SVM Small Town Living East - Spring 2023

Dead or alive?

... It’s hard to tell when it comes to the work of an Amboy man who’s spent nearly 30 years taking on the taxing job of turning hunters’ hauls into life-like works of art.

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Discover nature’s wander

Franklin Creek may look like a just another meandering blue line on a map, but there’s a lot more to this long and wandering waterway than meets the eye.

Charting a new course

The new managers at Shady Oaks Country Club want people to know that a diamond in the rough isn’t just a golfer’s best friend, it’s a place everyone can enjoy, and they’re working to make the golf course a swing and a hit with customers.

Beauty in the eye of the B-holder

For the creator behind Lea B’s Creations, nothing is past its prime — it just takes a talent for unearthing the treasure beneath the dust and dings to give new life and a new home to the pieces she finds.

Plus ... Where Is It? Lee County Page 3

Breaking new ground

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.

One of the newest additions to Lee County’s crop of historical markers is this one out in the country. Did you know that Lee County was home to an agricultural first? This marker explains it. Where is it? Answer on page 35. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Adami Insurance Agency 712 First Avenue, Rock Falls 815-625-6220

Adami Insurance Agency 712 First Avenue, Rock Falls 815-625-6220

tracey.adamiinsurance@gmail.com

tracey.adamiinsurance@gmail.com

Hugh F. Miller Insurance Agency, Inc. 801 First Avenue, Rock Falls 815-626-1300

First State Insurance 385 Chicago Rd, Paw Paw 815-627-8552

gsaf74@yahoo.com

First State Insurance 385 Chicago Rd, Paw Paw 815-627-8552 gsaf74@yahoo.com

Leffelman & Associates

Amboy 815-857-2125

lisa@leffelmanassoc.com

Query Insurance Agency, Inc. 330 May Mart Drive, Rochelle 815-562-4152 tbecker@crumhalsted.com

Stenzel Insurance 102 N. Elm, Franklin Grove 815-456-2319 office@stenzelinsurance.com

Stenzel Insurance 102 N. Elm Franklin Grove 815-456-2319 office@stenzelinsurance.com

hughmillerinsurance.com

Hugh F. Miller Insurance Agency, Inc. 801 First Avenue, Rock Falls 815-626-1300 hughmillerinsurance.com

LaMoille 815-638-2171

lexi@leffelmanassoc.com

Sauk Valley Insurance Services 109 6th Street, Dixon 815-288-2541

Sauk Valley Insurance Services 109 6th Street, Dixon 815-288-2541

www.saukvalleyinsurance.com

www.saukvalleyinsurance.com

Miller Insurance Group 427 N. Main Street, Rochelle 815-561-9911 insure10@frontier.com

Leffelman & Associates Amboy 815-857-2125 lisa@leffelmanassoc.com

Sublette 815-849-5219

chris@leffelmanassoc.com

Query Insurance Agency, Inc. 330 May Mart Drive, Rochelle 815-562-4152

tbecker@crumhalsted.com

Miller Insurance Group 427 N. Main Street, Rochelle 815-561-9911 insure10@frontier.com

LaMoille 815-638-2171 lexi@leffelmanassoc.com

Baylor Insurance Agency

Lee Center 815-857-2716

Sublette 815-849-5219 chris@leffelmanassoc.com

rbaylor1@gmail.com

Cornerstone Insurance Agency

102 W. Main, Morrison 815-772-7782

Baylor Insurance Agency Lee Center 815-857-2716 rbaylor1@gmail.com

lsandrock@2cornerstone.com

Mel Saad Agency 928 8th Avenue, Erie 309-659-2470

saad@mchsi.com

Cor nerstone Insurance Agency 102 W. Main Morrison 815-772-7782 lsandrock@2cornerstone.com

Kaczmarzyk Agency Inc.

1022 S IL Rt 2 Oregon (815)732-3148

kaczins@outlook.com

Mel Saad Agency 928 8th Avenue, Erie 309-659-2470 saad@mchsi.com

By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

road trip is a nice way to experience Lee County, seeing the sights as you travel along its highways and byways, but if you really want to soak in the scenery, you should try one of its waterways. Franklin Creek.

This tributary of the Rock River travels a winding journey from near Grand Detour down to the west side of Franklin Grove before it splits off into three smaller streams. At least that’s what it looks like on a map. But there’s a lot more to that twisting and turning tributary than a thin blue line.

The creek’s watershed moments help channel rainfall and snowmelt where it needs to go, playing an important role in agriculture along the way as it takes in water from farm fields south of Franklin Grove; it supports a diverse ecosystem of flora and fauna; and in places where the public can get a closer peek at the creek, it provides a beautiful backdrop for hikers and nature-lovers.

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Franklin Creek winds through the Franklin Creek State Natural Area, west of Franklin Grove.

PHOTO: CODY CUTTER/ SAUK VALLEY MEDIA

Where it all begins The start of the stream that makes up the Franklin Creek watershed starts at a culvert on Hermann Road, a little over a mile east of Whitney Road (below). The water comes via drainage pipes from nearby fields (right), which collect rain and snow runoff into the stream.

