Jefferson County IL
News Paper Clippings 

News Paper Clippings
Involving Jefferson County
From 1972 Register News
 
Submitted By:
Janice Staples
 
FROM REGISTER NEWS JULY 29, 1972

Mt. Vernon was founded June 7, 1819. It was just a few lines on a plat of eight blocks around a public square marked off with Mulberry poles.
Three months earlier, the county had been layed out and named for Thomas Jefferson.
  The three pioneers - Zadock Casey; Joseph Jordan and Fleming Greenwood - met at the home of William Casey to name the town.
         First there was a lot od talk for the name  Mount Pleasant , but admirers of George Washington got their way and it was named Mount Vernon.
           Wiliiam Caseys donation of 20 acres, started it and 48 lots were laid off in an area bounded by North by Harrison Street; on South by Jordan, on East by Johnson Alley and on West by 11th street.
        Zadock Casey's name is perpetuated in the name of the Junior High School, which was erected on the site of his home.
       Joseph Jordan is perpetuated in the name of a street, but there is no memorial to Fleming Greenwood.
          When the town was layed out, it contained only four log houses. It grew to the biggest city in Southern Illinois and once was the seat of the Illinois Supreme Court. 
BLUFORD, A Community spurred by the Railroad. Originally there were two towns Bluford and Tilford, named for sons of Wiley Green,. They were located on either side of the Airline Railroad (Southern 1972). Constructed in 188, when Tilford Green died. the Bluford name was adopted for the whole area.
It was the first community in Southern Illinois, officials say to receive a Federal Grant. It received 100,000 in 1963 to help build a water system.
Now Mt. Vernon sells Rend Lake Water to Bluford.
In 1964 the Webber Township Fire Protection district was formed with the station a mile North of Osbornes Store. There were  20 Volunteers when it opened in 1966 gas was piped to Bluford from Trunkline Gas about two miles West of Wayne City.
Founded by  Bill Hicks; is remembered for it's Veal Sandwiches; sitting only a few feet from L & N Depot; Favorite eating place for Railroad crews and  passengers;
Bill Hicks died in 1969 and the restaurant was  operated by his son John.
The place is used by Civic Groups Rotary; Lions; Kiwanis; Optimist; B&PW and Newcomers Clubs.

In 1972 the L & N had been in Mt. Vernon for 46 years at .
15th and Broadway.
Smorgasbord Dailey
Private Rooms for Parties for 125 People
Banquet Facilities in the Mt. Vernon Room for 125 People.
Catering service - Anywhere up to 500 people.
The first Lions meeting was held February 25, 1924. Club President in that year was H. W. ''Doc'' Faulkner.
The Lions met every Wednesday for lunch at the L & N Restaurant.
There most notable activities include the annual dinners for high school football teams and their program to provide glasses to needy school children. 
G. C. MURPHY become fixture on Mt. Vernon Square.
It has been located at South side location since coming to Mt. Vernon in 1951.
The store was remodeled in 1956 and 3000 sq. feet added at that time.
In 1962, it was remodeled again. 

BEANS STANDARD OIL 
522 Main -  Owner Stanton Bean

HINES STANDARD 
800 S 10th -  Owner Doy Hines

K&S STANDARD 
Hwy 460 West - Owner -  Keith Fetgetter

BROADWAY STANDARD 
24th & Broadway Owner - Bill Hines
1914-KING CITY FEDERAL ORGANIZED

MUSGROVE SHOE STORE - 916 MAIN - 1952- 
CO OWNED BY ALVIN MUSGROVE AND DON SHAFER
 

MT VERNON MODE O'DAY-1963 AT CORNER OF 9TH AND MAIN- LOUISE GRIFFIN OPENED IT.
JULIE SMITH BECAME OWNER IN 1966 AND MOVED TO PARK PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER.
HAZEL TERRY TOOK OVER STORE IN 1970 
1888 STORM KILLS 30; HURT HUNDREDS-FEB 19 1888; TWISTER LEFT 1250 HOMELESS.IN TOWN OF 2500.,329 RESIDENCES BLOWED AWAY OR WERE BURNED TO GROUND AND 518 OTHER BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED.

