Thursday, May 20, 2010 • HERITAGE NEWSPAPERS/WESTERN REGION
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Fair parade brought smiles In my opinion, the threat of With the Milan Fair coming fire was probably the main reaup soon, it’s time to show off some of the wonderful fair pho- son Milan residents decided to incorporate as a village in tos in the historical 1885, an event we are celsociety’s collections. PAST ebrating this year with This snapshot the 125 anniversary. from 1950 gives a TENSE About the time we look at the Grant became a village, and Jones Insurance Co.’s that is the time period fair parade entry. of Milan’s fire insurSomeone found a ance records, people barrel, and placed a were going through life-size doll inside fires on a regular basis. it to look like a man Those little wood houses who lost his clothes. that people built at the A sign on one side time would go up in says: “Drunk drivers lose their licenses.” Martha Churchill flames like matchsticks. The businesses downAnother sign warns: town in 1882 were near“Speeders are losing ly all wood. With no electricity, their licenses.” folks were lighting candles and My, how times have changed. setting out kerosene lanterns. These days, drunk drivers don’t In the colder months, some just lose their licenses, they can people heated their homes and go to jail. Speeders find that businesses with wood stoves. their insurance rates go up if That was a big fire hazard they are convicted in traffic because wood sparks have a court. This affects a person’s tendency to jump all over the credit rating, which is another place. Some Milan residents had serious punishment. gasoline stoves, and this is menBut the man in a barrel looks tioned in the fire insurance ledso cartoonish, you’ve got to ger because the insurance agent laugh. No doubt this 1926 Ford truck had plenty of people point- charged extra for gasoline. In the beginning of the fire ing and chuckling as it rolled ledger, in about 1882, very few down Main Street to the fair 60 homes and businesses had gasoyears ago. line stoves. By about 1890 and Some things stay the same 1895, nearly everyone buying concerning insurance. Today, insurance wanted a gasoline when someone is going without permit. Some of the shopkeepinsurance, we say that he or she ers asked for permission to sell is “going bare.” The idea is that Benzine, or even gunpowder. a person without insurance is Looking at those peaceful just like a person without any postcards of Milan back in the clothes. days of horses and buggies, If enough people ask for it, I’ll who would have thought the produce the Milan Fair parade dancing girls’ picture next week. quaint little shops were offering gunpowder along with the calico Speaking of insurance, I’ve cloth and the bags of whole been going through the 1882 fire wheat flour? insurance ledgers from Milan, In 1882, when these fire showing which business owners insurance ledgers begin, Milan were buying fire insurance and where they were doing business. residents had almost no hope of extinguishing a blaze if someMilan business owners didn’t one’s home or shop caught fire. worry about floods, tornados or Volunteer firefighters had to find earthquakes. They didn’t care their collection of leather buckabout theft. There was only one ets and run over to the Saline threat that brought out the concerns of Milan business owners, River to scoop up some water. The next step was to carry the and that was fire.
In 1950, this parade float appeared in the Milan Fair. The 1926 Ford truck has signs warning about the consequences of drunken driving and speeding. The photographer is unknown. water-filled, sloppy bucket to the burning building and try to throw the water where it would put out the fire. With this kind of fire protection, no wonder people were interested in fire insurance. If you can’t get the fire put out, at least you can be compensated for some of the loss. After only a few years, Milan made the big leap and became an official village. That allowed the town leaders to issue a tax and pay for better fire protection. A community can do only so much by passing the hat and asking for donations. To get things done in a big way, there is no substitute for a tax. The town elders, now voted into office as village officials, went to work setting up a fire department where County Street comes together with Main Street. It so happens there was a two-story wooden carriage-making place in that location, so the village bought it. The village sold the wooden building. The new owner hauled it away. This left the way clear for the village of Milan to have a modern, two-story brick fire barn on the same spot. That building is still there, a testa-
ment to the power of Milan residents when they want to get something done. Today, it’s owned by the Milan Area Historical Society. It’s partly an office for the Milan Area Chamber of Commerce and it has extra space for meetings. There is really exciting news from the fire insurance ledgers. The three-story IOOF building, located at 17 W. Main St., was built about 1885 by David Blackmer. I don’t know why he built that skyscraper, but he apparently had some change jingling in his pocket and a tall brick building seemed kind of cool. The “Encampment” of the IOOF purchased Hartford fire insurance Feb. 20, 1886, from Mell Barnes, the local banker. The insurance covered their carpets, regalia and paraphernalia on the third story of the “Blackmer Building.” IOOF stands for Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a secret society like the Masonic Temple. In a world full of fire hazards, the IOOF didn’t want to go bare. Martha Churchill is a freelance writer. She can be reached at milanhistory@yahoo. com.