Not too bad for just a squiggly little line on a map. As the crow flies, it’s only about a 6-mile trip from beginning to end of Franklin Creek, but if you were to put hiking boots on the ground and walk the length of it, it’d be a lot longer. The creek bends north and south and east and west through north central Lee County, through farm fields and nature preserves, over rocks and under bridges, wherever it decides to go with the flow. So what’s to see along the creek? Let’s take a look …

Origins

The Rock River’s first collection of Lee County water comes from Franklin Creek and its watershed, its mouth about 2,500 feet west of where Lost Nation Road goes over it. The mouth can be seen with binoculars looking south and slightly to the left of houses across the river from the boat launch wayside in Grand Detour. The creek meanders for about 2,000 feet through woods before coming out to divide farmland just before going under its first bridge. Just before the creek empties into the Rock River, Franklin Creek collects the Chamberlain Creek, which originates south of Nachusa.

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PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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Franklin Creek stretches to one of its widest points, at about 50 feet, on that farm property; typically it’s only a few feet deep. Cattle from the farm will sometimes ford the creek and linger awhile in its cooling waters, which passing motorists can see from the Lost Nation Road bridge, about a quarter-mile south of the Flagg Road curve. A small wire fence is strung along the width of the creek right before it goes under the bridge to prevent the cattle from approaching it.

Going under Lost Nation Road, the creek connects with additional wooded areas as it approaches a pair of segments of Nachusa Grasslands.

Stone Barn Savanna & Jay Meiners Wetlands

While Franklin Creek doesn’t flow through the area where Nachusa Grasslands’ 100 head of buffalo roam, it comes close to it while winding through the restored prairie area.

The 300-acre Stone Barn Savanna area is a combination of extensive oak savanna, restored prairie openings, wetlands and sandstone cliffs. Hikers can access the area at the dead end at Stone Barn Road, and go through 1.8 miles of woods along marked trails.

Coming to a head

The Franklin Creek Headwaters site is where the creek takes shape, with the merger of two smaller creeks. The area around the merger point has been preserved as a natural prairie with a trail. Signs along the trail feature information on butterflies, wetland restoration, crop rotation, vegetative filler strips, no-till farming, pollinators and other nature preservation efforts and practices.

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PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Franklin Creek State Natural Area features 882 acres of natural springs, hardwood forests, bedrock outcroppings and a large variety of flora and fauna in a pristine ecosystem that also includes a 198-acre nature preserve. It’s an excellent site for nature-lovers, providing a place for bird-watching, hiking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and more. Go to franklincreekconservation.org, under the Plan Your Visit menu, for more information.

PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

The Larry Dunphy Storybook Trail also is located at the east edge of the Franklin Creek State Natural Area, where children can walk along and read a story — “Mrs. Maple’s Seeds,” by Eliza Wheeler — posted on signs along the path. The trail is dedicated to Dunphy, co-owner of the Books on First in downtown Dixon, who passed away in 2019.

Franklin Creek State Natural Area provides parking and picnic areas, marked trails, and information kiosks to help visitors get more out of their visit.

cont’d from page 7

Along the way, seven points of interest are posted on green signs, each directing hikers to websites explaining the sites in greater detail. The trail system consists of a 0.9-mile loop, and a 0.9-mile extension to the wetland and its waters, which drain into Franklin Creek.

After leaving the savanna area, the creek goes in a southward direction for 1 mile to go under Naylor Road and into the Jay Meiners Wetlands, named in honor of an avid local outdoorsman. This 80-acre tract consists of remnant prairie, planted prairie and crop fields to compliment marsh areas. Parking is along Naylor Road, about 200 feet east of Robbins Road.

Nachusa Grasslands encompasses 4,100 acres and is owned and maintained by The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental organization in Arlington, Virginia. The prairie’s open-air museum, on Lowden Road between Naylor and Flagg roads, is the central visitor attraction with exhibits and displays, and is the starting point of hiking trails that bring visitors closer to the bison.

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The Stone Barn Savanna

The Jay Meiners Wetlands.

PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Like a bridge over Franklin’s waters

... Even the old bridges along Franklin Creek have a beauty and charm all their own. Right: The creek goes under this late 1800s stone arch bridge that carries the Union Pacific railroad's Overland Route line connecting Chicago and San Francisco. Below: This bridge used to carry U.S. Route 330 (later Alternate U.S. Route 30 and state Route 38) across the creek west of Franklin Grove. The bridge can be seen over the south ledge of the current bridge.

PHOTO ABOVE: COURTESY ILLINOIS DNR

PHOTO AT LEFT: CODY

Flowing south for another 1,500 feet, the creek leads to an area administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources bearing the creek’s name.

Franklin Creek State Natural Area

This 880-acre polygon preserves flora and fauna along Franklin Creek’s path. The creek both enters and exits the park through thick, wooded areas with plenty of trails. In the middle of the park, the creek — on average about 25 feet wide within the park boundary — cuts through restored prairies and runs along a small rock bluff where it goes under Twist Road (so named because the road makes many twists).

