The city of Amboy sprang forth from humble roots. In the mid1800s, 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.
A town without a name
The town continued to grow and prosper, but did not have a name.
The residents called a meeting to rectify that situation, and many suggestions were made, including Hornsby, Bolton, Painted Post and Elmira. Finally, the name Bath was chosen.
Lorenzo D. Wasson was sent to Dixon with the necessary papers to have the town so incorporated, but when the papers were returned, to everyone’s astonishment, it had been incorporated as Amboy. The cause of the change never has been determined.
Some thought the name Amboy came from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, which was named for the Earl of Perth, while others attribute it to the Indian word “em-bo-li,” which means “between the hills.”
It may not have been the city’s chosen 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.
Mormons at Palestine Grove
Among some of the early settlers in the Amboy region were Benjamin and Elizabeth Wasson.
The Wassons built a cabin along the Green River in 1837, and later a house in what was then known as Palestine Grove, just outside of present-day Amboy.
Elizabeth Wasson’s sister was Emma Smith, wife of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When the Smiths and other members of the Mormon Church fled religious prosecution in Fayette, New York, they moved to Illinois and settled in Commerce. The village later changed its name to Nauvoo.
Because Nauvoo and Amboy were not too far apart, the Smiths would travel to Amboy to visit the Wassons and helped establish Mormonism within the community, making Amboy one of the first settlements of the Mormon Church.
Just outside of Amboy on Mormon Road, the Mormon Church established the Mormon Cemetery. One of Brigham Young’s wives is buried there.
HISTORY cont’d to page 5
After Joseph Smith died and the church was moved to Plano, members of the Mormon Church began attending some of the other churches in Amboy. By 1854, 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 built in Illinois during World War II.
The Stewart-Warner Corp. operated the 8,342-acre facility for the Army Ordnance Corp., which had seven munitions lines.
The types of ammunition manufactured at Green River ranged from rifle grenades to armor-piercing shells to bombs. The bazooka rocket was developed and produced there.
By Dec. 15, 1942, Green River employed 4,419 people on 3 shifts, 6 days a week. More than half of these workers were women, who were entering the work force in significant numbers for the first time.
Worker turnover was constant, especially on the loading lines where explosive powder in the air caused skin infections and inhaling the powder caused respiratory problems.
Despite the constant need for new workers, Green River was awarded an Army-Navy “E” flag for efficiency in production and won two more stars by the end of the war.
Only 5 percent of the nation’s war production plants received this award.
By the time the plant ceased production on Aug. 20, 1945, Green River had produced 25 million rifle grenades, 10 million 75-mm projectiles and 10,921 1,600-pound bombs.
Starting life in the heart of American’s farmland, and staying rooted in the ideals that helped it grow and prosper, Amboy is just like the train engine of storybook fame: It’s the little city that could. n
Thousands flood the streets of Amboy each year for the town’s annual Depot Days festival, a celebration of all things Amboy and all things fun in this city of 2,500 people — and they don’t just come for the car show and cash. Depot Days also offers four days of food stands, a beer garden, 5K run/walk, carnival, music and entertainment, the Miss Amboy Pageant & Little Miss Amboy pageant, a pancake breakfast, craft and vendor booths, community-wide garage sales, and more.
The centerpiece of the celebration of city pride is the car show and the 50-50 raffle.
The raffle attracts people from near and far who load up on tickets for a chance to win the grand prize, which has topped the $100,000 mark almost every year since 2014. Raffle proceeds benefit a wide array of community organizations, including the Amboy Depot Museum, food pantries, Teen Turf, soccer program, school library and Girl Scouts, to name a few.
During 2023’s Depot Days, Angela Bowman of Sublette won $124,959.50, the third highest jackpot — coming in behind 2016’s grand prize of $135,903 and 2015’s $149,333 — and $25,000 more than last year’s prize of $99,430.
In addition to the grand prize winner, Ron Panera of Dixon, Jennifer Lilly of Woosung, Matt Hilliker of Byron, and Robert Young of Rock Falls each took home $2,500 prizes.
