LDN - Diaspora

People all across this country and, in fact, around the world, claim roots in Logan County. They have very interesting stories to tell, and some of them like to connect with those of us who stayed at home. Logan County Diaspora publishes the stories of former Logan County residents. With their permission, we also include their e-mail addresses so that old friends might be reunited. If you wish to be part of the Logan County Diaspora, e-mail ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com.

Bill Horn tells about Atlanta before
World War II
[APRIL 13, 2000] Atlanta, in northern Logan County, was started in 1853. Xenia was the first choice of the city planners for a name but alas (and fortunately) that name was already taken. So they went to the other end of the alphabet and picked Atlanta.

Atlanta of the ’30s was a self-sufficient community that had (believe it or not) these businesses and services: two medical doctors, one dentist, one bakery, a butcher shop, a drugstore, five grocery stores, two lawyers, a county judge, a circuit judge, many gasoline stations, at least three taverns, three restaurants, three barber shops, beauty shops, a railroad station and depot for two railroads, a stockyard, two grain elevators, a newspaper, a library, a movie theater, two clothing stores, a concrete block factory, a potato chip bakery, three blacksmith shops, an entertainment hall (Murphy Hall), two banks, three feed stores, a photographer, a pool hall, a jewelry repair service, a bicycle repair shop, a shoe repair shop, a sawmill, a lumber company, three churches, a dairy and other occasional businesses that I can't recall. Needless to say, this array of businesses made this little town a bustling community.

I know the Depression was in full swing during my growing up and my school years, but I only remember the good about Atlanta. I watched the school gymnasium built from start to finish. I remember Maud Shotwell giving away "walking sundaes" to us less fortunate; Louie Deuterman's “licking the dasher" from his homemade-ice-cream machine; red haw hill for red haws in the fall, and sledding in the winter (what fun to ride a sled down the hill and end up in the icy cold stream at the bottom!); going to the Atlanta Public Library and picking favorite books; Miss Haines, the librarian. The C & A railroad tower was a good hangout for us kids, and I never did learn Morse code.

Atlanta was a good town to grow up in. Lincoln, to us kids, was a big city, and Bloomington was a metropolis; Peoria was in another country; and the annual trip to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair culminated our summer hiatus from school.

One Sunday morning I was at Ray Bateman's house, when the announcement came about Pearl Harbor. I went home and asked my mother if she had heard about it, and she started crying. I didn't realize what the war would bring but soon found out. World War II changed Atlanta both during and after its duration. Atlanta changed from a completely self-sufficient community to a town dependent on outside sources of jobs and resources that it had at one time available within its own city limits.

But Atlanta didn't die after World War II; it only adapted to the changes the war had brought about. When the veterans came home, Atlanta experienced a period of change and growth. More on this later.

[Bill Horn]

Bill Horn reports from Florida

[MARCH 23, 2000] I was born and raised in Atlanta, but always had close ties to Lincoln.

My memories of Lincoln are diverse and include this sampling: Saturday matinee at Lincoln Theater, five cents; Bee's Ice Cream Shop; Kresge's lunch counter; free swim lessons at Lincoln Lakes; and Stetson China Company, where I met my wife, Jayne.

I retired in 1985, and we moved to Labelle, Fla., in 1986. We now live in Fort Myers, Fla., and will celebrate 50 years of wedded bliss July 22, 2000.

Jayne enjoys gardening and working in the yard, along with the usual housework. My time is spent flying radio-controlled airplanes and playing with the computer.

We miss the changing seasons of Illinois but not the 20-below mornings with two-foot snowdrifts in the drive. The weather here is rather boring except for hurricane season. Then things liven considerably. We have not had any personal experience with hurricanes and really don't want any.

The well-known Florida attractions are almost all within a three-hour drive from us. Most of these are in the Orlando area. The most interesting attractions for us are not Disney World and Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, etc. The hidden charms of Florida are the Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands, Ding Darling Nature Preserve, Loxahatchee Nature Preserve and Six Mile Cypress Swamp, to name but a few.

Also of interest to fishermen are Lake Okeechobee and our local Lake Trafford in Immokalee. These two lakes are a fisherman's paradise, both producing large quantities of bass, bluegill, shellcrackers, (redear) and crappies that fight each other to get to your hook. (Well, sometimes.) In addition to the sportsman's aspect, they are both scenic areas.

The Fort Myers of the ’60s when my parents lived here was a laid-back, sleepy town with very few traffic problems, but it is now a thriving metropolis with gridlock traffic during winter and not much better off-season. We still enjoy the benefits of the fine weather and intend to stay here and visit Lincoln about once a year.

We have a daughter who lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., with her husband and two children, and a son who lives in Tennessee with his wife and daughter. We also have five grandsons in Lincoln and one in Tennessee.

