q977.366 H13h HALF CENTURY CLUF OF URTANA ILLINOIS HALF CENTURY CLUP (1=147) :j^f\6^ f Our fathers surely provided for us a goodly heritage. They cast our lot for us in pleasant places, on these wide sweeping prairies. Let us never forget that we are the guardians of its present and its future prosperity. f ^ The Half Century Club is composed of men and women who were boin in Urbana more «;^than fifty years ago, or who have resided in and around the City of Urbana for fifty years ^ or more. The Club was organized in 1924. Our annual dinner meeting is a social function towai'd which our members look forward each year with high anticipation. Ui"I")ana is and always has been a socially democratic community. It has never recog- nized any individual as its "first citizen." Each individual, in his day and time, made his contribution to the development, progress and prospei-ity of the c(.mmunity as a whole, for which we are and ever will be indebted. This bi-ochure presents the photographs of only a ew of the multitude of men and the many instituti(.ns of fifty or more years ago that laid and built upon the foundation of the Urbana community. None of these men are now living, but their works and deeds live after them and will 5D> be long remembered. Only one of the buildings shown in the photographs yet stands. -N^ Foi- the comforts and blessings enjoyed by the youth of today, too many of these young people do not realize their obligation to the men of foi'mei- generations. It is hoped this <^%rochure will serve as a reminder to the youth of this and succeeding generations, that the ])lessings they enjoy did not come by mere accident, or as a matter of course, but are the re- J suit of the thought, the labor, the courage, the hardships, and the vision of Urbana's pioneers. ^ It is hoped that thus it may serve a useful iiui',;ose. t \^ f^ LIBRAHY VV UNIVERSITY JF ILLINOIS M URBANA -CHAMPAIGN ^^ HALF CENTURY CLUB of Urbana, Illinois — 1947 — OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES President Henry I. Green Vice President Iiwin I. Chase Secretary-Treasurer Miss Mae Buchanan PROGRAM COMMITTEE Mrs. Flora M. Sims, Chairman Dr. C. C. Busch Paul G. Busey Mrs. L. L. Corrie Miss Minnie Jaques John W. Stipes Mrs. Guy A. Tawney BANQUET COMMITTEE Mrs. Katherine Wheeler, Chairman Miss Marian Barr Mrs. Guy Fisher Mrs. Sylvia Hadden Enos L. Phillips Miss Addie Reese Mrs. Lillian Throckmorton Spalding & MUSIC COMMITTEE Julius Cohen, Chairman Mayor George F. Hurd William E. Sim NOMINATING COMMITTE Chancy Finfrock, Chairman Isaac Gordon Miss Minnie Jaques C. A. Kiler Mrs. Mae Nicolaus 1832 — First schcx)l house built in Urbana. The windows were many and small. Greased paper was used instead of window glass. Asalu'l Bruer, teacher. 1841 — The first hotel was built and owned by a Mr. Bruer. called the Urbana House, sometimes called the Champaign House. The upper left-hand room always OL'Cupied by Mr. Lincoln while attending court. Located on site of present Leal School (Built in 1855) p-^f'ilR n Same incaiiiiii as Urbana Seminary between California, Oregon. Birch and Broad (now Cedar) Stree's. Old High School Building Built in 1S71 IIANK BITILUINGS. COMMERCIAI, BIIII,I)INGS. ITRBAyA Main Street, Urbaua, in 1860 T»ARKS Pr.OTTlII^ ^ AUen McClain 15^ — 1899 Simeon H. Busey 182h — 1901 J. S. Busoy 182i — 1888 Alex Spence 1825 — 1898 T. S. Hubbard 1825 — 1902 William Sim 18.25 — 1888 J. C. Sheldon 1827 — 1905 A. M. Ayers 1828 — 1902 r. K. Leal 1829 — 1903 Judge J. 0. Cunningham 1830 — 1917 A. M. Pauley 18.30 — 1912 Juiliie J. W. Sim 18S1 — 1890 Silas F. White tSSt — 1906 B. F. boggs iSS2 — i.9Ci^ George Besore 1832 — 1900 Dr. M. Lindley 183.3 — 1921 // <=^^^A^^^ ^ ^^^ <**-^-^5>«-i^,iC^ ^^>-- ./:^. *^ W«»T MILL , *^- , ^ Jo ^- I I /-f J -• :.