The car show is one of the largest in Illinois and often attracts more than 450 vehicles downtown in more than 35 classes, including restored classics, muscle cars, street rods, modified vehicles and unique/special interest vehicles. Participants also vie for “Best Of” honors in several categories. Tractors also rumble into town for the show. n
It’s not every town that can say it has a population explosion once a year. But not every town rolls out the welcome mat — along with one heck of a car show and a tumbler full of tickets worth a potential six-figure cash prize.
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
amboydepotmuseum.org and on Facebook
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 April through October from 1-4 p.m. Sunday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Museum doors close 30 minutes before closing time.
Carson Pirie Scott store plaque
55 S. East Ave.
Samuel Carson and John Pirie opened Carson Pirie & Company, a dry goods store in Amboy, on the site of what is today the Long Branch Saloon, 55 S. East Ave., in 1855. They left for Chicago after about 10 years, added business partner Robert Scott’s name to the firm in 1891, and Carson Pirie Scott would become one of northern Illinois’ leading retail chain stores. Business acquisitions came and went –including a 1989 sale to Bergner’s, which was bought by The Bon-Ton Stores a few years later – but the Carson name stuck around until 2018 when Bon-Ton announced it would close all of its stores, including Carson’s. Carson’s was the oldest chain under the Bon-Ton umbrella, which also included the Bon-Ton parent stores, Boston Store, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s, and Younker’s. The Pirie and Scott names were dropped from the Carson’s banner upon Bergner’s sale to Bon-Ton. A plaque commemorates the site of the first store.
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.
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.
Green River Oaks Camping Resort
Offers RV campsites, tent campsites, rental units, seasonal campsites, swimming pools, fishing, playgrounds, planned activities and more.
1442 Sleepy Hollow Road
Contact: 815-857-2815 or greenriveroaks@yahoo.com
Online: greenriveroaks.com, or find “Green River Oaks Resort” on Facebook
Mendota Hills Campground
Offers RV campsites, tent campsites (both primitive and sites with water & electric), swimming pool, rental units, and seasonal campsites, and more.
642 U.S. Route 52
Contact: 815-849-5930 or mendotahillscamp@aol.com
Online: mendotahillscampground.com and on Facebook
O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Jellystone Park
Offers cabin rentals, RV sites, tent sites,
pool, mini golf, playground, ball filed, restaurant, theater, and more.
970 Green Wing Road
Contact: 877-570-2267
Online: campjellystone.com, or find O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Park on Facebook
Pine View Campgrounds
Offers RV campsites, tent campsites, seasonal camping, fishing pond, swimming pond, playground, and more.
1273 Sleepy Hollow Road
815-857-3964
pineviewcampgrounds.com or find “Pine View Campground” on Facebook
Woodhaven Lakes
A members-only, private resort, Woodhaven offers fishing, trails, lakes, swimming pools, canoeing, sport courts, nature center, an amphitheater, general store, and more.
507 LaMoille Road, Sublette (3 miles west of U.S. Route 52)
815-849-5209
Online: woodhavenassociation.com and on Facebook
East Grove Union Church – 449 Reuter Road; 815-376-6661; online: Find it on Facebook
First Baptist Church – 24 N. Mason Ave.; 815-857-2682; online: fbcamboy.org or find First Baptist Church of Amboy on Facebook
Grace Fellowship Church – 500 W. Main St., Sublette (formerly located in Amboy); 815-857-3900; online: graceisforyou.com or find Grace Fellowship Church Sublette on Facebook
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church – 960 U.S. Route 52; 815-857-2225; online: find “Immanuel Lutheran Church” on Facebook
St. Patrick Catholic Church – 32 N. Jones Ave.; 815-857-2315; online: stpatrickamboy.org or find “Saints Patrick, Mary, and Flannen” on Facebook.
