Good Living In
West Frankfort Showcasing the People, Places and Pride of West Frankfort, Illinois
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Publisher’s Letter
Good Living In
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his issue of Good Living in West Frankfort is mainly about memories, but then haven’t they all been? Each time we’ve published a new issue of the magazine, we have gone back over and over to the wells of the people who were here before us, to those who could share with us the first hand stories of people and events that we have only heard about. We have lost so many of those memory keepers in the last 14 years that we have been publishing the magazine. We have flattered ourselves to think that we were sharing the stories of our history, but actually in most cases they weren’t our stories at all. We were gleaning the experiences of the Goebel Pattons, the Etheredge Tharps, the Zella Spanis and the MC Odles of the world and passing them on to the rest of you. I heard a quotation a few months ago that made a great impression on me. “Every time a person dies, it is like a library burns to the ground.” Now that’s a sobering thought. It is a thought that has kept coming back to me in the past several months since my brother, Tim Rissi, passed away. Tim left so many memories with us in the photographs he took, but I realized so many times how many questions I didn’t ask and how many details I let slip away. “Who was this?” and “Why was that?” As an avid genealogist, I know better. I know that you never start wondering about things and asking questions soon enough. We always think there will be time. This was a magazine that wasn’t supposed to be. We had said the last one was the last one. But the responsibility to share the photos herein and the stories that accompany them, no matter how insignificant, weighed heavily on us. As I retraced steps back through some of the old issues of the magazines looking for details, I realized even more that no memory is insignificant. We are all memory keepers. Cherish the mission.
Gail Rissi Thomas, Publisher Good Living in WF Fall 2109.Aindd.indd 3
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PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS THEY MAKE THIS MAGAZINE POSSIBLE Aaron Hopkins, Attorney .......................... pg. 19 All American Hearing .............................. pg. 31 Banterra Bank ....................................... pg. 13 B F J Interiors...... ...................................... pg. 29 Browning Clark Automotive .................. pg. 23 Calico Country Sew & Vac ........................ pg. 27 Carbondale Computer Repair ................. pg. 23 E. R. Brown Furniture ............................... pg. 29 Frankfort Area Historical Museum ..... Back Gandy’s Auto Body Shop ..................... pg. 29 G. L. Williams Real Estate ...................... pg. 21 Herron Rehab & Wellness Center ........ pg. 11 Hidden Treasures ..................................... pg. 21 Honker Hill Winery ................................. pg. 25 J & S Professional Pharmacy ..................... pg. 2 Johnson Real Estate ................................. pg. 19 McCollum Real Estate .............................. pg. 15 McCord’s Market ..................................... pg. 29 McDonald’s ............................................... pg. 19 Mike Riva, Attorney .................................. pg. 25 Morties Botique ......................................... pg. 21 Nolen Chiropractic ................................... pg. 15 Old King Coal Memorial ........ ................... pg. 31 Parker-Reedy Funeral Home ................... pg. 21 Peoples National Bank .............................. pg. 4 Ramey Insurance ......................................... pg. 27 Sam Mitchell and Associates ..................... pg. 27 Sandy’s Flowers & Gifts ............................ pg. 15 Severin Garden Center ............................ pg. 9 Southern Illinois Bank ............................. pg. 15 Stotlar-Herrin Lumber .......................... pg. 4 Union Funeral Home .............................. pg. 7 Volanski Heating & Air ............................. pg. 23 Watsons Jewelers .................................... pg. 10 West Frankfort House Furnishing ........... pg. 29 West Frankfort Mall ................................. pg. 13 WF Chamber of Commerce ...................... pg. 29
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Contact Michael A. Thomas at 937-2019 if you wish to advertise in “Good Living in West Frankfort”.
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No. 32 Fall/2019
Table of Contents
The Rissi name has been synonomous with fine photography in southern Illinois for over 100 years.
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Gary Marx offers a reflection of his late father, inspired by two armchairs.
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The Rissi name has been linked to a photograpy for over a century. We honor Tim Rissi, who’s legacy lives on in his photographs of West Frankfort.
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Residents come to the rescue of Tim Murphy and Candy Cane Lane, showing their support after Murphy’s encounter with West Nile Virus.
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It is hard to beleive that at one time West Frankfort had Two Tony’s Smorgasbord where all you could eat cost you only $1.
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We remember some of West Frankfort’s iconic grocery stores including Big John’s, Bracy’s, BoLaps Food Park and Market Basket.
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In December of 1951, 119 men lost their lives in the horrific Orient #2 mine explostion. Now, 68 years later, many want to remember those lost with a fitting memorial.
Good Living in West Frankfort is a magazine about the people, places and pride of West Frankfort. Our goal is to showcase interesting, unique and previously unpublished stories about the citizens, events and places in our community in a positive manner. Good Living in West Frankfort provides businesses the choice to advertise in a high-quality full-color venue at affordable prices. This magazine is free to our readers because of those advertisers.
No portion of this publication, including photos and advertisements, may be reproduced in any manner without the expressed consent of Good Life Publications . ©2019
ON THE COVER: Several dozen FCHS students come ready to help Tim Murphy set up Candy Cane Lane. Murphy was stricken with West Nile Virus in eary October making it impossible for him to do any physical labor. (Photo by Michael A, Thomas)
Over the years, West Frankfort has had its share of fires in the downtown business district.
