Time Was

Dr. James Backus, left his mark in Braidwood

Published by admin on Mon, 10/27/2025 - 10:51am

Frequently we have spoken about the brave miners who were injured in the mines. Many a miner had to fight for his life against the odds. But he was not alone; fighting on his side was a doctor. One of the most successful doctors in early Braidwood was Dr. John Backus.
Backus was born in 1845 at Ontario, Canada to wealthy parents. His father is described like this, “He was educated as a lawyer, but was a retired gentleman.” John got his first medical degree at McGill University at Montreal and a second medical degree at College of Physicians and Surgeons at Ontario.

Making way for the 20th century

Published by admin on Mon, 10/27/2025 - 10:47am

As the 20th century dawned in Wilmington, it found the citizens up for the challenge. They embraced all the newest technologies such as the automobile and the telephone exchange. And now, electricity, once just a toy for entertainment, was being called for by forward thinking people. But change is never easy.

Temperance in Braidwood, the other side of the coin

Published by admin on Mon, 10/20/2025 - 10:57am

Those who know a bit about early Braidwood history, know that saloons play a large role. But today we flip the coin over and look at the early temperance (no alcohol) societies that rarely get mentioned or notice.

Grain and Wilmington’s master plan

Published by admin on Mon, 10/20/2025 - 10:55am

There is nothing that means autumn to me more than the blowing sound of the corn dryers running through the night, unless perhaps it’s the sight of grain truck after grain truck, lined up to spill their gold into the bins. This isn’t just a new thing; grain was always in the plan for the local economy.
When the Kankakee and Iroquois Navigation Company, owned by Peter Stewart and friends planned out their waterpower in 1861 they looked to local businessmen to purchase lots on the Island for grain warehouses, with grain to be shipped via canal boat to the large markets.

Reed Township and how it shrunk

Published by admin on Mon, 10/13/2025 - 11:12am

In the beginning Reed Township was quite different than we know it today, even its name has changed twice. Let’s look at its evolution and how it came about.
Reed Township, for the first fifteen years of its existence, was the largest township in the county. This was because it included all the territory that is now Custer Township. The first name given to the township was Clinton, but the name was changed at the first meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Will County to Reid, in honor of an early pioneer of this section.

How far have we really come?

Published by admin on Mon, 10/13/2025 - 10:55am

I have to admit it, and most of my readers have figured it out, I am an old hippie from the 60's. And as such, I thought that we had all this equal rights stuff figured out back then. I am now realizing that I couldn't have been more wrong. On July 2, 1964 the Civil Rights Act went into effect. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations, education, and employment.

It all fell apart before their eyes

Published by admin on Mon, 10/06/2025 - 11:39am

The Kankakee River and Wilmington have forever been intertwined. It's our companion, our friend, our foe, our pleasure, our love, our hate, and for some, a source of income and food. In the summer of 1882 it was all of these and more. But all good things must come to an end.

1883 - Problem after problem for Braidwood

Published by admin on Mon, 10/06/2025 - 9:59am

We are still looking at that awful year of 1883, when the hard times were the rule. We will pick up in July of that year to see what Braidwoodites had to deal with, and how they got through it.
Mining was still going on during that summer but it wasn't enough to employ all. We read in the Wilmington Advocate, “Coal shipments from Braidwood are light in these days; say 75 car loads. Including Braceville shipments the figures will run from 150 to 175 carloads per day.”

Reading the writing on the wall

Published by admin on Mon, 09/29/2025 - 11:06am

I guess all of us, at one time or another, have dreamed about discovering lost treasure. We have all heard of people who opened up an old wall in their home and discovered money and such. That happened in 2007 in Wilmington, although the treasure was not the kind you could spend.

Waiting out the slow times, 1883

Published by admin on Mon, 09/29/2025 - 10:58am

Coal mining was a strange business in the 19th century. During late summer, fall and winter everyone worked like fury to keep up with the demand. But come spring and summer, the demand dropped, workers had hours reduced, or were laid off altogether. It was then that stores either sold on credit, or didn’t sell at all. By summer’s end, most miners and their families owed so much to the stores that they had to work all winter to pay it off. Such was a miner’s life. Our look at 1883 begins in late spring, a few month’s after the Diamond Mine disaster.