[Bill Horn]

Brainard recalls Lincoln Skateland

Charles Brainard moved to Lincoln with his family when he was in sixth grade. He graduated from LCHS in 1979 and lived here until 1986.

He likes to remember the Indian summers and the skating rink, which his parents owned from 1972 to 1979. He thinks he misses the winter least and the summer most. "Compared to where I spend most summers, Lincoln’s weather is mild and wonderful," he says.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1986 and has been stationed in Georgia, Germany, Korea and Arizona. He was deployed to the Iraq area for Desert Storm. "Each station and area has had its own beauty," he says, "but not one of them was home."

"I am still on active duty in the Army. My specialty is communications. I work as a satellite communications network engineer and all-around communications techie. I enjoy several veterans associations – especially the American Legion and the 3rd Armored Division veterans (Spearhead) association."

His local family members are his parents, Charles and Carol Brainard; his brother, David, who just bought a house in Lincoln; and a sister, Laurie Armstrong. "My folks still live there at the homestead," he says. "The rest of us have scattered across the nation." Linda Jamison, another sister, resides in Shirley, Ill., and his sister Susan Conver lives in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area.

In closing, he tells us, "Enjoy your freedom? Thank a veteran!"

(3-16-00)

Weindorf remembers Lincoln Lakes

Donald Weindorf lived in Logan County from 1934 to 1946 and then from 1957 to 1959.

Of his years in Lincoln he says, "I like to remember my friends, the Arcade soda fountain, the old Recreation Center, the Lincoln Lakes and much more."

"I was pretty much raised in Boys Town outside of Omaha," he explains. "I got an opportunity to run Omaha Magazine and so I returned to Omaha."

He now owns and operates a group home for 20 at-risk boys.

"I love the range of weather we have here, the marvelous steak houses, the museums and the outside recreational facilities," he says.

Weindorf still has relatives living in Lincoln and gets back for a short visit every few years.

You can contact Weindorf via e-mail at weindorf1@juno.com.

(3-16-00)

"Nothing compares with e-mail and Web pages" to keep friends in touch

I have lived in the Fort Myers, Fla., area for the last 14 years. I have tried to keep in touch by phone, mail, etc. with my friends in Illinois. Nothing compares with e-mail and Web pages to accomplish this! Many thanks to the people who started lincolndailynews.com. It is firmly placed in my favorite places and I check it every day.

Thanks again.

Bill Horn
Fort Myers, FL
Bill3567@aol.com

(3-3-00)

LDN makes Germany closer to home

We just heard about the lincolndailynews.com and are enjoying keeping up with latest. We are currently living in Germany and now we don't feel so far from home.

Tom and Kristy (Smith) Yarcho
Haupstuhl, Germany
tkksk6@bunt.com

(2-16-00)

Lincoln remains close to her heart

Thank you so much for the opportunity to stay posted on the happenings in my hometown! I am currently living in the North Georgia mountains, but my children spend the summers in Lincoln visiting their grandparents, and they love to look at the pictures of places in Lincoln and stay familiar with their "summer surroundings" After viewing the message board that one other Lincoln site has, I think I will stick with lincolndailynews.com, where I can see the news that I want to see....how things are progressing, and the good that still comes from my little hometown. Keep up the good work! Lincoln may be 700 miles from my home, but is much closer to my heart!

Traycee Ritchhart-Pirkle

Traycee87@alltel.net Traycee@americashomeplace.com

(2-16-00)

World traveler keeps up on Lincoln

Thank you for lincolndailynews.com. My name is Denise and I am living in the Port Charlotte, Fla., area. I am getting established in real estate here in Southwest Florida after moving to this area within the last year from the north of England.

I lived in Lincoln until I was 27 in 1983, before starting a world traveling lifestyle. Although living thousands of miles away (i.e., Texas, California, Australia, England) over the years, I have managed to return to see my family, friends, and just to see Lincoln every six months on average. Now that plans have it that visits will be less often, it is absolutely great to have lincolndailynews.com for that Lincoln connection.

My parents are down here for 'The Season." January to April. They are enjoying the benefits of the new lincolndailynews and the latitude of Florida, that of sun, warm, wildlife and the new pool construction going on in my back yard with the golf course view. Ya' all come down now! :o)

Now you won't miss out on any Lincoln area news either! I am so excited about lincolndailynews that I am starting a classified ad to help readers learn more about wintering in Florida.

Many thanks.

Denise Radcliffe Wood
Sunnybreeze, FL
e-mail: floridaliving@hotmail.com

(2-11-00)

Alabama resident likes Lincoln photos

Great Web page. My brother just sent me the link to the Web site so that I can keep up with the news from back home. I left Lincoln back in 1963 for the Air Force. I currently reside in Alabama but Lincoln is never far from my mind. I truly enjoyed seeing the pictures of the different places around town and what is going on. Keep up the good work.

dlowe@ispchannel.com

Dale A. Lowe
Huntsville, AL

(2-8-00)

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