mboy, Illin
Get to know us
Amboy, Illinois 2014-2015
Published by Sauk Valley Media
Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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healthy.
happy.
here.
Welcome Emilee Bocker, MD Family Medicine
The Center for KSB Health Services/Amboy 305 E. Joe Drive, Amboy, IL (815) 857-3044
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ILLINOIS Publisher: Sam R Fisher Advertising Director: Jennifer Baratta Advertising Sales: Jill Reyna Kelly Shroyer Editors: Larry Lough Marla Seidell Page Design: Marla Seidell
Much of the information was compiled from “Amboy Illinois: First 150 Years 1854-2004”
Welcome .................. Page 4 A rich history ........... Page 6 Health care.............. Page 7 Education ................ Page 8 College life............... Page 9 Library ..................... Page 10 Parks .................... Page 11 Places to camp ....... Page 12 Points of interest ..... Page 12 Dining...................... Page 12 Caring community ... Page 13 Places of worship .... Page 14 Depot Days ............. Page 15 Of historic interest ... Page 16 Phone numbers....... Page 18
Get to Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois, is a specialty publication of Sauk Valley Media of Dixon and Sterling. Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media of Dixon/Sterling. No portion of Get to Know Us may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this publication.
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Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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Dear Reader,
A
mboy is a historic village in north central Illinois. Located ion Lee County, 12 miles south of Dixon, President Ronald Reagan’s home town, Amboy started out as an agricultural center and a railroad town. The Illinois Central Railroad attracted people, businesses, persons of different faiths from it very beginning in 1852 when they started buying land. It was briefly the home of the Mormon settlement, the Green River Ordinance Plant, and Carson Pirie, Scott & Co. The only remnants of the Mormon settlement is a cemetery on Rocky Ford Road and a historic marker on a building, the site of an important conference for the Church of Latter Day Saints in a building across from the depot. Abraham Lincoln stopped long enough in Amboy to get a haircut. He was the lawyer for Illinois Central Railroad. He also campaigned
in Amboy and stayed overnight on his way to Freeport for one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Today, the Depot Museum and Depot Days serve as a strong reminder of those hardy Tom Nauman people, immigrants from Mayor of Amboy Germany, Italy, and England. Amboy Depot Days is a celebration of our rich history and multicultural traditions. The depot was built in 1876. In 1992, the museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Incorporated in 1857, Amboy is richly and uniquely American and Midwestern. It’s churches, schools and parks, and safe environment make it an ideal retirement community, as well as a
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wholesome place to bring up a family. There is ample room for growth, new residential construction, the high-end kind. Great programs for the kids such as soccer, baseball, football and many activities to keep everyone busy. Our banks are friendly and helpful to those just starting out. We are proud of the modern KSB Medical Clinic and Sensient Technologies, a manufacturing company; Amboy Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center; Teen Turf, a youth center; Amboy Pharmacy, a quaint, old-fashioned drug store and soda fountain; Kaleel’s, a fine-clothing store; Twigs & Sprigs, a new boutique and hair salon; Arts and Antiques Shop; a new tourist center; and bakery – Artisan Market. We welcome you to visit Amboy. Mayor Tom Nauman City of Amboy
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Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
First lot deeds executed in 1854 T
he city of Amboy sprang forth from humble roots. In the mid-1800s, the land that now falls within city limits primarily was farmland, dotted with a few shanties and farmhouses, built by settlers who began arriving in 1837. All that changed in 1852, when the Illinois Central Railroad bought the farms owned by Cyrus Davis, Joseph Appleton and Joseph Farwell, with plans to make Amboy its manufacturing and repair shop hub. A survey was done on March 23, 1854, to establish the original portion of town, and bonds for lot deeds were executed that July. The first city lot, on the northeast corner of Main Street and South East Avenue, was bought by John L. Skinner for $600. He built a hotel on the lot, and within a year there were 100 homes and 1,000 people in Amboy. As the Illinois Central Railroad made progress on its buildings, people came to Amboy and settled there. To accommodate them, Amboy’s original plat was expanded repeatedly until the city limits encompassed nearly 1,000 acres of land. By July 1856, a 2-year-old Amboy had nearly 2,000 inhabitants, 500 houses, two churches (also used as schoolhouses), a printing office, 16 stores, several groceries, a planning mill, three hotels, two livery stables and other shops, including a carpenter, cabinet, blacksmith, tin, mattress, paint and harness shop. Common storerooms were rented at $150 to $200 a year, homes from $10 to $20 a month.
