1930-1939

                         1930 – Coca-Cola Bottling Company moves to 21st & Prairie.

 

                         1930 – City Council approves a resolution to build a new dam at Lake Paradise.  This action not only doubled the capacity of Mattoon’s water supply, but also provided much-needed jobs during the depression.

 

            Aug. 9,1930 – Joseph D. Icenogle shot to death by three bandits in front of his Basket Grocery at 1513 Broadway.  Brother, Grover Icenogle takes over grocery.

 

                         1931 – Lewis Welton starts oil business with one truck.

 

                         1931 – Gerald Houts Union Barber Shop opens at 1221 Broadway.

 

           Sept. 5, 1931 – Young’s Department Store founded in Katz Building.

 

           Oct. 20, 1931 – Murley Johnson from Mattoon becomes the first man executed by electric chair.  He pled guilty to the murders of Mrs. Carrie Bowers and her two children.  His parting word, “So long, boys.”

 

                         1932 – Y. M. C. A. sells it property to Lawrence Riddle American Legion Post No. 88.

 

                         1932 – Mattoon City Shoe Shop opened by C. Y. Quakenbush.

 

                         1932 – Mattoon Paint & Wallpaper opens at 1505 Broadway.

 

                May 1932 – Kuehne Manufacturing opens and produces dinette sets.

 

                         1933 – Cooperative Creamery Company ceases operation.  Milk and cottage cheese now processed at Meadow Gold Dairy.

 

                         1933 – McBride’s Express founded.

 

                         1933 – Daniel Burtschi purchases the book store at 1612 Broadway.

 

                         1933 – 32nd Street paved from Dewitt to Marshall, creating a link between Route 16 and Route 121.  Financing for this project was from the National Industrial Recovery Act as part of the New Deal.

 

                         1933 – Peter Sutter has the first air conditioning unit in the city installed in the Victory Café.

 

                         1933 – S. S. Kresge store installs 16 stool soda fountain.

 

                         1934 – F. S. Schilling purchases Judge D. T. McIntyre’s home at 13th & Charleston and use it for funeral business.  In 1903 F. S. Schilling  bought Valentine Schlicher business & became associated with D. S. Campbell, later bought Campbell’s interest, the J. D. McCarty Co., C. W. Haskell’s, & Campbell Dodds Co.   Previous locations for Schillings include the Avey Building on South 16th Street and the Lindley Building at 1504 Broadway.

 

                         1934 – John & Eva Mitchell buy L. L. Lehman house at 12th & Wabash for home and funeral business.

 

                         1934 – 7-Up Bottling Company begins bottling in Mattoon.

 

                         1934 – Felix Ronchetti expanded Ronchetti Distributing Co. (located in Nokomis) by opening branch in a two garage in rear of 1120 Charleston.

 

                         1934 – Laverne Knowles opens Snappy Service Diner on S. 16th St.  just south of Broadway.

 

                         1934 – A. J. Walker Construction Co. founded.  They are located in the former PD & E Railroad Railway depot on 21st Street.

 

                         1935 – After acquiring several nearby phone companies, Mattoon Telephone Company becomes Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company.

 

                         1935 – City assumes control of the municipal water plant from CIPS.

 

                         1935 – Furste Auto Supply store opens.

 

                         1936 – Clarke Theater built by Clarke, Frisina, and Bianchi, on the site where the second Bijou Theater was located at 1815 Broadway.

 

                         1936 – Cokendolpher’s Ready to Wear Company closes and stock sold to Sawin and Jones Dry Good Company.

 

                         1936 – Victor M. Scheef, son-in-law of Mr. Messmer, purchases Tender Krust Bakery and remodels plant.

 

           Feb. 13, 1936 – Gas explosion on Broadway kills one, injures eight and levels several buildings.

 

         April 16, 1936 – Bower & Schulhoff closes after 54 years in business.

 

                         1937 – K Theater burns and not replaced.

 

                         1937 – William Warner founded Warner’s Office Equipment in the 1600 block Charleston Ave.

 

           Jan. 19, 1937 – City government changed to present system, mayor and four commissioners, elected every four years.

 

                         1938 – Schlicher business sold to Young’s Department Store.

 

                         1938 – The Grand Theater burns,  sold to Clarke, Frisina & Bianchi,  rebuilt as a moving picture theater and renamed “Time Theater.”

 

May 18, 1938 – Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative organized.

 

                 July 1938 – John & Louise Shields open Silver Star Roller Rink under a tent north of Mattoon.

 

                         1939 – William Hamel & partners purchase Mattoon Journal Company and Hamel becomes publisher of Mattoon Journal Gazette.

 

            Nov. 4, 1938 – Roof blown off the roundhouse 27th Street & Broadway

Kuehne Ad

Time Theater

Coles Moultrie

Young's