in use for a volunteers. dates back approximately to 1854 when a one-room the present site of the Hargis home, west of first teacher was N. M. Jones. As late as 1863 meeting in connection with a call for Civil War

In 1866 a new school building, to accommodate the increasing number of pupils, was built on the present site but was destroyed by fire before completion. A part of the second floor of the Roadnight Hall was fitted up as a schoolroom and was used for several sessions. The teacher was a Miss Sue Pike. The young depot agent, James Sanders, was interested in the teacher and when he felt the urge to converse with her he merely raised the depot window and delivered his message through the air. She, likewise, from a window in the hall, replied. She later became Mrs. Sanders and a new teacher was appointed.

Towanda School in 1867.

In 1867 a frame building was erected on the present site. The first teacher in the new building was Mr. Thrasher. Three teachers were regularly employed. For forty-six years it served despite all efforts to obtain a new building to meet the pressing needs. The old staircase was worn to a series of hills and hollows, with nail heads shining in the center of each plank. The large stoves used for heating were a fire hazard, increased by mesh wire over each window. The upper floor was wood ceiled and all dry as tinder. Parents spent anxious moments visualizing possible catastrophe. A hard fought election in 1912 resulted in providing a $12,000.00 bond issue. In 1913 the old building was torn down and the lumber used in erecting a dwelling house. School was held in the Town Hall (Rent of $12.50 per month was paid) and churches until the new brick building was ready for use for opening of school in 1913. The entrance and south wing of the present building; the plan was purposely chosen to permit a north wing to be added later.

47

New Towanda School in 1912.

In 1894 a two year high school course was organized. Mary Reedy Geiger and Laura Hilts completed the course without notice as did Enoch Hirst. Inez Sachs, sole member of the third class, was honored with commencement exercises. The class of 1899 organized an alumni association and a reunion of all graduating classes held a banquet annually. A third year was added in 1906 to the high school course and the fourth in 1911. Growing enrollment, one grade too many and rising standards had rendered the building of 1913 inadequate. The era of falling prices for materials and an accumulated building fund provided for the proposed new addition. The election was held and passed. A second election for the addition of a gymnasium was held and passed by a vote of 3 to 1. Before the addition of the gymnasium the Town Hall was used for athletic purposes, as well as for senior plays. The two building projects were handled separately. On Sunday December 4, 1932 the new wing was open for inspection. A reunion held after the completion of the gymnasium in 1933 brought the end to alumni meetings. A Community High School District was formed in 1938 which included the other districts in the township. At this time the Towanda school system became affiliated with Illinois State Normal University as a training school for future teachers. This arrangement was discontinued in 1943.

48

Towanda School as seen after the 1932 addition. (Pantagraph Photo)

The modern trend toward concentration brought the country school to the village. In 1948 the Towanda school, as well as the 7 rural schools of the township, became a part of Unit District 5. The last high school class to graduate from the local high school was the class of 1948. The school continued as a grade school and junior high school until 1956. The last eighth grade class was graduated in that year. The consolidation into Unit District 5 brought about the construction of a cafeteria and new classrooms on the east side of the building, completed in 1953. Qualified students have been bussed to school since 1948 when the Unit 5 District was formed. P.T.A. has always played an important roll by sponsoring many worthwhile projects for the schools. However in 1974 the local parents voted to withdraw from the national organization and now function as P. T. O.

49

50

(3) Phoenix School - Dist. 155 About 1867 Phoenix School was located in the south west corner of Section 13, but as additional people settled in the northern part of the district, a proposal to move the school farther north, for their convenience, was put to a vote. It was defeated by two ballots, but the matter wasn't by any means settled, for one night a group of men put the house on skids and started to move it. About halfway to the new site they abandoned the project. The directors decided to complete the move and it was finally located in the north west corner of the S. W. Quarter of Section 12. For many years thereafter it was known as "Run Away School". This small building was replaced in 1875 by a much larger one, which was remodeled several times and kept in excellent condition until it became a part of Unit 5 in 1948. (4) Merna School - Dist. 154 This school was built in 1869 on the north east corner of Section 35. Prior to that time a school was conducted in a small building one-half mile west of this site. It was first known as "Hanley School", later as "Kerwin School" and after Merna was established in 1883 it was called "Merna School". There were extensive remodeling projects in 1915 and 1923, at which time it was enlarged and faced toward the east. In 1948 this school became a part of Unit District 5. (5) Barnes School - Dist. 152 Calvin Barnes owned the section of land on which this school and Barnes Station were located. The first school was a small frame building erected in 1865 near the Ill. Central R.R., but in 1881 it was moved to a site on the north side of the tracks in the southwest corner of Section 29. It was remodeled several times before the district joined Unit 5 in 1948. (6) Ballard School - Dist. 153 This school was named for nearby land owners Frank and Harve Ballard. A small frame school was built in the early 1860's on the northwest corner of Section 34. In 1869 it was moved and a new, larger house was built. In 1915 this was extensively remodeled and became the first rural school in the county to install a jacketed stove for the comfort and safety of the pupils. It was consolidated with Unit 5 in 1948. (7) Burfield School - Dist. 157 This school had the dubious distinction of getting its name from the surrounding fields of cockleburs, and thus it was called "Burfield Academy". The district was organized in 1865, and a frame building was constructed in the southeast corner of Section 18. This house served as a school until 1927 when it was replaced by a new brick structure at a cost of $6,000. It was the finest in the county. At that time Henry Sutter, Conrad Shaeffer and Frank Kraft were the directors in this district. When Unit 5 was formed in 1948, the building was sold for a residence.

51

CHURCHES

Churches were organized in this community before Towanda became a settled center. The people who organized these churches grew up in the time of Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay and other great national figures. They worshipped by coal stoves and kerosene lamps. They drove over frozen roads in winter, and through summer dust and mud. They worked six days and rested on the seventh. They and those who came after left us a priceless inheritance of which the remaining buildings stand only as a symbol.

The United Brethern Church The United Brethern Church was the first church to be organized in our area, as well as the first of that denomination to be established in the State of Illinois. Meetings were held at the log cabin home of Jacob and Sarah Moats, which was located about two and one-half miles north of the present Village of Towanda, in Money Creek Township.

The United Brethern Church located in Money Creek Twp.

The original membership included four people: Jesse and Rebecca Havens from Havens Grove, and the Moatses. Isaac Messer, a local minister, led in the organization. Ministers came at intervals which included weekdays and evenings, as well as Sundays. Church was held when the preacher came, sometimes three or four weeks apart. In 1856 a church building was constructed across the road from the Moats home which had served for sixteen years as a meeting place for the congregation.

52

Early days of the church were marked by revivals, held by the circuit rider or by a group of laymen. Early attendants also were Indians of the Kickapoo Tribe from Old Town and Indian Grove, who came in typical peacetime dress with their interpreter and the wife of their chief. The latter's pony was guided by a silver bridle. After a service the bridle was missing, although later the congregation found and restored the property, no one could restore the Indian's faith in the white man's religion. They never came again. The old church, unused after 1911, was later torn down. A stone monument today marks the approximate site where it once stood.

The Towanda Presbyterian Church In 1856 there was neither church nor Sabbath School in Towanda. In 1852 Cyrus Jones organized a Sunday School in the Smith Grove school house located in S.E. corner of Sect. 9 of Towanda Township. Mr. Jones spoke at the organizing, although at that time he was not a member of any church. He felt the need of a place for the young people to meet. He conducted the school for several years and it was undoubtedly the beginning of the Presbyterian Church.

Presbyterian Church and Manse

The first church meeting was held in the Smith Grove Schoolhouse without desks or seats, except for a few rough boards gathered up. The Presbytery of Peoria at the regular meeting in Clinton, Illinois, Sept. 17, 1856, in answer to a petition for the organization of a Presbyterian Church at Smiths Grove, McLean Co., Illinois, appointed Ministers F. N. Ewing, Robert Conover, Luther Dodd and Ruling Elder, Joseph A. Barton, a Committee to organize a church at Smiths Grove if the way be clear.

