Backtracking ... A look back at the history of Lee
Winter 2021
Business is near and beer to brewers’ hearts
Remembering Van Petten’s Mr. & Mrs. Mayor
Daughters tell the story of our nation
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People are raising a glass, and their spirits, at a Franklin Grove business they haven’t seen the likes of in more than 70 years: A bar
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Magazine editor & Page design Rusty Schrader Published by Sauk Valley Media 113 S. Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2222 Have a story idea for River City Living? Let us know ... Call 815-632-2531 or e-mail news@saukvalley.com Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Small TownLiving 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.
The tracks of its years
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Combined talents
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Mr. & Mrs. Mayor
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Proud to preserve
Immigrants staking out their piece of the American dream intersected with the railroad’s push west in what would become the village of Lee
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Bar none? Not anymore People are raising a glass, and their spirits, at a Franklin Grove business they haven’t seen the likes of in more than 70 years ... A bar
Cousins put their heads together to come up with a business that’s grown near and beer to local craft brewers’ hearts.
The village voices in Van Petten were a chorus of two, and they were always happy to sing the praises of their humble little hamlet.
The Daughters of the American Revolution have spent more than a century on mission to help tell the story of our nation.
Plus ... Where Is It? Lee County Page 24
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BY CODY CUTTER SAUK VALLEY MEDIA
or decades, alcohol was a taboo topic in Franklin Grove. No way was anyone in town going to fall vicitim to the “evils” of booze, according to old-time teetotalers who had plenty of influence in the community — so much so that there was nary a bar Small Town to found in the village. That was until John Lauer and Robert Horn made a pitch for a place where people could pull up a chair or belly up to the bar. Several community members in the village of just over 1,000 got on board, and before long a decades-long dry spell was broken. Enter Rooney’s: Franklin Grove’s first bar in nearly 75 years. And though critics at one time might have said a tavern in town would lower the bar, it’s been quite the opposite. Since it opened in June, Rooney’s has been a place where many locals, along with visitors to the village, have gathered to not only raise a glass, but also enjoy the camaraderie, music, and good times. All it took for Rooney’s to get people to warm up to the idea of a bar was for Lauer and Horn to break the ice — and put it in some drinks. “They wore that like a badge of honor, not having a bar,” Lauer said. “A lot of that had to do with the churches in town, and for generations, there were mayors who were preachers. You didn’t talk about a liquor license. It just wasn’t even brought up.”
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John and Amy Lauer own and operate Rooney’s, Franklin Grove’s first bar and grill in nearly 75 years. Rooney’s opened in June, and “it’s been phenomenal,” John said. The wood arches they’re standing in front of were salvaged from the 1868 building Rooney’s occupies and given new life — refinished and turned into the bar’s centerpiece.
ROONEYS cont’d from page 5 “Being the only place in town, we knew there would be some attraction with that, but it’s just been wonderful.” Lauer and Horn worked at the Byron nuclear plant when they decided to go into business together. The two drove through town one day a
couple of years ago, and Lauer set his eyes on a two-story building built in 1868 by P.C. Rooney. At that time, the downtown storefront had been used for storage in recent years. Lauer took one look at the building and thought it was about time to bring it out of storage.
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Above: The wood on the bartop is from the building’s original floor. Elsewhere in the bar, a Schlitz Beer sign (left) beckons bar patrons to enjoy “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” The last time this sign did its job was after prohibition was repealed; it hung at the last bar to be open before Franklin Grove became a town without a tavern. Today, it’s found a new home in Rooney’s.
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ROONEYS cont’d from page 6 “We came across this building, and I told him, ‘This place just screams bar and grill,’” Lauer said. “We started talking about it and then I said, ‘Let’s buy this whole building and see what we can do with it.’” They bought the building in April 2019, and while the COVID-19 pandemic caused construction delays, it gave them enough time to ease into making Rooney’s look and feel like how they wanted it, rather than rushinmg toward a deadline. Even after 2 years of initial construction, Rooney’s still is a work in progress. Lauer plans to add a kitchen in the near future, and has ideas to turn the second floor into a banquet area and add a patio behind the building. But right now, Lauer is in no rush; he’s just happy to give Rooney’s a chance to settle in Sadly, Horn won’t be able to see all that Rooney’s will become. He died on Oct. 1, nearly 4 1/2 months after Rooney’s opened. He was 59. Though he’s not here to see Rooney’s grow, the Lauers haven’t forgotten the part he played in turning a dream into a reality. “It’s unfortunate that he passed away before we could know the full dream of it,” Lauer said. “This was his dream as well, and we want to memorialize him in this as we push on. He’d want us to keep plugging away, and we’ll do just that.”
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A building that’s more than 150 years old is bound to have a lot of memories in it, and Rooney’s owners don’t want to forget them. From top to bottom inside and out, the building at 119 N. Elm St. in a historic 1868 building in downtown Franklin Grove honors the building’s and the community’s history. The village’s national claim to fame is being the location of the Lincoln Highway headquarters, in the H.I. Lincoln Building just northeast of Rooney’s. A sign on Rooney’s north wall (below left), tells the story of the highway’s arrival in Franklin Grove. A display at the bar (right) features historical photos of the Rooney’s building, as well as others in the community, including the H.I. Lincoln Building. There are also memories of Ron Horn (left), one of the original business partners who helped make Rooney’s a reality. Horn passed away just 4 months after the bar opened. “This was his dream as well, and we want to memorialize him in this as we push on,” said business partner John Lauer. He’d want us to keep plugging away, and we’ll do just that.”
