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Bison herd thriving in second year in area
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COVER • STORY
Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editor Kathleen Schultz Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by
Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Small Town Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
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GROWING UP GRASSLANDS More bison helping to restore prairie at nature preserve
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Contents 5
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P&C Lawn Service
Bison boom
Family keeps working hard, even when the times get tough
Herd has grown and has more space to roam at Nachusa Grasslands
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New chief in town
Shady Oaks Country Club
Amboy native continues tradition set by his grandfather
Course more difficult than it looks
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Sublette Saloon
Amboy Depot Museum
Bar offers more traditional favorites and those you might not expect
Site offers history of former train station, the city’s fire departments and more
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Mowers run in the family
Connor Clark tames the wild grass at Credit Auto Sales in Dixon. He is one of the members of the Clark family that runs P&C Lawn Service.
Clark family tree has put down roots in well-manicured yards
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STORY BY AVALYNDA CASEY AND PHOTOS BY ALEX T. PASCHAL FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
ost kids take up lawn mowing so they can have a little walking around money. The Clark brothers turned their childhood business into the main source of income for their family of six, and now have clients all over Lee County and elsewhere in the region. Patrick, 26, started P&C Lawn Service in 2006, when he was a Dixon High School sophomore. The C stands for Conner, the brother who joined him in the venture. He was a fifth-grader at the time. “It was cash in my pocket, and kept me out of trouble,” said Connor, a 2013 Dixon High grad. Their dad helped keep them mowing on the straight and narrow. “I saw how much time school sports took from homework, so the boys didn’t do that,”
To get in touch P&C Lawn Service serves Dixon and other Sauk Valley towns, with customers in Sterling, Rock Falls, Amboy, Mendota and Polo. Estimates are free. Email pandclawnservice@outlook.com or call Patrick Clark at 815-441-8267 or Connor Clark at 779-861-0886, or go to pandclawnservice.com to learn more. said their dad, Stephen Clark. “And I didn’t want them sitting around doing nothing, so I gave them on-the-job training.” The boys learned the difference between flowers and weeds from the Internet. They learned about trimming, seeding and fertilizing. And
they learned dependability, responsibility, and the value of an honest day’s work. In 2009, they added snow removal to P&C’s roster of services. Mom Margaret Clark chauffeured the boys to their customers’ homes, taught them the basics of mowing and lawn care, and took care of customer relations. “I was the designated driver at first, and I took care of client authorizations,” she said. When she lost her job in 2010, she joined the business full-time, and “the mowing business became a way to keep a roof over our heads,” she said. Now, Margaret takes care of the billing and keeps the books. In her spare time, she volunteers at Serenity Hospice & Home as a coordinator and bookkeeper.
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Continued from page 5
Stephen’s overall experience as a handyman and his mechanical skills helped keep the equipment, and the boys, in business. “I spent a lot of time at Ace Hardware, and Rich and his team gave us yard and garden advice,” Stephen said. Once Patrick was old enough to drive, the brothers upped their efforts, contracting with more yards. “We make sure our services are mutually beneficial to our customers,” he said. “When it’s dry and the grass doesn’t grow much, we don’t take advantage of our customers. We can skip a week.” The business has grown through wordof-mouth, grocery store billboards, homemade fliers, and door-to-door sales. They’ve done so well that, in addition to covering basic family expenses, they’ve paid off the mortgage. P&C will mow and trim, spray weeds, clean gutters, mulch, and do basic landscaping. Over the summer, they hire extra help in the form of two high-schoolers. The brothers have four grandstand mowers, and can do a 40-inch to a 60-inch cut. They use ethanol-free blowers, weed-whackers, hedge trimmers, sprayers, and a rototiller. Their signature uniforms – orange shirts and sweatshirts with a tree frog for the logo – stand out in yards and fields of green. Ladies in Orange, a new branch to their business, is a group of women employees who do basic landscaping – building walls, planting bushes and plants, weeding gardens, laying mulch, and helping people maintain their gardens. Recycling, donating and replanting plants among their customer base is part of their focus on being green. Most of their customers are residential, and are serviced on 7-, 10-, and 14-day rotations. Older brother, Christian, and younger brother, Aaron, 16, also work for the family business. Aaron started picking up trash and sticks for his brothers when he was 5, and now his specialty is mowing. The secret to their success is not just their 16-hour days, Margaret said. “What has made this work: We have always been a family who has talked and worked things out.” s
Pat Patric rick runs a the la k (also pic mower a t t wn h ere w ured at b Credit Au o ith br t other ttom) is ta o Sales. s Con king c nor a nd C are of hristia n.