Photo courtesy of Lee County Historical Society
sen name, but it stuck, and the city was incorporated as Amboy by popular vote on March 2, 1857. Later that year, Col. John B. Wyman was elected its first mayor.
there were nine churches in Amboy.
A city at war
In 1942, Amboy was selected as the site for the Green River Ordnance Plant, one of four munitions assembly facilities Mormons at Palestine Grove built in Illinois during World War II. Among some of the early settlers in the Stewart-Warner Corp. operated the Amboy region were Benjamin and Eliza- 8,342-acre facility for the Army Ordnance beth Wasson. Corp., which had seven munitions lines. The Wassons built a cabin along the The types of ammunition manufacGreen River in 1837, and later a house in tured at Green River ranged from rifle what was then known as Palestine Grove, grenades to armor-piercing shells to just outside of present-day Amboy. bombs. The bazooka rocket was develElizabeth Wasson’s sister was Emma oped and produced there. A town without a name Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, founder of By Dec. 15, 1942, Green River employed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 4,419 people on 3 shifts, 6 days a week. The town continued to grow and prosSaints. More than half of these workers were per, but did not have a name. When the Smiths and other members women, who were entering the workforce The residents called a meeting to rectify of the Mormon Church fled religious in significant numbers for the first time. that situation, and many suggestions prosecution in Fayette, N.Y., they moved Worker turnover was constant, espewere made, including Hornsby, Bolton, to Illinois and settled in Commerce. The cially on the loading lines where exploPainted Post and Elmira. Finally, the village later changed its name to Nauvoo. sive powder in the air caused skin infecname Bath was chosen. Because Nauvoo and Amboy were not tions and inhaling the powder caused Lorenzo D. Wasson was sent to Dixon too far apart, the Smiths would travel to respiratory problems. with the necessary papers to have the Amboy to visit the Wassons and helped Despite the constant need for new town so incorporated, but when the establish Mormonism within the comworkers, Green River was awarded an papers were returned, to everyone’s munity, making Amboy one of the first Army-Navy “E” flag for efficiency in proastonishment, it had been incorporated settlements of the Mormon Church. duction and won two more stars by the as Amboy. Just outside of Amboy on Mormon end of the war. The cause of the change never has been Road, the Mormon Church established Only 5 percent of the nation’s war prodetermined. the Mormon Cemetery. One of Brigham duction plants received this award. Some thought the name Amboy came Young’s wives is buried there. By the time the plant ceased producfrom Perth Amboy, N.J., which was After Joseph Smith died and the church tion on Aug. 20, 1945, Green River had named for the Earl of Perth, while others was moved to Plano, members of the produced 25 million rifle grenades, 10 attribute it to the Indian word “em-boMormon Church began attending some million 75-mm projectiles, and 10,921 li,” which means “between the hills.” of the other churches in Amboy. By 1854, 1,600-pound bombs. It may not have been the city’s cho-
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Quality health care close to home T
he Amboy community is served by two area hospitals, a clinic and a nursing and therapeutic care facility. KSB Hospital is 13 miles north of Amboy in Dixon. KSB also operates a medical clinic in Amboy. Mendota Community Hospital is 16 miles south of town. Amboy Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center is on the north side of town.
KSB Hospital Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital is an 80-bed acute-care facility founded more than 115 years ago. Along with the typical services a hospital provides, KSB offers a balance center, cancer center, diabetes center, foot and ankle center, sleep lab, occupational therapy, and hospice and home nursing care, among several other medical services. In 2006, KSB opened a $3 million, state-of-the-art cardiovascular services lab and endoscopy area. An in 2011, it completed a $16 million expansion of the outpatient surgery and emergency departments.
