Published: June 16, 2009 11:45 pm      

History in a small space

Sidell marks 125 years

SIDELL — The village of Sidell will proudly celebrate its 125th anniversary this weekend with a three-day festival that will honor its beginnings and all the progress that has taken place since its birth in 1884.

Historical society member Linda Rosnett said founder John Sidell, who originally came from Ohio, didn’t have intentions of staying in the area. He thought the grass was luscious for his cows to graze and knew the farm ground would be good, but it was swampy.

The area needed drainage, so Gray Tile Co. was the first factory that grew up to provide the necessary pipes to do the job.

It wasn’t long before a town began to form around the newcomer and the infrastructure.

Celebration organizer Betty Snack said Sidell once had 34 businesses, which included an opera house and two hotels. Two trains also crossed through the town.

“At one time there were 20 trains that went through Sidell each day,” said Rosnett.

The historical society has worked hard in the past weeks to update the buildings it maintains as museums with new items and exhibits for visitors to see this weekend. On Brick Street (or Gray Street, its proper name), the museum is contained in three conjoining buildings.

One storefront was once a barber shop, with a creamery and shoe store tucked into the rear of it. The middle building housed the original site of the Sidell Journal newspaper, which is the oldest continuing business in town, now the Sidell Reporter, which began in 1888. The third was a cafe.

The barber shop is now divided into exhibits for the celebration. Many unique pieces are on display including a letter from John Sidell to his niece, along with his calling card. Also, antiques like a two-person, hand-powered Regina vacuum cleaner with bellows. There is a beauty shop hairdressing appliance that gave hair permanents, but looks more like a torture device than it would be a beautifying machine. Also, there is a Corona typewriter that once belonged to Rosalie Sidell Huffman, a descendant of the town founder.

“We just thought we’d shake it up and change things around,” said Rosnett. “We were trying to give people something else to look at.”

Alongside the trio of buildings that house the items from the past is a jail cell that once existed in the original town hall, which was moved to become part of the series of village artifacts.

“I just love local history,” said Rosnett. “I think it’s so interesting.”

Rosnett said the Huffman family, descendants of John Sidell, still are active in town. Some will ride on a float during the main parade that will travel down Chicago Street at 3 p.m. Saturday. There are more than 200 entries expected to participate.

Events are scheduled non-stop beginning at 4 p.m. Friday with a Jonah Fish Fry and to end Sunday with an amateur variety show at 2 p.m. All events take place along Brick Street and at the water tower park stage. Craft vendors will be set up on Railroad Street.

Music on the main stage is planned daily, as are dinners. The fish fry is on Friday, the annual Lions Club Chicken BBQ is at 5 p.m. Saturday and a chicken and noodle dinner is at noon Sunday at the Brick Street Café.

Snack was especially excited about Max Armstrong of WGN Radio being present on Saturday to mingle with the crowd.

A Little Miss and Mr. contest will take place at 6 p.m. Friday and fireworks will end Saturday evening.

Snack said she is happy with the efforts that have been put forth by those helping to organize the event.

“It’s been great getting to work with the younger people and to see how willing they are to help with an event like this,” said Snack.