ROONEYS cont’d from page 7 There’s a lot of history in a building that’s more than 150 years old, and Rooney’s celebrates it. Inside, a display features historical photos of local buildings, including Rooney’s. Artifacts were salvaged as well, including a pair of wood arches that had seen better days. They looked “pitiful,” Lauer said, colored in an ugly olive green, but he had a woodworker friend restore them to their original beauty and now they’re a centerpiece behind the bar. Some of the bar’s woodwork comes from pieces of an old corn crib from Lauer’s home in rural Ashton, and the bartop is made from refinished floorboards from the Rooney’s building. Rooney’s even gives a nod to its predecessor. The Flying Red Horse was the town’s last bar before Rooney’s, located across the street, before the village’s unofficial prohibition. A Schlitz sign from the business was salvaged and now hangs just above Rooney’s bar. While Lauer and Horn did a lot of the handiwork in turning the building into a bar, they also had some help from local repairmen and businesses. Seeing local talent help out gave the business partners a sense of pride, knowing that of local people were part of the process. “If you’re going to have the first bar in 75 years in this town, you need to make it really nice and comfortable,” Lauer said. “We can celebrate the history of the community, and the farming.”
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ROONEYS cont’d from page 8 Another way Rooney’s pays homage to the area is with the names of its $5 specialty drinks. Among the drinks: The Franklin Creek, made of Malibu, blue Curacao, pineapple juice and Sprite; the Lincoln Way Cruise, with Captain Morgan, Malibu, blue Curacao, and pineapple and lime juice; the Raider Punch, with citrus vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice and soda water and named after the mascot of the local high school; and The Flying Red Horse, with cucumber vodka, cranberry juice and splashes of lime and lemon. As far as food goes, right now it’s basic bar fare; frozen pizzas from EastSide Cafe, nachos, beef sticks from Headons Fine Meats in Creston. Once a kitchen is added, Lauer plans to have a line of signature burgers, wings, and walleye on Fridays. Franklin Grove officially stopped being dry about 15 years ago when the Casey’s General Store wanted to serve packaged beer. What Rooney’s offers to the community is a place where folks can kick back, relax, chew the fat with friends or play a game of darts. Lauer still works at the nuclear plant, and his wife, Amy, runs the day-to-day operations, which includes overseeing a staff of eight bartenders,
and helping out behind the bar, too. The Lauers never let a bartender work a busy shift alone. “Here’s how I look at it: Our customers want that interaction with you, and we’re not just like anyone else,” Lauer said. “We’re unique in every way. They come in here to see you, to talk to you. They’re coming here for that interaction. On top of that, I know that from being on the [other] side of the bar as a customer, I’ve sat in the back watching a bartender scramble like a maniac and slinging Busch Lights like they’re going out of style and keeping up, but there’s no interaction.” Rooney’s has plenty to enjoy on top of drink and food. There’s a gaming room where you can try your luck, a dartboard, and a jukebox. Wednesdays are bingo nights, local bands perform on select weekends, and once a month there is an open mic night for musicians. Lauer doesn’t envision Rooney’s as a wild “biker bar” or a place that is going to cause problems in the community. With what he has planned down the road, the Lauers aspire to make the place that can be enjoyed by all — young and old, urban and rural. So far it’s working out well. “We want it to be a combination of the old and the new,” Lauer said, “and I think we nailed it.”
More info Rooney's, 119 N. Elm St. in Franklin Grove, is open from 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday. Find it on Facebook or call 815-456-2590 for more information.
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The BNSF runs through a crossing of Lee Road just east of the village of Lee. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM
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Nearly 150 years ago, a pair of immigrants staking out their piece of the American dream intersected with the railroad’s push west, and from there, as they say,
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By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media
istory is full of “whys” and “what ifs.” For the village of Lee, the answers begin in Norway, hitch a ride on a railroad, and end up in a warehouse and store on a lonely stretch of dirt road in the heart of the Midwest during the late 1800s. Why the village exists tracks back to the origin of a rail line from Chicago. As for what if that line had taken a different turn? History would have taken a different turn, too, and the village that’s in two counties wouldn’t have been born. If the Chicago and Iowa Railroad didn’t cut through northeastern Lee County, the Christopher and Jorgens farmers warehouse and store wouldn’t have opened up there. Without the warehouse and store, a community wouldn’t have cropped up around it, and the Lee wouldn’t be getting ready to celebrates its 150th birthday.
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for the *THE REST IS HISTORY village of Lee S m a l l
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Lee’s welcome sign shows two important aspects of the community’s past and present. The tractor represents farming and the Zephyr passenger train represents the railroad, which played an important role in the village’s history. The train depicted is one of the two Twin Cities Zephyrs that the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad ran through the community. The CB&Q is now the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF for short).