Photo by Steven Howard
The Milan Memorial Day Parade will commence 9 a.m. May 31 at Milan American Legion Post 268.
Memorial Day events to be held By Steven Howard Heritage Newspapers
The Milan Memorial Day parade will take place May 31, honoring those who gave their lives defending the nation’s freedom. According to the Milan Area Chamber of Commerce’s website, the parade will begin promptly at 9 a.m. “This annual event takes place downtown at the American Legion Post 268, Swayze said that the Whackbeginning with a service a-Wreck event, in which honoring those lost at sea,” it participants were allowed to states. “A wreath is traditionswing a sledgehammer at an old ally placed in the water, as well sedan, raised $300 for the Milan as one placed at the Blue Star Beautification Commission. Memorial across from Ford Milan Police Chief Jeffrey Lake on Wabash Street.” Lewis announced at the City The procession will then Council meeting that the “rubmove through the heart of ber ducky” race on the Saline Milan, proceeding down West River sold 450 tickets and raised Main Street to the Marble Park $1,600 for the police reserves. Cemetery, where the service Earlier that day, Lighthouse will continue with a guest Coffee Co. owner Rena Gibelyou speaker. said that she came within $100 Weather permitting, an of her best day ever, despite the aircraft detail out of Selfridge weather. Air National Guard Base will
City Council discusses Discover Milan Day By Gerald LaVaute Heritage Newspapers
In a discussion May 10 of the recent Discover Milan Day celebration, Milan officials were positive about how the day was conducted and its outcome, despite the weather. Temperatures were in the low 50s on Discover Milan Day May 8, with winds gusting to almost 50 miles per hour. It rained for short periods several times during the day. In particular, Downtown Development Authority member and Discover Milan
Day event coordinator Teresa Snider received high praise from council member Doug Gilson and Mayor Kym Muckler. “Teresa Snider put in a great effort,” Gilson said. Muckler said, referring to Snider’s plans and execution despite the weather that day, “She pulled it out, and I’m very proud of her.” “I was a ‘Nelly Negative’ about several of her ideas,” Muckler said, referring specifically to Snider’s proposals for the tug of war, the grape-stomp-
ing contest and the spaghettieating contest. Muckler said the events were fun and well-received by participants. Milan resident Rod Hill, a former council trustee, complimented community supporters for their hard work during the day, despite what he called “dreadful” weather. He said that he believed that the one-day festival was on a good foundation, and that with better weather it would become a very successful day. City Administrator Ben
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conduct a flyover of the proceedings. The chamber’s website also indicates that a public gathering offering complementary food will take place after the parade and memorial service at Legion Post 268. American Legion and chamber members are asking local residents to show their support on Memorial Day by displaying the American flag. “We are asking everyone who has a flag to fly it in honor of all those who have served, and presently serve, in the U.S. military,” the website states. For more information on the parade and subsequent activities, contact the Milan Area Chamber of Commerce at 4397932, or visit www.milanchamber.org. Milan American Legion Post 268 can be reached at 439-2170. Steven Howard can be reached at 429-7380 or showard@heritage.com. Follow his blog at http://heritageweststaffblog.blogspot.com.
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