53

Nov. 19, 1856 the church was duly organized, the proceedings and membership recorded with the statement, "The Rev. R. Conover has been previously invited by the organization to supply them with preaching for one year from August 1, 1856. The charter members numbered eleven: David C. Rayburn David C. Rayburn, Sr. John C. Rayburn John M. Rayburn Nancy Rayburn Mary Rayburn, Jr. John Slough Martha Slough Mrs. Angeline Ewing Ann Rayburn

All but two were previously members of Mackinaw Presbyterian Church. Another group of worshippers also met in the Smiths Grove School who organized and became the Towanda Baptist Church. They built their church in Towanda in 1859. For a short time they shared the use of their building on alternate Sundays until the new Presbyterian Church was finished. At the regular meeting of the Peoria Presbytery at Elmwood, April 17, 1857 the committee reported the Presbyterian Church organized, named Towanda Presbyterian Church, and its name enrolled on the register of Illinois churches. On January 24, 1863 a committee was appointed to select a building site in the village of Towanda. They selected a site on the northwest corner of Adams and Taylor Streets. On January 24, 1864 the beautiful new brick building was dedicated debt free, except $150.00 for the Minister's salary. The church cost $4,200.00 and was built by the Wilson Bros., of Bloomington. The bricks were made by a man named Baylor who had a brick yard one-half mile north of the railroad bridge. From the first historic notation signed "R. Conover, Sec.," and later "R. Conover, Moderator and Clerk" until September 2, 1877 same engraving-like handwriting made careful note of history, session meetings, baptisms, membership list, finances, building activities, and deaths, even to obituaries of some members. In Rev. Conover's twenty years of pastorate the church grew from its original membership of eleven to 105 in 1873, with 85 on the roll when he resigned in 1877. With his wife, Harriet (Hattie) Hilts Conover, he owned and resided on a farm on the southern outskirts of Towanda, which many years later was occupied by the E. E. Fincham family and is now partially included in the Lamplighter Subdivision. He was able to be present November 16, 1896 to help celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the church of his labors. Following Rev. Conover's pastorate the church was served by regular ministers and student pastors until 1895. It was in that year that the Manse was built on adjacent ground to the west.

54

In 1924 the church was covered with a new roof and the interior was completely redecorated. The Presbyterian and Methodist churches merged in 1945 and for a time held their services alternately in the two buildings. Eventually the Presbyterian Church ceased to be used and was razed January 16, 1973. Baptist Church In the year of 1865 the house of Bro. J. D. Kent was burned and with it the records of Towanda Baptist Church, he being the church clerk at that time. The following is such an abstract of the history of the church as can be collected. "In the month of February 1856 the Rev. S. P. Ives, Pastor of the Bloomington Baptist Church held a series of meetings at Smith's Grove. Souls were converted and 3 were baptized: Adam Livingston, Sr., Dewitt Livingston and Mary King. Six others were received by letter and experience. When the church was constituted it was composed of 9 members. Brother Alfred Whittridge was chosen clerk. In the latter part of March Rev. Ives sent out J. Cairns a Licientate of Bloomington Baptist Church to fill his appointment. Mr. Cairns continued to supply the pulpit until June 1, 1856 when he received and accepted a call and became Pastor of the church officially. On the 18th of June, 1856 a council convened, composed of some 60 delegates, representing the following churches: Bloomington, Lexington, Hudson and Kappa. Brother G. C. White, having been received by the church, was baptized by Bro. Ives, also Nelson Jones, but he never joined the church.

As it looked before steeple was removed.

All went smoothly until 1858 when infidelity, combined with some sprinkled professors, in connection with other churches undertook to put down the church by locking the schoolhouse door against the members." In the meantime, steps were taken to change the name and location of the church to Towanda.
Taken from original abstract of the History of Towanda Baptist Church.

55

In October, 1856 some having been converted, the church requested the Bloomington Baptist Church to call a council to ordain the minister Pastor Cairns which took place October 29, 1856 in Bloomington. The following served the church as officers: J. N. King, W. L. Ballard and J. Langley. A meeting house was started in Towanda in 1860 and completed in 1861. The logs for the first church, built on the present site, were hand hewn by Sam Marsh. According to records the congregation was large. In the early 1860's they held three weekly prayer meetings and a union Sabbath school. In 1869 the present structure ws completed on land donated to the church by James Langley. The church has been improved many times since it was built. The steeple was lowered for safety reasons. A central heating system was installed. The basement has been finished to be used as Sunday School rooms. It also has kitchen facilities for social affairs. In the past few years the sanctuary has been completely remodeled. Behind the Baptistry is a hand painted mural done by three generations: Lillian Michael, Louise Michael Gibson (daughter) and Dick Nice (grandson). The original sterling silver communion set is still in use. The old pump organ has long since been replaced with a new electric organ. The wood from the organ was used to make a new lectern for the church. The large Bible, copyright in 1895, is still in use. The church celebrated its centennial in 1956. The present interim minister is Mr. Swobe of Lexington.

Methodist Church The Methodist Episcopal Church history in Towanda begins with the romantic figure of the circuit rider. Earliest church records were lost. Events stated are heresay of early residents of Towanda. Meetings were held by circuit riders in the Money Creek homes of the Dodsons, Bishops and Croses. A Zion Methodist Church once stood in the midst of Zion Cemetery but was later torn down. Some members became charter members of the Village Church. The history therefore officially begins with the dedication of the first church building September 24, 1867 with Rev. W. P. Graves, Pastor. After 30 years the original building was sold and moved, to be used first as an implement store and then later as the Town Hall. The present brick structure was built and dedicated, without incumbrance, on the site of the old church in 1895 when Rev. Fred Giddings was pastor. Bishop Cranston presided. Among student pastors of the past were Rev. Alfred Linfield, Illinois Conference statistician and Rev. John Ryan, later chaplain of Pontiac reformatory. The longest pastorate was that of Mrs. W. H. (Sarah) Dudman. She served the local church, brought its work and membership steadily higher until her resignation in the 1930's. Rev. Virgil Bolen, a later pastor, was instrumental in organ1z1ng the first local church affiliation. (The merging of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches). It crystallized the conviction of many earnest church supporters

56

that a small community could better serve by combining efforts. On June 10, 1945 he put the question to his congregation and it was unanimously approved. The approval from the Presbyterian congregation was by unanimous vote. A basis for organization was drawn up whereby each group, regardless of membership numbers, shared equally the payment of the pastor's salary. The congregation of the two met alternately in the two churches; joined in church and Sunday school services, each cared separately, as in the past, for its own local expense and denominational obligations. Through 9 years of meeting problems as they came, the Methodist Conference and Illinois Presbytery gave their consent to withdrawal of members into a Community Church organization under the leadership of Rev. Earl O'Neal. Two years of research by a twelve member committee from the two denominations, many conferences with state and district church heads all marked by the spirit of cooperation for the best service of Christ to the community, marked the transition. Sunday, September 12, 1964 Rev. Earl O'Neal's ordination as pastor of the International Council of Community Churches was held. At this time all work of organization was ready for vote and the beginning of the new year by the last of September or early in October. Since that time he has been called to another church, and several ministers have served here. Today the organization is known as the New Testament Bible Church with Rev. Leon Piatt as minister.