The Clark brothers, Connor (left) and Patrick, sort customers by date on their magnetic calendar. (Photo by Avalynda Casey)
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A legacy of law enforcement
Continued on page 11
Amboy police chief carries on family tradition Jeff Blake became Amboy police chief in September and has worked on the force for 22 years.
STORY BY RACHEL RODGERS AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
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Continued from page 7
In a small town, you have to have a vested interest in the community. It’s not just about making arrests, it’s about solving problems and addressing the root of the issue.
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hile playing cops and robbers in his boyhood, Jeff Blake never got to play the criminal. “We would play all the time, and I was always the cop, every time,” he said. Although he didn’t know it at the time, it was an early indication of things to come. Blake, Amboy police chief since September, is a third-generation police officer. “I’ve been around law enforcement my entire life,” he said. The 46-year-old Amboy native continues the tradition set by his grandfather, Al Blake, who served as a justice of the peace, patrolman and interim police chief in Amboy, and by his father, Ed Blake, who began his career in Amboy and became a captain at the Lee County Sheriff ’s Department. Ed Blake, who retired in 1997 after 25 years with the department, said that in addition to catching the law enforcement bug from his dad, he also looked up to his great-uncle Jiggs Burright, who was Oregon’s police chief for 30 years. And, he said, Jeff showed signs of continuing the cycle early on. “My son has wanted this since he was 2 years old,” Ed said. “He had a blue police uniform with patches, and he had a ticket book and would be riding his bicycle going on patrol. “He has had it on his mind for a long time to become a police officer.” Altogether, Jeff and his family have more than 100 years of law enforcement experience under their belts. “I grew up seeing the personal satisfaction of helping someone else, and I saw the ways in which that greatly affected my grandpa and dad,” he said. “It’s something I wanted to have an impact on my own kids’ lives, and it’s something I try to pass down to my two sons.” Tristen, 20, and Lucas, 15, also have inclinations to continue the family tradition of civic service. Tristen works in private security with aspirations to become a law enforcement officer, while Lucas is leaning toward becoming a firefighter, also like his dad, who was a volunteer firefighter in Amboy for 9 years. “He has set a fine example and done a really good job with raising his boys, teaching them right from wrong since they were born,” Ed Blake said. Continuing another tradition, Blake also keeps a scrapbook filled with more than 100 articles on cases he covered, a practice he was introduced to as a youngster, when he would hunt for and clip out articles in which his dad was featured.
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Amboy Police Chief Jeff Blake One of the articles in his scrapbook, yellowed by about 2 decades of time, tells of how early in his law enforcement career, Blake stumbled upon an escaped prisoner from Wisconsin who was sleeping in Amboy City Park. “I was just on a routine patrol and saw a vehicle I didn’t recognize, which came up stolen,” he said. One case, though, stands out from the rest. In July 2012, 79-year-old Leroy Daniels was beaten to death in his Amboy home, a crime that led to the 2014 conviction of Mathew Welling, who was sentenced to 90 years in prison. “An elderly gentleman, he was well-liked in the community, and knowing the family – having known them for years – it made it more personal for me to help in any way I could,” he said. Blake began as a part-time patrolman for Woodhaven Lakes in 1992 and became a fulltime officer with the Amboy Police Department in 1995. On Sept. 21, he was sworn in by the City Council as police chief. He replaced police Superintendent Paul Smith, who retired after 24 years with the department. Among those advocating for Blake’s appointment was his mentor, Mike Koppien, who retired from the Lee County Sheriff ’s Department in 1997 and has known Blake all his life. “I’ve basically known him since he was in diapers; I watched him grow up,” Koppien said. “I’ve seen him develop into a very good police officer, and he has worked and earned, by far, the position of chief.” Blake exercises a multitude of qualities valuable in law enforcement, including integrity, fairness, discretion and dedication to the job, Koppien said.