Good Living In
West Frankfort Good Life Publications 309 East Oak Street West Frankfort, IL 62896 Ph: (618) 937-2019 E-mail Contact: GoodLifePublications@Gmail.com
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By Gail Rissi Thomas
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here have been a lot of photographers in my family over the last 100 years. I’m not just talking about amateurs who were fascinated with the art of taking pictures and passing them on to succeeding generations; I’m talking about individuals who in most cases taught themselves the trade, refined the processes and perfected it into an art that supported themselves and their families to a level of expertise that earned them a place in what was often referred to as “The Rissi Family of Fine Photography. I never seemed to inherit the talent or even the interest to pursue “picture taking,” even as a hobby, but it seems appropriate to justify my comments here with just a “snapshot” of the story I am trying to tell. My grandfather, Leo Rissi learned photography from a friend who’s name has
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been forever lost to us, but who had a professional studio in Collinsville where he lived. The year was sometime in the early 1920s when taking a picture required a lot of rather expensive equipment, the least of which was a camera. A studio with a variety of lights, backdrops and props as well as dark room for processing film were integral. Retouching tools insured a quality result and some photos might even be hand colored. And, of course, there needed to be a moderate knowledge of running a business as well as a building in which to run it. By the late 1920s when my grandfather was ready to open his own studio, he had to find another town so as not to go into competition with his friend/teacher/boss, he chose East St. Louis. In 1930, that may not have been the best town for a photography studio, but then, what was? My father told of him and his dad driving from Collinsville to East St. Louis every day that winter. Their car had no heater. My grand-
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father had pneumonia and wore a hot water bottle inside his coat. People barely had money to feed their families, but customers or none, they would spend the day at the studio and drive back to Collinsville in the dark. It took only about a year until he gave up the venture and managed to open a studio in Alton, IL, the first Rissi Studio that is still remembered today. In 1935, when my parents married, it was time for my father to choose a town in the area for his own journey into the photography business. My grandfather’s youngest brother had already opened a very large and successful Rissi Studio in Collinsville. Highland, Illinois seemed to be a promising community, so it soon became my parents first home together with a “Rissi Studio” shingle posted on Highland’s Main street. Those were lean years; men were still out of work and didn’t have much money for luxuries such as family portraits. My father’s grandfather, James
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This picture, taken in the l960s, shows the 300 block of East Main Street including the DX gas station (far left) and (1) the Rissi Studio. A speparate building housed (2) Singer Sewing Machine (3) Reed Liquor Store (4) Spiegel Catalog and (5) Giffin’s Flowers. Above those establishments were the Arscht apartments which housed 14 tenants. (Photo by Leon Rissi)
Dunn, and his family had followed the coal mines across the country to West Frankfort, where he was named Superintendent of the Old Ben Mines. When he wrote his grandson, Leon Rissi a letter to persuade him to open a studio here, it was an easy decision to pull up stakes and come to Southern Illinois. “You and Vera need to move to West Frankfort to start your studio,” he wrote. “This is a boom town.”
opened a highly successful photography studio in Carterville. Most people probably don’t know that Leigh Bedokis photography is actually another Rissi Studio. Check out her website, bedokis.com.
And no, that’s still not all. My brother, Tim’s” daughter Susan took what started as a hobby--guess she just couldn’t help herself-and created a beautiful collection of geographic and wildlife photographs that she has I heard my mom tell the story many times. taken as she and her husband travel around “We were glad to leave Highland and come the country with his job. Her website, susanto West Frankfort,” she told us. “We didn’t rissi-tregoning.pixels.com is more evidence know anyone there. We had your dad’s fam- that the The Rissi Family of Phie Photograily here. There were new stores opening phy legacy lives on. all the time. Young men were being hired by the mines, getting married and starting families. There were wedding pictures and baby pictures. Then the war started. Men were joining the service, even more weddings before they were leaving, having portraits taken in their uniforms when they came home on leave; we could barely keep up.”
Standing at over 8 feet tall, Robert Wadlow, better known as the Alton Giant, was photographed by Leo Rissi at the Rissi Studio in Alton, Illinois.
In the meantime, my dad’s younger brother, Jim Rissi, took over the Alton studio, and operated it until the early 1960’s. Two of Frank Rissi’s sons maintained the Collinsville Rissi Studio until the late 1980s. My father, Leon Rissi, died in 1961, and shortly before his death, my brother Timtook over the studio and spent about 30 years in the successful business that my parents started in this “boom town.” That could be the end of the business and the story, but in 2000, my sister Genelle’s daughter, Leigh, graduated from SIU with a degree in, what else? Photography. She Good Living in
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FAREWELL TO
Photo by Gary Marx
ARMCHAIRS
By Gary Marx
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here are two old Adirondack chairs in my back yard. Years of use and seasons of storms have slowly turned them into health hazards, so that now they are unfit for human butts. Last spring, when I moved them back to the pine tree between the bird bath and the beehive, their brittle bones creaked and moaned. One of them is missing a slat or two in the seat. The arm rest has fallen off of the other one, and its right leg is buckled so the whole chair lists to the east. The chairs remind me of a couple of elderly bookends on a park bench. We don’t have pigeons here, but the cardinals and the squirrels perch on them unafraid of the pending collapse.
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My father made these chairs, thirty some years ago – one of his last projects before he died – and they had been in steady use until recently. They stayed outside from spring to fall, and I would store them in winter. I’ve refinished them at least twice and replaced various pieces as they developed soft spots. They finally reached a point where I began to wonder whether my “repairs” were doing any good. Was I applying Band-Aids to merely prolong the inevitable? So, about two years ago, I took them off of life support. I think Dad would understand. He even might have approved. Dad could build anything out of wood – tables, doors, window frames, cabinets and chairs. He built a corner entertainment center that went from floor to ceiling, an
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impressive piece with hidden hinges and concealed doors. He built the house I grew up in. I was in awe of his skills. His creations would never be confused with art. He made solid, functional pieces, meant to stand up to daily use and abuse. They were plain and strong, and the parts that were supposed to move did so without complaint. Our home never sagged, the roof never leaked, the doors never stuck. The same cannot be said of the homes I’ve owned and lived in. I’ve tried as an adult to do some of what he did, but I’ve always fallen short. I’ve built workbenches and shelving units, and stuff like that but that’s not finish work. I have run trim, though, and while my miters are rarely true I generally don’t bend more
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Photo by Gary Marx
than five or six finish nails. He drilled that old saying into me – “measure twice, cut once.” I took it to heart. But at least once on every job, I realize I should have measured three times. I didn’t listen well enough to his shop lessons, I guess. But there was something else going on, too. As the younger brother, I would listen in as Dad taught my brother how to use a hand planer or showed him how to rip a piece of lumber with a handsaw. My brother was a quick study. He was a natural. I was not. I was younger by two years, so I suppose I was underfoot. But Dad was not a patient man. That’s the truth of it. And I often felt like a fifth wheel in the shop. My brother took industrial arts in high school, and he would bring home lamps and bookshelves and other objects he’d made in class. He took mechanical drawing and he was a star student. He eventually became an architect. I don’t know, maybe my father knew I didn’t have what it took to be a master craftsman, and he intentionally shooed me in a different direction. Whatever, I dived into history books and studied English and journalism and became a newspaper man. My first job was a reporting position at a small newspaper in Indiana. I liked it fine, but it wasn’t long before I started to sense that my education somehow had been incomplete. I did not feel whole. I needed to go back. After two years, I resigned. My brother had started a small remodeling and rehab business, and he needed a grunt laborer to help him with a few projects. He’d give me room and board, make my truck payment and give me $25 a week to blow any way I wanted. I jumped at the offer. What was missing in my education was what I hoped to learn on that job. I wanted to know how to sweat copper pipes and
wire a three-way switch. I wanted to learn how to build things with my hands. My brother paired me with a guy who showed me a thing or two. And because we were only a hundred miles from where my folks lived, Dad would come down for working weekends and he’d lend a hand. Frequently, he and I would be working side by side. It was different for us. It had been decades since he’d chased me from the garage. Now he listened to my questions and explained stuff. He’d tell stories about characters he used to work with. He’d let me watch him as he cut a stringer for a set of stairs. He watched me handle the radial arm saw. We got to know each other on a different level that summer. He discovered that his second son could swing a hammer – I wasn’t always accurate, but I had gusto. I discovered that Dad had a lot more patience than I’d given him credit for. He took time to show me stuff. And he asked my opinion about things. We were taking a break one day. We shared a couple of sandwiches and poured our coffee from matching Thermoses. Between bites, he gave said something I’ll never forget. He wouldn’t go so far as to tell me that I was a good carpenter, but what he said was: “You know, you’re not too bad for a publisher.” As a kid I wanted to be like him; as an adult I wanted to do things like him, to build houses and entertainment centers with hidden hinges. Neither of those happened, but that’s OK. I treasure that remark more than any “publisher” award I’ve ever earned.