Saint Patrick's Catholic Parish of Merna As early as 1860 some of the Catholic families of these parts drove in lumber wagons to Bloomington for Mass, whenever they could. Others drove to Lexington to attend Mass at the home of Dan Shine, Tom Maloney or Tim Fenton. In 1866 following the near-fatal illness of Patrick Kinsella, Father O'Hara of Bloomington, who had been summoned to minister to the sick man, told Mrs. Kinsella that the neighboring Catholics should have Mass in a local home. It was arranged to have Mass every second Sunday in the home of the Edward Han1eys. On several occasions the James Merna home was used and following the building of the Merna School in 1867, it was generally used. Father McDermott, Pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Bloomington encouraged the local congregation to build a church. Subscriptions were given and a frame building was begun on land donated by Patrick Kinsella, the SW corner of Section 25, with farmers doing as much of the work as was possible. In 1876,

57

Bishop John Lancaster Spaulding dedicated the church. In 1883, Father Edward Ryan was appointed the first resident pastor. He roomed and boarded with the Richard Kerwins, as did his successor Father E. L. O'Connor. Seeing the growth of the parish, Father O'Connor began plans for a rectory. The town of Merna lay a mile to the north of the church, and it was here that Father purchased an acre of land from Edward Crane and the parsonage was built. The following winter, 1886, it burned to the ground. The house was rebuilt the following summer. In 1888, Father Daniel O'Dwyer was named as the pastor. A new church was planned because the existing building was too small for the growing congregation and was located one mile south of the rectory and the town of Merna. The new church was built where it stands today, and was dedicated on June 30, 1891. The need for a cemetery was felt and five acres were bought from Mr. William Casey in 1893. Known as Holy Cross Cemetery, it is located one mile east of the church, in Blue Mound Township. Following are pastors who succeeded Father O'Dwyer. Father Mckinnery came in 1898. He was followed by the Reverend E. C. Hearn in 1900. In June 1902, a cyclone struck Merna and did considerable damage to the church, wrecking the steeple. It completely destroyed the original church building which had been moved to Merna and used as a parish center. Father Hearn Saint Patrick's Catholic Church at Merna. conducted Sunday Mass on the south lawn during the period of repair to the church. In March of 1913, Father Stephen Moore succeeded Father Hearn and remained for eighteen months, to be followed by the Reverend John Lentz. In 1917, the Reverend Charles O'Brien came to serve for a year. Father John Fitzpatrick, a Bloomington native, came in 1918 and remained until May, 1929. Father John D. Ring was the next pastor until 1950 when he was succeeded by Father Walter Buche. Father Raymond C. Sprague, the present pastor, came in 1956.

58

YESTERDAY'S TOWANDA

At the corner of Main and Jefferson streets where the F. S. Service Station now stands, in the 1890's and later, Fred Windler had a small harness shop. Traveling east on Main Street, the visitor would see a small grocery store which was owned and operated by George Foster. The next building housed John Pumphrey's blacksmith shop. Next was the Macy residence; known as the "Hotel Macy" since Mrs. Macy kept roomers and boarders. Adjacent to the hotel was the Macy Drug Store. Beyond that was the former Roadnight Building which had been purchased by George Howard. It contained several stores on the first floor, while on the second floor were apartments and a large gymnasium. In 1905 the Roadnight-Howard building burned and shortly thereafter a new building replaced it. Following the Howards' sale of the property, it was owned by Frank Mansky and eventually by Frank Ratliff. For many years it housed a restaurant, pool hall, grocery store and drug store. The next building was the Towanda State Bank, followed by Hirst's Store, the Library (now the laundry), the Masonic building (formerly the Cash building) which was sold to Eldon Schumm in 1965 and was used as a recreation center. In 1975 it housed the Woodrum Cycle Shop and is presently the D.L.S. Cafe. Prior to 1915 there was another large building to the east of these which was known as the Charles Howard building. George Foster moved from the west end of Main street to this location and operated a wholesale and retail merchandise business until it was destroyed by fire in 1915. In the early days Sam Marsh, Sr. had a butcher shop and Mr. Fillmore had a barber shop east of the Charles Howard building. In the 1860's on the lot where Mrs. Ratliff's residence now stands, was a tavern known as the Buena Vista upon which several hatchet-carrying ladies made a destructive raid. Following is an account of that sensational happening as it was retold in the Pantagraph on June 4, 1938.

"WRECK OF THE BUENA VISTA"

Unique in the history of small towns, and perhaps in any town was an event in the sixties when a group of women, armed with hatchets, out did the celebrated Carrie Nation of a later era. Three saloons in the village, of which the Buena Vista was one, ate up family incomes at such a rapid rate that the women of the village took the law into their own hands and when they were done, so also was the "Buena Vista." Mrs. Sarah McMullen, who was one of the actors in the drama, gave the story of the raid to the writer.

59

Mrs. Mary V. Hilts who witnessed the later demonstration on the station platform recounted that story and reported the punishment. Ten names can be given as authentic although more may have had a part. They are Mrs. Sarah McMullen, Mrs. Rebecca Halterman, Mrs. Elizabeth Dodson, Mrs. Prudy Bishop, Mrs. Sallie Russell, Mrs. Susan Baylor, Mrs. John Fennell, Mrs. Harriett Pumphrey, Mrs. John Cary, and "Grandma" Laney. By previous secret appointment they met as the evening shadows gathered and went first to the hardware store where they were supplied with hatchets. The hardware store stood near the present building occupied until recently by John Enlow, near the south west end of the "bias" Main Street of the village. The Buena Vista stood on the northeast end, where the Frank Ratliff's brick residence now stands. They traveled main street in battle array, but since history records no by standers and no non-combatants, it must have been a grimly silent march. When they entered the enemy's stronghold, armed with hatchets and unswerving determination, four men engaged in a card game were shocked to see women in any capacity, to say nothing of such a militant group, in a saloon, arose and fled. As an afterthought, they returned to salvage their hats, but did not interrupt the slaughter. One individual at the bar, in the act of raising a long strong drink of whiskey to his lips had the glass dashed from his hand by a blow from a hatchet. The bartender, seeing himself outclassed and deserted, seated himself on the bar, and watched the devastation. When supplies ran low, he directed the women to the reserve stock in the storeroom. Bottles were smashed, furniture also. One woman threw bottled goods from the shelves through a small window. Mrs. Susan Baylor seated herself outside and the bottles that survived the trip through the window, she calmly smashed over a convenient stump. Barrels of liquor were rolled in from the store room and the heads knocked in. The contents mounted in a rising tide that soaked the shoes and bedraggled the long skirts of the raiders. Mrs. Rebecca Halterman, a tiny wisp of a woman, who always wore dainty buttoned kid boots, had on a new pair which became so whiskey soaked she could never wear them again. The leather broke into strips, peeled and curled as if the owner had baked her footwear in the oven. But after the victory--judgment. Liquor had the law on its side. The women were called into court to answer for their offense. Two different actions were reported after a lapse of 40'years, each as authentic. One, a fine of a dollar each, paid by friends; the other, no conviction and no fine, but agreement is solid on one point: a good dinner served at a Bloomington hotel and an afternoon outing thrown in for good measure. When the evening train drew into the station at Towanda the platform was crowded with people some of whom were waiting to board another train bound for Bloomington and soon due, ready to go to the aid of the women, pay fines, go

60

bail, or otherwise show their sentiments. All were eager to see the village heroines and do homage to them. Thus ended the wreck of the Buena Vista. The building that housed the wrecked saloon was by turns a general store, a butcher shop, a dwelling and finally a barber shop. A fire of undetermined origin put the finishing touch to it.

In the late 1800's a photographer came to town annually with his studioan-wheels. He set up shop in the triangular area at the east end of Main Street, where the Christmas tree now stands. Everyone had pictures taken and framed. Later, in 1906 or 1910 another photographer, Mr. Lake, brought his trailer shop and set up in the same spot. He specialized in "Penny" pictures, which became very popular.