“Also, he’s very respectful of the people and shows concern for the citizens of the community.” When he became chief, Blake had two primary goals: Within the first 6 months, he wanted to develop a policy and operations manual for efficiency purposes and, for both the short and long term, to improve training across all levels of the department. “I was humbled being given the opportunity to lead the department in a new direction,” Blake said. The department consists of Blake, three fulltime officers and one part-time officer. Born and raised in Amboy, Blake said he prefers the pace of a small community. “There’s a sense of knowing who your neighbors are, which can be rare in an age of fast-paced technology,” he said. “It’s where your friends are more family than they are friends.” The size also allows for officers to be more approachable by community members, and they obtain a greater understanding of the background of situations they respond to, Blake added. “In a small town, you have to have a vested interest in the community,” he said. “It’s not just about making arrests, it’s about solving problems and addressing the root of the issue.” In his spare time, Blake is an avid bow and deer hunter as well as a ministry leader at Grace Fellowship Church. He said he enjoys the outdoors and finding as much time as he can spend with his sons. “We want to continue to make this a safe place to raise a family, work and pass on that community-minded aspect from generation to generation.” s
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Stop by Sublette Saloon C
Story By Jermaine Pigee And Photos By Brandon Bonnette For Small Town Living
ountryside Tap may have tapped out late last year, but new owners were ready to go before the beer even had time to go flat. Sublette Saloon opened in February in the former Countryside Tap building, across the street from Woodhaven Lakes camping resort. It’s been serving up steaks, burgers, seafood and cold beverages ever since. “We took this place over in January and we opened Feb. 3,” owner Dale Morrison said. He and his wife, Anna, bought the building from Dennis and Cindy McCoy, who owned Countryside Tap for 10 years. The roomy restaurant and bar are punctuated by large windows, perfect for viewing the wild turkey, deer and other woodland critters known to stroll by. That is, if you can take your eyes off the food. Sublette Saloon offers traditional comfort-food faves, such as burgers, grilled cheese, spaghetti and fettuccine Alfredo. Then there’s the not-usually-found-in-a-bar food, such as prime rib and ribeye. The Texas Burger is Sublette Saloon’s signature sandwich. It’s served with onion rings and drizzled with Jack Daniel’s barbecue sauce.
Sublette Saloon
Address: 1831 Tower Road, Sublette Contacts: 815-849-5470 and on Facebook Bar hours: 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday Kitchen hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. daily Atmosphere: It’s a great place to have a beer after a long day of camping, and also to bring the family for lunch or dinner. Service: Food is served pretty quickly, and the servers and cooks are very friendly. Chef recommends: Ribeye or chicken Top appetizers: White cheddar balls, brat bites Amenities: Full-service bar, bloody Mary bar on Sundays, video gambling machines coming soon Reservations: Accepted for groups of six or more
The Higgins family enjoys a meal at Sublette Saloon during while there on a camping trip.
Don’t ask cook Lee Hamilton for well done, though. “People don’t realize you are robbing yourself of the flavor,” he said, shaking his head. “Some people just can’t get over the red meat.” More mouth-watering options are planned in the coming weeks, Hamilton said. “We will start doing ribs soon. We will have baby backs to start with, and we will be doing Memphis-style barbecue.” In addition, five video gambling machines arrived May 19, and the Morrisons are signing up bands and DJs to enhance the entertainment experience. The saloon is a popular hangout not only for locals, but also for the thousands of campers who return each summer to Woodhaven Lakes. Patrick and Kelly Higgins, from Chicago, brought their two young boys, Jack and Sean, in for a bite. “We come here all the time,” Patrick said. “The food is great, and it’s really close to Woodhaven Lakes, so it’s a double whammy. The burgers are great and the fish is great.” The family rents a campsite in Woodhaven, and “now that it is approaching the summertime, we are going to be out here almost every weekend,” Kelly said. This first year is off to a good start, Morrison said. “I would say the atmosphere and the food is what brings people back here. We have good food, good service, excellent waitresses and excellent bartenders.” s
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A new bison calf stands next to her mother at the Nachusa Grasslands. This is the second year since bison were reintroduced at The Nature Conservancy’s 3,500-acre preserve, east of Dixon and south of Oregon.
