The following is the fourteenth 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.

1957 - The City Council approves annexation plans for the thirty-eight lot Mullen Manor Subdivision. James N. Mullen, proprietor and local contractor announces plans for subdividing the first of a multi-plat area of the seventy-seven-acre parcel of land that he recently acquired in the Nathaniel Cutright family estate auction. The first subdivision will adjoin the new Westmead subdivision to the west of Chillicothe on the south side of Westmead. Streets included with the new subdivision will include extensions to the west of Walnut Street and Elm Street, and Hushaw Avenue to the South. (Note: Hushaw Avenue was named after Peoria Housing Authority Board member Denton Wayne Hushaw)

1957 – City of Chillicothe and the Village of North Chillicothe hand out the new business and house numbers to businesses and residents that should be put up on their property by March 1. The joint project between the city and the Village started with the renumbering committee planning for number realignment in March of 1956. The numbering baselines will be as follows: North – South numbers will commence at Spruce Street (now Cloverdale), the first block north will be the 100 block. The blocks between Spruce and Truitt will be divided into twelve blocks. The block north of Truitt Avenue will be the 1300 block. East – West numbers will commence at Front Street west to First Street and shall be numbered from 0 – 99 respectively. The block immediately west shall be the 100 block. 

1957 - The 1st Extension of the Mullen Manor Subdivision led by Contractor and proprietor James N. Mullen is approved by the City Council. This is a ten-lot subdivision that extends to the west on Elm Street from the original Mullen Manor subdivision that started being developed earlier this year in February.

1957 – The City of Chillicothe announces streets will be renamed in conjunction with the street numbering realignment. Seventh Street between Hickory and Pine will be renamed Santa Fe Avenue. Seventh Street between Pine and Chestnut will be renamed Finney Street. Willow Street between Water and Fourth will be renamed Truitt Avenue. Caldwell Street east of Fourth Street will be renamed McDowell Street. Wood Street from Fourth to Second Moffitt Street. 

1957 - Everett Rose is elected as the new Mayor of Chillicothe. Rose became the 24th Mayor in the City’s history by defeating incumbent Ben Greer. Rose received 641 votes to Greer’s 473. Other elections saw Ilion Wait Crabel win re-election as City Clerk running unopposed. This was Crabel’s twelfth re-election. Jim Ladd scored an easy victory running unopposed and was re-named Village President of North Chillicothe.

1957 – South School fully opens for the start of the school year of 1957-1958. The school was constructed on ten-acres of property that was purchased from Maud Bradley. Attendance boundaries have been set for the South School, North School, and Pearce Grade School. All three schools will include Kindergarten through fourth grades. North School area is separated from Pearce school by a line starting at the river and following Truitt Avenue to the alley behind Logan Street, turning north to McDowell Street. The boundary then turns to west until it reaches Hoyt Street and turns to the north until it ends at the railroad tracks. South school is separated from Pearce by a line running down the center of Pine Street.

1957 - The Chillicothe Grey Ghosts football team completes their season with an undefeated record of nine wins and zero losses and one tie. This makes three out of the last four seasons with zero losses for Coach George Taylor. The team outscored their opponents 379 to 78. The team was led on the offense side of the ball by Senior All State quarterback Ron Taylor, who had twenty-seven touchdowns for the Grey Ghosts. Other key contributors were Jerry Blew, Jim Arnold, Norman Lumpp, Alan Cumming, Rich Douthit, Walt Schaufelberger, Gene McKay, Gary Gould, Ray Jurkovich, Tony Bonati, Duanne Buttell, Darrell Goodwin, and Harold “Butch” Moll.

1957 – A group of local Chillicothe people purchase 203 acres of land five miles west of Chillicothe on the Princeville Blacktop Road with the purpose of opening a golf course and country club. This site will eventually become known as Arrowhead Country Club. Businessperson James Whalen served as the groups new President, Tom Benten will function as Secretary and Dick Zinser will be the groups Treasurer. Three committees were formed with the committee Chairperson heads being Jim Campbell, By Laws, Dick Zinser, Finance, and Tom Sanders, Publicity.

Author’s Note: 
In the November 2023 issue, my Timeline article on 1952-1954 featured an artist’s painting showcasing the Palace Theater with a Horse Drawn carriage during a parade. Following its publication, a local Chillicothe resident reached out to the Hometown Voice staff seeking information about the painting. After relaying the inquiry my way, I connected with the caller, Sharon Bruell.

Sharon shared her story behind the painting’s creation. Sharon had a love for painting, and in 1971, she painted it and entered it in the Old Settler’s Day Art Show in Lacon, IL and took the top prize of the Bankers Federation Award. Sharon told me it was inspired by a late 1940s photo that she had taken as a youth. She lived across the street, above her father Chester Tyson’s store, formerly in the current location of the Cutting-Edge salon. She described the artwork as her sole attempt at utilizing the palette knife technique with acrylic paint. Titled “Reining Down Main,” the painting held sentimental value for Sharon.

She later gave the painting as a get-well gift to her friend Eve Traub during Eve’s recovery from an operation. Passed through generations, Terry Longenbach received it from his mother, Eve. Terry eventually passed it to his daughter, Kim Longenbach Kell. Sharon expressed joy knowing her artwork endures, still appreciated in the present day.

Thank you, Sharon, for a great painting and a great story to go along with it. It’s heartwarming to witness the painting’s continued legacy, steeped in Chillicothe’s history and connections, moving through successive generations.