"Wrestling Bear"

Early 1900's

Another annual event that drew much attention in the early 1900's was the arrival of a man and his trained bear. The bear would wrestle all challengers and although gambling was strictly prohibited, many wagers were won and lost on the outcome of these matches. What is now known as the North Park was a pasture enclosed by a barbwire fence. The village callaboose stood on the southwest corner, a small two-cell building constructed of two plies of hard lumber. In 1894 trees were set out in the park after a the Village Board meeting. At the time nearly every a vote of the Board President, since sides on every divided. His vote in this case resulted in a street businessmen. very heated discussion in decision had to be made by question were evenly fight between two

61

For many years summertime found traveling tent circuses and medicine shows camped in the park and providing entertainment for the community. Chautauquas were also held here, or on the streets in summer and in the churches or Town Hall in the wintertime. Yards were fenced for good reasons; one was due to the fact that many families owned a cow. During the grass season a herdsman (usually young boys) was engaged. Each morning he went from house to house, adding a cow to his collection, possibly twenty in all. He herded them through the streets and out to the country roads to graze. When evening came he returned his cows to their respective homes to be milked and put away for the night.

Horse and buggy tethered to public hitching rack in North Park. Picture was taken shortly after the big fire in 1905.

For the convenience of those who drove horses and teams, the alley behind the buildings on Main Street was lined with hitching racks made of posts and heavy chains, where people tied their animals while shopping. Later, similar facilities were located on the south side of Main Street near the depot. During the period before electricity the streets were very dark at night. However, around the turn of the century a few kerosene street lights were installed. Homes, churches, businesses and public buildings were lighted by kerosene lamps. Some hung from the ceiling, others were bracketed, and there were table lamps. All these had to be filled and cleaned every day. Gasoline and alladin lamps were a later improvement over kerosene and in 1926 electricity came to Towanda. Farmers brought their cattle, hogs and sheep to the stockyards which were located in the southwest part of town along the railroad. Since they had to be driven on foot in the days before trucks, during hot weather it was customary to bring them in at night to the yards. They could then be loaded on the train and shipped to Chicago. Frequently the noise from these activities kept the neighboring residents awake for hours.

62

63

View of Towanda business district, probably taken about 1910.

64

65

66

67

The town water well was located east of the depot. Each home had its own cistern and well. A railroad well which supplied water for the steam engines was located near the creek, back of the present Robert Arbuckle home. The supply tank for the trains was near the depot. South of the railroad was a grain company and lumber yard, operated by Hans Sachs. East of that was a coal and grain business operated by Ben Falkingham. They are now merged into the Towanda Grain Company.

68

69

1938 view of Towanda, looking northeast.

(Pantagraph Photo)

70

Mr. Edward Gabriel came to Towanda from Chicago in the early 1900's and opened a drugstore in the George Howard building on Main Street. He bought drugs and some of the fixtures from the Macy drugstore when it was sold. He had to retire in the early 1920's due to a heart condition. L. J. Michael bought the drugstore stock and in 1926 sold it to Edward C. Biasi, a Bloomington druggist. Harlan Jenkins of Pontiac was engaged as manager and pharmacist. In a few years Mr. Jenkins purchased the business and operated it until 1943 when he moved to California. Towanda has not had a drugstore since that time. The Towanda State Bank was organized in 1909. It operated until 1932 when it closed during the Bank Moratorium and was never re-opened. The building remained vacant for many years until World War II. Due to the shortage of doctors, Dr. S. S. Boulton returned to the practice of medicine and served the community well, using the former bank as his office. The Henderson Dairy, started in 1927, was owned and operated by Denny Henderson, father of present Mayor Jerry Henderson. Located on the west edge of Towanda, it provided milk deliveries to local homes as well as to Anchor, Sibley, Colfax, Cooksville, and for five years provided the same services to Normal residents. In 1947 the business was sold. Records show that Towanda had its own newspaper at various times. One known as the Towanda Topic was published weekly. Considered politically independent, it was circulated between the years 1894-1897. Another, the Towanda News also listed as Independent, was published weekly between 1900 and 1908. J. A. Murray was owner and editor of the latter.

Source: Historic Encyclopedia of Ill. & History of McLean Co. Vol. II p. 864.

71

72

PHYSICIANS Drs. Holderness and Leckey were the first to practice medicine in Towanda. Later came Drs. Reedy, Gertin, Roberts, Boone, May, Wilburn and Hewitt whose offices were located in various buildings along Main Street. Dr. McNett built the brick office building, now the home of Mrs. Ratliff, on Main Street. After Dr. McNett was killed at the Washington Street R.R. crossing the building was purchased by Dr. Paul Humphries and served as his office until his death in 1941. It might be noted that while practicing in Towanda he and his wife Marie became the parents of triplets in 1927, of which two survived. After Dr. Humphries death Dr. Shapiro took over his practice for a short while. Dr. Huerta, who had an office in one of the buildings now owned by Mrs. Ratliff, left Towanda to enter service during W.W. II and never returned. Dr. Roberts who practiced here in 1900 left Towanda in 1906 to homestead in Alberta, Canada. The families experience in Canada may be found in the book Of Us And The Oxen, published by a son, Lathrop, from the handwritten manuscript of his mother. A copy of the book may be found in our local library. Also mentioned in this book were others who were residents of Towanda at the time, namely: Enoch and Edna Hirst, both deceased and John Gatliff, deceased, uncle of Marjorie Cary Hedrick. Dr. Boon who practiced in Towanda from 1914-1916 built the first precut house in Towanda. The home located on Washington St., now occupied by the Louis Barnard family, was ordered from Sears Roebuck and brought in by rail. Dr. Boulton, former banker, opened a practice in the bank building during World War II and practiced there until his retirement. The last doctor in Towanda was Dr. Hernandez whose office was located above the Hirst Grocery.

SAWMILLS

The first sawmill in Towanda Township was erected on Money Creek by Elbert Dickason of Smith's Grove and John Pennel of Money Creek, later operated by Pennel and Baylor. The only sawmill within the corporate limits of Towanda was erected and operated by Frank Snodgrass on the corner of Adams and Taylor street for over thirty years. Much of the rough lumber for farm buildings in the surrounding area was sawed at this mill.

73

Frank Snodgrass operating his sawmill which was located at the corner of Adams and Taylor Streets

During World War I Mr. Snodgrass cut walnut logs and sold them to the government to be used in making gun stocks and propellor blades for planes. He also made wagon wheels at the lumber shop and made six or seven complete wagons. He sold wood scraps to the bakeries in Bloomington for their ovens. He retired at the age of 84 and was just three months short of his 100th birthday when he died.

FLOUR MILLS

In the 1800's a good flour mill with two sets of buhrs was built by Roadnight and Strothers. After running it for a short time the builders sold it to Nathaniel S. Sunderland. He had been in possession but a short while when it was destroyed by fire. At the same time Mr. Sunderland lost a large warehouse. Another mill was built by Henry Warner, which met with the same fate.

BLACKSMITHING

At one time blacksmithing was a must for people settling the early prairie land. The need for horseshoeing, sharpening and repairing farm tools. As near as can be authenticated David Trimmer operated a blacksmith shop as early as 1828, probably along Money Creek.

74

75

Later Mr. Frank Snodgrass built a frame building on a lot east of the present school. It was torn down and the lumber used to build a second shop on the N.W. corner of Adams and Taylor Street. This shop was destroyed by fire and a new block building was constructed on Monroe Street just west of the creek. All of the equipment was run by electricity, the most modern of its time. It was operated by Mr. Snodgrass as well as several others. The last blacksmith was Mr. John Enloe who came to Towanda in 1939. He operated his shop in the block building until 1946 when he purchased the old Quensel garage and moved his business to Main Street. He sold out at auction in March of 1954. He had purchased and remodeled the old Stover home south of the new post office where he lived with his daughter Mrs. Oliver (Etau) Wiser until his death in 1964. Thus closed the age of blacksmithing in Towanda.

