- 1831: Troops under Capt. Wilbourn, commander of the steamer "Caroline," build Fort Wilbourn on the south side of the Illinois River, near Peru.
- 1857: Wenona"s first city government is formed and chartered.
- 1876: La Salle has 23 grocers; Peru has 21.
- 1890: The Ottawa Turnverein celebrates its 34th anniversary.
- 1902: A large amphitheater to be built at Buffalo Rock — it will hold 2,000 people.
- 1905: August 10 a new Masonic building at the corner of Park and Hickory streets, Streator, that is to be built will cost $25,000.
- 1905: The Streator City Council will require railroads to put up gates and tenders at 19 city crossings.
- 1907: Five hundred people watch a head-to-head one mile roller skating race at Ottawa"s armory roller rink. Henry Cardoza beats Emmet Keyes, covering the mile in four minutes, four seconds.
- 1925: A Harley-Davidson Motorcycle cost $345 - Streator police now have one.
- 1930: Construction on Ottawa"s Harvey Hotel employs 75 men.
- 1931: The grasshopper plague covers five states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa.
- 1940: Orange Crush company opens at 1310 S. Illinois St. in Streator.
- 1950: Seifert's Box o Snax has replaced the Seifert grocery in operation in Streator for the past 45 years. Mrs. Seifert is specializing in diabetic and dietetic foods.
- 1957: The Farm Union Produce Co. building at the corner of Main and Wasson streets, Streator, is being demolished to make way for a new Standard gas station.
- 1960: Marseilles celebrates its 125th anniversary.
- 1975: A DeHaviland Chipmunk airplane — a Royal Air Force Trainer owned by C.J. McDonald of Streator — has drawn gawkers to B&S Aviation from throughout the Streator area, where McDonald has been testing the plane's unlimited acrobatic capability.
- 2000: Minigrip Zip-Pak breaks ground for a new manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Ottawa.
- INFORMATION PROVIDED by the La Salle County Historical Society and the Streatorland Historical Society. People wishing to submit photos for this feature can contact Paul Carpenter at 815-431-4045 or paulc@mywebtimes.com.
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