| H' /4" '.B'.fey /. rV > W»ST J "iTsT ;.]ftpcJbIicParjt^' • /:^.::Ov;/f:-.v'.. _J f • • ■ < • • i -l ■ ■ ■ . '^•' "T^W:?7^^^y^C7V'/ _mJ --:^ ::Vd ^_i-^ i.ii^-« ST ^'^- ^ ^ /.-I? - ■— fi ■■V -ii) 'f'-V' -ir jya ' -K .' • • ^11^111 -I .." 1 WftT WHITC a >^^ rt*-^' >-^^:f^-' -»;r?w.' ii.".--j- *-» -' J '':: . la . I? I Ix -iVTJi_^i«i |n — ,— -; ^ I — — — ' >■ 'x — ^ :i_:_j^- /""^v • It: K: /. It _j I 4— Ju-t; JllLJ *\4U,%r A v n j j: .) >. .:, .] I U r( » t !T r^v rnSTui '■^1 ^_'/:^ J : I I I 1 ^v d< J I «^*^x>/> t^ :\^ ■»i.r- ^^^, 1 1 1 1 ' 1 1 r — ^'1 J 'J "1 ' 1 .:j 1 1 Itx .tliJmri/rrltcmm^n -\',- 7 a. URBAK A A Utrirtnif iinif hiaiilil'ui 'i/i' f/# //// itntit tV' f/iiiiii/tiiii//i liutnty mill III lilt iiiijti ,'/ / 1/0/ Irrtilvry ••! liinJ iiiisiirjiiLtMil 1:1 fftttlltv aiifiirflif /.t//i,- lit!/ firtitf wku-Jt ernl,UM* !2ll'i> .Ifr, . tiflirti liiJi liitlhri il mlrt> hss n hftiitlilui .itrraiit 0C tftittr iMrnKilrrtiitf l/inmifh ili cnitrr iillirilmif it 11 fatililui Ar maiuiJmeiurimg l^i m liirli usi il n Imrfrlr Mfprtpnalttl 1 1 it iht C^tiitiy tr**l nm>««llilA IT ONC«on IT- ^id :J_J ^-:r£] J / 1 / ^/f^r /& /r^f I f C. ^. (m^lyu^^yLi^ Opening Entries of Busey Bros. & Co., now Busey First National Bank Capital and first day's deposits. 13th "a lucky date" //^^ ^/ ^ //^^^ - m F. M. Snyder 18SU — lf)2S P. W. Richards 1835 — 1899 Gen. Samuel T. Busey 1S35 — 1909 William B. Webljer 1836 — 1916 Morris Lowenstcrn 1836 — 1916 Jonas Bing 1836 — 1913 Frank G. Jaques 1839 — 1896 William Kiler 1839 — 1877 John W. Shuck 1839 — 1925. Prof. T. J. Burrill 1839 — 1S16 Rev. W. H. Stedman 18W — 1923 J. S. Hall mo — 1928 R. A. Webber 18W — 1905 Samuel C. Fox mi — 1909 L. A. Mclean mS — 1916 James S. McCullough mS — 1913 L. (i. Hubbard 18U — 1927 N. A. Riley mi — 1931 Judge Francis M. Wright 18U — i917 V. W. Shuck 18 16 — 1926 J. G. Oldham me — 1925 Francis M. Green me — 1926 M. W. Mathews me — 1892 Dr. J. M. Bartholow 18A7 — 1917 J. W. Hays mS — 192Jt Jolin Ross 181^9 — 1917 Nat H. Cohen 1850 — 1928 Milton S. Parks 1851 —1922 Bishop Robt. Mclntyre 1851 — 19 n E. M. Knowlton 1S52 — 1920 John J. Rea 1852 — 19il i^mi V3i?;i* \ ¥' '":♦■* ^r Rev. George McNutt 185S — W38 .A § ^^m M. W. Busey 1854 — I9S2 Dr. James E. White 1855 — 1910 Gus T. Freeman 1855 — 1937 Rev. C. B. Taylor 1855 — 19J,6 Dr. A. M. LindJey 1856 — 1932 Ur. F. O. Sale 1856 — 19U1 Dr. W. F. Burres 1857 — 1937 Carl Ikiach 1857 — 1896 Frank L. Bills 1857 ~ 1931 Knos H. Renner 1858 — WJt7 Cyrus N. 1S60 — Clark 1939 George W. Busey 1861 — 19U Spencer E. Huff 1862 — 19iO George M. Bennett 186J^ — 1935 1861. This building' erected and called "The Urbana and Champaign Institute Building;" it stood at the North end of what is now Illinois Field, faced University Av- enue. The main part of the structure was 125 feet front, 40 feet in depth and five stories hig-h. It contained 90 dormitories, each ten by fifteen feet, and accommoda- tions for 800 students. October 5, 1866. Champaign and Urbana proposed to purchase the eight acres on which this building stood at a cost of $.30,C00.»M) and use $70,000.00 more to buy land to secure the 'location of the proposed Illinois Industrial University over the other contestants — Bkomington, Jacksonville, and other towns which had made offers. February 28s 1867. The Fuller Bill, which provided for the location of the Illinois Industrial University in Ur- bana, was approved by the Legislature. It opened with seventy-seven, students, thirteen professors, four assist- ants and J. M. Gregory, L. L. D., as Regent. l!'