Bison babies Nachusa herd growing by leaps and bounds
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY EARLEEN HINTON FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
he was deep into nap mode, curled up tightly next to her family on the backside of a small hill, out of the wind and soaking up the sun on a cool northern Illinois spring day. Then, her mom grunted, nudged her gently with her nose and the little brown calf rose, twitched her tail, turned around, and had some lunch. A dozen and counting, that’s the number of bison calves born as of May 26 at Nachusa Grasslands. This is the second year since the large North American mammal was reintroduced at The Nature Conservancy’s 3,500-acre preserve, east of Dixon and south of Oregon. With more room to graze and an underpass to call their own, the bison herd at the Grasslands is thriving.
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“They are doing quite fine,” restoration ecologist Cody Considine said. Seventeen calves were born in 2015, bringing the herd count to 74. “We may have 20 to 21 calves this season,” Considine said. The bison, named the official mammal of the United States in May, were reintroduced at the Grasslands in October 2014 to help restore the prairie and encourage habitat for other prairie species. Since then, officials have been studying the large mammals’ effect on the prairie. They have seen a positive impact on how the bison’s grazing techniques are helping native grasses and all the other birds, amphibians, bugs, and mammals that live on the prairie. Grasslands volunteers who have spent hundreds of hours pulling invasive plants, collect-
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ing prairie plants seeds, burning, and replanting now are seeing where some prairie plants are doing better based on the bison’s selective eating habits. Bison hair also has been used as nesting material for birds and small animals. “From a science research point of view, this study will take several years,” Considine said. “What we are trying to do is optimize the habitat for all the prairie species. We are using bison as a tool.” Twenty-eight grazing exclosures, designed to keep the bison out, dot the 1,500-acre bison unit helping scientists to monitor their impact on the prairie. Bison were reintroduced to the Grasslands when Considine and Bill Kleiman, preserve manager, and Grassland volunteers made three trips totaling nearly 3,500 miles to transport cows and bulls from established herds in Iowa and South Dakota.
Sometimes the herd can be seen grazing on the west side of Lowden Road, from the north side of Stone Barn Road, or south from Flagg Road. A new bison underpass was constructed last summer that allows the bison to walk under Stone Barn Road to the new southern unit, which increased their habitat from 500 acres to 1,500.
The Grasslands’ herd is the first to live at a TNC preserve east of the Mississippi and also the first conservation herd in Illinois – with a primary purpose of helping the prairie thrive. The bison, and their calves, also have meant an increase in visitors driving by Grasslands, to catch a glimpse of the herd. The Grasslands kiosk on Lowden Road offers maps of the Grasslands that include where the bison are located. Sometimes, the herd can be seen grazing on the west side of Lowden Road, from the north side of Stone Barn Road, or south from Flagg Road. A new bison underpass was constructed last summer that allows the bison to walk under Stone Barn Road to the new southern unit, which increased their habitat from 500 acres to 1,500. There are plans to build a $1 million self-guided interpretive visitor facility along Lowden Road, south of the Grasslands headquarters barn, where visitors can learn about the prairie and, of course, the bison. “We hope to break ground this year,” Considine said. “The center will be off of Lowden Road where we’ve hosted Autumn on Prairie.” Crews were busy last year transforming the Bluestem Bottoms, along Wade Creek, back into a wetland habitat, which has already attracted migrating birds and hopefully help the Blanding turtle, an endangered species
To help
Friends of Nachusa Grasslands always can use donations of time and money, for the growing bison herd and for the many other preservation and restoration projects the nonprofit group undertakes on behalf of the Grasslands. Go to nachusagrasslands.org to donate or for more information.