Serving Amboy
Amboy Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center 15 W. Wasson Road, Amboy 815-857-2550 www.amboyhealthcare.com KSB Hospital 403 E. First St., Dixon 815-288-5531 www.ksbhospital.com
KSB Center for Health Services – Amboy Clinic 308 E. Joe Drive, Amboy 815-857-3044 www.ksbhospital.com Mendota Community Hospital 1401 E. 12th St. (U.S. Route 34), Mendota 815-539-7461 www.mendotahospital.org
Mendota Community Hospital MCH has been providing health care to the area for more than 60 years. An entirely new, acute-care facility was
KSB Center for Health Services – Amboy Clinic, 308 Joe Drive E., Amboy
opened in 2011, employing more than 300 people. The hospital has a 24/7, physicianstaffed emergency room and an intensive care unit. It offers other services, including cardiopulmonary care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, podiatry, pulmonology, rheumatology, and surgery. MCH has a community health services department that provides occupational health services, drug testing, and a variety of public programming and screenings throughout the year to promote public awareness and offer early detection or warning for certain diseases. It also offers home health services, magnetic resonance imaging, a CT scanner, and it has its own rehabilitation services department.
Amboy Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center Amboy Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center offers residential nursing care, as well as therapeutic services, including occupational therapy, speech therapy and physical therapy. Services also include respite care and hospice support.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
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Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
The mission of Amboy Central Elementary School is to meet the needs of all students in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Providing premier education T
hrough data-driven decisions, teamwork, community involvement and visionary leadership, the Amboy Board of Education is striving for “excellence, every day” – the district’s vision statement. The Amboy Board of Education meets once a month, generally on the third Thursday of the month, at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. A calendar of dates, which might vary based on holidays and other school activities, is available on the district website.
Amboy Community Unit School District No. 272 11 E. Hawley St. 815-857-2164 www.amboy.net The district consists of three schools: Amboy High School 11 E. Hawley St. 815-857-3632 Amboy High School was formed as part of Amboy CUSD 272 in 1949 in Lee Coun-
ty. This district replaced the former Amboy Township High School District. The 205-square-mile district encompasses Amboy, Sublette, Maytown, Harmon, Eldena and Walton. In September 1969, the new building at Metcalf and Hawley streets opened, replacing the former school building, which now houses Amboy Junior High School. Amboy High School is the home of the Clippers, whose colors are red, black and white. School activities include Academic Bowl, FFA, Key Club, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Student Council, yearbook, band, chorus and athletics. Joshua Nichols is principal. Amboy Junior High School 14 S. Appleton Ave. 815-857-3528 At Amboy Junior High, fifth- through eighth-graders take courses in English, language arts, math, science, social studies, art and computers. Opportunities are available for advanced math, pre-algebra and algebra. All students can participate in beginning band, band, pep band and jazz band.
Sixth- through eighth-graders also can join chorus. Extracurricular opportunities include an art club, computer club, academic team, student council, wrestling, volleyball, basketball and track. The school is the home of the Vikings. Joyce Schamberger is principal. Amboy Central Elementary School 30 E. Provost St. 815-857-3619 Central School includes kindergarten through fourth grade, Smart Start and Early Childhood Education. All classrooms are on the ground floor, and a large, safe playground is behind the school. Central is a progressive elementary school that uses research-based methods of instruction to teach the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. Specialists also are on staff to teach science, music and physical education. The Ogle County Education Cooperative provides special education services in all grades. Mary Ann Redshaw is principal.