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Every now and then I think I might try again to salvage those chairs. Replace a few pieces, as I have in the past, to give them another season in the sun. But nothing lasts forever. Dad would say that often, too. Wood decays, steel rusts. The things we build cannot endure. Even the pyramids of Egypt are pitted and pocked, and eventually they’ll crumble. The bridges we cross, the skyscrapers we erect ... . An old barn will start to lean, and one day it – like its builder – will be gone. I just now went out back and took some measurements. I snapped some photographs and sketched it out on paper. Someday I will build one of these chairs of my own. And, come to think of it, I should probably salvage pieces of those old chairs – an unblemished slat, a screw or a nail – and incorporate them into in my own chair. And, also coming to think of it, I probably should go back out there and measure the whole thing one more time. I think Dad would smile to know that his work was enjoyed for so many years, that his chairs were used and they were loved. Even now, as they slowly fade into the landscape, they still give joy. They are reminders of a man and a long-lingering love.
Over the course of a couple of years, Dad suffered a series of small strokes before the big one claimed his life. It was painful to watch him diminish. His hands were less dexterous, his step a little slower. His brain betrayed him at times.
Merry Christmas
721 NORTH GARDNER STREET WEST FRANKFORT, IL 62896
straw and mulch around the base of his tomato plants and carefully pluck weeds from his prized asparagus patch. That’s what he was doing when he was felled by that final stroke.
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But he still worked every day until the end. He would putter in his shop and push a pencil across graph paper. He would meticulously pack Good Living in
Gary Marx is a writer and editor and frequent contributor to Good Living magazine. He formerly worked for The Southern Illinoisan and The Kansas City Star. He is the author, with photographer Dan Overturf, of A River Through Illinois, their forthcoming book, Trails and Traces, is due in spring 2021.
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Walking Out With Tim
After his death, Tim Rissi left a legacy of pictures of people and places in West Frankfort taken during his years as a professional photographer
By Gail Rissi Thomas Photos by Tim Rissi
he was so nice to everyone.” “He was a wonderful photographer.” “Tim was a real gentleman.”
who he was. He took care of people.
Tim took over Rissi Studio in West Frankfort about two years before my father died Tim had a kind heart and a loving nature. in 1961. He had worked alongside him for im Rissi was a gentleman.” He loved and appreciated his family and several years, learning the trade and estabThose were the first words of had a special concern for my son, Jaybird, lishing his own techniques and confidence. the memorial offered by Faborn with Down Syndrome. My sister He made the business his own for nearly 25 ther Ken Schaefer at my brother’s memoloves to tell the story of the morning she years, when he closed the studio to pursue rial last August. It dawned on me at the called him when she had car trouble. Of other interests. time how many friends and strangers had course he went to help her, and doggone it made similar comments since his passing July, 22, of this year. Of course people ex- that afternoon she had a flat tire. She called After his death, his daughter, Susan, offered press sympathy in many ways, but it seems him again, and of course he went to save us boxes and cases of his work, mostly in almost everyone who made comments her again. As he was changing her tire, he the form of negatives: individuals, famiabout him said some version of “He was said, “Days like this, I wish I was an only lies, weddings, some we know, many now so kind.” “I went to high school with him; child.” We all laughed about it, but that’s deceased. But there were also negatives of the community. We don’t know why many of them were even taken, stores openings, store closings, some perhaps for advertisements. Most of the studio negatives from my father’s earlier years, from 1939 until about 1960 had been destroyed in the fire that demolished most of the 300 block of East Main Street in 1981, so it seemed that these fragments of West Frankfort history had to be shared. I wish there were more, but this is what there is. Perhaps they will stir a memory for someone.
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At the end of Tim’s memorial service Father Schaefer, who was using a walker, decided to follow the funeral procession out of the church. He tried to descend the altar unassisted, but missed a step and fell. Of course people rushed to his aid. He eventually regained his composure and continued walking. As he passed us, he smiled and said, “I just wanted to walk out with Tim.” We offer these next few pages, inviting you to join us in walking out with Tim.
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Sons Truck Line in West Frankfort and that became their main distribution center. By 1956 they were handling a shipping volume of 227 million pounds and at their peak they had 375 full time employees.
Bonifield Trucking
Fred Bonifield was president of the company. R.A. Bonifield was vice-president, and Alfred, secretary. Together the Bonifield Brothers established a nationally recognized company that helped put West Frankfort on the map.