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

Franklin Creek is at its widest — about 50 feet — near where it flows underneath a bridge on Lost Nation Road, about a mile east of Grand Detour.

ing trails totaling 4.5 miles in all also wind through the park, both in the woods and along the creek. Camping and horseback riding are also available. According to the IDNR, 19 species of fish have been recorded in the creek.

The creek maintains its shallow depth through the park, a treat of tranquility for visitors, especially where they can stop and hear the gurgling sounds of water flowing over rocks. Hik-

The park’s center, at the intersection of Twist and Old Mill roads, has a picnic area, playground, and an overlook shelter looking out to a large pond near the creek. Along the area’s eastern edge, off of Old Mill Road, is another playground and picnic area. The Larry Dunphy Storybook Trail also is located at the east edge of the area, where kids can walk along and read a story — “Mrs. Maple’s Seeds” by Eliza Wheeler — posted on signs along the path. The trail is dedicated to Dunphy, co-owner of the Books on First bookstore in downtown Dixon, who passed away in 2019.

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The Franklin Creek Grist Mill

​In 1992, the Franklin Creek Conservation Association spearheaded an effort to reconstruct the Franklin Creek Grist Mill, raising nearly a half-million dollars to rebuild the 1847 water-driven mill. The new mill was dedicated Sept. 25, 1999. The group continues to raise funds to pay for the mill’s operation and maintenance, with no cost to the state.

Today, the mill — at 1893 Twist Road, Franklin Grove — serves as not only a tourist attraction, but the welcome and education center for the Franklin Creek State Natural Area. Information is available on hiking trails, wildlife, plants and the area’s geology. A bison exhibit is featured on the first floor, where visitors can learn more about the animals that once roamed the land, and still do at the nearby Nachusa Grasslands.

The mill is open noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from April through October, and noon-4 p.m. Fridays from June 1-Aug. 31. A public demonstration of grinding takes place the last Saturday of the month.

For more information, go to franklincreekconservation. org, call 815-456-2718, or e-mail engage@franklincreekconservation.org

The original mill (at top), and the inside of the rebuilt mill today (below and at left)

PHOTOS: CODY

Although the IDNR owns the natural area, the Franklin Creek Conservation Association puts in a substantial amount of work to maintain it.

The creek also serves as a source of power: The association operates a reconstructed grist mill on the property, built in 1992 utilizing the same blueprints of one originally built near the same site in 1847 by Joseph Emmert and Christian Lahman. The threestory museum, plus basement, recalls the days of milling and preservation of nearby natural habitats. The mill also grinds corn on occasion; demonstrations are made on the last Saturday of the month from April to October when the grindstones and mill wheel are in action.

Also located at the grist mill are informational flyers and trail-based scavenger hunts to get visitors more engaged in the surroundings.

One of the newest attractions to the park is Mill Spring Cottage, which guests can rent. The house was restored and is maintained by the Franklin Creek Conservation Association, overlooking the creek and the woods around it. The two bedroom, two bathroom house has a kitchen and a deck and can sleep up to seven guests.

The creek narrows as it exits the area and approaches the western edge of Franklin Grove.

Franklin Creek Headwaters

The official starting point of Franklin Creek is where two similarly sized streams converge near the Union Pacific railroad line east of the intersection of state Route 38 and Gap Road. The land around the

merging point was acquired by the Franklin Creek Conservation Association in 2009 and has a trail also winding through its 80 acres. Entrances to the trail are off of North State Street in Franklin Grove, and off of state Route 38 east of the bridge over the creek.

Hidden from sight of motorists on Route 38 is an older bridge below and off to the south side of the current bridge. The Lincoln Highway cuts through the west and east sides of the village, but Route 38 was built in 1926 (then called U.S. Route 330) to pass through the northern part of town and off of the esteemed highway. The old bridge was later abandoned in favor of the current rerouting. The creek also flows under another unique bridge: an arch type made of stone carrying the railroad.

Along the trail of the headwaters site are 12 informational signs detailing information on butterflies, wetland restoration, crop rotation, vegetative filer strips, no-till farming, pollinators and other nature preservation efforts and practices.

Forming the watershed

At the merging point, the smaller of the two streams that make up Franklin Creek meanders north for about a mile, going under Route 38 once more through a culvert and crossing Old Mill Road north of there. The larger prong, Chaplin Creek, continues southward and flows along the edges of both a restored historical village that shares the creek’s name, as well as the Living History Antique Equipment Association showgrounds. This creek maintains a width of about 12 to 15 feet for its entirety.

Chaplin Creek Village, operated by the Franklin Grove Area Historical Society, consists of a replica historic village from the mid-1800s, similar to what Franklin Grove looked like upon its founding as Chaplin. The buildings open up during the village’s Summer Harvest Festival during the first weekend of August.

The Living History Antique Equipment Association has an annual show that also takes place on the first weekend of August. The event brings together antique farm equipment owners and their machines for showings and demonstrations of classic farming techniques. The event also has a petting zoo, a straw scramble and a parade with equipment.