76

Tilbury Tile Factory

77

TILE FACTORY For 35 years Oliver Tilbury, a native of Kentucky, operated a tile factory on the south side of the village, its location now being the school athletic field. From the 1870's and on into the 1900's the industry with its sheds and kilns, gave employment to 30 men who dug and hauled raw clay in heavy two-wheeled carts, each drawn by one horse, from what is now the property of the Roy Reddings. Later, using the same conveyance, the finished product was transferred to waiting freight cars for shipment to as far west as Kansas. He supplied the first tile for this area. The brick for the Tilbury home, now residence of the Reddings, was fired in the local kilns, also the brick for the Baker home on East Adams Street. The factory was finally sold to J. R. and E. M. Hirst and continued operation until 1918. The brick for the Hirst Store on Main Street was also made here. The factory sheds were long and black. The kilns were circular with dome shaped roofs. When empty they were dark and foreboding like prehistoric huts; but when filled with tile to be fired, each sent out a glow from the low fire opening that could be seen a long distance. Clocks were set and actions regulated by the factory whistle. It was a focus of attention as well as income. Its activities were a source of interest to the students near by and the shallow ponds left by excavation made satisfactory, free, outdoor skating rinks for young people in the winter. Eventually it was sold to the Towanda School, the excavations were filled and it became the school athletic field.

78

LANDMARKS

Nelson Jones Home

Towanda Township has two old homes which are pictured in the McLean County Historic Sites Bicentennial Calendar 1976. The first was built by Nelson Jones in a grove of trees on his farm located in Section 16. Construction was begun in 1867 and required two years for completion. There were fourteen rooms including the servants' quarters at the back. In the front hallway a curved walnut stairway led to the second floor. In addition to the bedrooms, this floor contained the first bathroom in this area. Water was hand-pumped through lead pipes to a storage tank in the attic. Gravity supplied the pressure from there to the wooden, zinc-lined bathtub, to the marble lavatory and to the innovative water closet. There was also a back stairway leading to this floor. Marble for the six fireplaces was imported from Italy. The first floor had fourteen foot ceilings which added a feeling of spaciousness to the large rooms. Outside walls, as well as some of the interior ones, were fourteen inches thick. Foundation walls were constructed of stone and were an average of eighteen inches in thickness. Brick for the exterior were shipped by rail from Chicago. In the late 1800's a fire of unknown origin was discovered in the attic, but a bucket brigade extinguished it before any serious damage occurred. The charred rafters are still visible. In 1970 extensive remodeling and restoration was done by the owner Mildred White Quindry, who was a relative of Nelson Jones. The home is now occupied by the Roger Phelps family who purchased it in 1975.

79

William R. Duncan Home

The second of these massive structures, "Towanda Meadows", is the three-story mansion which is located southwest of Towanda in Section 7. It was built in 'the late 1860's by William R. Duncan, a native of Kentucky. Dependable records on the exact date of construction seem to be missing. The generally accepted date of 1865 is questionable since Mr. Duncan didn't receive title to the property until December 1865, according to the McLean County Recorder's Office. In its prime the house was very elegant with its chandeliers, porcelain door knobs, copper bath fixtures, six marble fireplaces and a three-story winding walnut stairway. The first and second floor rooms had eleven foot ceilings, while those on the third floor were nine feet in height; the windows here were smaller too. Walls were about a foot thick and some of the doors were ten feet high. A trap door in one of the second floor bedrooms opened into a small area used as storage for the water supply to the first floor bathroom. Iron bars were placed on all basement windows. Bricks for the H designed structure were brought on the railroad from Chicago. The fireplaces have been bricked up, some of the ceilings have been lowered, and the open stairway has been enclosed; all to facilitate more comfort and economical heating for today's energy conscious occupants. The property is presently owned by Miss Helen Kraft of Bloomington.

80

Oliver Tilbury Home

In the early 1870's Oliver Tilbury built his home on the eastern outskirts of Towanda. Bricks for the exterior were manufactured at his tile factory which was located on adjoining property and was the major industry in the village. The two-story house faced to the south and had a white picket fence surrounding the yard. Brick sidewalks led to the various outbuildings, as well as to the front gate. The kitchen was originally in the basement and was reached by means of an outside cellar door or by an inside stairway from the first floor. On the south was another cellar entrance over which the Tilburys constructed a small greenhouse. It was a favorite spot for the family and neighbors in the winter time, lending a touch of Spring with its flowers and plants. Immediately northwest of the home, a brick playhouse which would be the answer to any little girl's dream, was constructed for their daughter. In the mid-1920's the property was sold to Emmett Skaggs, who in turn sold it to the Harry Rosemans in 1929. In addition to extensive remodeling, the Rosemans divided the north pasture into eight lots known as Roseman's First Addition to Towanda, and subsequently sold them.

81

Present owners, the Roy Reddings, purchased the house in 1956 and have made more changes; one of which was the digging up of the old brick walks and using them in the construction of an interior fireplace which adds further to the charm of the old home. The house appears basically much the same as it did years ago and the playhouse still stands in the back yard, while in the pasture to the south the excavations from which clay was taken to make brick and tile, are still visible as a reminder of past activities.

SMITH'S GROVE CEMETERY

The only cemetery in Towanda Township is located on a high bank overlooking Money Creek, in the southwest quarter of Section 10. On April 8, 1861 Abraham R., Sr and Matilda Jones, Cyrus and Margaret K. Jones deeded one acre of land to David C. Rayburn, James C. Wilson and Cyrus Jones, Trustees of Smith's Grove Cemetery of the County of McLean and the State of Illinois and their successors in office, for the consideration of one dollar. The first burial was that of Laura Ann Jones, infant daughter of Abraham R., Jr. and Nancy Jones on November 27, 1861. For the most part those who followed were members of the families who settled and became a part of the history of Towanda Township. The names of many people mentioned in this history can be found on the tombstones here. One marker contains the name of Leonard Bliss, who died in 1912. Known as "Baby" Bliss, he was famous on two continents for his extraordinary size and weight.

82

Smith's Grove Cemetery is not supported by taxes, but rather is maintained by income derived from a small trust fund, plus donations from the families of those who are buried here. Elmo Jones is President and Maurice Jones is presently Secretary-Treasurer of the Board of Trustees. ==================================================== WILBUR J. CASH. Republican Senator from 28th District to the Illinois State Legislature, 19401952. Born March 23, 1887 at Gridley, Illinois. The family moved to Towanda and it was here that he received his early education. He learned telegraphy at the Alton Station in Towanda at the age of seventeen, and was operator and station agent for the Alton 190441910. Meanwhile, on July 15, 1909 he married Ruby E. Jones, daughter of one of the pioneer families of Towanda. They later became the parents of a son, Wilbur J. Cash, Jr. In 1910 Mr. Cash resigned from the Alton R.R. to enter the general merchandise business in Towanda with his father William H. Cash. He continued in this enterprise until 1916, at which time he moved his family to Saybrook to farm for three years. They returned to Towanda in 1919 where he operated his store on Main Street until 1940, and also continued his farming interests. During his career he was Towanda Town Clerk, Village Trustee, Village President, Justice of the Peace, and member of the Towanda School Board. Was elected to the McLean County Board of Supervisors 1928-1940, and served as Chairman of the Board in 1938 and '39. Served Ex-officio Chairman of County Tax Review Board in 1938 and '39. In 1940 was elected to the first of three terms as Senator to the State Legislature from the 28th District. He served on many important committees during his tenure and was Chairman of the Righttofway Committee for Route 66 Beltline. Meanwhile he and his wife moved to Bloomington, where they lived after his retirement from the Legislature in 1952. Was a Director of the McLean County Bank. Member of the Towanda Masonic Lodge, Bloomington Consistory and Ansar Shrine of Springfield. Was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Died June 3, 1956 in Bloomington.