Todd Uniform Company
To those of us who grew up in West Frankfort, a Bonifield truck was a common sight in and around Southern Illinois. It was 1934 when the Bonifield brothers took advantage of an opportunity that created a family business that changed their lives. Fred Bonifield owned a service station in Metropolis, when a produce house there needed someone to haul large quantities of eggs to Chicago. Fred and his brother, Alfred seized that opportunity and purchased a second hand truck. They began hauling eggs to Chicago and binging back loads of gloves to Southern Illinois. That first cargo must have contained a golden egg, because as the number of trips increased, so did the variety of products. In 1941, they bought the Frank Russell and
West Frankfort’s history has recorded almost nothing about The Chas. Todd Uniform Corporation, so we have no idea why Rissi Studio was commissiond to take this photograph other than for advertising pur-
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poses. However, in its day, the company provided a valuable service to West Frankfort businesses. It is almost certain that the person in the delivery truck is not Charles Todd, who by all accounts was a very successful entrepreneur with a business that employed over 2,800 people. Todd assumed leadership of the small family laundry business in the 1940’s. He expanded it into the Todd Uniform Company, which grew into an international corporation. He was originally from Columbia, IL so it was logical that he would find this thriving community, with a leading miners’ hospital and a large variety of every type of business, a place that might have a need for his services. Myrna Warren, whose father, Orville Nolen, owned the 149 Grill, recalls regular pickups and deliveries of aprons and towels for their use in the restaurant. Todd was known for his philanthropic work with Christian and evangelistic endeavors, which he incorporated into his company. He is known for having the Todd Company Helicopter which he piloted himself. It was thought to be the first CEO owned private plane in the Midwest.
General Telephone
Coalfield
The Coalfield Store stood at the corner of East Main and Jackson Street. In fact, the building is still there, although it looks completely different as it is now the east corner of the Moose Lodge. Before unions improved wages and working conditions for coal miners and federal and state laws began to regulate many coal company practices, the mining companies usually paid laborers in scrip. Scrip was like personal money issued by the company, each company issuing its own. The miner and his family were allowed to use this “alternative currency,” some printed as paper money, but usually designed as metal discs, to purchase from the company store. If he needed to, he could purchase on credit, and the amount he owed would be deducted from his next paycheck. He would, often begin his next pay period in debt from day one. The lyrics to the Tennessee Earnie Ford song, “Sixteen Tons” is a pretty accurate description of the plight of the miner. “You load 16 tons, and whadaya get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter dontcha’ call me ‘cause I can’t go. I owe my soul to the company store.” The fact that the miner purchased most all of his family’s necessities from the company and, in most cases, rented his home from the mine, made it more fact than fiction that the mine “owned his soul.” The arrangement limited the miner’s ability to break loyalty with the company and look for greener pastures. The early practices were influential in contributing to the rise of the union.
Kenny Gray was probably a U.S. Congressman when this picture was taken in the early 1970s, so who better to showcase the latest gadget from General Telephone? Car phones were certainly a novelty a half-century ago, but the always on-thego Congressman would have seen the advantage of having something like that in his car. It is not certain who the other two gentleman in the picture are with Gray. It is also interesting to note that Gray posed the picture in front of the Gray Plaza Hotel, with it’s distinctive latice brickwork. Nice going Ken, getting a subtle plug for your establishment.
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The Coalfield Store in West Frankfort was such an establishment. Although owned by the Old Ben Company, miners from any company were allowed to charge their merchandise there and pay in scrip. People not employed by the mines were also free to buy goods there but paid with real cash. Apparently some other financially-able businesses in town would also take scrip as payment. The rate of return in that case was usually less, the business paying the miner about 70 cents on the dollar. The business owner in turn could take the scrip to Coalfield’s and exchange it for merchandise. Joe Yusko, a West Frankfort native recalls his father, owner of Joe’s tavern and later the Sweet Shop, taking advantage of his ability to allow miners purchase with scrip at his establishment. “Miners would get an advance on their pay,” Yusko explained. “My dad would give them $7 in sales for $10 in scrip. We could then go to Coalfields and exchange the scrip for $10 in merchandise.” For decades the store sold literally everything; A very incomplete listing included toys, bicycles, tires, coats,work clothes and cangoods. In the later years of its existence when the use of scrip was no longer a practice, it became more of a hardware store, the emphasis on automobile parts, tools, and tires, both new and 2019
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used. An ad in The Daily American in 1955 dates the first opening of the store as the winter of 1914. Sometime in the 1960s it moved to Benton, closing the West Frankfort facility. It reopened for a time as Chandler’s Hardware before the building was later taken in as a part of the West Frankfort Moose Club. Glodich Honda
It was the beginning of a new era for the Glodich family in 1966 when they began making the switch from selling cars to selling motorcycles. Pictured above from l-r are: Bill Singer (technician), Billy Glodich, Shirley Lazerri (secretary), Bill Glodich, Tim Glodich, Mike Glodich, Richard Glodich and Leonard Frazier
In 1946 Bill Glodich, like many men returning from serving their country during WWII, was anxious to get on with his life. He decided that selling cars would be a good way to find his fortune. There was a huge demand for automobiles right after the war as young veterans, like Bill, were starting families and buying homes. A car was a necessity. But in order to open up a new dealership in West Frankfort, he had to go around town to the other car dealers—and there were several—to ask their permission. Glodich took the DeSoto-Plymouth niche, and there soon began a love affair with the town of West Frankfort and the Glodich family. The building at 209 East Main Street has been a fixture ever since. “My Dad believed in treating people the way he would want to be treated,” said Mike Glodich, who now runs the business. Those words of wisdom seem to have been ingrained with the Glodich family—“5 sons and 2 princesses”—who all grew up watching their father’s success. “We all grew up here—all our lives in West Frankfort—and we have been blessed,” said Mike. The business no longer sells Plymouths or DeSotos as sales of those 2 brands of automobiles began to diminish when the price of gasoline doubled in the early 60s and “gas guzzlers” were no longer desirable. But Bill Glodich saw a new opportunity, and in 1966 Glodich began selling Honda products. The Glodich family hasn’t missed a beat since. This year they were named the #1 recommended Honda dealership out of 1200 in the country and have also received the “Council of Excellence Through Honda Finance” award thirteen times. The 100-year old building on Main Street has been going a stylish renovation. “It was something that was born of necessity,” said Richard Glodich. “We didn’t want to change the tradition of the Good Living in
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building but it was time.” The new look features the iconic Honda Wing as well as a sign at the top of the building which reads “established 1946”, a fitting testament to Bill Glodich, whose love of West Frankfort and desire to treat people right continues on in the legacy of his five sons and two princesses.
