A stately survivor

On a recent road trip with Tom Anderson and my trusty sidekick Lil' Nick, we journeyed up to Galena to check out the many historical sights there. We had meant to go downtown and photograph the various historic buildings but the day we visited there were 18 million people there! (Perhaps an exaggeration) So we contented ourselves with visiting the lesser populated attractions. One of these was the historic Galena train depot.

The first settler came in 1821 but that was just the start and by 1828 the population was approx. 10,000 almost the same as Chicago!  Steamboats were the first to utilize the city and it was once the largest steamboat hub on the river north of St. Louis.

But it was the railroads that opened up Galena to the rest of the nation and in 1857 the Illinois Central built a depot in the Italianate style to serve the city and surrounding communities. Perhaps it was fate that it should have been built when it was for just 5 scant years later the country broke out in war. Troop trains, supply trains, all steamed to and from Galena to destinations far from the comfortable homes of the soldiers who had been called up and for one man the train carried him away from home and into History to become our 18th president.

The old depot served the city faithfully for over a century, sending trains off to the Civil war, the Spanish-American war, World Wars 1 & 2, the Korean war, Vietnam. But all good things come to an end and in 1981 the station was stricken from the list of active stations. No more would passengers wait for a train in the old depot. Now the building is a museum, welcoming a new generation of visitors through its doors. If you ever get up that way, I recommend stopping for a while. You won't be sorry you did.

Her Steaming days are Done

Outside a small town in North Central Illinois sits a lonely survivor of an earlier age of Illinois rail roading history.  She was born in Schenectady New York in 1924 at the American Locomotive company on order for the Grand Trunk and Western railroad. She was built as an 0-8-0 meaning she had 0 wheels under the pilot, 8 wheels under the main body and 0 wheels under the cab. She came out of the factory as a class P-5b switching engine and was designated #8305.

She worked hard for the next 30 years or so pulling cars from one part of a rail yard to another to be hooked up to larger, more powerful locomotives that would then carry its cargo all over the nation. By the 1950's however the age of Steam was drawing to a close. Diesel locomotives, more powerful and cheaper to operate, were making huge inroads onto the rail roading scene and so it was that in 1960 #8305 and 15 of her sisters were sold to Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, IL to be scrapped.

Here is where Fate took a turn. The man who owned Northwestern Steel & Wire Loved the old steam trains. In his large industrial complex he already had a small fleet of  ex Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 0-6-0 switching engines which were worn out and near the end of their useful life. So....He scrapped His engines and kept the newly acquired 0-8-0's as replacements. Restoring them and putting them back to work at the same ob they had been doing their entire lives.

So it was that for another 25 years while other locomotives were being scrapped or gutted,  #8305, now shortened to just #05,  and her sisters chugged happily away moving cars and rolling stock around the freight yard. All good things must come to an end however and in the early 1980's she and her 11 surviving sisters were retired from service for the final time. Over the years some were donated to museums or city parks. One was restored and is at the Illinois Railway museum in Union,  In the end only #05 remains on that neglected siding but if you close your eyes you can almost hear the hissing of the steam and the mournful sound of her whistle blowing.

Down by the Old Mill stream

There are many structures that are instantly identifiable when you see them, a windmill, a grain elevator, a train station.....and a grist mill.  In Morrison stands a historic grist mill even now being restored back to its former glory. In 1858 William Annan and John Robertson constructed a stout building along the banks of  Rock Creek for the purpose of milling wheat, buckwheat flour, and cornmeal. Local sandstone was used and the walls are a sturdy two feet thick with heavy timbers from oak and walnut trees and put together using thick wooden pegs.

Using turbine power, Annan mill had a capacity to turn out 40 barrels of flour in a 24 hour day. Farmers came from as far as 50 miles away due to the reputation the mill had for quality product. The mill was So popular that it would frequently run around the clock with customers sleeping in nearby cabins as they awaited their turn to have their wheat ground. The mill even ran on Sundays during the busy season.

The mill ceased operation around 1940 or so and sat empty for the next 50 years before being bought in 1990 and partially converted into a house. It was sold in 2015 to a local resident who then donated it to the Morrison historical society last year. They plan to turn it into a museum showcasing farming and agricultural methods used in the past and are thrilled to have the mill which has the further distinction of being one of only two or three stone mills left standing in the state.

The Annan mill is located right on the edge of town on the Lincoln Highway and is instantly identifiable. My special thanks to Stephanie Vavra and the Historical society for permission to use some of their written material as well as interior photographs.

The Memory stones

On a recent trip out Lil' Nick, Tom Anderson and I met Stephanie Vavra at the Morrison cemetery. Ms. Vavra was there to document the placement of the last of fourteen stones commemorating the service of the local boys who had paid the ultimate price in the wars and conflicts that our nation has seen since its inception.

 Not just the world wars either, or the more recent conflicts of the gulf and of Iraq and Afghanistan. Also included are casualties from the Spanish-American war, the Philippine insurrection, the Civil war and even the Blackhawk wars. The war of 1812 is represented as is the Seminole Indian war & the Mexican civil war.  In all 520 names are inscribed in the back marble as a testimony for their service.

To quote from Ms. Vavra's article "The bulk {of the new names covering three tablets} are Illinois National guard members based in Morrison. They called themselves the Morrison Rifles."  "They were sworn in September 11th,1878 and reorganized to become Company I, 6th Illinois infantry in 1882. From April 21st to May 5th  1886 they were called to the Martin Iron factory in East St. Louis {, IL. to quell} a Union strike. In 1897 they were sent to handle the Chicago {, IL. } riots {over workers rights}. They served in the Spanish-American war {1898}, and some served in WW1. Later the name changed to Company C, 14th Battalion. In the 1930's it became Company M. The Rifles served in WWII and the Korean conflict"

It was an Honor and a privilege to be there when the last stones were put in place. If you ever find yourself in Morrison be sure to stop off at the cemetery where you'll find not only the memorial stones but also a nice selection of turn of the century grave stones, many unique and one of a kind.  I'd like to extend my personal thanks to Stephanie Vavra for graciously giving me permission to use some of her material for today's posting. For the full gist of her article visit her website www.thecity1.com or click on this link:

http://www.thecity1.com/features/all-current-year-articles/205-other/14846-tablets-installed-at-veterans-park-memorial.html