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LEE cont’d from page 11 Lee’s sesquicentennial isn’t for another 3 years, but the roots of the community that straddles the Lee-DeKalb county line started 150 years ago this year when a pair of Norwegian immigrants set up shop along a new railroad. The village’s history can’t be told without first sharing the story of the Chicago and Iowa Railroad. As the Windy City became home to one of the United States’ largest ports along Lake Michigan, there was a need for expedient shipping throughout the Midwest. In the mid-1800s, the railroad and steam engines were the fastest method of transport. As Chicago’s port grew, so too did the rail lines leading out of it. Rail lines already existed within 20 miles north and south of present-day Lee: today’s Union Pacific Geneva Sub line to the north, and today’s BNSF Mendota Sub line to the south. Francis E. Hinckley sought to establish a line from Chicago to Galena, a mining town not connected by either of the aforementioned rail lines. Hinckley’s dream was realized in 1869 when an act of Illinois Congress approved the charter for his line. The goal of rail routes at the time was finding the shortest route between stops, and the flatter the topography the better. Hinckley’s route would be built in phases: the first of which was from Chicago to Rochelle via Aurora, and then from Rochelle to Oregon, with more phases added until reaching Galena.
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A man with the same two names had a hand in the history of the village in two counties. Christopher Christopher (left) was one of the founders of Lee, which straddles the Lee-DeKalb county line along the path of a BNSF rail line. He and Ole Jurgens Prestegaard (right), both Norwegian immigrants, started a store at a rail crossing 150 years ago this year.
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ABOVE: Viking Vie, the main road through Lee, also serves as the Lee-DeKalb county line. In this view, looking south, the houses to the left are in DeKalb County, and those to the right are in Lee. INSET AT RIGHT: The streets of Lee are named after Norwegian words, places and traditions. Korn Gate is named after the nearby corn grain elevator. Nissen Stigen is "elf walk," which pays homage to Norwegian people's fascination with trolls. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM
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LEE cont’d from page 12
local farmers could bring their farm produce. Christopher and Prestegaard’s success led to additional When measuring distance “as the crow flies,” laying out a track business setting up shop nearby by 1872: J. Cheasbro opened a with the least amount of distance between Aurora and Rochelle trading office for grain, coal and lumber; R.J. White’s store sold would have made the line go a few miles north of its current route, farm implements; J. Johnson and Abel Downer started general but there was a problem with that plan: Some land owners didn’t stores; and K.O. Ostewig and a man named Leyder opened a want to sell their property. In addition, smaller communities drug store. wanted to link up with a rail line for their own growth, so By 1873, Lee also had a butcher shop, dress and Hinckley mapped his line on a course straight enough millinery shop, a tavern, wagon shop, blacksmith, toward Rochelle in an attempt to not have too much harness shop, a photo gallery and a notion store – bend to it, going in a straight line directly west from one that sold small objects and fastenings such as Aurora into DeKalb County. buttons, snaps, and collar stays. After Shabbona successfully lobbied to have the Lee was officially incorporated June 23, 1874; line come through its town, the planning for a route it was originally called Lee Station as it was the toward Rochelle began, and it then went in a northfirst stop on the rail line in Lee County going west westerly direction, meandering around the slopes in from Chicago. The “station” part of the name was that area. The route crossed the Lee-DeKalb county The village of Lee celebratdropped over time. line at a more than 70-degree angle going northed its 100th anniversary as Prestegaard was born in Norway in 1844 and south before winding into the southeast side of Roan incorporated communicame to the United States in 1864 aboard the Vicchelle. The Chicago-to-Rochelle stretch of the rail ty in June 1974. The medal's tor Immanuel ship, which docked in Chicago. line, 44.24 miles long, was completed in January of inscription is Norwegian Christopher also was born in Norway, in 1832, and 1871. At that time, present-day Lee was little more for "100 year jubilee." came to the U.S. and the area in 1855. More of their than a railroad crossing for a dirt path. fellow countrymen followed. The main wagon trail Then came Christopher and Jorgens. leading out of Chicago toward Galena entered Lee County about 8 If it wasn’t for the business partners setting up shop in 1871, miles south of Lee, and it brought many Norwegian settlers to the there would be no Lee; they were a man with two same names, eastern part of the county. Christopher Christopher, and Ole Jorgens Prestegaard. Their warehouse and store sat west of the track, and was a place where
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Local history The Shabbona-Lee-Rollo Historical Museum is home to plenty of history involving the three communities: Lee, which straddles the Lee-DeKalb County border; Shabbona, which also includes the nearby historical settlement of Shabbona Grove; and Rollo, 6 miles southwest of Paw Paw in DeKalb County. The museum, 119 W. Comanche Ave. in Shabbona, is open from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Go to slrmuseum.com, find it on Facebook or call 815-824-2597 for more information.