Mike’s Confectionary circa 1970
Every time I bought gas, I would be assessed so much of it as rent. I thought I was paying off the station on a contract-for-deed basis. I had paid it down to about $500, or so I thought. About that time, the gas truck came around for a delivery, and I learned the hard way that the station was not actually owned by those brothers but by Mid Continent Petroleum, and it had just been sold to Standard Oil.” All of Castleman’s “rent” money had actually gone into the pockets of the Fitzgeralds. As far as the confusion on the actual name of the station, Castleman had an explanation. “They brought in a new sign,” Castleman said. “It was Sun Ray Oil for a while; it probably was Freeway Oil at one time. It went under a lot of different names. I don’t know that anyone made any money there as a gas station. It was a hard place to get in and out of, and there were a lot of shady deals in the early years.” Eventually the station ceased operating as a gas station, and became Hammers Tires which did a good business selling and fixing tires. In 2011 Hammers Tires left the Main Street location and moved its facility to Rt. 37, where it still operates to this day. The old gas station stood empty for a few years until the building was demolished. The property, now used as a parking lot, is currently owned by the city.
Old-timers will remember Mike’s Confectionary as THE place to be after a FHCS basketball game. Less than a couple of blocks west of Max Morris Gym, its location was secondary to a good burger, an order of fries and a delicious chocolate Frosty. Just like a scene from the TV hit “Happy Days”, owner and operator Mike Belbas, his wife Vicky, and kids Shelia, Mike and Pat ran a tight ship, but there was always a juke-box kept loaded with the latest hits and a few pinball machines at the ready to keep the crowds of kids entertained long after they had eaten their food.
Duggers Drive-In / Corner of Rt. 37 and Main
Freeway / DX / SunRay Gas Station
The Freeway gas station on the corner of East Main and Jackson streets has changed ownership many times and changed names even more often. As a girl growing up next door to the station, I remember it as a DX Station. And I thought I remembered a Floyd Castleman as the owner. “I thought I was too,” he laughed. “Castleman still lives in West Frankfort and, in a long conversation, he offered me a lot of stories of property ownership in West Frankfort. “There were two brothers, the Fitzgerald brothers, who I was working for. I was renting the station from about 1957 to 1959.
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These two interesting pictures show the southeast corner of Rt. 37 and Main Street, where CVS Pharmacy currently stands. They also show that a drive-in milk store with the catchy slogan ‘from moo to you’ was a concept that didn’t work out the way the owner had hoped as the building was for rent when this picture was taken. But of note are the other things sharp-eyed readers might see, such as Gib Karnes lawn mower service and the Chamber of Commerce office visible in the bottom photo. Barely visible in the top photo are signage for Tomlinson Motors and the Manis Cafe on either side of the Methodist church. Readers might also remember Karnes Real Estate was located on the corner for many years before CVS. (Continued on page 28)
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Bottom row: Megan Jackson, Mallory Henson, Allaina Webb, Lauryn McCabe, Murph, Alyssa Jamerson, Danielle DeGroof, Alivia Androff, Whitnee Androff, Sophia Simonis.Next row up: Sarah Wollesen, Alexis Ray, Campbell Brown, Ryan Whittington, Alanis Davidson, Jonah Jovi, Aaron Price, Nick Steinberger, Raymond Talluto, Aron Zhao, Emily Labrie.Top row: Michael Scales, Carrie Labrie, Austin Tate, Halei Nelson, Sydney Rich, Emma Davis, Johnny Mize, Hevyn Riddle, BrentWillmore, Kristen McCor-
Story and Photos By Michael A. Thomas
T
he Grinch didn’t steal the Christmas season in West Frankfort this year, but a tiny mosquito almost did. Tim Murphy, long-time teacher, coach and originator of Candy Cane Lane, was recently sidelined with a serious bout of the West Nile Virus. Murphy thinks he
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contracted the deadly virus while working outside in his yard but he has no way of knowing where or when he was bitten since the virus can remain hidden in the body for weeks before symptoms manifest. Murphy does know it was early October at Frankfort Community High School when the virus made itself known. “I was subbing at the high school for Mike Karoski when I started feeling sick,” Murphy said
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during an interview at Eastside Healthcare in West Frankfort. “I couldn’t even drive my scooter home, they had to take me by car to my house.” Once there, Murphy’s condition only got worse and he was soon taken by ambulance to Herrin hospital where they eventually diagnosed his flu-like symptoms as West Nile Virus. “The told me I was rolled up in a ball,” Murphy said, “but I don’t remember
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“We’ve Got Your Back, Murph”
that. I couldn’t walk or even write.” Murphy was one of the unlucky few who had a serious reaction to the virus. The Center for Disease Control says that 8 of 10 people bitten by a virus-carrying mosquito don’t show any symptoms at all. But about one out of every 150 people will develop serious symptoms which include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, convulsions, muscle weakness, numb-
ness and paralysis. People over 60 years of age are most vulnerable and about 10% of those with serious symptoms die. Murphy first spent two weeks in the hospital and then two more weeks in a nursing home to get his strength back. “There is no medicine they can give you for it,”explained Murphy, who after nearly 4 weeks of convalescing, was still complaining of having “the shakes” in his hands. Good Living in
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“You can treat the symptoms, but you just have to let it run it’s course.” Murphy had planned on setting up Candy Cane Lane in mid-October, a tedious process which he usually does by himself with the help of a few others. The idea of not being able to begin work on his annual creation weighed heavily on his mind while he was rehabilitating. And to make matters worse, it was this year that ABC Television
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was scheduled to show Candy Cane Lane as one of its segments on the popular “The Great Christmas Light Fight”. Once people in West Frankfort heard about his condition and realized that Candy Cane Lane would not materialize without some outside help, several citizens decided to come to Murphy’s aid. According to FCHS principal, Jory Dial, townsfolk Keith Griffith, Mike and Ronnel Karoski, Iris and Bobby Kohzadi, Tara and Dave Chambers, Sage Grant and others got together to figure a way to save the annual tradition. Not only that, but announcements were made at the high school asking if any students would be willing to join in the cause.
