Pickings from Pike’s Past: 75 YEARS AGO: RECORD MISSISSIPPI FLOOD THREATENS PIKE COUNTY

By Editor | June 14, 2022 |

150 Years Ago
June 20, 1872
The air is constantly filled with the cottonwood from the trees on the Pittsfield square. Cut them out, we say, but only by degrees.
P. Halpin has put up a two-story brick shop on the square for his marble and monument works.
The road to the Pittsfield Springs is getting to be one of the most traveled roads in the county. Some wonderful cures are going on by means of its health-inspiring waters.
The Mansion House in Pittsfield was almost overrun with guests Monday, but Joel Pennington, calm and placid as a summer morn, saw that all were filled.

125 Years Ago
June 22, 1897
It was hot last Friday, and the corn is doing poorly, as it is too dry. But there was a glorious rain that fell during last night, commencing heavily about 11 o’clock and soaking the earth thoroughly by morning. Thank Heavens, the blackberry crop is saved!

June 25, 1897
This week has been one of storms and heavy rains. Corn and other vegetation are just whooping it. Noah Morris of Perry cut hay recently that stood three and a half feet tall and was very thick besides.
The festive chicken thief has been at work lately in parts of the county.

100 Years Ago
June 21, 1922
In the construction of the new state highway one of the picturesque bluffs midway of Florence Hollow has been drilled full of holes and charged with enough dynamite to blow it to smithereens. The new road through Florence Hollow will sweep in a long curve to the river.
The Pittsfield shoe factory needs larger quarters in order to increase its output. The businessmen of Pittsfield have been asked to help find a suitable space. The company needs a brick building 50’ by 150’. The factory began operation in Pittsfield in 1920 with a workforce of 20. Now there are 74 women and six men employed at the factory.
Over 125 Lions Club members and families and friends enjoyed the fish fry at the big spring on the Strauss farm two miles south of Pittsfield on Honey Creek.
M. D. King has purchased a Buick coupe from Zimmerman Brothers. This is the first Buick coupe ever sold in Pittsfield. Earl Zimmerman went to St. Louis and drove the car through last week.

75 Years Ago
June 18, 1947
The weather bureau and the government engineers are predicting that possibly the greatest flood in the recorded history of the Mississippi River is at hand. All but three families have been evacuated from the Rockport-Gilgal area. “It will be a miracle if we save the levee this time,” said Strother Grigsby of the King elevator at Rockport at 8:30 this morning. Last night was a dismal night along the reaches of the great river. Rain fell most of the night and electric storms and hail storms swept the bottoms. Rowboats are currently operating on Main Street in Hannibal.
Due to the wide spread flood conditions the Illinois Department of Health and the Pike County physicians are holding clinics to give typhoid vaccine to people living in the Sny district.
Time’s hitherto undefeated baseball team was walloped 8-1 at Summer Hill Sunday, but their record of 6-1 is still tops in the league.
Everybody is talking about the danger of war with Russia. Newspapers and magazines are full of reports about the evil intentions of Russia against the United States and these reports give one the impression that war with Russia, possibly within the near future, is inevitable.

50 Years Ago
June 21, 1972
The Department of Aeronautics has informed the city that construction bids for Pittsfield’s municipal airport will be opened Friday, June 30 in Springfield.
Ralph Knotts is enlarging his drive-in restaurant in West Pittsfield, building an 18 by 70 foot dining room addition to the west side. It will be separate from his present restaurant and skating rink. He says he plans to offer an expanded menu.
Two paint and trim days have been set up to get the Pleasant Hill fairgrounds spruced up. Fair board president, Jim Leeds, is requesting volunteer workers.
Kim Curry of Griggsville received his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Illinois University June 10 and is now farming. His wife is the former Lynn Buchanan.

25 Years Ago
June 18, 1997
An Olathe, Kan. man was found on fire after his mail truck crashed into the west abutment of the New Salem interchange about 10 a.m. Tuesday. A Pittsfield ambulance crew and Pittsfield and Griggsville fire fighters were on the scene about six minutes after the accident was reported. The driver was transferred to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, and is listed in critical condition.
The Nature Conservancy has owned the site of the Twin Culverts cave, near old Pearl, since 1975. They say they have no problem with the current effort to preserve the culverts, but they are restricting access to the cave because of the gray bat and Keen’s bat, which use the cave for habitat.
Wilson Hall, 84, of Pittsfield, died Wednesday June 11, 1997 at Illini Hospital in Pittsfield. He was born near Detroit in 1912. He was a 1932 graduate of Pittsfield High School, and started the W.W. Sanitation Company in Pittsfield in 1966.

10 Years Ago
June 20, 2012
After the votes were cast at the 84th State FFA convention June 13, Dalton Heavner was named to serve as vice-president of the 2012-2013 Illinois state FFA officer team. Heavner graduated from Pittsfield High School this year. The convention was held at the Prairie Capital convention center in Springfield.
Four former Saukee football standouts competed in Saturday’s all-star game in Springfield. The four, who were part of the North team, are Seth Petty, Skylar Lambeth, Dillon Butler and Coltyn Pease.

■ Compiled by Michael Boren