United First Church of Amboy – 326 E. Main St.; 815-440-0745; online: ucc.org, unitedfirstchurch.org/ or find it on Facebook
Amboy Education Foundation — 815-857-2856; Online: https://sites.google. com/a/amboy.net/amboy-education-foundation/ or Facebook
Amboy Lions Club — 280 W. Wasson Road; meets second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m.; 815-677-5288 Online: Find “Amboy Illinois Lions Club” on Facebook
American Legion & Auxiliary Poths-Lavelle, Post 453 — P.O. Box 112, meets third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m.; Contact: 815-499-5903 or lmgibbs64@gmail. com; Online: Illinois-dist13-legion.org
Depot Museum Commission — 815-857-4700; Online: amboydepotmuseum.org and on Facebook
Future Farmers of America — 11 E. Hawley St., 815-857-3632; Online: ffa.org or find Amboy FFA Chapter on Facebook
Girl Scouts 815-997-5100; Online: https://www.girlscoutsni.org/ or find Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois on Facebook
Green River Saddle Club — 1580 Morman Road, 815-440-2698; Online: greenriversaddleclub.webs.com or Facebook
Lee County Master Gardeners — Lee County Extension Office, 280 W. Wasson Road, 815-857-3525; Online: https://extension.illinois.edu/clw/master-gardeners
Illinois Central Masonic Lodge — 237 E. Main St.; meets at 7:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month, January to June and September to December; Online: 178-il.ourlodgepage.com
Knights of Columbus Council 8277 — St. Patrick Catholic Church, 32 N. Jones Ave., 815-857-2315; Online: https://stpatrickamboy.org/knights-of-columbus, kofc.org, or find Amboy Knights of Columbus on Facebook
Lee County 4-H — Lee County Extension Office, 280 W. Wasson Road, 815-8573525; Online: extension.illinois.edu/clw/4-h-lee-county or find Lee County 4-H on Facebook
St. Patrick’s Women’s Organization, St. Patrick Catholic Church — 32 N. Jones Ave., 815-857-2315; Online: stpatrickamboy.org/womens-organization
Teen Turf Inc. – 235 W. Main St., 815-857-4800; Online: Facebook
Sauk Valley Community College has been on a mission to provide quality education to its diverse student body since it opened in 1965.
The fully accredited college, which sits on a 144-acre campus at 173 state Route 2, between Dixon and Sterling, serves about 1,800 full- and part-time students a year from 16 in-district high schools, 18 states and three foreign countries, in courses that include GED and ESL classes, community enrichment courses, business training and dual credit courses for high-schoolers.
Sauk offers 2-year transfer associate degrees in art or science in more than 40 areas, 22 career-technical degrees, 24 associate degrees, and an associate in engineering science degree, along with 50 career-technical certificates.
In November 2018, Sauk’s ag students harvested their first crop of corn and soybeans at the college, part of the college’s new and rapidly growing agriculture program. The hands-on harvest lesson taught students how to test factors that affect yield, such as soil properties, nitrogen and water levels.
Mens and womens sports, cultural activities and events, and more than 20 student clubs and organizations, including Phi Theta Kappa (the honor society for 2-year colleges), student government, Association of Latin American Students, Magic Club, Campus Crusade for Christ and Math Club, contribute to the vibrant campus life. Students also have access to a full fitness center and weight room.
Sauk also has an active ABC AmeriCorps program, in which students earn a stipend while working with children, youth and families as well as community-based agencies, small towns and municipalities, learning life skills while contributing to the health of area communities.
COLLEGE cont’d to page 15
As part of its commitment to the region’s economic development, in early 2016 Sauk launched its Small Business Development Center, and the Sauk Valley Community College Community Leadership Program.
The Center is a resource for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls chambers of commerce, city and county officials, and local banks.
The leadership course is a 10-month skills-building program in conjunction with area manufacturers, designed to foster students’ interest in the trades and bridge the skills gap that is impeding companies’ operational efficiencies. Sessions are scheduled at different sites to accommodate students throughout the area.
In 2018, Sauk announced plans for several million dollars in improvements, maintenance and upgrades to the building. The plans were the latest in the college’s ongoing effort to maintain the school, upgrade technology, and remodel it to fit the changing needs of students and the evolving curriculum.
In 2022, a group of 21 cadets made history at the college, as the first class to graduate from the college’s Police Academy. Each recruit was first hired by an area law enforcement agency before enrolling in the SVCC Police Academy to complete the 14-week Basic Law Enforcement course. The academy is an example of the college’s continued impact on the community and the role it plays in economic growth for the area, Sauk Board member Lisa Wiersema said during the ceremony.