Chaplin Creek itself continues south close to Whitney Road, and goes under a pair of culverts under Interstate 88. From there, the stream continues for another 1.5 miles until it reaches its beginning under a culvert below Hermann Road 1-1/4 miles east of Whitney Road. It’s here where runoff from the nearby fields drains into the creek to begin a winding course through areas with plenty to see, do and hear before it flows into the Rock River. n

Nachusa Grasslands (including Stone Barn Savanna and Jay Meiners Wetlands) — Trails open from dawn to dusk. Go to nachusagrasslands.org for more information and hiking guidelines. Stone Barn Savanna starting point is at 385 West Stone Barn Road, Dixon; Jay Meiners Wetlands parking is at 1359 Naylor Road, Franklin Grove.

Franklin Creek State Natural Area (including the Franklin Creek Grist Mill) 1872 Twist Road, Franklin Grove — Park open from dawn to dusk, grist mill open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday from April to October, and from noon to 4 p.m. Friday from June to August. Go to franklincreekconservation.org, email engage@franklincreekconservation. org or call 815-456-2718 for more information on the park and grist mill, and dnr.illinois.gov/parks/park.franklincreek for additional park information. Franklin Creek Headwaters, 135 N. State St., Franklin Grove — Trail open from dawn to dusk. Go to franklincreekconservation.org, email engage@ franklincreekconservation.org or call 815-456-2718 for more information.

Chaplin Creek Historic Village — 1715 Whitney Road, Franklin Grove: Buildings visible outside from dawn to dusk, and open up during Summer Harvest Festival from Aug. 4-6. Email info15@chaplincreek.com or go to chaplincreek.com for tours by appointment or for more information.

Living History Antique Equipment Association — 1674 Whitney Road, Franklin Grove: Annual show is Aug. 5-6. Go to lhaea.org for more information.

Jeffrey Dagenais CLUB MANAGER

Lucas Ross GROUNDS SUPERINTENDENT

C URSE CHARTING a

new C URSE

By CODY CUTTER | Sauk Valley Media

SUBLETTE — Whether it’s playing golf or just looking to get out and have a good time, Jeff Dagenais and Lucas Ross know how important it is to pick the right club — and they’re pretty confident they have the right one.

The two are new faces at Shady Oaks Country Club, but they’re definitely not the last. They’ve been working to get some more new faces at the golf course and clubhouse, and they’re doing it by helping people see Shady Oaks in a new light.

Dagenais, 39, runs Shady Oaks’ clubhouse and Ross, 37, operates the grounds. This golfing season is their first in charge of day-to-day operations at the club, and their think tanks are full of ideas to put a fresh spin on the 62-year-old course.

Operating golf courses has been a challenge in recent decades as courses face a more difficult time attracting new customers, but this pair of young managers are bringing fresh new ideas to turn Shady Oaks into a destination not only for golfers, but those looking for food, drink and fun.

PHOTO Alex T. Paschal | apaschal@shawmedia.com

SHADY OAKS cont’d to pages 16 & 17

A player swings off the back nine at Shady Oaks Country Club May 3. Grounds Superintendent Lucas Ross has been busy maintaining the course and making improvements, including a project to make sure no parts of the course are left high and dry. One of the bigger projects he’s worked on is fixing leaks in the irrigation system. "The greens and the course can now get the water they need," he said. ALEX T.

Kids under 13 play free with a member or paying adult

JEFF DAGENAIS LUCAS ROSS

SHADY OAKS cont’d from page 15

‘Fore!’ — and more

One of those ideas is to make the golf course about more than just golf.

Both Dagenais and Ross see Shady Oaks as a place where people can stop for a bite to eat, enjoy a band, or have gettogethers, parties, meetings and other events.

“They can come out here and there can be stuff for them to do besides just golf,” Dagenais said. “You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy what Shady Oaks has to provide.”

Currently the clubhouse offerings are in line with most other

clubhouses — a pro shop that sells balls, clubs and other golf gear, a bar with a hot food menu, a meeting and venue space with an attached deck, and gambling machines — but Dagenais wants to expand on that.

Bingo and trivia nights are among the activities Dagenais plans to add to get more people through the clubhouse door, he also has some other ideas on his plate, like an expanded food menu — all designed to make the clubhouse a go-to place, whether you’re a golfer or not.

SHADY OAKS cont’d to page 18

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“I’m all on board for all of the ideas that Jeff has for the clubhouse,” Ross said. “He’s got a bunch of great ideas, bringing in new food, and stuff for the customers, like new apparel and things like that, which I’m really looking forward to.”

A new and improved clubhouse is just the latest step in the evolution of country club courses. At one time, such courses were designed with a more exclusive clientele in mind, and “exclusive” meant excluding others — like women, for example, who were discouraged from playing on Sundays because the

men felt they were too slow. As time pushed aside such outdated rules, and memberships began to shrink, private clubs became public, and country clubs became more inclusive.

While Shady Oaks is keeping the “Country Club” in its name, Dagenais wants people to know that everyone is welcome. Offering more opportunities for more people, even if they’ve never played a lick of golf, is one way to overcome that “country club” roadblock.

“It’s a new approach for the course and the clubhouse,” Dagenais said. “When this place was built, the country club name meant members only and there came a point when they realized that to sustain and continue to grow, they would need to open their doors to the public. We’re just kind of taking that and want to create an atmosphere where that country club title doesn’t deter people from coming here. We want them to know through new events, and new and digital advertising.”

