Rantoul's Minuteman Missile Saved at the Last Minute

In the summer of 1776, the Second Continental Congress of the thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia and drafted a document that declared independence from British rule to the world. Following this Declaration of Independence, the new nation quickly prepared for war and named George Washington as commander of the continental army. Still, even before Washington's appointment, local militias formed to protect their communities from British attacks. Within these local militias, small groups were developed to answer the call to arms in emergencies. These minutemen, who were named as such because they were ready in a minute's notice, were a protective force that eased the concerns of continental towns and cities and became symbolic of American protection from aggressive forces.

Superstitions of Early Illinois Settlers

The early settlers in Illinois had many superstitions and home remedies that seem odd today, including several superstitions based on the zodiac signs. While most people are familiar with the zodiac, we use today, what sets the settlers’ use of it apart is their application of it to the body. It was common for early settlers to assign zodiac signs to different parts of the body.

Household Products from 100 Years Ago

While newspapers have changed over the years, there is one thing that remains the same, advertisements. Below are ads featured in the Urbana Courier from a hundred years ago.

This Freezone ad is from the August 6, 1920 edition of the Courier.

From Mansion to Medicine

In the early 1900s, the Burnham-Harris Mansion at the corner of Prospect and Church in Champaign was one of the best addresses in town. Located at 809 W. Church Street, it was the hub of social life in Champaign, and an invitation to an event there was always a coveted ticket. 

Chanute Spotlight: The Trade Winds Service Club

Chanute Air Force Base offered considerable entertainment for base personnel. Previous blog posts referenced the Chandelle Club and the YMCA/USO on base, but those were only two of the many options young men and women at the base and in Champaign County could choose to enjoy. Another option was Trade Winds, a service club that opened in 1956 and was renovated in 1965. Trade Winds was open seven days a week and entertained an average of 360,000 persons annually. The building itself had 33,574 square feet of floor space. It included a 4,472 square foot dance hall, four record rooms with a library of over 1,000 records, loanable music instruments, a game room with eight pool tables and three ping-pong tables, two TV rooms, one card playing room, a writing room, and an airmen's' lounge. There was also a family lounge and a combo room used for weddings and events. 

 

Summer of Baseball, 1895 edition

In 1895, Kuhn & Son organized a baseball team called the Clippers. Playing sixteen games, they won eleven, including a nine-game streak. Their first game was a doubleheader against Danville on the Fourth of July. Despite the luck they would have towards the end of their season, they lost both the doubleheader games.

Greetings from Chanute!: Donald O. Weckhorst and Non-Verbal Communication

Anybody who regularly reads my blog posts is aware that I am a huge fan of former base historian Chief Master Sergeant Donald O. Weckhorst. Weckhorst arrived at Chanute in 1952 and dedicated nearly his entire life to the base, including researching and authoring the 75-year pictorial history of Chanute Air Force Base, helping found the Chanute Heritage Foundation, and founding the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum. One of Weckhorst’s pet projects at the base during his final years of active duty was the creation of the non-verbal communication program. According to Weckhorst, “nonverbal communication is sometimes called ‘body language, but that is not entirely accurate---there is more than the body involved.” He described nonverbal communication as the study of body language, also known as kinesics, which Mirriam-Webster’s defined as “a systematic study of the relationship between nonlinguistic body motions (as blushes, shrugs, or eye movement) and communication.

As Seen in the Courier: Squirrel Chases Man

Sometimes, weird things happen in life. If it is funny enough, it might be featured in the news. Here in Champaign County, a lot of things have happened that were considered newsworthy. One individual who would know about this is Oliver Sayles. Back in the sixties, Mr. Sayles was the victim of a rather quirky series of events.

Intern Reflection: Working with the Chanute Collection

Greetings from Chanute Field postcard

Hi, I'm Rosemary Froeliger 2019-2020 Archives intern, and I have been asked by the Director of the Champaign County Historical Archive (CCHA) to reflect on my time working on the Chanute Collection. I have enjoyed reviewing all the work that my fellow intern Kevin and I have accomplished in what feels like a very short school year.

From the Mailbox: How did Race Street Get its Name? (Otherwise known as a Day in an Archivist's Life)

So, what do archivists do? Here at the CCHA, we have a clever meme in our office that explains how the different people in our lives imagine our occupation. It suggests our friends believe we are surrounded by a mess of old books in stuffy stacks, that our family sees us as old curmudgeons browsing through dusty tomes, and that society sees us as genealogical wizards. While some of these characteristics are true to some extent, what we actually do is more nuanced, varied, and interesting.

Update! Digitally Accessible Chanute Collection Finding Aids

The interns that worked on the Chanute Collection over the course of 2019-2020 are happy to present digitally accessible finding aids for the collections that have been processed since the collection was obtained in 2016. These collections will be accessible to the public. If you are interested in viewing these materials, please contact the archives staff at least 48 hours ahead of time. You can digitally access the finding aids here: Chanute Collection Finding Aids.

Chanute Spotlight: Octave Chanute, “The God-father of Aviation”

We have talked about the many different men and women who have passed through Chanute Air Force Base and all of the great things they have accomplished. However, the man whose name the base carries is not as widely known. A renowned engineer, who would spend his later years working with notable figures like the Wright brothers, Octave Chanute's early work helped lay the foundation for human flight and the technical training that would later be achieved at Chanute Air Force Base. 

Tuskegee Airmen: Colonel George “Spanky” Roberts

In honor of Black History Month, we want to celebrate and recognize one of the individuals who shaped Chanute Air Force Base and paved the way for future generations of African American service people in the Air Force.

Digital Sanborn Maps

The Champaign County Historical Archives holds over 500 historical and current local maps, plat books, and atlases.

Greetings from Chanute!: Maharishi Yogi’s Attempt to Buy Chanute Air Force Base

In 1967, the British pop sensation known as The Beatles were on top of the world. They were one of the most popular and successful bands in the history of music and released critically and publicly acclaimed albums that reflected their changing style and attitudes. One of the biggest influences on the group was their trip to India in 1968 to meet with the leader of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The group met Maharishi Yogi in 1967 during a TM seminar in Wales. This meeting was cut short due to the untimely death of The Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Throughout the remainder of 1967, group members George Harrison and John Lennon promoted TM and the teachings of Maharishi Yogi. Hoping to find spiritual guidance, The Beatles traveled to Rishikesh, India in early 1968, with Harrison and Lennon arriving first with their families, followed by other members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The visit ended in controversy, with The Beatles denouncing Maharishi Yogi and his teachings. Some ultimately blamed this visit on the eventual breakup of the band, but it was also one of the most productive songwriting periods in their career, with the band writing nearly every track for the infamous White Album.

The Illinois Blue Books

The Illinois Blue Book, which was first published by the Secretary of State’s office in 1900, although it has predecessors that go back to 1861, is a vital reference source for state government. The modern Illinois Blue Book contains reports and information on state government, state agencies, universities, and local municipalities, while the Blue Books in the past often included original articles about Illinois government, politics, and history.

Prairie State Games: A Display of Athletic Talent

Created by the Illinois General Assembly as a program of the Governor’s Council on Health and Physical Fitness and enthusiastically announced in June 1983 by Governor Jim Thompson, the Prairie State Games began with a