The following is the sixteenth 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.

1962 – The City Council of Chillicothe voted to annex Shore Acres Park to the City. The vote was unanimous and with the annexation it extends the south boundary of the city, making it contiguous with the Shore Acres subdivision. 

1962 – Plans are announced for a 95-bed hospital and nursing home in Chillicothe, with the filing this week of incorporation papers of the not-for-profit group which will control the institution and listing of the first board of directors. The new corporation will be known as the Chillicothe Hospital Foundation. The seven-man board of directors include three Chillicothe physicians, Frank Green, Harold Johnson, and Fred White. Other members of the first board are: Bill Roger of Peoples Savings and Loan, Roger Mannering, clothing merchant, Dr. Edward Newhaven president of the western Yeast Company, and James Mullen, contractor. 

1962 – Chillicothe Pearce Mustangs coached by Windy Childs win their first State Baseball Title. The Mustangs would meet the Tigers from Oblong in the title game. They would score early in the contest by getting seven runs in the first three innings. The final score was 8–5. Harold Pence was the winning pitcher, and Rich Sefried came in during the fifth inning and shut the opponents down. Gary Cotter was the offensive star for Mustangs going three for four with a home run. The Mustangs finished with a perfect record of eleven wins to no losses.

1962 – The largest financial transaction in the City of Chillicothe’s history is conducted by the City Council. $730,000 ($7.47 million in today’s economy) in sewer bonds are issued and a contract in the amount $650,000 is awarded for the construction of the city sewer system.

1963 – Coach Windy Childs took the Pearce Mustangs’ Heavyweights to the State track meet. Harold Pence would take first place in the High Jump, while also placing second and fourth in the 100- and 200-yard dash. The 400-yard shuttle relay made up of Harold Pence, Gary Cotter, John Penstone, and Jim Appel took second place after the favorite to win the race was disqualified after they dropped the baton. Chillicothe would finish with fifteen team points to beat the runner-up Urbana by one point and take the state title. This would be Chillicothe’s eighth and most recent state championship in Track & Field. The title years include 1938, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, and 1952.

1963 – Chillicothe Federal Savings and Loan is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Founded in 1888 and originally named the Chillicothe Loan and Homestead Association, it was issued its federal charter in 1935, prompting a name change to Chillicothe Federal Savings and Loan Association. Business was initially conducted at what is now 1020 N 2nd St., the current location of The Hair Company, and later at 937 N 2nd St., where Village Eye Care now operates. In 1953, the institution moved to its present address at 823 N. Second Street, which is now home to the Chillicothe Police Department.

1963 – Postmaster Robert E. Ward announces that Chillicothe has a new ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) Code. The five-digit ZIP Code is 61523 and must be labeled on all mail at the end of the address after the City and State. Rome, Illinois ZIP Code is 61562. ZIP Codes will take effect on July 1, 1963.

1963 – Mayor Robert Anderson resigns as Mayor of Chillicothe on July 1, 1963, due to health issues. Anderson had completed just two years in his four-year term. William “Bill” Sweeney is named acting Mayor. On October 1, 1963, the City of Chillicothe holds a special election and elects Dean Montonye as the 26th Mayor by defeating challenger Harold Pribble 720 votes to 601.

1963 - Chillicothe Metal Company, founded by Robert Fennell, began its operations at 210 Walnut Street. The company originated when Fennell, fueled by his entrepreneurial spirit, broke away from his father’s company, J.T. Fennell Co, Inc., to begin constructing sheet metal enclosures for Caterpillar Tractor Company, offering his company as a Peoria-area service center.

1963 – A pre-dawn fire destroys the Santa Fe Railroad Depot in June 1963. All station records were destroyed in the fire along with an estimated $50,000 worth of communications equipment. Santa Fe officials decided not to rebuild the depot. The Santa Fe clubhouse has been remodeled to accommodate offices.

1963 – The First Baptist Church, located at the corner of Pine Street and Santa Fe Avenue, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. Pastor Kenneth W. Tyler presented a historical pageant covering the 125 years since the founding charter in 1838. The first church was built in 1851 on Second Street and Elm Street. The present church was constructed in 1907.

1964 – The Greater Chillicothe Sanitary District opens the new sewage treat plant just south of the city limits, Former Mayor Everett Rose is hired to be the plant superintendent.

1964 – The Chillicothe Mustangs Heavyweight basketball team finished with an unblemished record of twenty-three wins and zero losses. Chillicothe outscored their opponents 171 to 119, for an average margin of victory of thirteen points. The win gave the Chillicothe Mustangs their first basketball state title in the school’s history. The team was led by leading scorer Gary Cotter, who scored twelve in the title game and totaled sixty-six in the four games of the Little Sweet Sixteen. The win gave Coach Childs his third State Title in three different sports. 

1964 – The board of directors of the newly formed Chillicothe Hospital Foundation sponsored a contest in which area residents could submit names for the Hillcrest medical complex, which had recently broken ground. Lavida Grusy won the $25 grand prize for suggesting that the facility be named “Parkhill.” Parkhill is now known as Arc, located at 1028 W. Hillcrest Drive.

1964 – The city council approved the annexation of the Mullen Manor 3rd Extension subdivision west of town. The eighteen-lot subdivision will be extended to the south of the existing Mullen extensions. Evergreen Drive has been added, and Hushaw Avenue will continue to extend south.