Improving the course

Outside, Ross has been making several improvements to the look and feel of the course. As ground superintendent, he keeps the greens in tip-top shape, the bunkers smooth and sandy, and trees trimmed.

The irrigation system on the course’s front nine holes has improved greatly since Ross took over this past July. That system was original to the course and had about 80 leaks on it, but Ross and his maintenance crew have already cut that number by more than half, and plans to fix more through the year.

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SHADY OAKS cont’d from page 17

SHADY OAKS cont’d to page 19

ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM

A group plays the back nine at Shady Oaks on May 3.

SHADY OAKS cont’d from page 18

“The greens and the course can now get the water it needs,” Ross said. “Our system was originally put in on the front nine when the course first opened. It had the original system, and an added system for the back nine. With that integrated, we had some leaks and stuff, but I worked very hard last year to get rid of some of the leaks. We’ve gone from about 80 leaks down to about 20. All in all, we’re making very good progress, and I have a good feeling that, by the end of the year, we’ll have it all shored up and ready to rock and roll.”

Dagenais and Ross are employed by a nine-member board of directors that oversees Shady Oaks’ operations. The duo makes every effort to inform one another about what’s happening around the course, inside and out, and it’s that constant communication that they feel will make their first season together a success.

Shady Oaks’ sprawling course offers fun and challenging play and a large clubhouse where guests can enjoy a drink or grab a bite, try their luck at gambling machines, or just kick back and relax after a round on a large outdoor deck. Dagenais, who runs the clubhouse, wants to expand its offerings. Bingo and trivia nights are among the activities he plans to add and he also wants to expand the food menu. “They can come out here and there can be stuff for them to do besides just golf,” he said.

“You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy what Shady Oaks has to provide.”

ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM

SHADY OAKS cont’d to page 20

“What I like about Jeff is that we’re able to communicate back and forth very well together,” Ross said. “He’s got my number, I have his, and if need be I’ll stop in the clubhouse and update him on the course. It’s how I like to operate. I think we both have the same ideas going forward for the course.”

Dagenais came to Shady Oaks last year with experience in retail management, and learned the ropes of running the clubhouse from outgoing manager Kris Welker. The course opened for the season in April, and the first month has already seen a rise in membership from the same time a year ago.

“In order for any place to be successful, you have to have good communication,” Dagenais said. “Our communication is really good. Lucas will call in the morning — especially if we get any bad weather the night before — he’ll call in the morning so we can notify golfers whether they need to go only on the cart path or stay on the rough or fairway. Without that communication, it would be kind of a free-for-all out there and it would make his job harder.”

‘No better place to be’

The course opened in 1961 with just six holes, but was soon expanded to nine, eventually doubling in size with the addition of the back nine in 1996. Today, it serves as the home course for the Amboy High School golf team, and as a rotating site for local golf events such as the prestigious Lincoln Highway Tournament and the Rock River Classic.

Each of the 18 holes has a four-tee system with varying

distances to each hole; one tee is caters to women golfers, and is the closest tee to each hole. The longest tees total 6,212 yards among the 18 holes. The course is par 71 for all but the ladies tees, which is par 72 with the addition of one more stroke on the long No. 8.

The course, one of just two in Lee County along with Timber Creek in Dixon, is “a diamond in the rough,” Ross said, and he should know: He’s been swinging clubs at the course since he was a child, some of those rounds with his grandfather, Emanuel James Ross, who was one of the course’s developers.

“It’s a shot maker’s course,” Ross said. “You definitely have to hit your ball straight and keep it in the fairway. I’ve played golf here since I was five years old, and there’s no better place to be.”

Now, Ross is excited to help write the next chapter of the course his grandfather had a hand in.

“It’s good to try to give back to what he and all of the other guys started so long ago,” Lucas said. “It really gives me an opportunity to put my name back in the ring.”

In striving to attract more golfers, Shady Oaks keeps its rates competitive with other courses: $18 for nine holes and a mobile cart, and $29 for 18 holes and a cart from Monday to Friday, with an extra $5 per nine holes during the weekend. Players ages 14 to 18 are half-price with an adult, and those 13 and younger play free. Sets of smaller “junior” clubs are available for free to golfers 11 years old or younger who are with a paid adult.

SHADY OAKS cont’d to page 21

Dagenais and Ross encourage younger golfers, or those who just want to learn about the game, to try their hand at it and help grow the sport they love. In addition to youth discounts, the course has a two-day youth training program in the summer.

Getting new golfers on the green and new customers in clubhouse will help ensure the course’s continued success.

“I love meeting new people,” Dagenais said. “It gives me the opportunity to talk to them and get to know them. It’s a great group of people that are out here. I get to come to work and not sit in an office, and if I want to come outside and get some fresh air for a few minutes, I can.”

The new team is hoping their first year in charge together will be the start of more success to come.