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Learning and training at SVCC S
auk Valley Community College has been on a mission to provide quality education to its diverse student body since its doors opened in 1965. The college, which sits on a 144-acre campus at 173 state Route 2, between Dixon and Sterling, enrolls more than 2,400 full- and part-time students a year. Students come from 18 in-district high schools, 29 different counties, 15 states, and three countries other than the United States. Sauk offers 2-year transfer associate degrees in art or science in more than 40 areas; 22 career programs and 52 certificate programs; men’s and women’s sports; cultural activities and events; and more than 20 student clubs and organizations. Sauk also offers adult education classes, literacy and GED services, community services and workforce services. Students also have access to a full fitness center and weight room. Just east of the campus is Sauk Commons, the 144-bed student housing complex that offers fully furnished two- and
To take a class
SVM file photo
Seventy-three schools and colleges attended College Night at Sauk Valley Community College in 2013. four-bedroom apartments and amenities designed for college students. Student organizations and activities include Phi Theta Kappa (the honor society for 2-year colleges), student government, Association of Latin American
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To find out more about Sauk Valley Community College, go to www.svcc. edu or call 815-8356273. Class schedules are available online. For more information about Sauk Commons, call 815-8352000.
OAKS
Since 1974
Students, Sauk Arts Magazine, Magic Club, Campus Crusade for Christ and Math Club. Sauk has been fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since 1972.
Pine view
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Located on Rt. 52 between Amboy & Sublette Tee Times Required • Soft Spikes Only
815-849-5424
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Water Hook-Ups, Electric Hook-Ups, Full Hook-Ups, Flush Toilets & Free Showers, Free Dumping Station
Located near the corner of Morgan & Sleepy Hollow Rds.
1273 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Amboy, IL
815-857-3964
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Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Pankhurst Memorial Library has been updated with a ramp and elevator to make it accessible to the disabled. Services to patrons include interlibrary loans, online e-book loans, programs and events for all ages, a copier, and fax machine and a meeting room.
First library card issued July 6, 1929
I
n 1875, a library association was formed to create a new library. It was housed in various locations until 1910, when the Amboy Women’s Club rented rooms on the second floor of the Green Building for use as a public library. Within a year, though, the library outgrew its space, so it moved again to the Vaughan Building over Whonke’s Drug Store. To maintain the library, an annual fee of $1 was charged to each adult and 25 cents to each child patron. By 1922, the library had 2,800 volumes. In 1928, James W. Pankhurst, a prominent farmer in the area, donated money for a new library to serve as a lasting memorial to himself. W.F. Remsburg was hired to build this first permanent library in Amboy. The new library, named Pankhurst
By the end of the library’s first fiscal year on May 9, 1930, the library had 508 registered borrowers and a collection Pankhurst Memorial Library of 2,756 volumes, including 2,061 adult 3 S. Jefferson Ave. books, 695 children’s books and nine 815-857-3925 newspapers and magazines. www.amboy.lib.il.us Today, about a third of Amboy residents Hours have a library card, and the library has 1 to 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday more than 23,500 volumes. The library also 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday offers an online e-book service. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday The Women’s Club now is the Amboy Civic Organization, but it continues to Memorial Library, was dedicated May 27, support the library through fundraising 1929, with the Women’s Club presenting efforts. Pankhurst Memorial Library has been all of the books from the old library to updated with a ramp and elevator to the new one. make it accessible to the disabled. The first borrower’s card went to Services to patrons include interlibrary Pankhurst when the library opened July loans, online e-book loans, programs 6, 1929. That day, 93 people registered for borrower’s cards and 115 books were and events for all ages, a copier and fax machine, and a meeting room. checked out.
About the library
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Parks offer family fun Amboy City Park: East Main Street, five blocks east of U.S. Route 52; picnic areas, shelters, charcoal grills, playground equipment, lighted ball diamonds, tennis courts, bathrooms, water and electricity, plus 30 sculptured trees; closed Nov. 1 through April 1. Amboy Sports Park: corner of Appleton Avenue and Main Street; soccer, football and baseball fields, plus a playground, concession stand and bathrooms.
Clint C. Conway Historical Park: Main Street, two blocks west of U.S. Route 52; site of the Amboy Depot Museum, railroad engine and picnic shelter. Green River State Wildlife Area: 375 Game Road, Harmon, 15 miles southwest of Amboy; this wildlife restoration area is popular with hunters, hikers and birders. The 2,565-acre area includes prairie restorations, timberlands and a camping area.
