History Of Odell – Part Seven

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The complete renovation of Spencer St. began in early June of 1995. The old street is being removed and replaced with new curbs, gutters and roadway.

Renovations at the Miller Park facilities were under way in August of 1995. Mayor Bill Wilkey, along with village employees and other volunteers built new dugouts, renovated the concession stand and restrooms and ran water service to the pavilion. A benefit for the renovation was held in October of 1995 with 400 chicken dinners served and a profit of $2,090 realized.

A wheelchair ramp was installed in front of the Odell Post Office on Aug. 28, 1995. A new video rental and sales store opened in downtown Odell on Sept. 5, 1995, in the building which formerly housed Video Odell Plus. Mike and June Mabe opened Thumbs Up Video and More at that location. The store offers 1,700 movies and 250 new releases. The Odell Lions Club agreed in September of 1995 to begin making plans to construct a new shelter at Miller Park. The village was awarded a $375,000 state Department of Commerce and Community Affairs grant in November of 1996 for constructing a reverse osmosis water treatment facility. The grant will cover approximately 75% of the cost of the system with the remaining $125,000 being funded by the village, according to initial estimates. The reverse osmosis treatment facility will remove all impurities from the water, including radium.

A fire engulfed Duffy Funeral Home, 315 E. Vermillion St. in Odell on Saturday, March 14, 1998.  Eileen Cleary, who lives in the upstairs apartment of the funeral home was slightly injured. Jerry Duffy, owner of the business, indicated his intentions to rebuild the structure from the ground up as damage was extensive. During the interim, the Odell churches have volunteered to use their facilities for visitations and services until the new funeral home is built. T & P NETS (Non-Emergency Transportation Service) began operations in Odell in 1998, under ownership of Tom and Patricia Noonan. The newly-constructed Duffy Funeral Home was completed in September of 1998 at the same location of the previous business. Beginning Oct. 1, 1998, the Odell Times discontinued its weekly publication and merged with the Dwight Star & Herald. The new reverse osmosis water treatment system official began operation in April of 1999, announced new Odell Mayor Ed Seal. The new treatment system is housed in the former garage section of the village hall. Improved and safer drinking water is now being enjoyed by the village. There will also be no need for water softeners by residents, and the treated water should also be much less corrosive to faucets, hot water heaters and other plumbing.

Cutting Edge Hair Salon and Tanning opened in May of 2000 at 114 Waupansie St. Owners are Michelle Farris and Chris Farris. The village was awarded a $30,000 Illinois FIRST grant on June 21 to be used for the purchase of new equipment. The money will be used to purchase a new truck for snowplowing and other needs. Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, along with GOP vice presidential candidate Richard Cheney, U.S. Rep. Tom Ewing, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Corinne Wood were aboard a campaign train that did a “slow roll” through Odell while the candidate expressed his appreciation to those in attendance on Aug. 6, 2000. A large number of people lined up along both sides of the tracks in downtown Odell to see the candidate who was elected U.S. president that fall. William J. Hooker Agency, Inc., purchased Legner Insurance Agency in Odell, effective Jan. 2,2001.

The business will remain at the same location. Bob Legner has been in business in downtown Odell for over four decades, beginning with his working for Gordon Speers’ insurance agency at Odell State Bank. He has owned and operated Legner Insurance Agency for nearly 25 years. For about 20 years, Legner was employed with the Speers agency until he purchased the business June 1, 1976. He continued operating the business for one year at the Odell bank, and moved to the present location of 204 S. Waupansie m 1977. A new sign was installed in June of 2001 at the intersection of Old Route 66 and Hamilton St., marking the site of a former tunnel toward St. Paul Church. The sign states, “From 1926 to 1948 this road was known as the “Mother Road” or Route 66. During this period, traffic was so congested that it became accessary to build an underground passage to safely cross church goers and school children. You are standing where the staircase of the tunnel begins. In 1947, with the advent of the four lane bypass two blocks to the west, this became Business Route 66, and the tunnel, no longer needed, was filled in. In 1977, Route 66 was decertified, but it lives in our hearts and in our memories.” The concrete remnants of the tunnel are all that remains.

The area was shocked and saddened on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists took control of four airlines leaving east coast airports. Two of the commercial jetliners commandeered by terrorists, crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. A third hijacked commercial airline struck in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. A fourth airline, which was to be commandeered to either the White House or Capitol building in Washington, crashed southeast of Pittsburgh after the passengers attempted to re-take control of the airplane. About 3,000 people were killed in the attacks. Prayer services were held that evening at local churches, and rumors of a gas shortage and price hikes drew long lines at area gas stations.

Construction of a 120,000 bushel grain bin was completed and in use by September of 2001 at Odell Grain. Don Fogarty, rural Odell, made history for the second time at an Odell grain elevator. He was the first area farmer to unload beans in the new bin, and also had the honor in the early 1930s of being the first to unload grain in Odell’s then-newly erected “south” elevator which still stands today. Construction of the new Odell Township shed began in January of 2002. The shed is located adjacent to the present structure on E. Elk St. and will be 54 feet by 96 feet in size. The village, with donations from the Odell Fire Protection District and Odell Lions Club, purchased a new storm warning siren which was installed on June 19, 2002. The siren rotates 360 degrees while sounding, and can be heard for up to one mile. It will be used as the noon whistle, as well as for weather emergencies. The siren also has a battery-powered backup system in the event of a power outage, and can be activated by LIV COM 911 emergency system.

Patricia A. Noonan of Odell, president of T & P NETS (Non-Emergency Transportation Service), has received the National Leadership Award in the late summer of 2003 and named honorary chairman of the Business Advisory Council by the National Republican Congressional Committee. As part of her duties on the Business Advisory Council, she will serve the state in congressional efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform. Further improvements were made to Pour Richard’s Tap & Dining’s east room. Murals, depicting points of interest in Odell’s history were painted by Steve Connor of ConMan Painting in January of 2004. Featured are the high school (circa 1920s), the Depot, historic Standard Oil Service Station, St. Paul High School, convent and church, and the grain elevator.

Voting for the Sesquicentennial Queen was held April 24-25, 2004, in the Village Hall. Nominees were, Kellie Fraher, Megan Butcher, Jessica Snyder, Meghan Cassady, Melissa Burger and Kelli Verdun. Former Odell resident Rita Erickson was notified in March, 2004, that she is being inducted into the 66 Hall of Fame. Rita, a life-long Route 66 resident, operated the Odell Shelter for many years. Melissa Burger, daughter of Mike and Susan Burger of Odell, was crowned Sesquicentennial Queen at a program Saturday evening, May 1, 2004, at Odell Grade School. The crowning was conducted by Centennial Queen Catherine Verdun. Odell American Legion Post #666 provided the color guard, and Odell native Joe Foley sang the National Anthem to begin the festivities. Entertainment was provided by Ihe Pontiac Township High School Jazz Band, and the comedy/music group, “Pack Rats.”

Odell was a progressive community in its early days, as the village board and individual citizens spear-headed efforts to lead the community into the 20th Century. In fact, Odell was noted for being the first town in the United States to have a home-owned electric plant that gave 24-hour service. In the early days of Odell, all of the water used in homes was carried by buckets from local wells throughout the community. Another daily chore was the cleaning and filling of old kerosene lamps.

 

Part eight