“We’re looking to make upgrades and improvements all over the course,” Ross said. “Having fresh ideas from young minds I think is a good thing that’s going for us going forward.” n

Shady Oaks Country Club, 577 U.S. Route 52 in Sublette, has tee times from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook, go to shadyoakscc.com or call 815-849-5424 to schedule a tee time, facility rental, or for membership rates and more information.

deadalive OR

While white-tailed deer make up most of Jeff Gerdes’ projects, he’s put his taxidermy talents to use on a menagerie of mounts, big and small — from badgers to boars (right), bears to buffalo and more. Even with all the animals he’s had a hand in bringing back to life-like, he’s still got a few on his bucket list, including mountain lion and moose.

ALEX T. PASCHAL APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM

ometimes a work of art out just jumps out at you — especially when it’s got 4 legs.

Take the pieces Jeff Gerdes creates. While some artists’ works are born of colors and canvas, Gerdes does his best work with fur and forms.

By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

And his art gallery? He’s got lots of them — in living rooms and cabins and man caves throughout the Sauk Valley.

Gerdes owns Trail’s End Taxidermy in Amboy, where he turns hides into trophy pieces that hang out him homes, or stand up, if the case may be. Deer, raccoons, wolves, bears … if they were in his clients’ sites, they’ll end up in his workshop.

“It truly is an art,” he said. “Taxidermy is a form of art. If it doesn’t look like the animal should look, then you’re artwork is not very good. There’s a lot that goes into the finished work. You can change the expression of the animal with the eyes and ears. It all has to work together.”

TRAIL’S END cont’d to page24

For Gerdes, seen here in his taxidermy workshop in the basement of his Amboy home, creating lifelike pieces is a labor of love. “I enjoy being able to see someone else’s trophy, especially when it’s a young person’s first deer that they’ve ever harvested and want it mounted to keep as a memory,” he said.

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM

This marriage of taxidermy and talent is something Gerdes has enjoyed for 28 years — and he’s managed to find spare time in his busy schedule to do it. When he’s not managing oil pipelines for Kinder Morgan in Rochelle, fighting fires for the Amboy Fire Department or heading up the committee behind the Amboy Depot Days’ popular 50/50 raffle, Gerdes is cleaning skins, sizing them up, and turning molds and mounts into lifelike works of art from the basement of his home.

There’s more to it than just the work that goes into it, though. There’s the story behind the stuffing. Whenever someone takes pride in bagging their first deer, or brings home something unusual from far away, Gerdes enjoys hearing the stories behind the experiences, and takes pride in playing a part in helping that memory live on through this work.

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Perfecting the art of taxidermy takes time and talent, and Gerdes has invested a lot of both during his nearly 30 years in the profession.

he said. “... If it doesn’t look like the animal should look, then you’re artwork is not very good. There’s a lot that goes into the finished work.”

Top: A bison, hunted in Kansas with a crossbow, is one of Gerdes’ most recent projects. At left, a badger skull and, right, a bear skull are other works in progress.

TRAIL’S END cont’d from page 24

“I enjoy being able to see someone else’s trophy, especially when it’s a young person’s first deer that they’ve ever harvested and want it mounted to keep as a memory,” he said. “Even the smaller deer are still trophies. I get to see some nice, big deer and animals. I enjoy the variety of the animals.”

He’s strictly a fur man — no fins or feathers — and whitetailed deer make up most of Gerdes’ projects, but he’s also done bobcats, foxes, antelope, wild boars, coyotes and a

buffalo taken down by bow and arrow in Kansas. He’s even had customers bring him animals from overseas hunting trips. One of his more recent customers returned from Africa with blesbok and springbok impalas.

Gerdes would like to go to Africa one day, he said — if he can find the time. On top of his taxidermy work, and everything else he’s got going on, he also attends taxidermy classes and workshops throughout the year, learning about new materials and methods and honing his craft as he goes along.

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A bison skull in Gerdes’ shop gets the “European Mount” treatment, in which the skull of the animal is preserved and whitened as the trophy piece.

“It never stops, it seems like,” Gerdes said. “You would think that once you’ve learned it, you’ve made it to that point and you’re done. As the process of the materials that we buy improves, that makes us have to improve with it.”

That trail that led to taxidermy began when Gerdes would go hunting with his grandfather in rural Sublette. They would take their catch to a taxidermist, where young Jeff became fascinated with the process. He picked up on a few basic concepts and picked up some jobs along the way. He began by doing a few white-tailed deer a year and learning through trial-and-error. Today, his taxidermy talents attract a growing number of clients, and it’s not unusual from him to do about 40 deer a year.

The skins come to Gerdes after the animal’s been processed and the hides cleaned by a tanner, keeping the unpleasant odor from filling the basement. Once they’re good to go, he affixes them to molds that mimic the muscular make-up of the animal — and it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. Making the molds takes precise measurements to prevent wrinkles and make the finished product as life-like as possible. The process involves studying animal anatomy and proper muscle placement, a process that’s improved over the years.

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“You really have to know what’s underneath the skin to get it right,” Gerdes said. “It took a long time to learn and understand it. You should be able to look at a mount and determine what they are looking at, looking at you, looking to the left, looking to the right, that’s part of the artistry part of it. You just have to know what’s behind and underneath the skin to create that expression. Every animal is different.”