More ahead
Wondering just how dangerous these huge and fluffy animals are? Find out the answer to that and more on Page 16. found at the Grasslands. “We want to help visitors learn about prairies and why they are important. The facility will be very nice,” he said. The visitor facility is being developed with private donations and will feature more than 70 feet of interpretive panels explaining Nachusa’s prairie/woodland/wetland ecosystems and the attempts to protect them. The center also will include bison information, a trail, a park-
ing area, and bathrooms. Volunteer opportunities also are on the rise at the Grasslands. “We are eager for more volunteers. There are lots of opportunities for lots of things to help us,” Considine said. Work days are held every Saturday and begin at 9 a.m. Volunteers should report to the Grasslands headquarters barn at 8772 S. Lowden Road. s
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Get to know bison better Q: What is the correct term, bison or buffalo? A: The scientifically correct term is bison. The genus and species for the American bison is “bison, bison.” American buffalo also is accepted. Q: How big are bison? A: Bison calves weigh 40 to 60 pounds at birth. Adult bulls can weigh as much as 1,800 to 2,000 pounds, stand 6 feet high at the shoulder and be 11 feet long. Cows can grow to between 900 and 1,100 pounds. Q: How long do bison live? A: Typically, bison live for 15 years in the wild and about 25 years when raised domestically. The oldest recorded bison in captivity was older than 40. Q: How many bison are there in North America? A: It is estimated that at the time of Columbus’ arrival, there could have been herds of 40 million to 60 million bison ranging across North America. In the 1800s, extensive killing of bison, for sport and to make way for the American cattle industry, reduced the total number to about 1,000. In May 1894, Congress enacted a law making
The bison, named the official mammal of the United States in May, were reintroduced at the Grasslands in October 2014 to help restore the prairie and encourage habitat for other prairie species.
bison hunting in Yellowstone National Park illegal. Eight years later, money was appropriated to buy 21 bison from private herds to build up the Yellowstone herd. With adequate protection, this herd has steadily increased to almost 4,000 bison today. It is estimated that as many as 500,000 bison now live on private land and commercial operations, and 30,000 more live on public lands, including parks and preserves. Q: Are bison dangerous? A: Yes, bison absolutely can be dangerous if threatened or frightened. They account for more injuries and deaths in Yellowstone National Park than bears. Bison are remarkably fast and agile – they can run up to 35 or 40 mph
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and jump 6 feet high. If they want to get some place and you are in their way, you could be trampled. Bulls can be particularly aggressive during their rutting season, and cows are especially protective of their calves. In general, bison are wild animals and naturally avoid any type of human contact. Typically, they will move away from people who approach them within 100 yards. At Nachusa, the guideline is that, if bison move away from you, you are too close. Q: What do bison eat? A: Bison are herbivores and eat grasses and sedges. Bison do not typically eat flowers, but if driven by hunger, bison have been known to eat twigs and tree bark.
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Q: What kind of sounds do bison make? A: Bison do not moo like domestic cattle. They make low guttural sounds that can be loud if they are startled or if a cow is warning a calf of danger. Bison also snore. The primary way they communicate is through body movements and various smells. Q: Do all bison have horns? A: Adult male and female bison have horns, which are typically 3 to 6 inches long. Q: When do bison reproduce? A: Bison are sexually mature at 2 to 3 years, but bulls do not typically breed until they are about 6. Bulls come into their rutting season in early summer, peaking in July and August. As bison have a 285-day (around 9 and a half months) gestation period, calves are usually born in mid–April to May. Most cows have a single calf. Calves spend about 9 months being cared for by their mothers. Q: What is the bison social order? A: Herd social structure is complex and always changing. In the winter, bison form matriarchal bands (cows and juveniles) and bachelor bands of bulls 3 and older. During rutting season, bulls compete for rights to mating, which can include charging and butting. This action does not typically result in injury. A calving cow might remove herself from the herd or stay on the edge of the herd. New mothers might form nursery bands, and mothers are fiercely protective of calves. In early spring, yearlings are weaned from maternal care and temporary yearling bands may form. Older, barren cows also may form “spinster” herds. Q: What is “wallowing”? A: Wallowing takes place when a bison rolls on bare patches of dirt. Wallowing is used for dust baths to protect bison from insects and is an important form of social interaction. Source: Friends of Nachusa Grasslands, nachusagrasslands.org s
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A beautiful, yet difficult golf course Shady Oaks Country Club manager Dawn Shaddick and husband, Randy Shaddick, have been members for 27 years.
