The following article is an exact reprint of an article appearing in the Monday, May 4, 1987, edition of The Prairie Beacon-News.
Charter members of the Edgar County Homemakers Extention …
It was supposed to be a fun-filled weekend in Chicago for deserving students from the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville. The whirlwind schedule included a visit to a museum, a basketball …
The following article is an exact reprint of an article appearing in the Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1987, edition of The Prairie Beacon-News.
Presentation of the first "Parisian Award” by the …
Alice Moore McComas, a celebrated writer, suffragist and advocate for women's rights, was born on June 18, 1850, in Paris, Ill. She grew up in a family of distinction; her father, Gen. Jesse Hale …
In the 1850s, the arrival of December meant that stores in downtown Springfield would be filled with toys and gifts, and newspapers would be filled with ads reminding holiday shoppers that …
Pearl Harbor, located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, was the site of a devastating, surprise military attack by the Japanese Imperial Navy on Dec. 7, 1941.
The strikes targeted the U.S. Pacific …
Today, Edgar County is home to over 18,500 residents and some of the best farmland in the area. A century ago, descriptions of the county were similar to today – but only in some ways.
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In September of 2004, Homer Coleman Peebles was 90 years old. The charming and energetic man was full of energy when he gave an interview to M.D. Brading, a Beacon-News staff writer.
Known more …
NOTES FROM THE PRAIRIE
A long, long time ago, many marvelous things were invented. Over 120 years ago, the Wright brothers flew the first airplane.
Now look at what man has done since then. We can get on a plane and, …
Over 200 years ago, in 1823, Edgar County formed and selected Paris as its county seat. With that, the first rendition of the Edgar County courthouse was built with a price tag of $690. Less than 10 …
The Iconic game of monopoly started as a political statement
Monopoly is one of the most recognized board games in the world, accounting for nearly one-third of all board game sales in the United States. Versions of the classic game include mobile apps, themed …
The North’s partnership with Liberian farmers provided coffee to troops
Ten months into the Civil War, the Union was short on a crucial supply, the absence of which threatened to sap the fighting strength of the Northern army: coffee. This critical source of energy and …
Technology is quickly becoming the face of society’s future, and with no way to stop it, people have happily embraced it. Except for the select groups who shun “New World …
The Guinness Book of World Records released in August of 1955 changing record keeping forever
Everyone wants to make history and have their achievements recognized, no matter how ridiculous those achievements may seem.
There is no higher form of recognition in pop culture today for human …
Paris native shares his family’s history with the game of baseball
Growing up in Paris, Ronnie Lutz, a small town man, lived a fulfilling life scattered with stories and adventures from around the world.
Baseball played a major role in his life. He played for …
With the fair, sometimes called a carnival, coming to Paris there will be many different events, entertainment and town traditions Paris and farther can enjoy. A fair is an Americanized form of …
Born Nov. 30, 1894, in Dudley, Ill., Basil Robert Bennett would go on to fight in World War I, compete in hammer throwing at the 1920 Olympics in Belgium, coach high school football and become a …
METCALF – Like many small hamlets throughout the rural Illinois prairie, Metcalf has seen businesses close and populations dwindle over time, but the village still stands today …
Born on a farm on Aug. 9, 1912, Paris resident Thomas “Lefty” Sunkel has always been remembered for his big heart and dedication to the Edgar County baseball world.
Sunkel made his …
Minor league team Paris Lakers’ history is still remembered
Even with only a 2,500 maximum capacity, Laker Stadium used to be filled with fans ready to watch a game of baseball. To be more specific, a Paris Lakers game.
The Paris Lakers were a Class D …
Sitting in the choppy waters of the English Channel the day before D-Day, 20-year-old Private James R. Lambeth wondered what would happen on the beaches of Normandy.
“We had no idea what …
Debutants left home to serve the healthcare needs in rural locations
A 1938 newspaper headline from Baltimore declared “Debutante to Be Courier in Wilds of Kentucky Hills.” The article detailed the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), a service dispatching …
Paul Scott a World War II hero in Tunisian Battle
The estate sale for Betty Scott is like many, it’s full of mid-century furniture, artwork, and a garage full of useful gadgets and unique finds, but it’s the family’s military …
A mother’s influence ended half a century of campaigning
By the summer of 1920, 35 states had ratified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which stated that “[t]he right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or …
March 11, 2020, a day in recent history many will never forget. The World Health Organization declares a new disease, Covid-19 a pandemic.
The first severe pandemic since 1918, Covid shook the …
Polio survivor lived a life full of success and purpose despite odds
Paul Alexander became ill as a boy, his illness was not a common cold, a case of RSV or even as simple as a bout of chicken pox. Alexander was stricken with polio.
In 1952, the Dallas native …
During the month of March we celebrate women and their achievements in history, but why in March?
Originally, there was only International Women’s Day, in commemoration of the meeting of …
One of my favorite roles as a writer in a small town is meeting the many people who have called Edgar County home for much longer than myself. I wholeheartedly enjoy sitting down and hearing the …
Through the centuries leap year creates quirky traditions
Thursday, Feb. 29, is Leap Year, a day that comes every four years and is an oddity on the calendar. Its traditions are equally unusual.
Ostensibly, an extra day is stuck at the end of February …
Business executive and philanthropist left a legacy
He was “deliberate” and “no-nonsense,” a chain-smoking steam engine who once told his receptionist, “I guess I’m not the vacation type.” Yet, to all who knew …