“There was a time when Sauk was seen as a hidden gem, and it’s starting to shine bigger than we’ve ever dreamt,” she said. n
MORE INFO
Sauk Valley Community College
173 state Route 2, Dixon 815-288-5511
Go to svcc. edu, find Sauk Valley Community College on Facebook
Amboy Family Restaurant & Pizza Junction – 211 E. Main St.; 815-857-3985
Casey’s General Store (carryout pizza) – 308 E. Main St.; 815-358-3992
Depot Tap – 49 Southeast Ave.; 815-857-3555; on Facebook
Long Branch Saloon – 55 S. East Ave.; 815-857-3486; find “Longbranch Saloon” on Facebook
Maria’s Pizza – 110 E. Main St.; 815-857-2200; find Maria’s Pizza Amboy on Facebook
Meusel’s Dairy Delite – 303 S. Mason Ave.; 815-857-2050; online: meuselsdairydelite.com or find “Meusel’s Dairy Delite” on Facebook
Revolution Wellness (health food restaurant) – 205 E. Main St.; 815-857-7021; online: Find it on Facebook
Subway – 310 E. Joe Drive; 815-255-8363
Sunset Inn Restaurant – 1578 U.S. Route 30; 815-857-3482; on Facebook
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. And in 2011, it completed a $16 million expansion of the outpatient surgery and emergency departments. In spring 2014, a newly renovated Intensive Care Unit was opened.
OSF St. Paul Medical Center
Mendota Community Hospital, now named OSF Saint Paul Medical Center, opened its doors in June 1951. An entirely new, acute-care facility was opened in 2011, employing more than 300 people. It’s the newest member of the OSF Healthcare System and was welcomed into the Ministry in April 2015.
The hospital has a 24/7, physician-staffed emergency room and an intensive care unit. It offers other services, including cardiopulmonary care, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, oncology, podiatry, pulmonology, rheumatology, and surgery.
A community health services department 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. n
MORE INFO
KSB Hospital 403 E. First
Dixon 815-288-5531, ksbhospital.com
KSB Center for Health Services, Amboy Clinic 308 E. Joe Drive 815-857-3044, ksbhospital.com
OSF Saint Paul Medical Center 1401 E. 12th St. (U.S. Route 34), Mendota 815-539-7461, osfhealthcare. org/saint-paul
Go to cityofamboy.org/parks or call 815-8573814 for more information on Amboy parks
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.
Amboy Marsh Nature Reserve Trails – 1701 Mormon Road, 217544-2473; hike or bike trails through the 302-acre wetland with black oak sand savannas, sedge meadows and dry sand prairie.
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, Sublette, 815-8495424; a fun, 18-hole course, with tricky greens and a short course; club house with cocktail bar, food and pro shop.
Sen. 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.
In 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.
MORE INFO
Pankhurt Memorial Library
3 S. Jefferson Ave.
Contact: 815-8573925 or pmlamboy@ gmail.com
Online: amboy. lib.il.us and on Facebook
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday & Wednesday
9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Tuesday & Thursday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday & Saturday
Closed Sunday
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 Memorial Library, was dedicated May 27, 1929, with the Women’s Club presenting all of the books from the old library to the new one.
The first borrower’s card went to Pankhurst when the library opened July 6, 1929. That day, 93 people registered for cards and 115 books were checked out.
By the end of the library’s first fiscal year on May 9, 1930, the library had 508 registered borrowers and a collection of 2,756 volumes, including 2,061 adult books, 695 children’s books and nine newspapers and magazines.
Today, about a third of Amboy residents have a library card, and the library has more than 23,500 volumes. The library also offers an online e-book service. Its mission, according to its website, is “to select, acquire, organize and preserve books and other materials of contemporary interest and permanent value for the education, enjoyment and intellectual stimulation of the entire community. The Library also strives to guide young people toward a love of reading and an awareness of books and other library materials as a means of satisfying their needs and interests.”
Library cards are free for people who live within the city limits and are good for 3 years. For those outside the city limits, cards are $50 for 1 year.
The Women’s Club now is the Amboy Civic Organization, but it continues to support the library through fundraising efforts.
Pankhurst Memorial Library has been updated with a ramp and elevator to make it accessible to the disabled.
Services include interlibrary loans, e-book loans, programs and events for all ages, a copier and fax machine, DVD’s, and a meeting room. n
MORE INFO
Amboy Depot Museum
227 E. Main St. Contact: 815857-4700, 815857-3814 or information@ amboydepotmuseum.org
Online: amboydepotmuseum. org or find Amboy Depot Museum on Facebook.