83

ORGANIZATIONS and FRATERNAL ORDERS HISTORY OF TOWANDA LODGE # 542 A F & A M

Towanda Masonic Lodge # 542 A F & A M was started on January 19, 1867 and charted by the Grand Master Jerome R. Govins of the State of Illinois on October 1, 1867 with eighteen charter members: Cyrus Jones, William Stevenson, Franklin Henderson, Jesse Ogden, E. P. C. Holderness, M. D., Samuel Marsh, Francis M. Jones, Leondar Stroud, E. R. Jones, G. B. Anderson, George Ross, D. S. Kinnan, J. M. Gray, D. D. S., F. Barney, M. W. Blip, E. Heller, W. F. Bishop, and Marshall Bliss. The first Master was Cyrus Jones and the First Secretary E. Holderness, M. D. The Lodge has met regularly since its founding, first renting space in the Village of Towanda from various owners. In May 1942 the Lodge purchased Lots 9 and 10 in Block 5 in the Town of Towanda from the heirs of Louis Haines Orendorff. The Fraternity owned and met in this building until March 1965 when it was sold. Meetings were continued to be conducted in this building until November 1974. In January 1971, the Lodge purchased Lot 1 in Block 1 in Fell and Holder's addition to the Town of Towanda. Construction began on the new Temple in the spring of 1971, with most of the work being donated by the members. The first regular meeting was held November 12, 1974 in the new Temple. Dedication of the Temple was September 7, 1975 with the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the State of Illinois, Earl M. Potter in attendance. On July 1, 1975 the Lodge had a membership of 78 of which four are 50 year members with James Cox, Jr., Master and Maurice E. Jones, Secretary.

REBEKAH AND ODD FELLOWS LODGE

In the early 1900's records show that Towanda Odd Fellows Lodge #837 and Rebekah Lodge #418 were active organizations. They shared the Masonic Hall for their meetings. Later disbanded, the members affiliated with the lodge in Normal.

VETERANS

Towanda Township has had in residence veterans of four wars and two conflicts namely: Spanish American, Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean Conflict and the Vietnam Involvement. The township records 26 sent during the Civil War and 26 returned.

84

The best remembered Civil War veteran was Mr. George Peterson, father of Mrs. Lillian Michael, currently a resident of Towanda. Mr. Peterson and his daughter Lillian were guests of the U. S. Government at the Gettysburg reunion of the North and South in 1938. The Village of Towanda sent 50 men to World War I and welcomed home 50.

Welcoming home the soldiers from the community who had seen service in World War I. September 6, 1919 Left to right: Carrie Dodson, Madge Sachs, Glada Hirst, Carrie Mae Crichton, Charlotte Hilts, Gertrude Snodgrass Michaels, Imogene Heller.

September 6, 1919 (Pantagraph 1969--50 years ago) One of the most notable events held in Towanda in many years was staged September 6, 1919 when there was a great homecoming for men of the township who have been in military service. Fifteen hundred people came by all means of conveyance and crowded the town park. The speaker of the day was Hon. Wm. B. McKinley. He was introduced by Frank O. Hanson of Bloomington. One hundred and twenty five returned service men registered during the afternoon and evening. Many attended in uniform. Two World War I veterans are still residents of the village, Ralph Crose, the first to enlist, and Penn Snodgrass. No accurate record seems to be available for the entire township. In World War II there were many who answered the call either by enlistment or draft.

85

The Towanda American Legion Post #931 was chartered July 26, 1946. It was named for Marion Lee Miller, U.S.N. who lost his life somewhere in the Atlantic April 17, 1944. The American Legion building was completed in the late 1960's by its members. The main floor now houses Bill's Pottery and the basement is used for meetings and social affairs. The Womens Auxiliary #931 was chartered July 25, 1947.

American Legion Building at Towanda

HOME BUREAU The first Home Bureau Unit was organized in 1918 with a membership of 50 and was later discontinued. In January 1937 the Unit was re-organized. In 1962 the name was changed from Home Bureau to Home Extension Association. In 1963 it became a night unit. The objectives of this organization are: Develop homemaking through cooperative experience, make each home economically sound, physically healthful, morally wholesome and mentally stimulating.

LIONS CLUB The Towanda Lions Club was formed December 1974. Eighteen men from the community pledged membership. Charter night was held March 1, 1975 at Illinois State University Union with over 200 Lion Club members from around the state attending the dinner. The club meets at the American Legion Hall. On March 22, 1974 the Lions Club with the American Legion co-sponsored a public auction on the Legion parking lot. In February of 1975 they sponsored the first free Glaucoma Clinic at the Community Building.

86

July 4, 1975 they had a snow cone stand at the annual Fourth of July celebration. On October 9, 1975 they conducted a house to house candy sale. Proceeds from this annual sale are used to support state projects, services and programs for the 23,000 legally blind persons in Illinois. Part of the proceeds are to be used by the local club for the blind and sight conservation activities in the community. The second attempt for an active organization appears to be off on the road to success.

JUNIOR WOMAN'S CLUB

Mrs. Sherry Messer hosted 20 women in her home on April 2, 1975 to hear about forming a Junior Woman's Club. Mrs. Jan Funk of Hudson gave information on by laws, dues, etc. and indicated the goals of such an organization is service to the community. Four from the group agreed to draw up the by laws for organizing a club and on April 23, 1975 15 women met at the community building in Towanda and heard the reading of these by laws. At the May 21 meeting they were read and accepted, and the following officers elected: President, Mrs. Mary Beth Braves, Vice President, Mrs. Sue Sutter, Secretary, Mrs. Melinda Wiggins and Treasurer, Mrs. Ruth Parsons. The first fund raising project was a craft booth at the Annual Fourth of July 1975 celebration in Towanda. The first community service undertaken by the group was the forming of a summer recreation program for the youth of the community under the direction of Mrs. Chris Kraft and Mrs. Mary Merritt. Enrollment for the program was 125.

YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS Throughout its history Towanda has had several youth organizations. One of the first was the Campfire Girls. This group gave girls an opportunity to participate in camping, hiking, boating and crafts. The last Campfire Troop in Towanda was led by Miss Mary Kraft in the 1920's. Boy Scouts Towanda Boy Scout Troop 56 was organized in 1938. James Curtiss was the first Scoutmaster, followed by James Hutton. In 1942 Ed Wesley became Scoutmaster and served in that capacity, as well as Explorer Advisor until 1960. Through the years this group has engaged in money-raising projects which have supported its own activities, and benefitted the entire community through

87

donations such as a l6mm movie-sound projector in 1973. In 1974 a gift of $500 was made for playground equipment to be installed in North Park. In 1975 the same amount was given to the Library to help with furnishings when the move is made to the Community Building in the near future. Matching funds for the two latter gifts were voted by the Town Board. Around 1945 Towanda sponsored free movies in the North Park. The Scouts and their adult leaders built a trailer for selling popcorn, candy, pop and sometimes hot dogs. Thus began the projects for financing troop activities such as canoe trips, fishing trips to Canada, educational trips, the purchase of camping equipment, canoes for the troop, and the major undertaking of building a Scout cabin. The Town Board granted a permit in 1951 for this building, which was to house their trailer and equipment, as well as serve as a meeting place for the Scouts. They and their adult leaders did most of the work which included felling the trees and sawing them into logs on the Enos Ellwood Stuart farm near the Mackinaw River. Most of the materials were donated. Three years were required for construction of the cabin. In February 1956 it was officially named Wesley Lodge in honor of Ed. Wesley who had been the inspiration and driving force for its completion.

Dedication of Boy Scout Cabin in 1956. Left to right: Harold Shoe1, Ed Wesley and Richard Boyd. (Pantagraph Photo)

88

Other money-making schemes included scrap-iron and paper drives and gleaning corn fields after the pickers. The most lucrative undertaking has been the annual Pancake and Sausage Day which was started in 1957. That first year only one hog was butchered. Since that time the project has expanded to the extent that twenty thousand pounds of pork were required in 1975. Scouting in Towanda has also included Cubs and Explorers, all of whom assist with the annual money-raising affair. There are four Eagle Scouts from Troop 56: Norman Wesley, David L. Winter, Hunt Henderson, George R. Womack III. One of Scouting's highest adult honors is the Silver Beaver Award. Two men from this area have been recipients: Ed Wesley in 1959, Bill B. Winter in 1968.