Shady Oaks Golf Course: 577 U.S. Route 52, 815-849-5424; a fun, 18-hole course, with tricky greens and a short course; club house with cocktail bar, food and pro shop. Senator David C. Shapiro Park: U.S. Route 52, next to the Green River; picnic shelter and tables, bathrooms, and fishing. Veterans Park: Corner of East Avenue and Division Street; the Amboy Women’s Club dedicated the park in fall 1919 to the veterans of World War I.
Clint C. Conway Historical Park, Main Street, two blocks west of U.S. Route 5, Amboy
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
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Visitors flock to area campgrounds Amboy, with its abundant natural beauty, has long been a popular destination for campers. On an average summer weekend, 35,000 people come to stay at one of the many campgrounds in the Amboy area. On holiday weekends, that number increases to more than 50,000 campers. The campgrounds are: Green River Oaks Camping Resort 1442 Sleepy Hollow Road 815-857-2815 www.greenriveroaks.com
O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Jellystone Park 970 Green Wing Road 815-857-3860 www.jellystoneamboy.com
Mendota Hills Campground 642 U.S. Route 52 815-849-5930 www.mendotahillscampground.com
Pine View Campgrounds 1273 Sleepy Hollow Road 815-857-3964 www.pineviewcampgrounds.com
Amboy points of interest
Amboy Pharmacy 202 E. Main St. 815-857-2323 When you step in the Amboy Pharmacy, you step back in time. Enjoy a fully functioning soda fountain, and shop for penny candy, gifts and cards in the old-fashioned atmosphere. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the summer.
Dining in Amboy Amboy Family Restaurant & Pizza Junction 211 E. Main St. 815-857-3985
Amboy Conference plaque 9 S. East Ave. Amboy was one of the first Mormon Church settlements. The Amboy Conference was the settling of the official “reorganization” of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints into the Latter Day Saint denomination now known as the Community of Christ. The conference was held April 6, 1860. Amboy Depot Museum East Main Street and South East Avenue 815-857-4700 www.amboydepotmuseum.org This Illinois Central Railroad depot, built in 1876, has been completely renovated and now is a 19-room museum reflecting the history of the Amboy area. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Other attractions adjoining the museum include a steam locomotive, a one-room schoolhouse, the Illinois Central Freight House, and a 1920s era Norfolk & Western caboose all open to tour; free admission, donations welcomed; open year round, 1-4 p.m. Sunday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Woodhaven Lakes (Private resort, membership available with lot purchase) 507 LaMoille Road, Sublette (3 miles west of U.S. Route 52) 815-849-5191 www.woodhavenassociation.com
Depot Tap 49 S. East Ave. 815-857-3555 Casey’s General Store (carryout pizza) 308 E. Main St. 815-358-3992
Amboy Depot Museum Carson Pirie Scott store plaque 55 S. East Ave. Samuel Carson left Ireland in 1854 and found his way to Amboy, where he opened a dry goods store called Carson Pirie & Co. The store became the foundation of the retail department store chain. A plaque commemorates the site of the first store. Stone Home Farm 1125 Inlet Road, Lee Center 815-440-5556 www.stonehomefarm.com The owners of this historic farm, located about 4 miles northeast of Amboy, sell fresh eggs, pork and alpaca yarn. Temperance Hill Cemetery and Prairie Preserve Off U.S. Route 52 north of Amboy, west of U.S. Route 52 and Inlet Road junction This cemetery, started in 1846, is situated on a fragment of virgin prairie and is an Illinois Nature Preserve. Three crosses at the end of the cemetery drive mark the site.
