The following is the seventh of a multi-part article about the timeline of Chillicothe, IL. This article will illustrate the key dates along with the key individuals that helped to shape our city’s great history.

1929 – On January 4th, Myrtle Warren, owner of the Palace Theater, agrees to sell the theater to Frank N. Coon and Frank J. Rolan for $25,000, the equivalent to $450,000 in 2023.

1929 – On January 19th, Elmer Sturm, owner of the Sunset Theater, and Frank N. Coon and Frank J. Rolan, owners of the Palace Theater, combine to form a co-partnership known as The Chillicothe Theater Company. Frank J. Rolan will manage the day-to-day business of both theaters.

1929 – James L. Root, the first child to be born to settlers in Chillicothe, dies at age 93 in Des Moines, IA.

1929 – Charles Dougherty is elected as the 19th Mayor of the City of Chillicothe. He narrowly defeats challenger Chester (C.B.) Zinser by a narrow margin of 18 votes. Zinser received most of his votes in Ward 1 and 2, but Dougherty had the decisive votes that he needed, coming out of Ward 3. Frank G. Carr was elected Village President in North Chillicothe by avenging his loss in the 1927 election to Incumbent President James Melvin. Carr won easily by receiving 223 votes to Melvin’s 100.

1929 – Celia Callahan owner of the last remaining Golden Rule Store in the United States, agrees to sell to J.C. Penney. The first Golden Rule Store originated in 1886 in Longmont, CO. That store was opened by Thomas Callahan, a former Chillicothe resident and brother of Celia Callahan. It was in 1898, when Mr. Callahan hired a young James Cash Penney to work in his store. By 1902, J.C. Penney was a store Partner with Callahan. In 1929, Thomas Callahan returned to Chillicothe for several months to aid his sister in closing out the final Golden Rule Store, he was joined by J.C. Penney to make the transition official.

1930 – Cutright Park gets its name. On April 4, 1930, Mayor Dougherty announced the winners of the Park Naming contest. The first-place winner was Helen Stowell, she received $5.00 in gold. The second-place winner was Matilda Gollnitz and Virginia Zinser, each receiving $3.00, and third place went to Marion Sweetnam, she received $2.00. The prizes were donated by Mayor Daugherty and presented at the city council meeting. Prize-winning names being considered were: Cutright Community Park, Riverview Park, Riverside Park, Riverside Community Park, and Cutright Riverview Park.

1930 – Elmer Sturm trades his two buildings in downtown Chillicothe for a farm in Edelstein. The business deal between Elmer Sturm and Bert Potter included Potter receiving the Sunset Theater building along with the building that the Larkin store occupied. Sturm received the 150-acre Potter farm found one-half mile south of Edelstein. Both owners valued their properties at $40,000, a value of $700,000 in today’s economy.

1931 – Incumbent Mayor Charles Dougherty, running unopposed, is unanimously re-elected. North Chillicothe Village President, Frank G. Carr is also re-elected by the closest of margins by defeating challenger Thomas R. Aubrey by one vote. Carr garnered 210 votes to Aubrey’s 209.

1931 – The newly renovated Santa Fe Bridge over the Illinois River was opened to railroad traffic on July 15, 1931. The first crossing took place by the Navajo overland train around 1:25 PM. The final train to cross over the old bridge was the California Limited around 6:00 AM the same morning on its way to Chicago. The new bridge took just over three years to complete and cost around $4,000,000 to finish, roughly $85,000,000 in today’s economy.

1933 – In the largest election turnout in the city’s history, local Surgeon, Dr. S.A. (Sidney) Smith, defeated incumbent Charles Dougherty to become the 20th Mayor of Chillicothe. Smith won the election by 156 votes—646 to 490. North Chillicothe Village President, Frank G. Carr defeats challenger George J. Davidson by a tally of 222 votes to Davidson’s 188.

1933 – Cutright Field, home to the Chillicothe High School football team, will get to enjoy playing under the lights for the first time at a home football game. The first opponent under the lights will be Elmwood High School. The lights were funded by the Booster Athletic Association. 

1934 – Hundreds of people gathered as a Chillicothe landmark went up in flames on Sunday, June 8th. The north side of Weber Building, which was originally built in 1870 was destroyed by fire, while firefighters were able to save the south building that housed the Weber Funeral home and Furniture stores. The north building had been home to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) for many years.

1934 – In November, after the devastating fire on the Weber property on Second Street. Eugene Weber buys the Otto Woodruff home at 315 N. Fourth Street (Now 1107 N. Fourth). Weber will move his funeral home business to this property. The property was formerly owned by Chillicothe’s 10th Mayor, Sidney Wood.

1934 – December 18, 1934, marks the 100 Year Anniversary of the first plat of land being established by Samuel T. McKean in the original town of Chillicothe.

1935 – In an attempt to avoid selling the Club and property, the board of directors for the North Shore Country Club announced a re-organization of the club. T.H. McKibben, President of the club, said the plan to reduce membership fees by one-half and charge members for greens fees on a per-use basis, would be consistent with other local clubs. Total membership is expected to be around 200.

1935 – Local business owner, E. L (Edgar Lawrence) Pennington, running unopposed, becomes Chillicothe’s 21st Mayor. Pennington received 635 votes. Ilion B. Wait defeats challenger Jerard Harper, 678 to 171 votes to win her 7th term as City Clerk. V.L. Stiles defeated incumbent Village President Frank G. Carr by 3 votes in the North Chillicothe Village election.