Girl Scouts Girl Scouting has been an intermittently active organization in Towanda since the early 1930's. At present there are two groups functioning in this area: Brownies are under the leadership of Mrs. Sherry Messer and Junior Girls are led by Mrs. Jean Brown of Hudson. Cadet Scouts attend meetings in Normal and are under the guidance of Mrs. Francis Gandin.

4-H Club Boys' and girls' 4-H club work began in McLean County in 1917. The first adult leader was William B. Brigham, who was Assistant County Superintendent of Schools at the time. Towanda was represented in the early County history of 4-H by Mary Vanneman. In September 1917 she was chosen as a delegate from the State of Illinois to the Leader's Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, and in 1920 won a trip to the International Livestock Show in Chicago. Two clubs have been active in this township: Home Economics and Agricultural. Towanda has been outstanding in both categories, having taken many top honors at the County and State Fairs over the years. Unfortunately, no accurate local records seem to be available on these achievements. 4-H activities are no longer confined to farm youth since new concepts have been introduced to encourage city youth to participate along with their rural friends in projects of mutual interest.

TOWANDA LIBRARY In 1939 a group representing the four churches and the school made a request to the Federal Works Agency Work Project Administration for help in obtaining a library in Towanda.

89

The first Library Board meeting was held February 19, 1940 at the home of Mrs. A. C. Cary. The show room of the Quensel Garage was secured as a room for the library. Volunteers spent many hours in preparing for the opening. The Chicago Public Library sent a donation of books, in addition to the books, magazines and money given by local groups and individuals. The Town Board offered to pay for heat and lights and rent until 1943. Mrs. Annabel Cary was installed as librarian and custodian. In January of 1943, a change in the W. P. A. rules made it necessary for the town to decide whether or not it wished to continue with a library; if not, all W.P.A. books and furniture would be removed. The decision was made to continue and the sponsorship was assumed by Mayor Ed. Wesley who was also Chairman of the Library Board. As a result of this move all books were left and the library became affiliated with the State Library at Springfield. In February 1943, the library was moved to the Masonic Building. Each year a community sale was held to raise funds for the following year. A small amount of money was given to the library from the township surplus funds. By August 1955, the library was barely able to meet expenses and the decision was made to open only one day a week. The librarian, Mrs. Shelton also agreed to a cut in salary. On July 22, 1964, the Library Board meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Shelton for the purpose of making plans for a more permanent means of operating the library. There was no income for the coming year and the money from the Township was no longer available. In 1965 the Library was moved to the Ratliff Building, but was closed for a year. In January 1966, the old restaurant building was made available for the library by Mrs. Ratliff and it has remained in this location since that time. In June of 1967 the Township Library Tax referendum was passed and the library now became the Towanda Township Library. Membership in the Corn Belt Library System was also obtained. Mrs. Ruth Calvert became the librarian in 1967. In 1969, the decision was made to join the McNaughton Plan. Under this plan books can be rented with the option that they may be purchased for 25% of their cost. Mrs. Calvert resigned in May, 1971 and in June of that year, Mrs. Eleanor Hensley was appointed in her place and still serves in that position. Friends of the Library is a club composed of young people from the 4th, 5th and 6th grades. Their various duties are to assist the librarian by: checking out books, filing catalogue cards, applying card holders to books, and tidying bookshelves. Jobs are assigned according to age and ability. They also assist with the Summer Reading Program by setting up chairs and serving refreshments. Additionally, they participate in small fund-raising projects whose proceeds are used to purchase books for their age group.

90

1954 TOWANDA CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

On the weekend of September 23rd, 1954 Towanda celebrated its Centennial with an estimated four to five thousand visitors present to view and enjoy the festivities. The ceremonies began on Saturday afternoon with sports events at the school grounds, continued into the evening with crowning of the Queen, beard judging, and dancing on Main Street. Religious services were held in North Park on Sunday under the combined charge of the town's churches. A potluck dinner in the park at noon served all those present quite adequately. Descendents of the original families in the area were much in evidence, with many in the attire of the early times. The big event of the day was a parade in the afternoon, which appropriately began at the site of the Tilbury Tileyard on the south side of town and ended in North Park. Between thirty and forty floats made up the procession and delighted the many spectators who lined the streets. Many displays and programs were also conducted in the Town Hall, that brought back memories to the old-timers and awed the youngsters.

1954 Towanda Centennial - Mrs. Louis DeVore reads from an 1850 Bible to twins Linda and Mary Nice, seated on floor before the Franklin stove, and Mary Ann Michael, in the rocker. (Pantagraph Photo)

91

92

93

94

TOWANDA TODAY

With the changing of times so has the town of Towanda. Main street has seen the closing of old business places. Where buildings stood vacant new businesses have opened. Bill's Barbershop still remains vacant. It was operated by Bill Marsh from 1917 until 1968 when he retired. The shop at different times also had several beauty operators in addition to the barbers. The Hirst Grocery has been operated continuously by members of the Hirst William "Bill" Marsh, barber, shown in his Family since 1915. It was built of brick shop on Main Street made at the old tile factory. Louis F. (Ike) Hirst has operated a general store in building since 1947. The upper floor that once housed the telephone office as well as offices for several doctors, has been remodeled into two modern apartments. The former bank building which served as an office for Dr. S. S. Boulton until his retirement, now serves as a dwelling. The building, now owed by Mrs. Ratliff, that once housed the drugstore, grocery store and Post Office is used for the Library and a new business, N. A. S. C. O. that features a servicing policy for homes, apartments and commercial properties. Beginning in the middle 1940's the installation of more modern utilities and better highways brought a movement of people from the cities into the suburban areas such as Towanda. This has resulted in the renovation of old homes and the construction of new ones, in addition to a number of apartment buildings. Although not within the corporate limits, the new Lamplighter Addition that does much to enhance the entrance to Towanda from Route 9, was started in 1969. It is a well-planned development that is still in the process of expansion.

TOWANDA GRAIN COMPANY

The Towanda Grain Company was originally owned by Hans Sachs and was operated as a lumber yard as well as grain business. It was sold to Maurice and Price N. Jones in the early 1900's. They continued the operation until 1908 when they sold it to the newly formed corporation registered with the State of Illinois as the Towanda Grain Company. The first Board of Directors included: G. H. Geiger, President, James Donahue, P. N. Jones, D. W. Kraft, Secretary-

95

Treasurer, E. J. Henderson, B. W. Stover, and Louis Kraft. Orren Clark was the first manager of the new corporation. In December 1921 when the capital stock was increased, it was reorganized as a co-operative. A new elevator was constructed in the mid-1930's which is still being used. The Board members were very foresighted in their planning, demonstrated by the fact that they installed a driveway of sufficient width and height to easily accommodate the large trucks of today. Another innovation was a slotted floor which made the unloading of grain into the elevator a much simpler operation. A fire in 1951 destroyed the office and a portion of the lumber yard. A new and more modern structure was soon in the building stage. At this time a new scale was also installed, which could weigh larger trucks than had previously been possible. 1955 saw the addition of a feed mill for the convenience of the livestock men in the area. However, it was discontinued January 1, 1976. More storage room was added which necessitated grain drying facilities. The first such equipment was installed in 1962. More bins and driers have since been added until the present storage capacity is six hundred thirty-four thousand bushels.

96

Managers through the years have included Orren Clark, Ed. Gatliff, Burditt Kraft, Frank Brewster, Henry Burr, Bill Loftus, Clark White and presently Stephen Fincham. Mention must be made of two long-time employees; Adam Kwasigroh who carne from Germany, was with the organization for years. The other, Seldon Devore who after many years of service retired and still lives in Towanda. The records show that the Grain Company has dealt in everything from Case automobiles, farm machinery, tires, coal, hardware, lumber, seeds, livestock feed and supplies to farm tile, depending upon the needs of the surrounding agricultural community.