1957 STORM 1 DEAD 78 INJURED.-DEC 18 1957- INSURANCE CLAIMS TOTALED 750,000$
In 1937 Lelan Carr and Bob Smith opened a Welding shop at 1016 Casey.
In 1938, Lelan moved and opened a shop then it moved again and was called Lelan Carr Motor Service. 
In 1940 at Jordan and 12th. It had five mechanics and the city's first wrecker service.
In 1942 the business joined with John Deere, in 1946 he contracted to sell Willys Jeeps.
Next the move was to Waltonville road here a 75,000 Building was constructed on two and half acre spot.
The Korean War interupted the business and Lelan sold the business in 1952.
Carr moved behind the big building and serviced lawn mower's, chain saws and go carts were manufactured.
In 1962, he started selling Oxygen and Welding supplies.
The same year he started selling Insurance with Mutual Farmers of America. 
NASON
Built from the ground up in 1923 as a model city cenetered around the largest Coal Mine in the nation.
Located 11 miles Southwest of Mt. Vernon, research revealed a coal vein eight feet, ten inches thick extending in all directions in southern Jefferson county.
THE NASON COAL COMPANY owned 30,000 acres
and company president A. J. Nason got the idea to construct an industrial city in that area.
Nason opened June 9, 1923 when real estate was put on the selling block.
City planners assumed Nason's population would exceed 5,000. Wide streets were consrtucted for the automobiles.
The mine was built to handle 10,000 tons of coa; a day, and the Railroad Depot was at the West edge of the city.
A Railroad connected Nason and Mt. Vernon in 1924.
Land was reserved for two parks. Nason thrived and in 1923, the Register News called it  THE WONDER CITY. It also said the growth of the town has been so rapid, it's beyond belief -  ''ALL ROADS LEAD TO NASON'.

Nason peaked, the declined when the mine closed 
October 19. 1951.

Hughey Pulley Funeral Home

Bluford Funeral Home 5th & Elm Street

Hughey Pulley was operated by Charles Hughey for three and a half years in 1972.
It was founded in 1907 on North 10th street the original business, The Appleman, Fly Funeral Home was purchased in the early 1930's by George Hawkins.
Hawkins purchased the present home at 1314 Main.
That building had been built by COL.Thomas S.Casey, son of pioneer Zadock Casey. Built in 1865 right after the Civil War.
The Appellate Court House across the street was 11 years older being built in 1854.
The funeral home had 15 rooms. Hawkins operated the funeral home for 9 years after the purchase in 1934. He died in 1943, Then  Virgil Pulley purchased it.
In 1955 he added the Chapel on the West side of the building. He operated it until his death in July of 1959. Hughey purchased the home in 1969 from Mrs. Pulley.
Hughey remodled and re-decorated the interior after his purchase.
BY EDNA GARRISON
REGISTER NEWS JULY 29,1972
One of the first motion picture theaters was a small room in the 800 block of Broadway.
At the Opera House, short skits and slap stick comedy were shown, this was at 10th and Harrison.
Frank Gillespie and Homer Hicks owned and ran the Gem Theater at 102 South 9th.
The Majestic was at 226 S. 9th, it was owned by Arch Levick.
During the remodeling of the Majestic, it caught fire and a new Theater was built on the location....it was called the Royal Theater. It also burned inside. Next was the Stadium opened on May 15, 1947.

The Plaza 118 S. 9th..owned by John Bingemer and managed by George Newsome was opened on Christmas day 1919.
The Star 910 Main was bought by Vandergrifts who operated for several years.
Usherettes came into being in 1922 when Light Opera was brought to the Plaza.
Music for the silent picture was furnished by Piano.
1924 the Plaza wa remodeled ans a yound man from Sesser Theater named Homer Marvel was brought in and he became one of the most alert and best manager of the Fox.
The theaters were also used for Charleson contest and some young boys and girls won fame for dancing.
In 1937, Walter Atkinson and Homer Marvel, dug the first spades for one of the finest theaters outside of Chicago. It was at 108 N. 9th. It seated 1200,  was air conditioned, with the latest sound equipment and large stage.
On December 16, 1937 THE GRANADA was open. Seats were filled and the movie shown was Clark Gable and Carole Lombard in TRUE CONFESSIONS.
Pictures often played to packed houses.
In 1948 Gilly Burnett came to manage the Fox, Later Leon Koch became the manager.
In 1971 Kerasotas Theaters  purchased the Mt. Vernon Theaters. 

General Radiator
 


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