Time Was

They say the older the wiser, maybe

Published by admin on Wed, 04/26/2017 - 9:00am

    Many of our previous looks at the history of Braidwood took place in the 19th century, when mines were springing up faster than morels and hundreds of people speaking different languages, with different cultures all came together to work in dangerous jobs under difficult conditions.
    But as Braidwood aged, did all of that go away? Did the jobs get safer? Were there less murders? Were workers still organizing unions?
    Set the wayback machine for the beginning of the 20th century and we will try to answer those questions.

Women in mining communities

Published by admin on Wed, 04/19/2017 - 10:00am

    The subject of women has been much bandied about in recent weeks.  Respect for women, equal pay for women, etc., etc.
    Broad statements have been made about the history of working women and women's role in the community. I then started to compare two communities that were somewhat equal in their focus - both mining areas. This is what I have found in my research.

The entrepreneur of the coal fields, Wm. Odell

Published by admin on Wed, 04/19/2017 - 10:00am

    Anyone who has driven south on Interstate 55 will see a sign for the town of Odell. Some of us have even been there. It was named after a guy named Odell we guess.
    William Odell not only had a town named after him, but he left his name in the history books of every small and large town in this area. Today we look at the entrepreneur of the coal field.
    I am still in the dark as to the beginning of the life of William Odell. I do know he was born in 1840.

Fishing by hook, crook or dynamite

Published by admin on Wed, 04/12/2017 - 10:00am

    Today we look a bit east to the unpredictable Kankakee River and the piscatorial tribe (fish) that inhabit her.
    As the industrial age started polluting land, sea and sky during the first decade of the 20th century people started to appreciate the unspoiled, unpolluted places.
    The Kankakee River, both up and downstream from Wilmington, was one such place.  

Wesley, it hasn't always looked this way

Published by admin on Wed, 04/12/2017 - 10:00am

    Those of us who live near the “town” of Ritchie have grown accustomed to the way things look now.
    Very few question the location of flood water, the placement of roads or the location of the old Wabash railroad bed now known as the Wauponsee Glacial Trail.
    Today we learn how flood waters, a railroad and an opportunistic town board created what we see now.

The one-legged sheriff of Will County

Published by admin on Wed, 04/05/2017 - 10:00am

    Hardy is a word that is usually used to describe early settlers in any part of the country. But in Robert Huston's case, it just doesn't say enough. Let's look at the life of the one-legged sheriff of Will County.
    Robert Huston was born in New York City on Aug. 7, 1844 to Irish immigrants Robert and Elizabeth Huston. His father was a weaver back in Ireland, but in New York he scrambled to make a living. Searching for a better life, the Huston's came west in 1850, settling on a farm near Gardner.

Settler's best friend and worst enemy - fire

Published by admin on Wed, 04/05/2017 - 10:00am

        When we think about the first settlers in our area, we imagine them living on the prairie with beauty all around them. The tall grass dotted with flowers waved all around them as they went about their chores.
    This very beauty however could turn into a wild monster in a blink of the eye. I speak of the monster known as the prairie fire. Today we look at fire.

Fear, or how a man shot his best friend

Published by admin on Fri, 03/31/2017 - 4:54pm

    The depression, which occurred in the 1870's in this country, produced a nation of transients and tramps. Men traveled around the country, hopping the rails, looking for work. When they found none, some were not above robbing the defenseless.  
    Women went indoors when the sun went down. Doors were locked and bolted. If you were leaving town, you did not tell anyone, because chances were that you would return home to find your valuables missing.
    On Sunday, November 19, 1878 this atmosphere of fear lead to the accidental shooting of the Braidwood town marshal.

Joliet Penitentiary, a walk in the park

Published by admin on Fri, 03/31/2017 - 4:50pm

    Recently I drove past the old Joliet Penitentiary on Collins Street. It's getting an exterior makeover, new plantings, new parking lot and new signage. Soon it will be open to the public, and will no doubt be a great success.
    We all have a fascination for the place, and we always did. Today's way back machine will take us to October of 1883.

Teeth, eyes and technology in the 19th century

Published by admin on Fri, 03/24/2017 - 10:37am

    Advances in technology affect a myriad of different industries and occupations. The health industry is one that has embraced new technologies and as a result we are all healthier.
    After all, where would we be without X-rays and MRIs? One of the first branches of that industry to use machinery was dentistry. Others, such as opticians used new machinery and materials to good effect.