First drying equipment was installed at Towanda Grain Company in 1962. Milton Embry shown at lower right.

The F. S. Service Station built in the late 1920's by Len Jones is operated by David Weakly. The building on Main Street at one time operated as a restaurant is used by Anderson Trucking Co. specializing in hauling of grain.

97

Pure Oil Gas Station now merged to Union Oil Co. of California has been operated by Eddie Baize since June 29, 1952. He deals in sale of diesel fuel, gas, tires and batteries. The restaurant part closed on August 29, 1975. Woodrum Excavating Corp. was started by Ray Woodrum and is now operated by his sons, Phil and Terry Woodrum. Wager Trucking Company was started in November of 1968 with one truck by Ray Wager. In October of 1969 a son, Don, became a partner and in June of 1974 it became incorporated. They deal in hauling general commodities in Logan, Mason, Tazewell, McLean and Peoria Counties. In 1975 a new dock and office was constructed at the Lincoln Street address. They now have a fleet of 5 trucks. Schultz Sausage Service was started in 1966 by Fred Schultz, Sr. and operated by him until 1971, when he sold out to his son Fred Schultz, Jr. The company sells wholesale and retail products, either direct or through distributors, to a greater part of central Illinois. In 1974 the facility was expanded. Texaco Service Station owned and operated by Mike McCurdie for the past 8 years is located near Rt. 66. Roszhart Implement Co. was opened in 1966 and deals in sales and serrvice of Allis Chalmers farm equipment. It is owned and operated by Robert Roszhart, Jr. Meyers Fertilizer Plant is managed by John Cunningham and was purchased by Ollie Meyers in 1970 from Mobil. In 1975 they purchased the John Richards building which is used for storage. Jerry Fish Auto Parts - In July of 1965 Jerry Fish purchased property on Jackson Street from Ed and Elsie Martin for the purpose of establishing a wrecking yard, towing service and auto repair service. He partially retired from the business in 1973 by discontinuing the towing and auto service. The McKinney-Shelling and Trucking Service was started in 1972 by Russell McKinney. The service includes corn-shelling, hauling of grain and cobs. Marilyn's Dress Shop, located on West Street, was opened November l, 1974 in the home of Marilyn Erwin. She carries a complete line of ladies' fashions. D. L. S. Cafe opened December 22, 1975 in the Schumm building that formerly housed Woodrum Cycle Shop. It is operated by Mrs. Barnard and Mrs. Sears.

TOWANDA HOLIDAY COMMITTEE

The Towanda Holiday Committee, made up of members of the community and rural area, sponsors a party for children of the community at Halloween and Christmas.

98

CHRISTMAS DECORATING CONTEST

The Christmas decorating contest was started in the late 1960's.

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION

The Fourth dance the night festivities are contest for the display.

of July celebration was revived in 1969. It features a street before and on July 4 the annual Flea Market and parade. The concluded at the school playground with a watermelon eating children, egg throwing contest and a beautiful fireworks

PARKS The parks have always been the center of activities since our incorporation. In the early 1900's steps were taken to beautify the parks. They were fenced, seeded and trees planted. They have been used for Fourth of July celebrations, Band concerts, family reunions, traveling medicine shows and at one time free movies were shown once a week throughout the summer months.

Bandstand in North Park. Playground equipment in background. 1976

Shelter House in North Park. 1976

99

In 1947 they had fallen into a rather unsightly state, until a group of civic minded citizens undertook the task of restoring them to places of beauty. Some 25 persons pitched in with cash, equipment and material. The bandstand, partially destroyed by a windstorm in 1946, was rebuilt with funds contributed by popular subscription. Park benches were painted and later new picnic tables were placed in the park as well as playground equipment for the children. In 1974 a new shelter house was erected in the North Park. It is not uncommon to see travelers stop to enjoy a picnic lunch in the well shaded area. The South Park is the site of the Boy Scouts Log Cabin which underwent a complete renovation in 1974-75. The water storage tower is also located here. In 1966 the Village Board hired a regular maintenance man to keep up our parks and streets and to provide us with regular garbage and trash collection.

ROADS

It has been previously mentioned that the original roads through the township were Indian trails. Subsequent highways were laid out as they became needed with the increase in population. Rural roads were positioned and constructed as a result of petitions to the Highway Commissioners from property owners within a three-mile area of the proposed road. One of the early petitions, in 1870, was for a road to be extended between Sections 13 and 14 from their northern border, south to the Old Town Township line. Today it is a portion of Route 165 which passes through Merna to Route 9. After receiving the petition, Highway Commissioner Patrick Merna posted notices in the following prominent places. "One at S. Lord's scales in Towanda, one on a gatepost near Nelson Jones, and one at Ballard's Schoolhouse." Mr. Merna then set a public meeting for 2:00 P.M. on March 29, 1870 at the Post Office in Towanda "for the purpose of hearing any reasons for not laying out the proposed road." There were no major objections and a survey was made by the County Surveyor, William Anderson. A fee for damages was paid to the property owners whose land was used for the road. On September 29, 1870 it was declared to be a public highway. This procedure was followed for laying out most of the roads in the township. They were of a dirt base which caused them to become nearly impassable during rainy periods, to say nothing of the dusty conditions during dry periods. The Road Commissioner used a "drag" to remove ruts and smooth the surface. Farmers frequently helped to care for the roads in their own areas in those early days.

100

Tractor and Road Drag used to maintain streets and roads in the township before the days of gravel, black topping, macadam or concrete

The coming of automobiles and trucks made all-season roads mandatory. Township records show appropriation for the gravelling of roads in the early 1920's. This was a big step forward, but it still left many unsolved problems. In 1942 money was voted to oil some of the main highways. The greatest advancement came in 1956 when a bond issue was passed which resulted in our present excellent system of black top roads. The first concrete road in the township came in the 1920's with the construction of Illinois Route 4 from Chicago to St. Louis. It passed through the village limits via Jackson and Quincy Streets.

Constructing Ill. Route 4 near Towanda in the 1920's.

101

As a result of greatly increased demand for highway improvement Route 4 evolved into the four-lane U. S. 66, which today is in the process of being converted into limited-access Interstate 55, and includes a gate for Towanda traffic.

Towanda Overpass and Access Gate to I-55. Construction is almost completed. August 1975

Township Highway Commissioners The following have been Commissioners of Highways in Towanda Township as shown in the Township record books since 1870: Patrick Merna, William W. Jones, Sr., A. A. Riddle, John C. Mack, Benjamin Stretch, George White, Cornelius Gatliff, O. W. Kraft, J. H. Falkingham, P. N. Jones, Otto Prahm, Fred Mecherle, W. O. Biddle, William Schwertzel, J. A. McAvoy, Charles F. Arnold, W. B. Jones, E. B. Gatliff, John L. White, Frank Kraft, Ora Vandergraft and Farran Brown.

Township Supervisors Since 1870 The following have been Township Supervisors: Frank Henderson, J. T. Didlake, Hugh Lormor, James H. Scott, George W. White, Benjamin Stretch, E. E. Jones, T. Carmody, O. W. Kraft, P. N. Jones, S. G. Sands, Patrick Merna, Theodore Sawyer, B. G. Falkingham, E. E. Kenyon, W. J. Cash, D. E. Henderson, E. J. Sutter, Stephan Fincham, Charles Kraft, Vivian Kraft, Clark White. Prior to 1970, the McLean County Board of Supervisors was composed of the elected supervisors from each township. At that time the number of supervisors was reduced to twenty-seven and nine new districts were set up according to population, with three representatives from each. Charles Kraft was our first County Supervisor under this new system. In June 1975, George Kelley was appointed to fill his unexpired term.

102

103

BARNES The community of Barnes is located four miles south of the Town of Towanda, and is situated on the Kankakee Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. This line was completed into Bloomington in 1882. Monroe Barnes, son of Calvin Barnes, laid out the Town of Barnes into stre