^s ;j,S29 — The first window glass was brought to Champaign County. 1532 — Only two schoolhouses then in Champai.g-n County. 1533 — First court was held in Urbana, in an old log stable. 1833 — First license to sell goods and merchandise here was granted to J. H. Alexander of Urbana. The goods were brought from Philadelphia by railroad, boat, ox-cart and wagon. 1833 — Champaign County was created. John F. Richardson of Clark County, James P. Jones of Coles County, and Stephen Shelleday of Edgar County, were appointed and charged with the duty of locating the county seat, to be named Urbana. 1833 — William T. Webber settled in Urbana Township. He donated twenty acres of land upon which the original Town of Urbana was located. 1834 The first tavern was opened in Urbana. Tt was run by Israel Knapp. 1835 — F. L. Scott settled on the Sangamon. The trail between this settlement and Urbana was so very circuitous that he took a plow and ran a furrow to Urbana. This fur- row became the line and route of the Bloomington Pvoad, now U. S. Route 150. 1835 — A horse-powered grist mill was built here by John Brownfield. Its capacity was 15 bushels an hour. 1836 — Ordei- was given for building our fir.st courthouse, to be made of hewn logs 24 feet long. '&" 1840 "The first Methodist Episcopal Church in Urbana was built. The lot cost three dollars. The church was 30 x 40 feet. 1851 — Election to incorporate held in Urbana. Voted 25 to 1 that the Town of Urbana be in- corporated. ■1S51 —A stalk of a new plant called Chinese Sugar Cane, now kn(Avn as sorghum, was brouglit into the newspaper office of the Ui'bana Union. 1852 — First Champaign County fair held in tourthotise square. 1852 — First tinware was made in Urbana by W. H. Jaques. 1854 — First mail carried by railroad from Chicago to Urbana, and carrying by stage coach was abandoned. 1855 — First Champaig-n County fairgrounds located four blocks south of the courthouse. 1856 — Political meeting- held at Urbana, followed by a barbecue, and although several ani- mals were cooked, the food supply ran out. Abraham Lincoln sat at the head of the long table. 1856 — Republican party born. Democrats were always here. 1857 — The first Teacher's Institute met in Urbana. President T. R. Leal was then the only Republican in the township. Mr. Leal introduced blacklDoards into the schools. ]863 — First street car was run from Urbana to Champaign. It was drawn by a pair of mules. 1863 — A frost on August 27 practically ruined the corn, which rose in price from twelve cents to one dollar a bushel. B. F. Harris, then the largest cattle feeder in this area, had to buy most of the corn between here and Bloomington, for his feeding operations. 1867— "Busey Bros. & Co." Bank organized. Opened for business January 13, 1868. 1867 — The first stamped envelopes were used here. 1869 — First use of gas in Urbana. 1885 — First use of electric lights in Urbana. 1888 — Corner stone of St. Mary's Catholic Church laid. Church built through the elforts of Rev. Anthony Wagner. 1901 — First electric cars run from Urbana to Danville. "Illinois reaches back for more than one hundred fifty years in interesting annals and they are connected with religious orders; for the crucifix and not the sword was the weapon of the ad- vance guard, that took possession of this vast prairie state." f UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA a.977366H13H COOl HALF CENTURY CLUB URBANA 025395820