Urbana's First Fire Chief - William H. Roughton
It might be hard to believe – but for the first 67 years of it's history, Urbana did not have a fire department.
That changed in 1900, when William H. Roughton organized a volunteer fire department, the town’s first.
Kmart in Champaign-Urbana
The cities of Champaign and Urbana have had countless big-box store closings over the years. One such loss was Kmart. The location of the original Kmart store in Champaign-Urbana was at 800 Bloomington Road where the current Home Depot is located.
Boating at Crystal Lake Park
Beginning today, Saturday, May 5th, you can go to Crystal Lake Park and rent a boat on the weekends. Perhaps you might be interested in what this same activity looked like over a hundred years ago. I’ve compiled some photos of people boating on Crystal Lake over the past century.
Eat more ice cream? Yes, please!
With summer coming (slowly, but surely!), I get in the mood for ice cream.
William Dye: A Local Trailblazer
In 1975, William Elliot Dye became Champaign’s first black Chief of Police. Dye’s appointment was an important moment in the city’s history, as officials struggled to bring diversity and fairness to local government.
The Boneyard: Poetry and Festival
In honor of National Poetry Month and the upcoming Boneyard Arts Festival, April 12-15, we here at the Archives want to offer you a poem, The Boneyard.
Written by Edgar Welton Cooley in 1925 the title page reads thus:
Say Goodbye to Winter!
Kids build a snow fort, 1985
With the snow storm this past weekend, it may be easy to forget that winter is on its way out. Here is a look at some of my favorite Champaign County winter pictures for your enjoyment.
The 505th Air Force Band
Above is the 505th Air Force Band of the Midwest during their photoshoot with a Boeing B-52D bomber.
Champaign’s gambling hotspots in 1937
In 1937, an unnamed Evening Courier reporter made a survey of the gambling conditions in Champaign. His 9-part series appeared nightly in the Evening Courier beginning April 29, 1937 and ending May 9, 1937. He found that even though gambling houses were hidden behind ambiguously marked doors, steep staircases, and peepholes, they were an open secret available to anyone.
Scanning at the Archives
Scanning station with the flatbed Epson 10000 scanner attached to a computer.
Here in the Archives we are often asked about our scanning capabilities. Below you will find some of our most asked questions and their answers:
Mapping America: The History of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
If you’ve ever done historical research at your local library or archives, you’ve probably heard of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps. But what are they exactly, and what type of historical information do they contain?
What a Picture Can Tell You…
E.N. Kirby Dairy was owned by Eugene N. Kirby. He was born in Edwardsville, IL in 1871. By the late 1890s, according to the city directories, he was working for Charles A. Haines a dairyman in Champaign. In 1903, Kirby married Haines’ daughter Carrie Amelia Haines, and eventually opened a diary under his own name. Both the Haines farm and the Kirby residence were on the border of sections 13 and 24 in Champaign Township the current location of Kirby Avenue by Hessel Park.
Historic Theaters of Champaign County
Champaign County is home to many historic theaters. From vaudeville venues to movie theaters, theater entertainment has deep roots in the culture of Champaign County.
Magnavox Company, Urbana
Recently, the community has been discussing the property of the Dart/Solo Cup plant located on the corner of Washington Street and Lierman Avenue in Urbana, former home to Urbana’s Magnavox plant. Check out the links below to Tom’s Mailbag from the News-Gazette to learn more about the conversation: