Otto’s Column

LOCAL HISTORY Oregon’s T hird St. used to be main business district

Editor’s note: Otto Dick, Oregon has researched the people, places and events importantintheOregon area’s history for the Ogle County HistoricalSociety. Thefollowing is one ofa seriesofthearticleshehas written.

BY OTTO DICK

Back in the 1880s pitching horseshoes was a popular sport called Backyard Golf.

I have a photo taken sometime between 1889 and 1929 showing a crowd sitting on the curb of North Third Street watching two teams of old time business men, A. W. Spoor and John Matmiller staging a horseshoe pitching contest with James Malarkey and John Perrine.

The article stated: “The large gathering of spectators along the side lines would leave one to believe that these were some pumpkins when it came to horseshoe pitching.”

The first cemetery in this area is located on North Third Street. I remember horseshoe contests held behind the Church of God which was located south of the cemetery.

The home of Oregon’s first Doctor, Dr. Roe is located north of the cemetery which was called the burying grounds, now Riverside Cemetery.

At this time Third Street was the main business section of Oregon. Oregon founder John Phelps ran a store in an old frame building which was located at the corner of Third and Monroe Streets.

This article stated Dr. Bunker bought a pair of extra fine buckskin gloves from John Phelps in the 1860s.

Businesses mentioned were a thirst parlor, residence of Thos. J. Goings, colored liveryman, John T. Bowler monument and marble manufacturer, Independent Democrat Newspaper Office, Pike Denier broom room, Oregon City building and the Ogle County Reporter Newspaper Office.

At this time there were three newspapers in Oregon.

The first small library was located above a pharmacy on South Third Street. South Third Street was also the location of several upscale homes in Oregon.

Oregon businesses, housing, railroad spur and manufacturing were all located within two blocks west of Rock River.

So the Rock River and the railroad were instrumental in the early development of Oregon. The Oregon dam supplied power for the early factories and later electricity for the City of Oregon.

Two other important factors in our development was being named the county seat and Route 2 and Route 64 providing access to the North, East, West and South.

Manufacturing flourished along the siding spur located on the west side of Rock River.

In 1913 businesses adjacent to the railroad spur were the Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Co., Schiller Piano Co., Neola Grain Elevator, Ill. Northern Utilities Co., Player Piano Co., Sandage Foundry Co., E. F. Davis Lumber Co., Chester Nash Millwork, Riverside Creamery and Bottling Works, E.D. Etynyre and Co., and Spahn & Rose Lumber Co.

Having electrical power provided at the dam and the train spur running next to their plant spurred manufacturing. All of these industries have closed or moved to other locations and the railroad spur removed.

Later on this spur, horses were used to back Lowden’s private railroad car on the railroad spur up to Route 64 where he gave a speech from the back of the car campaigning for the office of Governor of Illinois.

When Gov. Ford was elected for Governor he lived on North Third Street.

Photos supplied by Otto Dick ABOVE: This old picture postcard shows the piano factories and the dam, which provided electrical power to area factories and businesses. BELOW LEFT: This home, at 211 South Third Street, served as Oregon’s first library. BELOW RIGHT: Dr. Roe, Oregon’s first medical doctor, lived in this house on North Third Street. BOTTOM: Thomas Ford lived on Third Street.