Long Branch Saloon 55 S. East Ave. 815-857-3486 Maria’s Pizza 203 E. Short St. 815-857-2200 Meusel’s Dairy Delite 303 S. Mason Ave. 815-857-2050 The Beef Hut 305 E. Bluff St. 815-503-1268 Subway 310 E. Joe Drive 815-857-3249 Sunset Inn Restaurant 1578 U.S. Route 30 815-857-3482
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Get involved with clubs, organizations Amboy Education Foundation 815-857-2856 Find them on Facebook
Illinois Central Masonic Lodge 237 E. Main St. 815-857-2782
Amboy Lions Club 280 W. Wasson Road 815-440-1779 www.amboylionsclub.com
Knights of Columbus Council 8277 St. Patrick Catholic Church 32 N. Jones Ave. 815-857-2315 www.stpatrickamboy.org or www.kofc.org
American Legion & Auxiliary P.O. Box 349 815-849-5219 www.illinois-dist13-legion.org Depot Museum Commission P.O. Box 108 815-857-4700 www.amboydepotmuseum.org Future Farmers of America 11 E. Hawley St. 815-857-3632 www.ffa.org Girl Scout Store 229 First Ave., Suite 1, Rock Falls 815-997-5100 www.girlscoutsni.org
Photo submitted by Lisa Valle
Larry Ermey of Lee County Master Gardeners was on hand at the Lee County 4-H Fair, July 24-27, 2014, to answer gardening questions. Green River Saddle Club 1580 Morman Road 815-857-3497 http://greenriversaddleclub.webs.com Lee County Master Gardeners Lee County Extension Office 280 W. Wasson Road 815-857-3525 http://web.extension.illinois.edu/clw/leemg
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Lee County 4-H Lee County Extension Office 280 W. Wasson Road 815-857-3525 http://web.extension.illinois.edu/clw/lee4h St. Patrick’s Women’s Organization St. Patrick Catholic Church 32 N. Jones Ave. 815-857-2315 Teen Turf Inc. 235 W. Main St. 815-857-4800 www.teenturf.org
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Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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St. Patrick Catholic Church, 32 N. Jones Ave., Amboy
Places of worship East Grove Union Church 449 Reuter Road 815-376-6661 Find them on Facebook First Baptist Church 24 N. Mason Ave. 815-857-2682 www.fbcamboy.com Grace Fellowship Church 37 S. East Ave. 815-857-3900 www.graceisforyou.com
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 960 U.S. Route 52 815-857-2225 www.lutheransonline.com St. Patrick Catholic Church 32 N. Jones Ave. 815-857-2315 www.stpatrickamboy.org United First Church of Amboy 326 E. Main St. 815-857-2415 www.ucc.org
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Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Klaire Martin, 2, of Lyndon, enjoys a ride during the 2014 Amboy Depot Days carnival.
TOP LEFT: Tom Carden (left), 18, and Michael Morley, 20, both of Chicago, entertain visitors with Irish music in front of the Long Branch Saloon in Amboy during the 2014 Depot Days. TOP RIGHT: Miss Amboy, Tierny Hiatt, 17, of Amboy, grabs the winning ticket from the 50/50 tumbler at the 2014 Amboy Depot Days. The winner of the drawing won $107,575.
Depot Days fun for everyone D
epot Days, a 4-day festival held every year on the weekend before Labor Day, celebrates the town’s railroad heritage. It also brings out the best in antique and classic cars, trucks and tractors, while providing plenty of fun activities for the entire family. The highlight is the car show. It’s one of the largest in Illinois, often attracting more than 450 vehicles to the downtown shopping district. There are more than 35 classes of vehicles at the show, including restored classics, muscle cars, street rods, modified vehicles and unique,
For more information For more information, including a complete list of Depot Day activities, go to www.depotdays.com or call 815-8573814. special interest vehicles. Another group of vehicles that always attracts attention is the Best of the Best class; members of the Amboy Car Show Committee attend other car shows in the Sauk Valley area each summer and invite the winners of those shows to Depot Days.