“It’s amazing how many students came out here to help.” Murphy said. “Now it’s all dictated by the weather. We’ll get it. I have faith in them. I’ve got faith in me.” In a scene reminiscent of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” where people come to the rescue of beleaguered banker George Bailey, Tim Murphy has the support of West Frankfort. The volunteers who have stepped up will make sure that the multitudes of visitors who travel to West Frankfort to see Candy Cane Lane will not be disappointed
“The adults are secondary,” Dial said. “It’s the kids who have come together to help. We took it to them. They know how much Tim Murphy has done for the community and now it is our turn to help. Candy Cane Lane is something special. It is part of our town and one thing that makes West Frankfort unique.” FCHS seniors Sarah Wollensen, Amy Hanners and Aron Zao spearheaded the efforts to get students to show up after school and on weekends to help set up Candy Cane Lane. School organizations such as the Beta Club, National Honor Society, Yearbook and Student Council are participating. On the very same day that Murphy was released from care, about a dozen high schoolers showed up at his house to help. Dozens more showed up the following weekend to lend a hand, hauling scenery, pounding in stakes with sledge hammers and drilling screws into the many supports needed to prepare for the arduous set-up of the hundreds of pieces that make up Candy Cane Lane. Zao says it is a good way for them to give something back to the community and Murphy. “He has done quite a bit for our school,” said Zao, who—like nearly every student there—can trace back memories as a young child of driving through Candy Cane Lane with his parents. “It’s for a good cause,” he said. Murphy is still very weak, a condition which may last several months until he gets his full strength back. But under his direction he expects to have everything completed by November 26th.
In a file photo from 2007, Tim Murphy carries a bundle of lights as he sets up one of his displays, something he has been doing at his Clark Street location since 1989.
With over 100.000 lights and countless Disney and other popular movie characters, Candy Cane Lane attracts thousands of visitors to West Frankfort. Most of the characters are designed and painted by former art students of Murphy and he is constantly adding new attractions each year to keep CCL current with what is popular.
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West Frankfort No. 32 Fall/Winter 2019 19 11/12/19 2:04 PM
All You Can Eat for $1
Two Tony’s Smorgasbord
Story By Gail Rissi Thomas Photos by Tim Rissi
W
hether as few as 10 or as many as 50 years ago, when drudging up details or stories of businesses from West Frankfort’s past, nothing is as poignant as the memory of a community restaurant. Whether it was a favorite for morning coffee or dinner every Sunday, residents love sharing stories about the favorite local eateries. In today’s restaurant business where even the smallest café boasts a well stocked salad bar, it is hard to remember when the idea of an “all you can eat” spread was a startling idea. But when Two Tonys’ Smorgasbord first opened in 1961, word traveled fast, and soon hungry people with hearty appetites were flocking in from all over Southern Illinois to partake of an amazing variety of meats, vegetables, salads and desserts. There were actually two Tony’s who partnered together, friends Tony Foder and Tony Eninas. Foder was a chef in the Army during WWII, so after the war a venture in the food business was a natural fit for him. He opened the 37 Grill north of West Frankfort. Eninas had a hog farm north of
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West Frankfort and when the price of hogs dropped so low that there was no profit in the business he decided to quit hog farming and go into the restaurant business with Foder. Tony Foder’s son, also named Tony, was just a boy when his dad opened the smorgasbord in West Frankfort. “When he was vacationing up north, in Wisconsin, I believe, Dad visited a smorgasbord, and decided that it could be a successful concept to try here. He got a friend, Tony Eninas, to join him.” The two friends changed the name of the 37 Grill to Two Tony’s and began one of the first, if not the first, smorgasbord in southern Illinois.
Perhaps inspired by Tony Foder’s Croation heritage, the wait staff dressed in outfits with a distinctive Slovenian look. It is not known how many total employees were employed at Two Tony’s Smorgasbord, but it must have been in the dozens.
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“Successful” is an understatement looking back at the venture. “In 1961 you could eat all you wanted at Two Tony’s for 96¢,” said young Tony. “Add in the 4¢ sales tax and you brought the price up to a dollar.” With prices like that the smorgasbord attracted crowds from all over Southern Illinois. It wasn’t long before throngs of people from the Tri-state area came to West Frankfort for Sunday dinner, some arriving in tour busses. The remarkable demand for abundant food for such a low price resulted in two expansions of the restaurant. And at the height of their popularity, they actually had two buffet lines going at the same time. “I remember Dad telling me that they served 2,500 people on one Mothers’ day,” Foder recalled. The restaurant was open 6 days a week (closed on Mondays) and employed dozens of people. It wasn’t long before the young Foder wanted to be a part of it. “When I was 12, I asked my Dad for a job. I told him I wanted to go to work. He said, “sure, I will give you a job, but if I do you can’t quit.” He put me in a little
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room with a sink and on Sundays I would wash glasses from 11-3. That’s all I did, wash those glasses. After a year of washing glasses I was sick of it but I couldn’t quit so I begged my dad to let me be a waiter because they got tips. My dad agreed but only on the condition that he would keep my salary, which he put away for a college fund, and I could keep all my tips. I eventually saved enough money from tips that I was able to buy my first car.” A few years later when the partnership dissolved, Foder went on to open a second smorgasbord in Carmi and eventually a third for a short time in Sikeston, Missouri. In the 1970s, when Foder was no longer able to continue the pace, he sold the businesses. They remained very popular. Opal’s smorgasbord in Mt. Vernon owned them for a time.
The original 37 Grill, which was the first location of the smorgasbord, is seen on the right in this picture.
“Before he sold the business, he offered it to my and Nancy as a wedding present. He told me if I took over the restaurant I could retire in ten years. But I knew how much work it was and I decided that I wanted to be a coal miner instead. That’s how smart I was,” Foder said with a laugh.
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Tony Eninas (left) and Tony Foder pose with Frankie Yankovic (right). Known as “America’s Polka King”, Vankovic (no relation to “Weird Al” Yankovic atlthouth two have collaborated) performed at least once at the Smorgasbord (below). Tony Foder also remembers the Tamburitzans performing there.
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111-119 E. Main West Frankfort, IL 62896 Good Living in West Frankfort No. 32 Fall/Winter 2019
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FIRES that
CHANGED
WEST FRANKFORT
Firefighters from several southern Illinois towns responded to a fire in downtown West Frankfort on January 8, 1981 which destroyed several businesses and damaged two others.
