Columnist

Steinhart & Whitmore, they had it all

Published by admin on Mon, 11/03/2025 - 10:32am

It doesn't take much imagination to turn down town Wilmington into a thriving business area. I do it in my mind all the time. Just look at the buildings, some even have the names of long-gone merchants on them. One of the most solid buildings on Water Street is the old Steinhart & Whitmore store built of stone two stories high. During the first decade of the 20th century it was the place to go for all the most modern upgrades for home and more.

The City of Coal, a baby picture

Published by admin on Mon, 11/03/2025 - 10:27am

“With the onward march of time the vast coal fields adjacent to this city are being developed. Mother Earth is being disemboweled on all sides, and among the jewels of her existence, few are more sought for than the precious black diamonds that adorn the crown of King Coal.”

Toll and tax increase to bailout transit

Published by admin on Sat, 11/01/2025 - 12:16pm

Last May, several Illinois House Democrats complained bitterly that their mass transit negotiators were ignored and even shut-out by the Senate Democratic mass transit negotiators.
The House members had a point. The Senate passed a bill which was an almost purely Senate Democratic creation. They literally gave the House a “take it or leave it, but you have to decide right now” moment during the final minutes of the spring legislative session.

Dr. James Backus, left his mark in Braidwood

Published by admin on Mon, 10/27/2025 - 10:51am

Frequently we have spoken about the brave miners who were injured in the mines. Many a miner had to fight for his life against the odds. But he was not alone; fighting on his side was a doctor. One of the most successful doctors in early Braidwood was Dr. John Backus.
Backus was born in 1845 at Ontario, Canada to wealthy parents. His father is described like this, “He was educated as a lawyer, but was a retired gentleman.” John got his first medical degree at McGill University at Montreal and a second medical degree at College of Physicians and Surgeons at Ontario.

Making way for the 20th century

Published by admin on Mon, 10/27/2025 - 10:47am

As the 20th century dawned in Wilmington, it found the citizens up for the challenge. They embraced all the newest technologies such as the automobile and the telephone exchange. And now, electricity, once just a toy for entertainment, was being called for by forward thinking people. But change is never easy.

Lawmakers apprehensive about new union pick

Published by admin on Sun, 10/26/2025 - 2:59pm

At the end of the 2024 spring state legislative session, the Illinois Federation of Teachers issued a decidedly diplomatic press release.
IFT President Dan Montgomery praised the new state budget as “crucial for our state's success,” and applauded increases in K-12 and early childhood education funding.
Montgomery did criticize the “meager” increase in higher education funding and called on the state to “ensure full funding for PreK-12, higher education, and early childhood” programs now.

Temperance in Braidwood, the other side of the coin

Published by admin on Mon, 10/20/2025 - 10:57am

Those who know a bit about early Braidwood history, know that saloons play a large role. But today we flip the coin over and look at the early temperance (no alcohol) societies that rarely get mentioned or notice.

Grain and Wilmington’s master plan

Published by admin on Mon, 10/20/2025 - 10:55am

There is nothing that means autumn to me more than the blowing sound of the corn dryers running through the night, unless perhaps it’s the sight of grain truck after grain truck, lined up to spill their gold into the bins. This isn’t just a new thing; grain was always in the plan for the local economy.
When the Kankakee and Iroquois Navigation Company, owned by Peter Stewart and friends planned out their waterpower in 1861 they looked to local businessmen to purchase lots on the Island for grain warehouses, with grain to be shipped via canal boat to the large markets.

Illinois lawmakers address immigrant protections during veto session

Published by admin on Sat, 10/18/2025 - 2:36pm

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights held a Statehouse lobby day last week to push its far-reaching veto session agenda.
Included in the ICIRR agenda are things like putting strict limits on executing civil immigration warrants in state courthouses. That would likely be challenged in court, but there is some Common Law precedent going back to the English court system, so we’ll see. Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans recently ordered that no civil arrests could be enforced at county courthouses.

Reed Township and how it shrunk

Published by admin on Mon, 10/13/2025 - 11:12am

In the beginning Reed Township was quite different than we know it today, even its name has changed twice. Let’s look at its evolution and how it came about.
Reed Township, for the first fifteen years of its existence, was the largest township in the county. This was because it included all the territory that is now Custer Township. The first name given to the township was Clinton, but the name was changed at the first meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Will County to Reid, in honor of an early pioneer of this section.