LEE cont’d from page 14 After Christopher and Prestegaard established their business, they built a grain elevator in the south end of town 2 years later and their partnership lasted right up to Prestegaard’s return to farming in 1887. Christopher died in 1921, aged 89. Prestegaard died in 1929 at 85. Lee became a community close-knit enough that descendants of original settlers remained 100 years after its start, and some descendants remain in the area to this day. Mary Ellen Prestegaard, wife of Hank Prestegaard (a descendant of Ole), brought back a Norwegian feel to the community when a contest was held before the 1974 centennial to rename the streets. Streets were formerly numbered — First through Fourth going east-west, and A through D going north south. There also was an East Street. Mary Ellen came up with the current street names, which were a nod to the town’s Norwegian heritage. Another notable feature: none of them feature “street,” “avenue,” or “drive” in their names; instead there are Gates, Stigen and Viking Vie, which is the main street through town. Early Norwegian people were fascinated with trolls, and that gave a pair of streets their names: Trolls Stigen (“trolls path”) and Nissen Stigen
(“elf walk”). Streets formerly given directional names were renamed: Ost Gate (“east”), Sor Gate (“south”) and Nor Gate (“north”). Kirke Gate was named for the multiple churches on that street, Hardanger Gate is named after an area of Norway where many early settlers came from, Skole Gate is named after a school that once sat on that street, and Korn Gate is named in honor of the grain elevator there. Peterson Gate and Erickson Gate, the two newest streets in the village, are named after longtime settlers. Lee’s population hovered between 250 and 300 people throughout much of its history, and the 2010 Census recorded an all-time high of 327 residents. The village today boasts a bar and grill, an automotive repair shop, and the Neighbors in Christ Ecumenical (N.I.C.E.) Food Pantry, which serves the village and the nearby communities of Compton, Paw Paw, Rollo, Shabbona, Steward, Waterman and West Brooklyn. The village fire department has its annual pig roast in October. In 2024, Lee will have been incorporated for 150 years. However, without the railroad, Christopher Christopher and Ole Jurgens Prestegaard, and all the people through the years who’ve kept their community on the map, the history of the village would been halted in its tracks.
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By TAMMIE SLOUP | FarmWeek
rian Dallam and Anthony Welty are playing the long game when it comes to their hopyard. Luckily, the cousins love a challenge. Since hop farms are relatively new to Illinois, their growing venture that started with an idea in 2016 and led to construction of a 1-acre hopyard just east of Amboy the following year was a risk. Especially since the two didn’t know much about growing hops. In fact, when Welty, a homebrewer, posed the idea to Dallam, a lifelong farmer, at an annual party, Dallam replied: “What are hops?” “I was thinking about the potential in our area for craft beer and the whole ecosystem around that,” Welty said. “And joining the ag industry ... I kind of thought of it from that perspective.” By spring, they were putting holes in the ground, driving in posts and building the trellis system that the hops bines would climb up (And no, that’s not a typo. Hop grows on bines, not vines. The difference is that vines, such as grapes, use tendrils to snake their way up and around, whereas bines wrap their stems around something. In short: beers are bines, wines are vines). What they deemed “happenstance” led to their unique trellis system and ultimately their business’ name: Live Wire Hops. A local utility company was replacing electrical poles, and knowing they were on a shoestring budget, the business partners approached the company about repurposing the old poles. Today, the hopyard is lined with about 60 of those poles supporting about 800 hop plants. “It was pure frugality and resourcefulness,” Welty said. As the craft brewing industry continues to grow in Illinois, local hop farms haven’t kept pace. The Pacific Northwest is home to 96% of the hops acreage in the U.S., but as demand for locally grown food has increased, the trend has influenced homegrown hops. Illinois has about 40 acres of hop farms, but that pales in comparison to Michigan, which has more than 800 acres. One of the challenges of embarking on producing a specialty crop is the unproven market in Illinois.
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What started as a chat over beers led cousins Brian Dallam and Anthony Welty to build a hopyard in Amboy, where they grow five varieties of hops — and in case you’re wondering: No, the poles the pair are standing in front of aren’t carrying live wires, but they used to. The former power poles, in addition to inspiring the business’ name, were repurposed for Live Wire’s trellis system after being replaced along local roads. They “symbolize our shared roots in the community and our journey to successfully growing hops in northern Illinois,” according to Live Wire’s website.
Grant McCarty, local foods and small farms educator with the University of Illinois Extension in Rockford, said interest in hops production education has trended downward since 2017. New hops farmers faced expensive upfront costs and struggled to find a consistent roster of customers. “The ones that have seen success are aware of the market and have buyers (lined up),” McCarty said. Michigan has seen greater success as there was a focus on hops education early on — Michigan State University Extension has been proactive for years with research and guiding a growers association forward. Dallam and Welty are excited to be a small part of the niche product, even if the venture requires constant TLC.
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An aerial view of the Live Wire’s hopyard. PHOTO COURTESY OF LIVE WIRE HOPS
LIVE WIRE cont’d from page 18 Dallam refers to the hops growing cycle as a “six-month arm wrestling match.” “Timing is everything,” Dallam said. “When the hops break dormancy in early April to mid-April to reaching the 18- to 20-foot mark will happen in 50 days.” “They’re monsters,” Welty added, saying that hop plants are the fastest growing plants in the world behind bamboo, growing as much as 6 to 12 vertical inches in a day. Growers need to be on their game with their nutrient programs, irrigation system and getting the strings put in in time to train the plants. “Back to the nutrients and fertilizer, everything has to be timed out correctly, and if you’re too slow or too late on something, the plants aren’t going to wait for you, they’re taking off,” Dallam said. “There isn’t a plant on our line of latitude that goes any faster. It’s incredible.” During harvest in late August, they recruit help to cut the plants down, which entails cutting the plant at the bottom and then cutting the string at the top. The leaves and cones are then stripped off, and the cones, which are picked at 75% moisture, have to be dried before Welty and Dallam take them to a Wisconsin plant where they’re turned into pellets. Those are then sold in 4-ounce to 11-pound bags.