Holes at Shady Oaks Country Club demand precision
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STORY BY JERMAINE PIGEE AND PHOTOS BY BRANDON BONNETTE FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
here is a reason why Amboy native David Kemp has been a member of Shady Oaks Country Club for more than 20 years. “This is probably one of the finest 18-hole courses in northern Illinois,” Kemp said. Shady Oaks Country Club offers a beautiful, yet difficult 18 holes, that demand precision. “Its tree-lined fairways and small sloped greens can take a toll on your mental game and make scoring very difficult,” its website proclaims. “A driver off the tee is certainly not a given, and accurate short irons and a hot putter are a must to conquer this beautiful layout.”
More information
Shady Oaks Country Club is at 577 U.S. Highway 52 in Sublette. The public golf course is open from 7 a.m. until dusk, and the bar from 7 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday. The course is open from 6 a.m. until dusk Saturday and Sunday, while the bar is open from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. both days. Find it on Facebook, go to shadyoakscc.com or call 815-849-5424 for more information. The public, par 71-course has four sets of tee boxes that can accommodate different skill levels. At only 6,212 yards from the farthest tee box, the par-71 course doesn’t look challenging, but Kemp says looks can be deceiving.
“The course is shorter, but it is very, very tight,” he said. “A lot of courses are wide open and longer. If you hit your ball too far off, you are in trouble.”
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The tall trees that line the tight fairways, coupled with the small sloped greens, can make even the most calm and tolerant golfers pull their hair out. Shady Oaks also has a pro shop, a putting green, a bar and a small banquet room for wedding receptions, parties and luncheons. Roughly 400 stockholders share ownership of the course, said Dawn Shaddick, clubhouse manager since March 7, and herself a stockholder. She and her husband, Randy Shaddick, have been members for 27 years. It’s also the Amboy High School golf team’s course, and the cross country team holds an invitational at the course every October. “They have meets here during the fall, and we also have a big Columbus Day cross country meet, which is one of the biggest meets in the state,” said Kemp, also a shareholder. “It’s a huge event, and this place is crammed with people.” The 125-acre course had only six holes in playable condition when it was built in 1961. It was expanded to nine in ’65, then to 18 holes in 1996, when it was opened to the public. Near the first hole is a tree planted in honor of the late Louis and Norma Ohlendorf. Louis, Amboy’s veterinarian, died in October 2014; Norma followed in July 2015. The couple were instrumental in Shady Oaks’ inception, and lifelong members. In the early 1960s, Louis was on a piece of ground that now sits just to the right of the 11th fairway. There’s a gully there, with a small stream. He remarked to the landowner that this land could make a fine golf course, and asked if he would be interested in selling it. The man was, and Shady Oaks proper soon was born. Now, where there were once saplings, mighty oaks gobble up shots that stray a bit offline. There also are beautiful fields of wildflowers and fescue on several holes – great to look at, but don’t hit a ball in there. If you do, just drop
The view from the 17th green. Many golfers there refer to it as “a little slice of heaven.”
one out, because you’re not hitting it out of there. The course draws golfers from all across the area, even as far away as Chicago, thanks to nearby Woodhaven Lakes campground, about 3 miles away. “It’s pretty busy here on Memorial Day,” Kemp said. Shaddick took over from Jim Larkin, who retired in November after 21 years as clubhouse manager. She spent 2 years as a volunteer in the clubhouse, and more than 1 year working full time before she got the gig. There are men’s and women’s leagues, and “we also run a junior clinic over the summer to try and attract the younger kids. We usually have a good crowd of kids.” A variety of companies host golf outings there, too. “This course is a slice of heaven,” she said. “It’s a very natural environment and the course is built through the nature. It’s just very beautiful.” s
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Pieces from Amboy’s past are shown inside one of the many display cases at the Amboy Depot Museum.
Museum a testament to Amboy’s history STORY BY RACHEL RODGERS AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
Continued on page 25
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Continued from page 23 Dan Etheridge, of Amboy, scrapes loose paint off the steam engine next to the Amboy Depot Museum. He is preparing the engine for a fresh coat of paint. Etheridge plans to have the engine painted in time for Depot Days in August.