By Gail Rissi Thomas Photos by Tim Rissi
L
(Unless noted differently)
ike any other community, the landscape of West Frankfort’s business district changed many times over the years, as major fires swept away buildings or even entire blocks of the Main Street. There are many references, stories, but in some cases only a photo to record the devastating effect that a fire had on this community. The earliest newspaper recording we have
of a West Frankfort business district blaze was in 1915 In 1954, the loss of a large grocery store and roller rink left a gaping hole in the city’s business district. The first photo of a fire that remains in the Rissi Studio files is one that was taken by Tim in 1962. Newspaper reports in the Southern Illinoisan tell us that Holland Drug, Dr. Roy Whitacre’s Optometry, Linkon auto supply, Table Pride Bakery, and Jacob Lane Jewelers were all completly destroyed, with heavy damage to three apartments nearby from smoke and water. That fire in the 200 block opposite the Post Office must have created an eyesore on a
busy downtown area that took a major effort from which to recover. In the 1970s, the destruction of Peak Appliances in the 300 block of East Main, not only heavily damaged property but took the life of an elderly woman living in an apartment above the building. That structure was never rebuilt. The ruins were removed and the property was converted to the Moose Club Parking lot. The devastating fire that had the greatest impact on the downtown as well as on my family was the January 6, 1981 fire in the 300 block of East Main. It was about 7
a.m. and h we lis hittin WFR time weath
What “snow that I that t the R moth east o way a
In a phon sister ing o the c wind We h flame build
In summer of 1915, crowds gather to gawk at the aftermath of a fire that destroyed several buildings in the 200 block of East Main Street. The tall building in the center of the picture (above right) is the Odd Fellows Building. Ironically, fire hit the same location in 1962. (Photo courtesy of the Frankfort Area Historical Museum)
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Mich scene our w as fir rain a
a.m. that morning; Mike was teaching at FCHS, and he and I were getting ready for the day. As we listened to a driving rain and the sound of sleet hitting the windows, we were also listening to WFRX, expecting Ron Clem to announce at any time that school would be cancelled due to the weather. What we heard was not the announcement of a “snow day” but rather an unexpected message that I remember exactly. “We have received word that there is a large fire raging out of control above the Reed Liquor Store.” Rissi Studio, where my mother still lived at the time was the next building east of the liquor store, separated only by a walkway a couple of feet wide.
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In a panic, as we both got dressed. I made two phone calls, one to my brother and one to my sister who both lived in town, each time shouting only “The liquor store’s on fire!” We ran to the car and had to scrape a layer of ice off the windshield before heading west on Oak Street. We had reached only about the 900 block when flames were visable shooting up over the tallest buildings and treetops. Michael and I, Tim and Genelle all arrived on the scene at almost the exact same time. We wove our way through firetrucks, police and onlookers as firefighters fought the blaze in the driving cold rain and sleet. Within minutes we learned that my Good Living in
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mother had been taken to a neighbor’s home by the police. We learned that we could not try to save anything from our building because of the danger of exploding gas lines. It didn’t take long to learn that the entire block was already totally destroyed.
For about five nights, firemen were called back to the scene as high winds whipped the blaze into life once again. Each time, we thought the studio would be destroyed after all. For more than a week, frigid temperatures turned all the water into an ice storm that made the studio unapproachable. When all of the obstacles subsided, we found that many of the furnishings and the major appliances had to be replaced. Sadly, everything in the basement including the oldest of the photographic equipment, and most im-
Two men pose with their automobiles in the 1960s for a publicity shot in front of the Heights business district for the American Cancer Society. Visible near the center of the picture is the Heights Post Office, proof that at one time West Frankfort had two post offices. The entire block was destroyed by a fire in February of 2004.
Reeds Liquor Store, Candlelight Flowers and Gifts, Galli Ceramic Studio and a gymnastic center were all reduced to rubble, as well as the second story of that block with 12 apartments, all occupied. Incredibly all residents were evacuated. Newspaper reports say that the business, all originally a part of the Arsht Building were built in 1920. At that time there was an alley that extended from Oak Street to Main Street separating the block into two halves. The rest of the block was not destroyed but suffered major damage.
By 1962 the West Frankfort Fire Department was usinga snorkel to help fight fires, but the flames in the 200 block of East Main still managed to do significant damage to several building, including Holland Drugs,Table Pride Bakery, and Jacob Lane Jewelers.
portantly, photos and negatives dating back to 1939 were water damaged or melted. We will never know what visual records of West Frankfort were lost that moning. In February, 2004, another huge piece of the community’s history was lost. Frankfort Heights, the original town, the roots of West Frankforts community was totally destroyed in a blaze that overtook the north side of the 1700 block of Main street late one afternoon. The blaze swept through five commercial buildings that remained from the oldest business district of West Frankfort, Frankfort Heights, engulfing and destroying the original post office which was still in operation.
In the 1970s, the destruction of Peak Appliances in the 300 block of East Main, not only heavily damaged property but took the life of an elderly woman living in an apartment above the building. That structure was never rebuilt, but the property was converted to the Moose Club Parking lot.
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At first there was only Frankfort, a thriving community, but as the railroad came through, business moved west. At one time there were two entirely separate Main streets with nothing but empty fields in between. The fire took the old drug store with a classic soda fountain an three other business establishments, but most importantly, the original post office. For many years Frankfort residents boasted being the only town in America with two zip codes. But fire had its way, as fire always does, and as Cindy Morthland, who lost her business said sadly, “I know it couldn’t have happened so fast, but it seemed like it did; it seemed like in only a few moments, the Heights was gone.”
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Bringing Home The Bacon
West Frankfort Groceries In The 60s and 70s
A policeman directs traffic at the opening of Big John’s in West Frankfort, one of several towns in southern Illinois who were home to their own 30-foot tall advertising statue holding bags of groceries.