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Welty opens a baby Centennial hop bud at Live Wire Hops in July. Dubbed the “Super Cascade,” Centennial hops boast a high alpha content combined with a deep floral and citrus profile. Hops grow around the 45th parallel, and may not yield as well at lower latitudes. Humidity in the Midwest also can lead to increased disease problems. PHOTO COURTESY OF LIVE WIRE HOPS
LIVE WIRE cont’d from page 19 The growers are after the cone, in which is a little round green ball stuffed with lupulin — the yellow oily powder that, based on its acidity, will impart various aromas. Hops aren’t the only roots the cousins have in the area. Their great-great-great grandfather, David Welty, was an early settler in Lee County, leaving Buffalo, New York, on horseback in 1833 to relocate to the area. The two say they’re proud to carry on his tradition of going where few have gone before, by being one of a small number of hop yards in the state. Like the county the family calls home, Live Wire has grown from its early days. In 2018, a year after planting the first 1/4 acre, the hopyard’s footprint nearly doubled when it added Centennial and Chinook varieties. A year later, another variety was added, Mackinac, a Midwest variety that brings a taste of the tropics, with fruit flavors and aromas such as mango, papaya, guava, and melon. Dallam and Welty aren’t done growing yet. As the craft beer industry continues to grow, they want to be able to meet the demands of the local craft beer community, who are always on the lookout for new flavors. As part of that process, they want to bring more local control to their produce, from growing to packaging. They took their first steps toward doing that in 2020 when they added a hops harvester, walk-in freezer, dryer, and a new disc harrow. Another part of that local control and commitment to customer service: Face time with the fermenters. They deliver their own orders to brewers.
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LIVE WIRE cont’d from page 20 Live Wire Hops has serviced 13 breweries, and while both Dallam and Welty enjoy working the hopyard, marketing their product and working with customers also is an important piece of the business. “We both really enjoy the sales and marketing end of our business and getting out and meeting new folks and the journey of Live Wire Hops sharing your story with others 1031 Inlet Road, Amboy and building those relationships,” livewirehops@gmail.com Welty said. “And the industry is so Online: livewirehops.com, find collaborative and so inclusive and it on Facebook, or check out people are just willing to try new the Live Wire Hops channel on things.” YouTube. Ranging from notes of citrus Hop yard tours available by and floral to pine and spice, five appointment. types of hops are grown on the Want a taste? plot: Mackinac, Cascade, CrysBrews made with from Live tal, Centennial and Chinook. Wire’s hops are available at bars Growing hops in a new region in the Sauk Valley and beyond, creates new flavor and aroma including these establishments possibilities. Their Cascade, close to home ... for instance, has a more piney • Ogle County Brewery, 400 and resinous character than Washington St., Oregon; 815a Pacific Northwest grown 881-8033; on Facebook — Gale Cascade. Pale Ale, Ogle County Pilsner, The plants are peBar Butterfly rennials, with lifes• Hairy Cow Brewing Company, pans estimated at 450 E. Blackhawk Drive, Byron; 10 to 15 years. 815-406-8198; hairycowbrewing. “We’re kind of com/ and on Facebook — Amerin a new frontier ican Hairy IPA, Isolation IPA growing them in Go to livewirehops.com/tasteIllinois. I’ll be our-hops for a full list of bars. curious to see what that life cycle looks like here,” Welty said.
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Hop bines are seen here in the late cone development stage before harvest time. Depen ding on variety, this could range from mid August to early September . “They’re monsters,” co-owner Anthony Welty said, adding hop plants are the fas test growing plants in the world behind bamboo, growing as much as 6 to 12 vertical inches in a day. PHOTO COURTESY OF LIVE WIRE HOPS
This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.
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It wouldn’t have taken long for a censustaker to tally up Van Petten’s population. All they would have had to do is knock on a farmhouse door with one hand and do the head count with the other one — and used just two fingers to do it. For nearly 20 years, and until recently, the population of the Lee County hamlet had been the same: two residents, and Dave and Francis “Babe” Brandon were pretty happy with their exclusive spot on the map. They even had signs on their property proudly proclaiming the population — “Van Petten – Population 2” — two people, two signs. Situated at the crossroads of Van Petten Road and the Union Pacific railway’s Nelson Subdivision line, Van Petten once boasted a general store, grain company and a railroad station — but in the end, one house remained, and it belonged to Dave and Babe. Van Petten had been continuously inhabited since its founding in 1901. It was named for A.G. Van Petten, who owned the land where the town was established. Today, however, its resident count is zero. Babe died on June 8, 2019, at home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Dave survived her for more than 2 years before he passed away on Oct. 24. She was 87, he was 88. The Brandons enjoyed their unique distinction of being Van Petten’s only residents. The husband and wife would alternate “mayoral responsibilities” with each other; she would take over on her birthday, May 21, and would serve until Dave’s birthday, Nov. 12. The couple may be gone, but they left quite a legacy in Van Petten and Lee County. For two people to be a whole town is something not many people can boast about. Small Town Living pays tribute to Dave and Babe by reprinting an article that appeared in the Dixon Telegraph on Feb. 13, 2010, featuring the couple and the village they loved, written by Tara Becker and photographed by Chris Padgett.
