#29  McLeansboro the town
WHITEHOUSECA: 3 SIRS and RV

As you may know, I was born in this southern Illinois town. I have been working the last few years on the “family tree”.  My cousin who we are visiting with here has many old family records which I am making copies.  In 1910, the following item was part of a 40 plus pages published describing McLeansboro, Illinois. Could this be one of the reasons one of my grandfathers moved to McLeansboro? 

“Hamilton County is situated in the southeastern section of the state with some of the best land in its border to be found anywhere. The climate permits extreme old age to lengthen itself out in happiness. Health is a matter of care. The population by the last census is close to 26,000, and while the communities are largely rural, the people make one think that they are as up-to date, aggressive, and flourishing as in the more densely populated districts.

“The good town of McLeansboro has a population of some three thousand inhabitants: it is located on the main line of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at the intersection of the Shawnee town branch, and is the county seat of Hamilton County, one of the best hay and grain, fruit and produce and cattle sections of the great State of Illinois.

McLeansboro has in it a choice number of civilians, who are always working for the interests of the town. It is to these that we owe the up-to-date Commercial Club, the present electric light plant and power house, with its pumping station for the water tower, and the proposed new and extended reservoir, which the town authorities are about to launch, and the four miles of paved streets with sidewalks and boulevards to match, making the prettiest town in the state, none excepted, and the beautiful new churches—the pride of the town. .

McLeansboro has a reputation for a clean town. It is one of the best resident towns in this country. It has no saloons, is practically out of debt, and has always exemplified the commendable quality of progress and development. It is easy riding to St. Louis, Evansville, and Shawnee town on the Ohio River. Its public square is the nicest, the largest and the most suitable for a quiet, unostentatious, unassuming, practicable Court House anywhere.

The description of the town in 1910 doesn’t match all of the town now in some ways.  There are buildings which remain that shows what the town was but I wonder if the town really was as inviting as listed or was the ad written to draw people to the county?

While Lee and I walked around the square, I went in to the local paper to get a copy of this week’s Times-Leader where the description above was published in 1910.  The person working in the paper had seen us walking around taking pictures and was interested in what I was doing.   She did ask if I was related the “whites in town”. I guess, I do look like my cousin and father etc.  I was born in1951 and moved away from the area by 1957, but returned each summer until the early 70’s.  I can remember the buildings around the “square” were full of stores-

 5 &10, lumber yards, furniture stores etc.  Today, there are some stores but the town is need of … ,

On building which was the old Hamilton County Bank was turned into  Foxy's.  We had lunch at the bank with my cousin.  The vault is used to keep the extra food items.  Lee was looking at the local paper before our food came.

 My cousin's grandchildren are in beginning baseball.  It seemed like most of the town attended the summer evening games.

We went to Boom town on Friday which is located in MO.  There the family bought a few Fireworks for the fourth  Lunch was nearby too.  Saturday was getting ready to leave.  We had a "Lee Breakfast" in the morning and soon it will be time to unplug and head off.  Our goal is to be in Tucson on Wednesday evening.