Bickering and all, PC sisters are enjoying their time on the course B1
www.newstrib.com | Monday, October 7, 2019 | 75 cents
How a bowl of stew put Utica GM-UAW talks take on the map turn for In 1969, the crowd was ‘underwhelming.’ This year, Burgoo turns 50 and owes a debt of gratitude to a trainload of Chicagoans who helped popularize the event.
Settlement does not appear near
By Tom Collins NEWSTRIBUNE SENIOR REPORTER
It was anything but an overnight success. A member of the La Salle County Historical Society had driven three hours to a tiny town west of Springfield and returned with a few cauldrons to whip up some pioneer stew. The society thought it would be fun for people to sample what their ancestors ate while raising funds for the society. But nobody knew what “burgoo” was in 1969 and the one kettle they cooked wasn’t exactly wolfed down by the crowd, if it can be called so, that descended on Utica for the inaugural Burgoo Festival. “The first Burgoo Festival was pretty small and pretty underwhelming,” admitted Amanda Carter, events coordinator for the historical society. “But they decided to stick with it and it continued to grow.” It’s a good thing they stuck it out. This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of what has become the signature event not only for the historical society and Utica but, arguably, for La Salle County as a whole. More than 350 vendors will be on hand to help the historical society bring in cash to operate its museum and live exhibits. And in honor of the half centennial, a few new features were added. This year’s festival includes a beer garden featuring “Burgoo Brew,” a beer specially crafted by Tangled Roots. Live entertainment has been expanded to the front porch of the society’s Heritage Center and there will be celebrity stirrers working the kettles of the eponymous stew. Mary Pawlak, a longtime Utica village trustee, said she remembers the inaugural event in 1969 and agreed that attendance was limited. News reports at the time generously listed the crowd at 1,000 and Pawlak recalled that nobody stayed long. The next few years weren’t much more inspiring. Dolores Passwater, a longtime officer for the La Salle County Historical Society, remembers one of the early Burgoo Festivals being sparsely attended, with no help at all from Mother Nature. “There were very few vendors and it was colder than all get out,” Passwater recalled. It was a good five years, Pawlak recalled, before the Burgoo Festival attracted any serious attention. The turning point, she said, was when the festival turned 10. That year, a passenger train steamed into Utica and unloaded hundreds of Chicagoans making a day trip specifically for crafts and stew. Burgoo was suddenly on the map, there to stay. “Now, people come from everywhere,” Pawlak said. “I know of a group from St. Louis who come every year. The Burgoo puts Utica on the map.” The event has grown in other ways. The Burgoo Festival was Sunday-only until 2013, when the historical society decided a
worse
By Tom Krischer AP AUTO WRITER
DETROIT (AP) — Contract talks aimed at ending a 21day strike by the United Auto Workers against General Motors have taken a turn for the worse, hitting a big snag over product commitments for U.S. factories, a union official wrote in an email to members. The letter from UAW Vice President Terry Dittes casts doubt on whether there will be a quick settlement in the contract dispute, which sent 49,000 workers to the picket lines on Sept. 16, crippling GM’s factories. Dittes’ letter says the union presented a proposal to the company Saturday. He said GM responded Sunday morning by reverting back to an offer that had been rejected and made few changes. See GM Page A2
One Eagle Scout project just wasn’t enough for this L-P boy By Craig Sterrett NEWS EDITOR
NEWSTRIBUNE FILE PHOTO
Today, the Burgoo stew gets wolfed down in an hour or less, but 50 years ago the lone kettle of pioneer stew didn’t attract many takers. A huge crowd is expected this weekend in Utica as the Burgoo Festival marks its 50th anniversary, but those who remember the inaugural event recall sparse attendance and suspicious looks at the stew.
What’s new at the Burgoo? For Burgoo’s 50th anniversary, the La Salle County Historical Society has added several events.
TONICA — Brice Fundell has discovered he loves to construct and create, so the high school junior decided to take on two projects instead of one in his quest for an Eagle Scout badge. While in eighth grade, he stepped on glass and needed surgery. During that time, he read a lot of “Dr. Who” comics and decided he wanted to build a Tardis — the science-fiction time machine to another dimension, built in a British 1963 police phone booth. He talked to his dad, Ritch, and they built it together. “I really wanted to build a Tardis. That was what gave me See SCOUT Page A4
Saturday, Oct. 12
NEWSTRIBUNE FILE PHOTO
Organizers say it took a few years for big Burgoo crowds to build up and for visitors to consume large quantities of stew, as was the case when this photo was taken in 1983.
IF YOU GO For a complete schedule, visit lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
See BURGOO Page A2
Sponsored by participating Princeton businesses and the
www.princetonchamber-il.com
Live music on the Heritage Center (208 Clark St.) front porch will be noon-3 p.m. featuring Colonel Boyd’s Band (ragtime music) and 6:30-9:30 p.m. featuring Chris Gelbuda and Friends. A Burgoo Brew Beer Tent will be open 1-11 p.m, at the Heritage Center featuring Burgoo Brew, brewed by Tangled Roots to commemorate the 50th Anniversary. Celebrity Stirrers will preside over the Burgoo kettles 7:30-11 p.m.
Sunday, October 13 Live music on the Heritage Center resumes 10 a.m.-1 p.m. featuring Kevin Kramer and Friends and Big Uproar from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
TONIGHT Clear. Low 42. Weather A8
INDEX Astrology B6 Business B5 Classified B8 Comics B8 Lifestyle A7
Local A3 Lottery A2 Obituaries B7 Opinion A6
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