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The village voices in Van Petten were a chorus of two, and they were always happy to sing the praises of the humble little hamlet they called home S m a l l
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unning a village is hard work. It’s a little easier, though, when there’s only two residents. Dave and Babe Brandon, both 77, are the sole proprietors of the 130-acre village of Van Petten, about 9 miles southwest of Dixon, in rural Lee County. The couple, who live in a farmhouse at 52 Van Petten Road, have tended their kingdom much of their adult lives. If you look hard enough when passing by the house, you can make out two small green signs — one on a telephone pole and the other on the barn — that read: “Van Petten – Population 2.” “That’s something we just had to put up,” said Dave. “It’s not often that you make up the entire town.” The Van Petten administration is pretty streamlined. If ever there’s a problem in the town, the Brandons take it up with each other. And every 6 months, they take turns being mayor. Right now, Dave’s in charge. “When she turns 78 in May, it’s her turn,” he said. “Then in November, when it’s my birthday, I get to do it.” Don’t be fooled by its size — Van Petten has many of the things a town needs. If there should be a fire, for instance, the Brandons are in luck: Years ago, Dave bought Harmon’s first fire truck. They don’t have a police car. They do, however, still have Babe’s first car, a Ford Model A, that her father bought for her in 1949 for $100, she said. And the Brandons don’t just pay taxes on their farm; they
pay town taxes, too. “The people in Dixon ask why we don’t just pay taxes on our home,” Babe said. “I pay those taxes because I want the town.”
A family legacy The little village has been in Babe Brandon’s family for years. Her father, Leroy Henry, bought Van Petten in 1936. The original farmhouse was built across the field from where the Brandons’ house now sits. Babe, brother Pat and sister Peggy grew up there. In years past, Van Petten had a general store, a grain company and a railroad station, all long gone now, Babe said. She and Dave met as kids in the 1930s and often played together growing up. Then Dave bounced around between schools in Dixon, Tampico, Morrison and Sterling and the two lost touch. His senior year, though, Dave transferred to Dixon High. The second he set foot in the school, Babe said, “I’m gonna get that little bugger.” Dave remembers that meeting differently. “This gal grabs me and pulls me back into the bushes,” he said, breaking out in a huge grin. They married in 1950, when they were both 19, and bought the farm from Babe’s father 4 years later. At the time, Babe was studying in Rock Island to become a nurse.
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An occasional feature of Small Town Living highlighting local landmarks and locations off the beaten path. We’ll feature a photo and it’s up to you to guess where it was taken.
At right is the back of a monument that’s been on duty for decades, silently guarding the legacy of the men it honors. Where is it? Answer on page 30.
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VAN PETTEN cont’d from page 24 In 1978, they moved to Montana, where they ran a small grocery store and an apple and cherry orchard. Twenty-eight years later, they came home. They have four children – David Jr., 58, of Morrison; Stan, 57, of Franklin Grove; and adopted daughters Tracy, 57, and Kim, 45, both of Washington. Any time any one of them wants to put down roots in Van Petten, Mom and Dad have them covered. “If they wanted to live here, all they have to do is pick out whatever lot they want,” Babe said. Van Petten is for tourists, too Dave, a blacksmith for almost 30 years and a member of the Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association, has a shop in the barn where he holds “hammer-ins,” inviting people to get hands-on experience. He had a similar place in Montana. Van Petten also has a museum of sorts (seen in photo at upper right). Babe is a collector, and she has a treasure trove of more than 800 trinkets, souvenirs, toys, military helmets and memorabilia. She keeps a log of
all her items — complete with drawings and descriptions — in a notebook. Her godfather served in the Army in World War I, in Germany and France, and sent Babe match boxes from the places he served. “I’ve been collecting all my life,” she said. “I was 8 or 9 when I got those match boxes, and my collecting just kind of took off from there.” She said one of her favorite items is her uncle’s World War I helmet. Babe also runs the Van Petten “public library” (above, in photo), 6,000 volumes on the museum’s second floor that Babe has collected over the years. It’s open “by invitation only,” Dave said — visitors to his “hammer-ins” are invited to check out books during their stays. Through the years, visitors have been invited to sign their names on the gregarious couple’s big white board. “We like to invite people in and let them see what we have,” Babe said. “The wall is a reminder of the fun times we’ve had.”
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By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media
he parents who were here for the birth of our nation have long since been enshrined in history — the Founding Fathers, and the mothers who watched their sons go to war. But their Daughters are alive and well, and they’re committed to preserving, protecting and telling the stories of the people whose family trees were transplanted here from Great Britain — and some of those roots spread all the way to Dixon and Lee County.
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DAR cont’d from page 26 The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is a nonprofit service organization whose mission is to promote historic preservation, education, patriotism and to honor the patriots of the Revolutionary War. Members of Rochelle’s chapter, which serves Dixon and Lee County, have spent more than 120 years serving their cause. Through the years, its members have pored over countless pages of research materials and visited people and places to uncover history, heritage and honor, and they’ve shared that information with the public. Their work keeps history alive, and helps share America’s story.
