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.

This is a photo (#0500) of a Chevrolet Coupe with a 1930 Ohio license plate in front of J.A. Shuemaker and Atwater Radio Store at 119 S. Main St., Urbana. Apparently, this coupe was adapted to serve as a delivery vehicle as it appears to be carrying an appliance. In addition to Norge appliances and Atwater Kent radios the store offered a variety of other products including fishing tackle, sporting goods, Goodrich tires and Ford parts. In 1951 it was the location of the Robert Yocum Grocery; in 1955 the Western Auto Store; from 1959 to at least 1982 the Mumford’s Potato Chip Shop; and in 1991 the Bob’s Appliance Repair. Currently, Dream Home Realty is located here. 

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.

Then – This is a circa 1937 photo (CCHS #0134) of the north side of the 100 block of Scioto Street in Urbana.  Moore's Business College was at 100 Scioto Street.  In the next building was located Parllete Electric Company at 104 Scioto Street and Miami Granite Co. at 106 Scioto Street and Dr. Poffenberger, Dentist, at 106 1/2 Scioto Street.  Note decorative street lamp at corner of the alley entrance.  

Now – 2018 photo of same location which is now occupied by the Peoples Savings Bank. Note the street lamp here as compared to the one in 1937.

The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell Champaign County’s History. The Society operates on donations and dues and has a free public museum of history at East Lawn Avenue in Urbana

Then - Circa 1930 photo of the Christiansburg Masonic Lodge building. The Christiansburg Masonic Lodge (Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 226 F&AM) was established in 1852. Until 1856 the lodge met in the IOOF Hall.  Then the lodge met in the third floor of a building built by James Smith on lot #11 (corner of N. Main & Second Streets). In 1879 the lodge purchased the building and rented the first floor to James Heffner who established a grocery there. In 1898 the building was widened, and an addition was added to the west.  In 1992 the building was severely damaged by fire.  It was later repaired. The Champaign County Historical Society thanks Candy Gilliam for sharing this photo and other photos of locations in Christiansburg. Source: Christiansburg, Ohio, Reflections of Our Village, A Bicentennial History 1817-2017

Now - 2018 photo of the Christiansburg Masonic Lodge building.  Currently, the Christiansburg Community Library occupies the first floor. Also, the Marion Ross Museum is located in this building. Ross, a Civil War Veteran, was recipient of the Medal of Honor.

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 and 1-4 p.m. Sundays.
 

This is a photo (#0483) of the fleet of trucks of the Wilkins Trucking Service of Kennard, Ohio. The trucks have Ohio 1930 license plates. Note the large motormeters on the radiators of the two trucks on the right of the photo. Motormeters were devices that indicated the temperature of the coolant. Drivers are in every truck except the second from the left. Diagonally across the radiator of the second truck from the right is spelled Bellefontaine. It is not clear what this signifies. The truck to the far left appears to be a dump truck while the others are livestock trucks. This is commercial photograph taken by William Whitham who was a commercial photographer in Champaign County during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

As we have no information about the trucking service, we would appreciate information about it including owner’s name and location of the business and other information relevant to the photo. Also, information about the trucks (year, make, model etc.) would be appreciated.

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 and 1-4 p.m. Sundays.

Check out the letter sweaters from 1938 in this sampling of Terre Haute historical photos!

Learn more Terre Haute history at the CCHS Museum, open Sunday (1-4pm) and Monday & Tuesday (11am-4pm).

Champaign County has been the home of many well-known political figures. Do you remember Bill Saxbe and Bud Brown?  How about our mystery 3rd politician? Check out these photos from the Museum and plan a visit to learn more this election season!