The Man Who Bet on Streator
Ralph Plumb’s Streator began in the pause between trains. He had come out of the Civil War with a colonel’s title, a lawyer’s training, a
Section
History
Streator's past, and what it says about the town today.
The Shallow Grave on South Bloomington Street
The dining room table in the Hill family home on South Bloomington Street was set for two, but the woman of the house was under the basement floor.
A Killing, a Verdict, and What Came After
A recent arrest in Streator has reopened the story of a 50-year-old murder, an insanity verdict and the tragedies that followed. “I just murdered my wife.
Digging Into Streator’s Past: The Story Beneath Our Feet
When we talk about Streator’s history, we usually mean the last 150 years or so—the coal boom, the glass factories, the neighborhoods with names like Twister
The Kangley Standard: When Streator Built Itself From Within
Before the grants, consultants, and economic development buzzwords, there was a simpler, stronger model—the one that actually built Streator. It was a model rooted in presence: people
Anderson Fields: A Gift From the Past, A Question for the Future
Anderson Fields Golf Course has been a quiet part of Streator life for nearly a century. Tucked just off Bloomington Street, it’s easy to drive past without
100 Years Ago Today, Streator Got Its First Motorcycle Cop
Would bringing back just one be such a bad idea? On this day a century ago, Streator introduced its first motorcycle policeman. Officer Irwin Pugh had just arrived
Friday the 13th: A Cursed Day in a Curious Town
Long ago, before the scariest thing in town was the price of property taxes on a house with no furnace, Friday the 13th was feared across the world.
From Bottles to Backflow: How Streator Learned to Love the Suck
There was a time when Streator shimmered. We were the “Glass Container Capital of the World,” turning sand, sweat, and fire into something beautiful. Beer bottles, soda bottles,