Gerdes attends the Illinois Taxidermy Association Convention each March, and brings over some of his works for contest judging, where winners can advance to world championships. Even with nearly 30 years under his belt, with each visit, Gerdes still manages to learn something new.

“It’s nice to talk with people who are doing the same line of work that you enjoy,” Gerdes said. “There are always tips and tricks, and someone’s always coming up with different ways. It’s fun to talk with these guys.”

There are fewer taxidermists now than there were a couple of decades ago, as many grow older and materials become more expensive, but Gerdes has managed to buck that trend, with business picking up through the years.

Gerdes is one of only two taxidermists working in the area, and rising costs make it a challenge to stay in the profession, but Gerdes still has loyal customers who bring in projects for him to work on.

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The bucks and does stop here, in Gerdes’ workshop, before heading back out the door into customers’ homes and businesses, where they’ll take a place of pride on the wall for years to come. “There’s always a story with every animal that comes into the shop. It’s interesting to hear them,” he said.

“Unfortunately, running a taxidermy is getting expensive,” he said. “The cost of the materials can add up, and it gets expensive, but I have customers that come and bring me deer every year.”

While most of his work ends up in people’s homes, you can see his handiwork at Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center in Utica, where a red fox and a coyote he worked on are displayed. About a decade ago, he almost got to work on a wolf for the park. It had been hit by a vehicle near the park and preserved by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in a freezer, but a power outage rendered the wolf unusable.

“I don’t know if I’ll get another opportunity to do that again,” Gerdes said, adding that a mountain lion and a moose also are on his “bucket list” of animals he hopes to work on one day.

Other works done by Gerdes have made it to local businesses, bars and restaurants.

A typical white-tailed deer can cost between $700 to $800 depending on the size and materials, but for hunters who are proud of their catch, it’s worth it.

“It’s a trophy and it’s a way to preserve it,” Gerdes said. “It’s something that can go on their wall, or in their cabin or wherever they choose as something that can be talked about for years down the road. There’s always a story with every animal that comes into the shop. It’s interesting to hear them, what they were doing and what the situation was when they shot their animal. Some of them may have been with their grandfather, some with their young son or daughter, or some that just got lucky in the right place and in the right time.”

Preserving those moments is something Gerdes enjoys having a hand in, always remem-

bering to keep his passion from becoming just another project. It has to be something fun to do, he said, because if it’s not, then the workmanship will suffer. Through the years, he’s learned to manage his workload to prevent it from reaching a breaking point. Much of his skill is shared through word of mouth, and on the Trail’s End Taxidermy Facebook page.

With few taxidermy services available in northern Illinois, there’s no shortage of work for Gerdes.

“I’m comfortable with what I do here, and I’m going to leave it that way,” he said. “I enjoy doing it. As long as they keep bringing animals to me, I’ll keep doing it.” n

hen most people think of roadside attractions, they think about those quaint little stops and shops by the side of road, a magnet that tugs at tourists and beckons them to pull over.

When Lea Buss thinks of a roadside attraction, it’s usually something someone is trying to get rid of.

Maybe it’s a rummage sale bargain or a forlorn piece of furniture someone’s tossed out, just about anything she sees as she and her partner, Steve Farver, are out and about — or as Lea likes to call them “curb alerts.”

A dresser that looks down in the dumps, a table that’s a bit wobbly and wonky, shelving that’s a little cattywampus? It’s time to sound the curb alert and hit the brakes for a Buss stop, so she can pull over and pick it up. Then its back to her shop, Lea B’s Creations in Ashton, where Buss fixes, fine-tunes and freshens up her finds to give new life to a piece someone else thought was past its prime. Then it’s on to the sales floor and eventually a new home.

“If I can take something that’s 60-70 years old and give it another 50-60 years for somebody, it’s better than having it go in a landfill,” Buss said. “I like taking pieces that look really bad and making them into something that looks really good.”

By Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

For the creator behind Lea B’s Creations, nothing is past its prime — it just takes a talent for unearthing the treasure beneath the dust and dirt to give new life and a new home to the pieces she finds

Lea

Buss likes to

see the good in things, like the pieces she finds for her shop, Lea B’s. “I like taking pieces that look really bad and making them into something that looks really good.”

CODY CUTTER/ CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

LEA B’S cont’d to page 32

LEA B’S cont’d from page 31

Buss hauls her finds to her downtown Ashton store, located inside a building Farver had owned for his own businesses for many decades. Walking in from the corner front door, an array of newly retouched and refurbished tables, shelves, dresser drawers, cabinets and other pieces of home decor greet customers and await a new home.

When she isn’t working at her full-time job back home in Rochelle, Buss is working on her projects at the store, which she opens up for customers on Saturdays, or by chance and appointment. She also posts her finished works on the Lea B’s Creations Facebook page, and they don’t stay there for long. Most of her pieces are snapped up pretty quickly, she said.

Buss’ flair for design and passion for repurposing and recycling began as a young girl, when she would help her parents, Harley and Judy Lawson, fix up and resell pieces from flea markets and rummage sales. The fun of those treasure hunts stayed with Buss and her sisters, and about 7 years ago, she and her sister Kelly wandered around local rummage sales and found some items big enough to get her creative gears going.

