Time Was

    One of the reasons that the Braidwood area was settled comparatively late compared to her neighbors was her natural environment. The area had poor drainage, with bogs and swamps in every direction. Standing water, unlike running water gives bacteria a chance to grow. When the first coal miners arrived in Braidwood these conditions sometimes proved fatal.

    Was a war ever fought where we are living right now? If your answer is no, you would be wrong.
    Many wars were fought on the soil beneath our feet. But those wars occurred many moons ago, among people who have been lost to our memories. There were hundreds of wars fought on our soil between native tribes, many we know nothing about.
    However, I will start with the first wars that involved white people at the start of the 19th century. At the time our area was home to the Pottawatomie with villages scattered all over the northern part of what is now Illinois.

    Many Wilmingtonians just called it The Home. It was a beautiful sight on the banks of the Kankakee - a wide sweeping veranda, a fine view of the river. It could almost be mistaken for a large resort hotel. But it was the final home for many women, those whose lives at been permanently altered by war.
    The need for a soldiers' and sailors' home was seen very quickly after the end of the War Between the States. Many a brave man had returned missing his limbs, his eye sight, and perhaps even his sanity.

    The above is a familiar concept. Today the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Merchants both repeat that same mantra. Of course, like everything else, this is not new. Today we look at those efforts in the pre-war year of 1916.
    In March of 1916 the city was excited to learn the following, “Barry & Co., will soon display in front of their hardware store, an electric sign which was designed and is being made by G. A. Gale, one of the employees of this enterprising firm. Watch for it.”