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Laurie Perry, regent of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution's Rochelle chapter, leads a service organization of nearly 90 women who are dedicated to the preservation of American history and identifying genealogical links to soldiers and other contributors to the Revolutionary War. "For every one of our members, it's a honor to serve,” Perry said. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM
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DAR cont’d from page 27 The Rochelle chapter’s regent, Laurie Perry, has led the local cause in research, event planning and education. “We are a foundation founded on service,” Perry said. “We have three primary mission tenets: patriotism, historical preservation and promoting education. Then within that umbrella, we do many, many things. Members can serve in wherever among those three aspects they feel passionate.” No matter what their duties, members all have one thing in common: “For every one of our members, it’s a honor to serve,” Perry said. While Lee County never had a Revolutionary War veteran settle within its boundaries, neighboring counties had at least one soldier live their remaining days “out west.” Ogle County had three, Bureau and DeKalb counties each had two and Carrolll and Whiteside each had one. Most grave sites are simply marked with a government-issued stone. The one for Daniel Day at Daysville Cemetery in Ogle County is notable as being next to a large monument honoring Revolutionary War soldiers. The 22-foot-tall concrete monument, erected in 1900, proudly highlights Day’s service on the Continental Line, the equivalent of today’s regular Army. It also honors others who fought in the major American wars leading up to the statue’s unveiling. This also includes Jehiel Day, who followed his father’s footsteps into the battlefield and fought in the War of 1812.
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Members of DAR have tasked themselves with keeping the memories and histories of local soldiers alive and bringing those stories to local residents of all ages. Day’s story, in particular, is one of the most interesting, Perry said. “He went where the war was,” Perry said. “The militias would have stayed in their home areas and be called to serve when they were needed. With the Continental Line, you put your name on a blank check and you’d go where the leaders tell you to go. They went anywhere where the fighting was. “He’s an example of the men and women who served and sacrificed. They put it all on the line for us to become America.” The Rochelle chapter is one of the oldest in Illinois; it was established May 19, 1900, 10 years after the national chapter was founded. Mrs. Waite Talcott of Rockford, who was the state regent at the time, was appointed the local regent for that chapter. When it was founded, it had 22 members who were direct descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers or contributors; that number has grown to 85 more than 120 years later, and each brings their own strengths and skills to the fold. Not all chapters throughout the nation have survived as long as Rochelle’s. Dixon once had its own chapter, but it has since disbanded. The Rochelle chapter then expanded to include Dixon in its membership and service area.
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DAR members’ research over the years found that three Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in Ogle County; among them, Daniel Day whose family name lends itself to the community of Daysville, where this Revolutionary War monument can be found, in Daysville Cemetery. The 22-foot-tall monument, with this 7-foot soldier atop of it, celebrates the service those who fought in the major American wars leading up to the monument’s unveiling in 1900.
“We are first and foremost a service society,” Perry said. “The two things that our women have in common is that we have a shared heritage from being direct descendants of those who aided in the cause of the Revolution, and also a desire to serve. We come from all walks: I’m a retired federal officer; we have teachers, we have librarians, we have computer people – we have this great bouquet of women, but it’s all about the service, and they get to serve where they like.” The research sometimes “can be mindnumbing,” Perry said, with facts and figures that go far beyond the basic birth, marriage and death records; there are old land records, town directories, and other papers and books, many recorded by hand, some practically illegible and with binding literally hanging by a thread, but DAR’s research team is up to the challenge, carefully navigating through them — like Washington crossing the Delaware River. Perry, an Army veteran, discovered later in life that she was descended from an Army veteran who served in the Revolutionary War: William Porter. “I’m very proud of him. He enlisted to serve
twice, and for me to find that out as a veteran, it was the coolest thing ever.” Having made a career out of similar research techniques, all of the digging is worth it to Perry and her fellow members. “Sometimes people may think that they might have a patriot,” Perry said. “Sometimes I can do some research and be able to tell them that there were not one, not two, but 25 proven patriots that I can say, right now for sure: ‘You are descended from these people.’ That becomes exciting for me, that becomes exciting for them, and they can learn about their family history. “If you have one, you probably have more.” One misconception about DAR is that members have to be descended from an actual fighting veteran. That’s not entirely the case. There are other ways in which membership can be granted. Among them: those who can prove — with DAR verification — that they were descended from individuals who were original signers of the Declaration of Independence, or those who contributed to the war in various capacities, from civil service to documented private contributions (see page 31 for more information).