Those who prefer looking at tractors will want to attend the antique farm tractor show. There is a carnival, petting zoo and fireworks to entertain the children, as well as a craft show, food stands, beer garden, parade, a 5K run/walk, and free live entertainment on Friday and Saturday. Other events include communitywide garage sales, the announcement of Miss Amboy, and a Little Mister and Miss Amboy event. Another major highlight: the annual 50/50 raffle. The 2014 winner took home more than $107,000.
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Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
The Amboy Depot fell into disrepair from lack of use until a group of concerned citizens began expressing an interest in it in the early 1970s. They formed the depot committee and began a volunteer effort to preserve and restore the historical building. In the past decade, the committee has brought the depot back to life, and now the museum and complex are filled with displays highlighting Amboy’s history.
Rail line kept town chugging along Years after closure, committee breathes life back into Amboy Depot
R
ailroads gave Illinois the boost it needed to flourish in the mid-1800s. Trains provided farmers with a way to ship their produce to other regions to make a profit. Industries could bring in needed materials and ship out finished products. Each brought needed growth and development to Illinois.
Highlighting Amboy’s history A 1929 0-8-0 steam engine built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works as switcher No. 8376 for the Grand Trunk Western Railroad but last used as a switcher at the Northwestern Steel and Wire Co. in Sterling.
A 1915 Norfolk and Western wooden caboose No. 518125, built in Roanoke, Va. The Palmer School, a fully restored, furnished, one-room schoolhouse built in 1924 on state Route 26, 6 miles west of Amboy and moved to the complex.
Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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We thank each and every one of you that has contributed in some way to helping us develop the Depot, and at the same time start a longstanding tradition that we all love – Depot Days. From our hearts to yours, thank you for all the support, hard work and commitment everyone has given over the past years. Depot Days Committee
The Amboy Depot, headquarters for the Northern Division of the Illinois Central Railroad, was a key stop along that journey. Without the railroad, there couldn’t be any farms or industry. The Illinois Central line was built in the 1850s. Unlike many other railroads being constructed at the time, it ran north to south. Its main line ran from Cairo to East Dubuque, and eventually a branch line to Chicago was added. To help the railroad’s employees in their duties, the line was divided into divisions, roughly 100 to 125 miles long. Employees would board at one end of the division, work to the end of it and then return on a different train to complete their workday. Each division had its own headquarters. Because Amboy was the division’s headquarters, it had a much larger depot than many other towns along the line.
The original depot, built in 1855, also contained a hotel. It was destroyed by fire in 1875, and replaced a year later with the current brick and Joliet limestone building. The 19-room depot had space for administrative personnel, tools and supplies needed to operate the division. At the height of its operation, Illinois Central had 400 people working on the railroad. Any number of passenger or freight trains could pass through the Amboy station on a given day because there were no set schedules in the railroad’s early days. Because the line had only one track, the dispatchers had to keep in communication by telegraph to ensure there were no collisions. As the years passed, the Illinois Central eventually extended to New Orleans and connected with each east-west line it passed. The main line began to see less
and less use, though, as more traffic was directed toward Chicago. Eventually, the main line became the branch line and went into a long, slow decline, although the records never formally changed the Chicago line to the main line. Passenger traffic ended along the Northern Division in the 1930s, but freight trains continued to use it. By the 1980s, use of the line was deemed unnecessary, and it was closed. The Amboy Depot fell into disrepair from lack of use until a group of concerned citizens began expressing an interest in it in the early 1970s. They formed the depot committee and began a volunteer effort to preserve and restore the historic building. In the past decade, they have brought the depot back to life, and now the museum and complex are filled with displays highlighting Amboy’s history.
The Amboy Depot Museum The Amboy Depot Museum is in a former depot and division headquarters of the Illinois Central Railroad. The building is an architecturally unique two-story building built of brick and cut Joliet limestone and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been completely restored inside and out, and includes the original brick tarmac surrounding the depot and the grounds of the former rail-yard, now preserved as a city park.
