3 minute read
Betty’s Column
from Mt. Morris Times
by Shaw Media
LOCAL HISTORY Ribbons demonstrated success of the Men’s Garden Club of Polo
BY BETTY OBENDORF Curator, Polo Historical Society
Today feels like fall has arrived and there was even the thought of snow in the west by some weather commentators.
Maybe that will be up in the mountains. I am not ready for snow and cold weather. However the rain that has fallen has been a big help to everything growing which includes my flowers. We have enjoyed our patio in the back and all the flowers.
Lately at the museum we have received some interesting artifacts and information. Jim Brantner from Sycamore stopped by last week with a Lion’s Club vest that belonged to his father, Bill Brantner. Bill was part of the original charter group to start the Lion’s Club in Polo. He was also a past president of the organization.
Jim carried in a big board with ribbons placed neatly on it. They all pertained to the Men’s Garden Club of Polo and other contests at Ogle County Fair, Amboy, Dixon, Franklin Grove, Sterling and Milledgeville.
How many of you even remember the Polo Men’s Garden Club of Polo? I do remember it and I had a feeling that these ribbons had belonged to Ralph Keckler. So I gave Lola Jeanne Brantner a call to find out if I was correct.
She said yes that the ribbons all had been given to her father when he entered contests with his flowers. He only grew roses and his wife Viola also helped with the growing of flowers. Roses are a lot of hard work. She belonged to the Polo Women’s Garden Club which is still active today.
Jerry Brantner would go along with his grandfather to the contests and help carry in flowers so he has special memories of times with his grandfather. Jerry had kept the ribbons for many years but it was now time to place them somewhere else and the museum will be a good spot.
Other members of the Polo Men’s Garden Club were Ralph Ports, Ralph Avey and George Linker. These were the only names that Lola Jeanne Brantner could think of so I went to the museum to see if the Polo Men’s Garden Club had a file on their activities. I did not find a thing.
Can anyone help me with any information on this organization? What were the years and what other men might have had a part in growing flowers in our town?
Also Jim Brantner wanted some information about a train wreck or derailment that happened north of Polo. He was a boy and remembered it since many railroad ties were left along the tracks on the Brantner Farm. They used those on the farm for many things.
Jerry said it had to be between the years of 1961 and 1967. I have not gone to the library to research since March or to the newspaper room at Blackhawk Waterways. This virus still makes me nervous. Maybe some of you can remember the train wreck and help me out with this one.
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