The Amboy Depot Museum offers guests a whistlestop tour of local history.
Located in a former depot and division headquarters of the Illinois Central Railroad, the museum 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.
The museum houses 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 downtown on Main Street, two blocks west of U.S. Route 52 (turn at Casey’s General Store). It’s open April through October, and closed Nov. 1 through March 31 and on holidays. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Monday-Thursday. Museum doors close 30 minutes before closing time.
Admission is by donation.
Museum membership is open to anyone interested in preserving the museum’s buildings, the history of the Amboy area and the railroad’s role in the city’s history. Annual membership frees go toward preserving the museum.
Through data-driven decisions, teamwork, community involve-
and
is
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 gym. 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
Online: amboy.net and on Facebook
The rural district of 705 students consists of three schools:
Amboy High School
11 E. Hawley St. 815-857-3632
Online: www.amboy.net/ahs.html
Amboy High School was formed as part of Amboy CUSD 272 in 1949 in Lee County. 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.
SCHOOLS cont’d to page 22
ment
visionary leadership, the Amboy Board of Education
striving for “excellence, every day” – the district’s vision statement.
Amboy Junior High School
140 S. Appleton Ave.
815-857-3528
Online: www.amboy.net/ajhs.html
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. Andrew Full is principal.
Amboy Central Elementary School
30 E. Provost St.
815-857-3619
Online: amboy.net/central.html
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. Joyce Schamberger is principal.
EDUCATION
Amboy School District
11 E. Hawley St., Amboy
815-857-2164
amboy.net
GOVERNMENT/MUNICIPAL
Amboy City Hall
227 E. Main St., Amboy
815-857-3814
cityofamboy.com
City Maintenance Building
1 Water St., Amboy
815-857-2422
Secretary of State (driver/vehicle services)
925 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon
815-288-6685
Lee County Animal Control 280 E Progress Drive, Dixon
815-284-3833
leecountyil.com/158/Animal-Control
Lee County Clerk
112 E. Second St., Dixon 815-288-3309
leecountyil.com/183/Circuit-Clerk
Lee County Treasurer
112 E. Second St., Dixon 815-288-4477
leecountyil.com/268/Treasurer
Lee County Chief of Assessments
112 E. Second St., Dixon 815-288-4483
leecountyil.com/171/Chief-CountyAssessment
HEALTH CARE
KSB Hospital
403 E. First St., Dixon 815-288-5531
ksbhospital.com
OSF Saint Paul Medical Center
1401 E. 12th St. (U.S. Route 34), Mendota
815-539-7461
osfhealthcare.org/practices/mendota/ and on Facebook
MEDIA
The Telegraph/Sauk Valley Media (news)
113 S. Peoria Ave., Dixon 815-284-2222
saukvalley.com
Amboy News (news)
245 E. Main St., Amboy 815-857-2311 or 815-539-7862
amboynews.com
PUBLIC SAFETY
Amboy Police Department
227 E. Main St., Amboy
815-857-3400
Fire & ambulance
25 N. East Ave., Amboy 815-857-2325
Lee County Sheriff
306 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon 815-284-5217
In an emergency, call 911
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Amboy Community Building (event venue)
280 W. Wasson Road, Amboy 815-857-2324
cityofamboy.com or find “Center Amboy
Community” on Facebook
Amboy Water Department
227 E. Main St., Amboy 815-857-3811
https://cityofamboy.com/utilities/ ComEd (electricity)
919 W. First St., Dixon 800-334-7661
comed.com
Comcast (cable/internet)
800-934-6489
comcast.com
HughesNet (internet)
866-649-3926
https://internet.hughesnet.com/ Frontier (internet) 855-668-5959
frontier.com
Pankhurst Memorial Library 3 S. Jefferson Ave., Amboy 815-857-3925
amboy.lib.il.us
Post Office
215 E. Division St., Amboy 815-857-2212
usps.com
Republic Services (garbage)
1214 S. Bataan Road, Dixon 815-723-3200
republicservices.com and on Facebook
UTILITIES
Nicor (gas)
1844 Ferry Road, Naperville 888-642-6748
nicor.com
|