Also reconstructed were the distinctive chimney caps on the building’s eight chimneys, fully restoring the building to its original exterior configuration. Within the museum are artifacts of the history of Amboy and the Illinois Central Railroad. The museum complex also contains a freight house with additional artifacts, a fully restored one-room country schoolhouse, a retired steam engine and a caboose. The museum is open year-round. It is
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closed on holidays, except for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. Amboy is on U.S. Route 52, 2 miles south of U.S. Route 30. The museum is downtown on Main Street, two blocks west of Route 52 (turn at Casey’s General Store). It is open 4 days a week, from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is by donations. Learn more at www.amboydepotmuseum.org or 815-857-4700.
Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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Numbers to note Service providers in Amboy Amboy Water Department 227 E. Main St., Amboy ....................................815-857-3814 www.cityofamboy.org Allied Waste 1214 S. Bataan Road, Dixon, 815-284-2432, www.republicservices.com/corporate/home.aspx
Pankhurst Memorial Library 3 S. Jefferson Ave. ............................................815-857-3925 www.amboy.lib.il.us KSB Hospital 403 E. First St., Dixon........................................815-288-5531 www.ksbhospital.com Mendota Community Hospital 1401 E. 12th St. (U.S. Route 34), Mendota .......815-539-7461 www.mendotahospital.org
ComEd (electricity) 919 W. First St., Dixon, 800-334-7661 www.comed.com
Post Office 215 E. Division St. .............................................815-857-2212 www.usps.com
Comcast (cable/Internet) 115 N. Galena Ave., Dixon, 800-934-6489 www.comcast.com Lee County Animal Control 112 E. Second St., Dixon ......... 815-288-5135, 815-284-3833
Amboy Community Unit School District 272 11 E. Hawley St. ................................................815-857-2164 www.amboy.net
Nicor (gas) 1844 Ferry Road, Naperville ..............................888-642-6748 www.nicor.com
Amboy Community Building 280 W. Wasson Road .......................................815-857-2324 www.cityofamboy.com
Verizon .........................................................................800-483-4600 www.verizon.com
City Maintenance Building 1 Water St. ........................................................815-857-2422
Other need-to-know numbers Amboy City Hall 227 E. Main St., Amboy ....................................815-857-3814 www.cityofamboy.com Lee County Clerk 112 E. Second St., Dixon ..................................815-288-3309 www.leecountyil.com Lee County Treasurer 112 E. Second St., Dixon ..................................815-288-4477 www.leecountyil.com Lee County Chief of Assessments 112 E. Second St., Dixon ..................................815-288-4483 www.leecountyil.com
Illinois Secretary of State (driver/vehicle services) 925 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon ..................................815-288-6685 The Telegraph 113 S. Peoria Ave. Ste. 1, Dixon........................815-284-2222
Nonemergency numbers Amboy Police Department 227 E. Main St. .................................................815-857-3400 Fire Department and ambulance 25 N. East Ave. .................................................815-857-2325 Lee County Sheriff’s Department 306 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon .............................815-284-5217
In an emergency ... 911
We invite you to stop by and enjoy a multi-level shopping experience 307 First Ave.,Sterling 15-564-9376 Mon.-Fri. 9 - 6p.m., Sat. 9 - 5p.m., Sun. 10 - 4p.m.
Get To Know Us ... Amboy, Illinois ~ 2014-15
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AMBOY DEPOT MUSEUM
City of
Amboy
Museum Hours
Sun & Thur 1-4pm • Fri & Sat 10am-4pm Open March 1 - December 1 Admission by Donation -- Gift Shop
815-857-3814
2 blocks west of US 52 on Amboy’s Main St. Illinois Central RR & Amboy History in 3 buildings Depot Days Celebration-held the last weekend in August before Labor Day to benefit the museum
Tom Nauman, Mayor
815-857-4700 www.amboydepotmuseum.org www.depotdays.com
227 East Main St., Amboy, Illinois 61310
www.cityofamboy.org The Right Partner Makes
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Where you come first. www.fnbamboy.com DIXON AMBOY 1314 N. Galena Ave. 220 E. Main St. 728 S. Crawford Ave 301 E. Joe Dr. 800-216-0008 815-857-3625
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