With some time on her hands, and a garage where she could work on pieces, Buss set out to have some fun with her furniture fixer-uppers.

“I found a couple of pieces of furniture, and I was like, ‘You know what? It’s about time I got back into doing something that I like to do,’” Buss aid. “Me and my parents used to refinish furniture when I was a little girl growing up, and I enjoyed doing it. Both of my parents have passed away, my kids are grown, and I thought it was time to start getting back into doing something I like.”

LEA B’S cont’d to page 33

Two pieces of furniture turned into five, then ten, and then enough to fill the garage. As her pieces began to sell, it spurred her on to do more. Then Mother Nature stepped in and slowed things down. Working in a cold garage just didn’t cut it, for her or for the supplies she used to restore her pieces. And neither Buss nor Farver wanted to have “a garage hobby that went kind of crazy,” she said, taking up space and collecting dust.

That’s when Farver came up with an idea.

“It started getting cold in the winter and Steve was like, ‘What are you going to do when it gets cold?’” Buss said. “You can’t work in the garage because there’s latex paint and they have to be in a warm temperature. I thought I would just close down until spring, but he told me that he had the whole front of the store open, and it was just sitting empty. It grew from there.”

After about a year of working from the garage, where she sold more than 3 dozen pieces, Buss moved in to Farver’s building. At first, only a few of pieces were on display, but that number continued to grow, with a mix of small and large pieces.

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When Lea Buss isn't painting, her partner, Steve Farver, likely is. Farver owns the building that houses Lea B's Creations, which has been in his family since 1959. Farver ran an electric shop and appliance store from the building — his appliance dealership once was the last "mom-andpop"-owned Frigidaire dealer in the nation. These days, Farver helps out Buss and creates and paints custom woodwork at the shop. The two above now adorn the Ashton Village Hall, painted in Ashton High School Aces green and white (inset).

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LEA B’S cont’d to page 34

Buss likes to see the untapped potential in things — like old ladders turned into home decor and shelving — and she’s seen those pieces live up to their potential as customers stop and shop or find items on her Facebook page. In the six years she’s been in business in Ashton, she’s sold about 400 pieces.

“I will start out thinking that this was a cute piece of furniture, and I’ll just see how it goes,” Buss said. “I’d put it up on Facebook — ‘Look at what I did!’ — and right away people wanted to know whether it was for sale. Sure, I didn’t have a need for it, then I put a price on it and out the door it went. It didn’t matter if it was a bookcase, a dresser, a desk, it would go.”

Old ladders find a new use in the hands of Lea Buss — a place to put baskets or a shelf for knickknacks.

In addition to furniture, Lea B’s carries a variety of home decor, too, which Fred the Flamingo keeps an eye on. “He’s our mascot,” owner Lea Buss said.

Lea ‘B’s Creations, 816 Main St. in Ashton, is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, or other days by chance or appointment. Find Lea B’s Creations Furniture on Facebook, email leabs creations@yahoo.com or call 815751-2220 to arrange a visit or project, or for more information.

Farver often helps Buss with her projects, especially ones that need more substantial repairs. He operated an electric shop and appliance store in the building until retiring recently, and continues to make custom wood signs on the side. He and Buss will often share paint for their projects.

“We have a lot of fun,” Farver said. “Most of the week I’m here and she’s gone, so our Saturdays together can be a lot of fun.”

“He’s done some incredible stuff that we’ve done out of here,” Buss added.

With a supply of inventory that’ll go as far as the road stretches, there’s no shortage of “curb alerts” for Buss and Farver to pull over for. Some pieces even have interesting backstories: One day, Buss was approached about a project involving an old 10-foot-long countertop and cabinet from the former Market Basket grocery store in Rochelle (which was in business from 1958 to 1989). Buss refinished it and painted the base white, and now it’s used at the Pickin Station antique store, also in Rochelle.

The thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of jobs well done, and the feedback she gets from customers keeps Buss going, with Farver at her side.

“I like getting to know the people who come in, and like having repeat customers coming in,” Buss said. “The people make this. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without them coming in. It’s been good. It’s been a lot of fun.” n

PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM

WN S here is it E

An important chapter in agricultural history won’t be lost to time, thanks to this marker along Lost Nation Road, about 1/4mile south of Flagg Road northeast of Dixon. John Deere, who had a workshop in Grand Detour — not far across the river from this spot, where he forged the first self-scouring steel plow from a discarded steel sawmill blade — rode on a ferry to this farm in 1837 to test his new invention. That plow led to Deere’s fame and fortune as a leading name in farm implements that continues to this day. The marker is one of three along Lost Nation Road, and according to the Lee County Tourism Council’s website, the text on it was written by the family who donated it. The other two markers designate the birthplace of former Dixon Mayor Joseph Crawford, and the location of LaSallier’s Cabin and Trading Post during the 1830s — the first such post between Chicago and the Mississippi River. The online Historical Marker Database has more information on the Crawford and LaSallier markers, along with others nearby. Go to hmdb.org/m.asp?m=131910.

aNsweR

— Cody Cutter, Sauk Valley Media