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Morris History |
Recreation |
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A view looking north on Liberty Street in 1880. The light colored building in the center is Hopkins House where Lincoln was shaved in the basement by "Wash" Foster, a freed African American, in 1858. Next to it is the Baum's building. |
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Henry Baum established Baum's Dry Goods in Morris in 1874 and settled in its present location on Liberty Street in 1888. A Conservatory of Music was held upstairs for instrumental and voice lessons in the late 1800's. |
The Washington House on Main Street (above left) was built in 1867 - with additions to the west in 1875 and 1877. It was one of many hotels offered in the booming town. It had stables and a courtyard in the center to accomodate the guest's horses. Two other hotels, Clifton House (above right) and Commercial Hotel, offered mud baths to their guests. |
| With prosperity and wealth, fishing and hunting soon became a pastime rather than a necessity. A horse-racing park between Armstrong Street and Ashley Road was built in 1891. Square dances, box socials, "catching the greased pig" contests, spelling bees, and carnivals were common occurrences as the town grew in size. In the early 1900's, the "Morris Reds" baseball team (left) played in a stadium that once stood on the east end of North Street, near the old Paper Mill. |
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The first Grundy County Corn Festival was September 24 - October 4, 1948 sponsored by the Morris Business Men's Association. A farmer named John Gallagher won $10 and was crowned "King" when he submitted the longest ear of corn measuring 13 5/8 inches. On the last day of the festival, a crowd of 10,500 came to witness the lighting of the new mercury vapor street lights and walk on the newly blacktopped roads. |
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City of Morris • 320 Wauponsee Street • Morris, IL 60450 • (815) 942-0103
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