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Lesser Known Stories that Shaped Mattoon The stories of Mattoon history get told again and again. The crossing of the railroads, “Pegtown”, the tornado of 1917, and the Mad Gasser are all popular stories associated with Mattoon history. These are some lesser-told stories that helped shape our town.
June 24th, 1861, the City of Mattoon passed an ordinance that required all men to work on the streets or face a fine. The ordinance states: “That every able bodied male inhabitant of the City of Mattoon, over the age of twenty-one and und the age of fifty years, is hereby required to labor for three days in each year upon the street and alleys of said City…All persons failing or refusing to comply with this Ordinance, after being duly notified by the Street Supervisor, shall be compelled in an action for debt to pay three dollars…”
From “History of Coles County, 1905” by, Charles Edward Wilson
Eastern Illinois University is an abducted child of Mattoon. In 1895 a committee of Mattoon citizens, composed of C.E. Wilson (chairman), James H. Clark, L.L. Lehman and J.F. Scott, secured the passage of a bill by the Legislature for the establishment of Eastern Illinois Normal School.
Mattoon and its citizens subscribed money and concessions to the amount of about $140,000, but notwithstanding the work of Mattoon and the committee, and the money appropriated, and the understanding by the Governor and supporters of the bill in the Legislature that the school should be located in Mattoon, Charleston, with a bonus of much less succeeded in landing the prize that had been fathered by Mattoon. It had been made possible only by the efforts and labors of Mattoon and its citizens.
The controversy regarding the location of the school developed much bitter feeling and charges were freely made at that time that corrupt influences had governed the selection of the location.
“Jack the Grabber” terrorized the female inhabitants of Mattoon in the early part of 1904. The man would wait for ladies walking home from their duties as clerks, approach them and grope them. Sometimes he would expose himself.
Police would wait and watch the different streets where the assaults took place, but failed to learn the identity of the Grabber. Police Chief Lyons figured the assailant was new to town so he began searching for visitors or new residents. This led him to Albert Adamson who had recently moved here from Greenup. Adamson had been living in the barn at the Pinkerton household of the corner of 14th and Charleston. He was being allowed to stay there in pay for doing chores around the house. His actions around the premises created suspicions to the Pinkertons that he might be “Jack the Grabber”
Armed with a pair of handcuffs, Chief Lyons and Officer Graham arrested Adamson on the morning of February 19, 1904. He admitted to the crimes stating he was addicted to accosting women on the streets after nightfall. He had been guilty of similar crimes in other towns.
Columbia Hughes was the daughter of Judge James F. Hughes of Mattoon. She became a successful actress on the London and Paris stage taking the stage name “Alexis Durant”. She also played with the Castle Square Rock Company in Boston.
She graduated from Mattoon High School in 1893 and shortly thereafter, was arrested in Mattoon for riding a bicycle while wearing a bloomer girl costume, which was deemed underdressed for that time.
Police officers dug back into the first ordinances of the city to arrest Miss Durant on an obscure charge having to do with improper dress. The Bloomer Girl costume was created by the controversial feminist of that name. It was frowned upon in many quarters.
10:00 am June 4, 1901 - Fire destroyed the Arthur Jordan Poultry Company, Duncan Kingsolver rag house, hide house and junk house. And three cottages belonging to Banker C.E. Wilson at 2400, 2404 and 2408 Railroad Avenue were also burned.
July 15, 1901 - Fire destroyed the Sinsabaugh stable which was being used as a broomcorn wharehouse, Gazette Printing Company, and the Methodist Episcopal Church in less then two hours. The buildings were located at the northwest corner of 17th Street and Charleston. The new livery stable directly behind these buildings was saved.
July 4, 1901 - A fire at the Demaree building at 1601 Broadway destroyed the offices and equipment of Mattoon Telephone Company and Coles County Telephone & Telegraph Company, the Mattoon Star Printing Company, Sterling clothing store, the A. & W. furniture establishment, and the Richardson Brothers’ stationery & book store.
It was these three fires that prompted the City Council to condemn and raze all wooden building within the business district. The motion was passed at the September 3, 1901 Council meeting. "Chairman Henley, of the judiciary committee, recommended that all wooden buildings in the business district between Fifteenth Street and the Illinois Central be condemned and ordered removed. Carried"
It was thought the origin of these fires was arson. Sixteen fires were fought in Mattoon in the months of June and July 1901. During that same time period, the Mattoon police department was raiding illegal gambling establishments around the City. It was thought the fires were set in retaliation.
Urban Park was created soon after the opening of the Interurban Rail Line between Mattoon and Charleston began operating in 1905. The park became popular enough that in 1909 several upgrades were made. The park added bowling alleys, swings and a merry-go-round. The dance pavilion was also used as a skating rink. 24 steel rowboats were available for use in the artificial lake. A new bathhouse was built and diving boards installed. A 72-foot long platform was built along the depot that served the interurban.
Urban Park was the most popular early park in Coles County. The interurban train stopped every 20 minutes on its way between Mattoon and Charleston. Even with the available train, every tree had a horse team tied to it. Sometimes crowds were so great, they would not all fit in the train car. Many would have to wait for until the car returned to pick them up.
The first plane to land in Coles County landed at Urban Park. When the pilot landed in a clover field, a team and wagon was waiting to form a barrier around the plane with posts and tarps. Admission was 25 cents to get a closer look at the plane. It had no cabin and the pilot sat on what looked a chair and a cushion.
The interurban railroad stopped running in 1927, and the park stopped operations. Today the grounds where Urban Park lay have been taken over by the Charleston Country Club. |