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DAR cont’d from page 29 “They didn’t have to be war fighters,” Perry said. “There are many things that we qualify as far as aiding in the Revolution. They may have served in some kind of office, they might have served as a juror, they night have paid certain taxes that have funded the Revolutionary War effort,” or even, she added,”sometimes people might have donated a cow for the soldiers, or to a soldier’s family. “There are a wide variety of things people can do that can qualify them to be patriots other than serving in the military.” Research and education are two of the chapter’s major functions, but it also gives back to the community, including veterans of all wars who need assistance. It supports the Veterans Treatment Court in Lee County, which is a specialty treatment court for veterans who have drug and alcohol or mental health issues as a result of their service. The court gives veterans a very specialized team to help them recover, regain their resiliency, and resolve their problems so that they get their life back. Veterans who graduate from the program, created in November 2016, are recognized for their past service merits as well as strides made in the intensive court program during a ceremony, typically at the old Lee County Courthouse. The most recent graduation ceremony, in June, saw three veterans successfully complete the program. Graduates receive shadowboxes containing service medals from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and quilts from the Illinois Valley chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Requirements for participants include having to remain drug and alcohol free for at least 6 months, be successfully engaged in treatment and productive activities, pay existing fines, have no new convictions, and complete any special requirements set by
the court. The DAR plays “a huge part” in honoring the veterans, Lee County Probation specialty courts coordinator Lesley Dever said. “Our graduations are very nice because they come in and make this presentation, which is very symbolic of their time in the military, and their contributions during that time,” Dever said. “It makes for a very nice presentation.” The chapter’s educational endeavors have included a class visit with first-grade students at Steward Elementary School, and the DAR’s long-standing Good Citizen Program. Each high school can select one senior as their Good Citizen, and they submit a proctored essay on a topic of citizenship to be judged and recognized at the chapter, district, state and national levels. Recently, the chapter gave a $1,000 veterans grant to Sauk Valley Community College, made possible by a chapter member who recently died, Anne Milligan. Half the money went toward books and tuition and the other half for emergency needs. The chapter also takes part in historical anniversary celebrations and observations, such as last year’s centennial for women’s suffrage and the 19th Amendment, and this year’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The chapter also participates in activities during Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Day every March 29. The annual Wreaths Across America program is another chapter project, when they lay wreaths on grave sites of area veterans. As America approaches its 250th birthday in 2026, planning for that event is already starting to take place, and Perry said she hopes it will be just as big a deal as the 1976 bicentennial was. Judging by the dedication and hard work the Rochelle chapter has done on their many projects, members will be able to say in no time, and with pride: “Mission accomplished.”
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War raged throughout Europe and Asia during the late 1910s, the likes of which had never been seen in human history. After the United States got involved in 1917, Hamilton Township sent 17 men to fight for freedom. One of them never returned. Sometime after World War I, and before World War II, the township erected this monument near the township garage at the intersection of Tampico and Ryan roads in the southwest corner of Lee County. Pfc. Nicholas A. Knapp’s name appears first; he was killed in action on Oct. 25, 1918, in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France. Others whose name appears on the plaque are: Henry Bell, James B. Brooks, Robert E. Edson, Frank E. Gramer, Fred Holler, McCord S. Holler, E. Cyrus Jones, James R. Keigwin, Ara E. Merchant, Jake Naffziger, Walter E. Power, Adolph G. Scheffler, John J. Scully, George W. Smith and Ira O. Wells.
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More info Want to learn more about the Daughters of the American Revolution? Go to dar.org for the national website, and ildar.org/chapters/rochelle for the Rochelle chapter. Go to wreathsacrossamerica.org to learn more about the Wreaths Across America program.
Members of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution are descended not only from fighting soldiers from the Revolutionary War, but also those who contributed to the War in various capacities. According to the DAR's website (dar.org), the National Society accepts service as follows: Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Military service Such as participation in the Army and Navy of the Continental Establishment, state navies, state and local militias, were privateers, or through military or naval service performed by French nationals in the American theater of war Civil service Under authority of provisional or new state governments, including state officials, or county or town officials (such as a town clerk, selectman, juror, town treasurer, judge, sheriff, constable, jailer, surveyor of highways or justice of the peace) Patriotic service, which includes: • Members of the Continental Congress, state conventions and assemblies • Membership in committees made necessary by the War, including service on committees which furthered the cause of the Colonies from April 1774, such as committees of correspondence, inspection and safety; and committees to care for soldier's families • Signers of the Oath of Fidelity and Support, or the Oath of Allegiance • Members of the Boston Tea Party • Signers of petitions to acknowledge the right of the new provincial and/ or state government to represent the people. In addition, the content and wording of the petition must clearly demonstrate loyalty to the cause of American independence. Petitions regarding religious issues do not qualify.
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• Defenders of forts and stations: Individuals who lived on the frontier, from the Great Northern Lakes to Georgia, who are documented as having actively defended the western frontiers against British forces and their allies, including British-allied Native Americans • Doctors, nurses and others rendering aid to the wounded (other than their immediate families) • Ministers who gave patriotic sermons and encouraged patriotic activity • Furnishing a substitute for military service • Prisoners of war or refugees from occupying forces • Prisoners on the British ship Old Jersey or other prison ships • Service in the Spanish forces under Bernardo de Galvez or the Louisiana Militia after Dec. 24, 1776; and those who rendered material aid in Spanish America by supplying cattle for Galvez's forces after that date • Service performed by French nationals within the colonies or in Europe in support of the American cause • Those who applied in Virginia for Certificates of Rights to land for settlement and those who were entitled to and were granted preemption rights • Those who took the Oath of Fidelity to the Commonwealth of Virginia from Oct. 1779 to Nov. 26, 1783 • Those who rendered material aid and supported the cause of American Independence by furnishing supplies, with or without remuneration, loaning money and/or providing munitions. Some states enacted special tax laws to raise money for supplies. Payment of these “supply” taxes is considered patriotic service. The National Society reserves the right to determine the acceptability of all service and proof thereof. Email darinfo.rochelle@gmail.com to apply to become a member.
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