Time Was

Darkness, cold, and mud- welcome to Braidwood 1873

Published by admin on Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:18pm

Will County in the 19th century had its pockets of crime and drunkenness, fighting and stabbing. But nothing in our history compares to early Braidwood. Why? Because, like the wild west, it was a mining town; it doesn't seem to matter whether its gold or coal. In 1873 Braidwood incorporated and none too soon. Let's go back to get the full picture.

Water vs. Paper, who would win in court

Published by admin on Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:15pm

Last time we met, we were in 1904 and the area known as the old paper mill was called the American Straw Board Company. Let’s go back to that spot to see the changes the new century had brought.

Traveling history's highways looking for our roots

Published by admin on Mon, 08/24/2026 - 12:02pm

Most of my gentle readers know that the land upon which we live did not always belong to the United States, it also belonged to the English and before them it was France. That history seems so long ago that most of us have forgotten it. Most think that there are no traces left of this ancient past of ours. They would be wrong. Today we take a road trip to a place not all that far away, where you can still see traces even today. We are traveling to Vincennes, Indiana.

One of Wilmington's oldest residents, the paper mill

Published by admin on Mon, 08/24/2026 - 11:58am

Looking at the north end of Water Street, the area seems abandoned - now. But 150 years ago the joint was jumping. Most folks just call it the old paper mill. It was more than that. Let's set the way-back machine for the summer of 1873. Step aboard.
A company of local men, among them E. W. Willard and C. J. Jukes, formed a stock company to build a factory on the east bank of the Kankakee about a half mile above the town. The factory was to produce nuts and bolts.

Murder on the Ragin' Canal, not uncommon

Published by admin on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 12:46pm

Today we leave Braidwood to visit Ottawa and Joliet, two of the many towns on the Illinois Michigan Canal. Out of necessity boatmen on the Canal spent several days, if not a week, away from home. Rarely did the family of boatmen come with, there just wasn't that much room. The result of that situation was the two murders that we look at today. Well, that, and that green-eyed monster - jealousy.

The rise and fall of the Commercial Bank

Published by admin on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 10:11am

Time was when a bank was a physical thing that you could touch. Whether it was in the shape of a pig or a huge imposing building, they contained money that you could actually touch. Today banking with an app on your device we call a phone, we can handle money without touching anything but a keypad. Today we look at banks and banking as it was “in the day.”

No big company mine, the Young-Oswald mine

Published by admin on Mon, 08/10/2026 - 11:30am

One of the worst of times in Braidwood happened when most shaft mines had closed down, and the technology for strip mines had not been perfected yet. Money was scarce as hen's teeth, but there was still one small light for local miners. The locally owned Young-Oswald mine was that light.

It's all in the pen of the writer, perspective

Published by admin on Mon, 08/10/2026 - 10:50am

I guess I haven't gone two days in a row without hearing that dreaded word - “AI”. Not even a word at all really, just a couple of letters. But these letters have the whole world talking. One group of folks seem to think that it is the greatest thing that mankind has ever evented. While another group think that it signals the end of civilization as we know it.

They don't make them anymore, what used to be

Published by admin on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 10:36am

This whole topic started with a conversation with a friend. He was trying to balance a foam box of food on his lap while watching TV. He said what we needed was some folding TV dinner trays. I had to inform him they don't make them anymore. After I thought about it, there are so many things that “they don't make” or “they don't do” anymore. These are a few.

Roughing it was the only way to go, travel

Published by admin on Mon, 08/03/2026 - 10:27am

Ah, summer! The time for vacations and week-end travel to fun places. Look on the internet to provide the perfect spot, book a hotel on your phone, get reviews from others who have stayed there, get directions as to the quickest route and exactly how much time it will take to get there. But it was not always so. The first white settlers to come to this area had to rough it. Today we look at “hotels” of the early 19th century.