Then – This is a circa 1910 photo (#1845) of Willow Drive (now Patrick Avenue/state Route 54) looking south. As related by Emmett Sweetman, engineer for the city of Urbana, in a Springfield Sun article of March 13, 1958, Willow Drive, currently Patrick Avenue, with its overhanging willow trees, drew beauty lovers from afar to view its shady splendor.

In 1923 the famous old trees so overhung the road to the Oak Dale Cemetery that they created a problem. In the spring of 1923 as Mr. Sweetman’s wife’s grandfather was being buried in Oak Dale Cemetery, one of the willow trees came down, blocking the funeral procession halfway along Willow Drive. All of the willows were cut down in the summer of that year and replaced with locust trees. The willow wood was used to fabricate artificial legs.

The locust trees were replaced by elm trees in 1958. Unfortunately, the elm trees succumbed to Dutch Elm disease. The sidewalk on the cemetery side of the road was added in the 1890s.

The circa 1915 photo (#A1547) of Chowning’s Art Studio shows the address as 121 N. Main St., Urbana. Likely the address number has changed as the Boston Store, which was in the building next door toward the square, was listed as 121 N. Main St. in 1920. The studio was located on the 2nd floor. As indicated on the awning, the Champaign Clothing Co. was on the first floor. When the Boston Store was at 121 N. Main St. the Scherer Clothing Store was located on the first floor of the building in which Chowning Art Studio was located in 1915.

Note the women with hats looking at photos at the bottom of the stairway leading to the studio. How about the motorcycle at the curb! Most likely it is an early Harley-Davidson, perhaps 1905 or 1910.

This 2019 photo is of the same location as the circa 1915 photo.

Info from the Champaign County Historical Museum, an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.

Then – This is a 1939 photo (#0187) of the Boston Store, 121 N. Main St., Urbana. Standing in front of boxes of Ball Band footwear are, left to right, Francis Collins, Harry Bernstein, Malcolm Reich and Martin Reich. Upstairs was the Springfield Loan Co. Next door was the Scherer Clothing Store, above which was the office of Dr. E. E. Meyer, dentist. Related photos in the Champaign County Historical Society archives are 0188, 0221, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Boston Store was first located at 121 N. Main St. in 1917. What was the original location of the Boston Store? Answer and photos in a later installment of Then-Now.

Now – This is a 2019 photo of the same location, now occupied by The Boston, a collectibles store. 1984 was the last year The Boston Store was located at 121 N. Main St. 1991 Shield’s Bootery was located here.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.

This is a circa 1900 postcard photo of Billy Clifford’s private railroad car next to the Washington Hotel. Billy Clifford, who grew up in Urbana, was an internationally renowned entertainer. This photo was taken looking southeast across the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad (Big Four RR) toward Miami Street. In the background is the A.T. Woodcock grain elevator. Across the tracks from Clifford’s car is the Big Four RR freight and passenger depot.

These structures were located near where West Court Street currently joins Washington Street. Note next to the depot is a horse and cart loaded with items. In the right foreground is a pneumatic-tired bicycle; these bicycles were first produced about 1890. The Washington Hotel was remodeled for later use as the Urbana Broom Co. factory; most likely, this photo was taken during this transition.

In 1926 the depot and broom factory were razed when the Big Four RR tracks were elevated. Related photos in CCHS archives are: A2072-1, A2119-7, A1873.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The organization depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum located at 809 East Lawn Ave., which is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is an aerial photo of Champaign Livestock Sales taken on June 28, 1971. The livestock sales facility was located at 430 W. Light St. just east of the big four railroad. Champaign Livestock Sales was owned by Gale Locke and managed by Dow Ward at this time. Livestock sales were held weekly on Wednesdays. June 28, 1971, was a Monday, thus the photo was not taken on a sales day. The area is now occupied by houses.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The museum depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.

Then – This is a circa 1920 photo (0404) of the M.E. Goertzig IGA grocery store located at 315 Sycamore St., Urbana. The sign on the south side of the building reads: “We sell Purity Ice Cream."

Now – This is a 2019 photo of the same location. Note how little the building has changed except for the railed porch. Currently, the building is the Sycamore House, Pregnancy and Family Life Center of Champaign County. 

The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.

Now – This is a 2019 photo of the same location. Note how well preserved the detail of this doorway entrance is after almost 80 years.

The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.

This is a circa 1910 photo (#1834) of the Douglas Hotel looking west from Monument Square down Miami Street in Urbana. About 1815 on the present-day site of the Douglas Hotel, John Reynolds built a frame house. The Reynolds family lived on the second floor and operated a general store on the first floor. It also served as Urbana’s first post office.

In 1819, John C. Pearson purchased the property and in 1825 erected a two-story brick building, which he established as a hotel. This brick building ultimately became the nucleus of the Douglas Hotel.
Sometime prior to 1844 Henry Weaver acquired the property and built two additional floors to the hotel, which was then referred to as the Weaver House. In 1877 the Weaver family sold the hotel and C. L. Stough became the proprietor. Around 1900 the hotel began to be referred to as the Douglas Inn/Hotel.

Source: A Brief Early History of the Douglas Hotel by Barbara E. Sour (#8689)

The Champaign County Historical Society, an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.