Saturday, November 05, 2011

A Short Drive through Lewistown

Driving around Lewistown one sunny afternoon, I stopped to photograph a few of the historic buildings.

The Fulton County Courthouse was built in 1897 to replace the earlier Courthouse destroyed by fire.
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Caboose in Lewistown, Illinois, sitting on a small section of track, right next to the Railway Express Agency.
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"On December 16, 1905, Lewistown was notified a $5,000 grant (later increased to $5,400) would be forthcoming from the Carnegie Corporation. The following year a lot site was purchased for $450 from Amelia and Daniel Talbott, a building design by Paul O. Moratz of Bloomington, IL was created, and T. M. Mercer was contracted for the construction of the Lewistown Carnegie Public Library. The library materials were moved once again; but, this move has lasted more than 100 years.

The building’s cornerstone bears the inscription “Carnegie 1906.” It not only serves as a testament to the generosity of Andrew Carnegie but also to the untiring efforts of the Lewistown Public Library and Reading Room Association and the Lewistown community."
Lewistown Carnegie Library's History
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Ratcliff Park is located on West Ave E, County 14 Road. Glen Ratcliff donated the park to the park district. There are two quarter mile walking/biking asphalt paths, fitness stations, pavilion, restrooms and picnic areas. These photos were taken from the upper park. In the first photo, if you look closely, you can see two eagles soaring over the hillside.
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