By Gail Rissi Thomas Photos by Tim Rissi
A
t one time from the very first days of Frankfort until the 1950s, the residential districts of West Frankfort were dotted with independent grocery stores. Mom and Pop stores with the names of Uhls, Bonacorsi, Spontak and Migielicz were successful businesses in nearly every neighborhood. Women needed freshly cut meats for their family dinner and coal miners needed sandwhiches and snacks to fill their buckets. The introduction of local supermarkets must have been an exciting addition to the community. Several of those stores must have made their appearance in the 1960s and 70s, as evidenced by the negatives in the Rissi Studio files. The Bracy Store was located in the 300 block directly across Main Street from the Rissi Photography studio for about as long as I can remember. It was one of 18 stores in the Southern Illinois chain purchased by
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Harry Bracy. When the chain was sold to the Kroger company in 1929, Bracy went with it, taking a position as district manager headquartered in Carbondale. Many of the stores in the Bracy chain continued under the Bracy name until the early 1960s. In 1940 he was said to be one of the highest paid salaried employee in the nation, making $300,000 annually. The Bracy store in West Frankfort later became part of the Moose Lodge and still is today. The Market Basket was unique in the sense that although it had a wide variety of food products for sale, their specialty was fresh produce. Harold Wade came to West Frankfort to work for J. V Walker Men’s Wear,
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Big John supermarket opened in West Frankfort, but its original location was on East Oak Street. When Big john himself, a 30-foot tall fiberglass man with two armloads of groceries took his positon in the parking lot in front of the new Main Street store, he created quite a stir. A policeman was necessary just to help direct traffic. The new supermarket that Big John accompanied was probably just as exciting judging from the crowds that swarmed to the grand opening on West Main street. Tim Rissi was called to take pictures at the event, which was only one of several Big John store openings which took place over a period of several years in the 1970s in various towns throughout Southern Illinois. The Big John statue was possibly one of the largest fiberglass gentlemen ever mass produced. What little is known about them records that 25 of the giants were created at a sign company in Cape Girardeau. After their first career ended, a few even went on to live again in new positions. One Big John is still famous in Metropolis, long after the store there is no longer open for business. It hardly seems appropriate, but he apparently dwarfs the Superman Statue, supposedly the real tourist attraction locaated a few blocks away. According to an account in the southern Illinoisan July 29, 2018, Big John was “away on medical leave for 10 months recuperating from the repair of his right arm which fell off unexpectedly, possibly from holding those heavy bags of groceries for so many years. At that time it became evident that he needed some work done to repair rusted bolts in his nether region, and a family of sparrows had to be evicted from his left leg.” When the West City store closed, Big john was auctioned off to a couple in West Virginia for the high bid of $2500.
“It cost us more than that to get him home,” but about 10 years later in 1937, said George Farnham his proud new owner. ventured into the grocery business It was last heard--although it has been sevwith his sister, taking over Wade’s eral years ago--that Big John was sporting Market after his father’s death. new duds and a nice healthy tan. He now The market was a local favorite for happily lives at Farnham Fantasy Farm nearly 50 years. It is presently the with a Midas Muffler Man, a very tall Beach Boy, and the “First Lady of Roadsite of Raubach video. side Attractions,” a very shapely and attrac We can’t confirm what year The tive Uniroyal Gal. 2019
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(continued from page 14)
The Grand Opening for Bolap’s Food Park, located on Rt 37 south where Shawnee Trading Pawn shop currently sits, was another festive day for West Frankfort residents. Bolap’s was named by combining the last names of owners Ed Bolen and Wayne DeLap. The bargains that day drew throngs of people who are seen waiting patiently in line. At least one lucky couple, who’s name was drawn by an adorable curly-haired girl, seem to have won $100 in cash.
(Above) Main Street looking west shows Pen-Yu Drug Store and Southern Illinois Surgical Appliance as two of the more prominent businesses. In the far right corner Angeli’s Apartments is visible. The small sign out front advertises a “shoe shine parlor.” This picture was most likely taken in the mid 1960s. (Below) Members of the VFW pose for a picture during a Memorial Day observance. James Lavern “Sonny”Sanders is second from the right. Others were not identified.
(Above and left) This package of pictues was titled “Hospital showing overcrowded conditions” and contains pictues of the “new hospital shortly after opening” which most certainly makes us believe these were taken to gain support for the building of a new UMWA hospital.
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313 E. Main St. 618 937-2006
202 W. Main St. 618 932-6710
401 E. Main St. 618 932-2012
276 Combined Years In Business
Merry Christmas from the Browns Terri • Molly • Hartley Sloan • Matt • Kyle
www.thefurniturecapital.com Good Living in
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Good Living in
West Frankfort No. 32 Fall/Winter
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2019
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It’s Time for a Fitting Memorial
By Michael A. Thomas
The Orient No. 2 coal mine, owned by the Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, was in its prime the world’s largest shaft coal mine for over 20 years. At its peak it poduced over 3 million tons of coal annually and employed 1,100 men. With over 12 miles of sprawling underground tunnels it was the first shaft mine in the world to become fully mechanized. On December 21, 1951, the last shift before the Christmas holiday, an explosion killed 119 miners, marking forever the face of West Frankfort’s history. It is surprising that there has not been a movement before now to memorialize the tragedy and the men who died there. It has been recorded in time, but now, 68 years later when very few of the wives, parents, friends and children are left to remember, let us be certain that it can never be forgotten. As a former coal miner, Steve Sawalich knows what it is like to risk your life underground everyday in order to earn a living to support a family. That is why he feels a proper memorial to remember each and every one of the 119 men who lost their lives in the Orient #2 mine disaster should have a proper memorial erected in their honor. “This is something that is long overdue,” said Sawalich. “Other towns around here have monuments for their miners that lost their lives in that disaster. It’s time West Frankfort did too.” Sawalich said the monument will not be cheap. “It is going to cost $40,000 but it will be made of black granite, stand over 6 feet tall and over 5 feet wide. It will have a picture of the Orient #2 mine etched on top with the names of all 119 miners who lost their lives etched below that.” Sawalich is hopeful the monument will be in place at the Coal Miner’s Memorial Park by May 9th, 2020, in time for the Old King Coal Festival. When finished, the memorial will be located east of the existing pyramid monument. “We have raised over $20,000 so far so we are a bit more than half-way there,” Sawalich said. “And we really haven’t started asking for donations in other cities who had men that lost lives in the disaster.” “We plan on having several fund-raisers between now and then,” said Sawalich, “and of course we are always taking donations from people and businesses who want to help.” The form at the right gives contact information for those who would like to support the memorial. Good Living in
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Good Living in
West Frankfort No. 32 Fall/Winter
Good Living in WF Fall 2109.Aindd.indd 32
2019
11/12/19 2:04 PM