A
lthough the last train left Amboy Depot nearly 5 decades ago, the station still gives transport to its passengers, who instead of looking to travel across distances, take a trip through town history. The historic Illinois Central Railroad hub, composed of two stories of brick and Joliet limestone, was built in 1876 and was once home to a bustling stretch of 13 tracks that ferried countless trains. A century later, the depot’s rich youth was a faraway echo from its current state – riddled with falling ceilings, failing infrastructure, smashed windows, and a den laden with
raccoons and other wildlife. “The depot was slated for demolition, and it was in sad, bad shape,” said Jack Dempsey, president of the Amboy Depot Museum Commission. “It was ready to be knocked down.” However, in the hopes of restoring the facility, a joint effort by community members was enough to stave off the wrecking ball. But the journey to get the building back on track as a testament to Amboy history was not without its challenges, both labor-intensive and costly. “This was a huge task, and where we stand today is a tremendous tribute to the people who took on all of that work and
brought us this shining example of our city,” Dempsey said. Where passengers would once purchase tickets is now the welcome center for the museum, and instead of finding conductors at work, visitors would encounter either Bernadine “Bird” Willstead or Dorothy Kozwolski, the two part-time museum caretakers recently hired by the city. The museum displays many artifacts from the depot’s operating days, including the station agent’s desk, log books, and photos of workers and events such as the train wreck of 1915 where tons of coal were scattered across the tracks.
Wilbur, a buffalo rug from the 1940s, is a favorite display among visitors to the local museum.
Continued on page 27
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The Amboy Depot Museum, 99 E. Main St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is free, and donations are welcome. Find the musem on Facebook, go to amboydepotmuseum.org or call 815857-4700 for more information.
A model train setup replicates the way Amboy used to look. The model train display was an Eagle Scout project for Marcus Mitzel and was completed in 2012.
The Amboy Clipper corner is shown inside the Depot Museum in downtown Amboy. Continued from page 25
And, of course, there’s the train. The 120-ton steam-engine locomotive parked alongside the museum bears a similar story to the depot as it was slated to be sold for scrap and melted down in 1958 but was bought by Northwestern Steel & Wire Co. in Sterling, restored and brought back into commission. It became a feature of the museum in 1981. Dan Etheridge, dubbed the museum handyman, has done everything from changing light bulbs to making sure the furnaces continue to function in the winter, but what he really enjoys working on is the locomotive About 5 years ago, Etheridge painted the train’s engine and coal car, a job he is redoing because wear and tear over time has caused the paint to peel off. During the past few weeks, he and other volunteers have worked to scrape off the paint
to get the train ready for a fresh coat before Amboy Depot Days in August. Although trains are an important part of the 5,600-square-foot museum, the depot’s displays are centered around myriad pieces of Amboy history. “The museum is so much more than trains,” Willstead said. “We have a bit of everything.” Sections of its 19 rooms are dedicated to different aspects of the town’s history, including the old Amboy hospital, Amboy Clippers, former state Sen. David Shapiro, veterans, firefighters and local companies. Visitors also can find Abraham Lincoln sitting in an old barber chair, an extensive model train display, a replica of the Amboy arch that stood 856 feet in 1925, the marquis from the old theater, and Wilbur, a buffalo rug from the 1940s. “Wilbur is definitely a favorite with the kids,” Willstead said.
In addition to the depot, the museum grounds also house a freight house from the early 1900s and Palmer School, built in 1924. Having taught for more than 3 decades, Dempsey favors the school house, which includes a pencil collection, books of class pictures, a dunce hat in the corner, old teacher rules as well as Dempsey’s grandmother’s high school diploma. All of the memorabilia in the museum, freight house and school were donated. The museum operates off of donations, primarily relying on funds from the Amboy Depot Days car show and 50-50 raffle. People can also purchase memorial bricks paved next to the train. Members of the museum, consisting of volunteers and donors, make up a group of about 2,500. “The museum has been through a lot, and she’s standing pretty proud still,” Willstead said. “I call her the old girl, and she’s shining.” s
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