Byron Museum of History | Byron, Illinois

Festival of Trees

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:12:08 +0000

The Byron Museum of History, in conjunction with the Byron Chamber of Commerce’s Miracle on Second Street, sponsored the Festival of Trees on Friday, November 18th. 25 beautifully decorated Christmas trees are on display throughout the museum. Each tree was provided by businesses, civic organizations, churches and other groups throughout the community and decorated with adornments of their choice. The Byron Museum is grateful to all the volunteers who volunteered their time to help with Festival of Trees – from judging the trees, to decorating the museum, and staffing during the event. Trees were judged by a panel of 5 and over 400 votes were cast by visitors voting for their favorite trees on opening night. 1st Place winners will receive $25 and a ribbon, and 2nd and 3rd Place winners will each receive a ribbon. The Byron Museum wishes to congratulate the list of winners below.

Traditional Category
1st Place: Swedish Pancake House
2nd Place: Byron Civic Theatre
3rd Place: Holmstrom & Kennedy

Non-Traditional Category
1st Place: Byron Scarlett Hatters
2nd Place: Attorney Maria Berger
3rd Place: Byron Forest Preserve

Handmade Category
1st Place: By-Y-Badgers
2nd Place: Davis Junction – Scott Township Historical Society
3rd Place: Girl Scout Troops 3416, 3207, 3249, & 3036

Judges’ Choice: Byron Scarlett Hatters
People’s Choice: Attorney Maria Berger

Exhibit Unveiling: Byron Goes to War

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The Byron Museum recently unveiled its newest permanent exhibit, “Byron Goes to War” on Veterans Day. This exhibit focuses on profiles of local men and women who served our country over the years. Civil War veterans in the Lucius Read family are featured as well as a World War I helmet worn by Leo Piper and a WAVE uniform worn by Joy Strub during World War II.

This exhibit also explores how war affected the citizens of Byron on the home front. Featured home front objects include local war bond advertisements, ration cards, recipes from a Victory cookbook, Red Cross memorabilia, and a nurse‘s uniform worn by Cleo Boger. Museum visitors will also have the opportunity to view an interior replica of a home front kitchen and victory garden. Quotes taken from oral histories will highlight how children and young people were also supporting the war efforts in Byron.

The exhibit unveiling also hosted World War II re-enactors from the Second Infantry Division. Re-enactors participated in living history demonstrations while dressed in authentic uniforms. The re-enactors displayed military equipment for visitors to view from their own personal World War II collections.

Featured Photo: Women’s Relief Corps, 1942

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Front row: Mrs. Merritt (Ruth) Harmon, Mrs. Garret Hodes, Mrs. Clyde Gill & Mrs. Elizabeth Wise.
2nd row: Mrs. Pat Smith, Mrs. Mattie Meats, Mrs. Martha Howland & Mrs. Iona Lytle.
3rd row: Mrs. Merthat Simale, Mrs. Lee Burd, Mrs. Clona Hollenbaugh, Mrs. Dora Herch, Mrs. Nancy Ashelford, Mrs. David Haymon.
Back row: Mrs. Mary Woodburn, Mrs. Bruce Null, Mrs. Howard Shank & Mrs. C. A. Nighswonger.

CONTINUED –Byron Tribune, May 4th, 1962–

Throughout the years the Corps has always been an active patriotic organization,. Many boxes of fruit, cookies other foods and gifts were sent to the service veterans at Hines hospital and other hospitals. Another of the many patriotic works was the presenting of the American flag to schools and churches not having a flag. Many times the group met in homes to make hospital gowns, robes, and other hospital needs for veterans.

One of the first money projects was a quilt made and raffled for $12.00. In August 1923, $65 worth of candy was sold at a Legion carnival. Another of the money projects was the WLS show sponsored in the Gill Hall in 1937.

The Corps always had an active part in the Memorial Day program, starting the evening before by bringing flowers to the Clyde Gill home. The bouquets were then assembled before being taken to the school yard and cemetery where they were distributed to the school children who placed the bouquets at the Monument and on the graves of the veterans. Records show that as many as 250 bouquets were used each year. The sailors were honored by a wreath and bouquets placed on the river during an appropriate service.

The members also participated in the Memorial Day parade by marching, riding in cars, or having a float. At the cemetery until recent years they conducted the service for the unknown soldier.

Easter plants and Christmas boxes were delivered to shut-ins of the town each year.

On Dec. 12th 1946, the Corps observed its 25th year with an Anniversary Tea at the United Church. The program consisted of musical numbers, an address by the Rev. James Hagerty and reminiscences of Corps days by Mrs. Mattie McNurlen.

Pins for 25 years of membership were presented that day to charter members, Mmes. Mable Gill, Nerva McKee, Mattie McNurlen, Anna McAffee, Cora Haynes, Carrie Johnston, and the Misses Clara Haymaker and Lilia Whitaker. Mrs. Carrie Green and Mrs. Lila Osborn also were presented 25 year pins.

At the time of disbandment eight other members were eligible for their 25 year pins: Mmes. Nellie Marget, Mary Holland, Elsie Shank, Gertrude Stukenberg, Ella Nighswonger, Kathryn Rieken, Minnie Mosiman, and Florence Kendall.

Due to the decreasing membership, it was decided to disband, so in January of 1962 the necessary steps were taken and in April the last official meeting of the Corps was held at the Community House and thus another worthy organization has joined the pages of history.

Featured Photo: Women’s Relief Corps, 1890

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Top Row (left to right) Mrs. Sally Netrow Underwood, Mrs. Lucy Sensor, Mrs. Lydia Read Artz, Mrs. Agnes Gill, Mrs. Lois Addie Mix, Mrs. Rosemary Stearns, Mrs. Malinda Wilder.
2nd Row: Mrs. Mina Houston, Mrs. Ida M. Smith, Mrs. Eliza Cook, Mrs. Ellen Dodds, Mrs. Julia McNames, Mrs. Clara Brush, Mrs. Mattis.
3rd Row: Mrs. Sarah Jones, Mrs. Elizabeth Kline, Mrs. Ellen Cooling, Mrs. Ann Hawthorn, Mrs. Peter Carter, Mrs. Clara Hartman, Mrs. Charley Bickford.
4th Row: Mrs. Orpha Cattenaugh, Mrs. Lucy Goodall, Mrs. Cynthia Shukart, Mrs. Emily Read Spalding, Mrs. Phoebe Thomas, Mrs. Josephine Kelly.
5th Row: Mrs. George Martin, Mrs. Ellen Ames, Mrs. Jacob Wagner, Mrs. Ellen Burgess.

–Byron Tribune, May 4th, 1962–

The Cooling Women’s Relief Corps, an active organization in Byron since the 1800s, voted in January 1962 to disband. The first Cooling Relief Corps was disbanded in 1907.

In 1921, Mrs. Carrie Greene contacted a Mrs. Johnson, president of the Belvidere Corps, and the two ladies called upon Mrs. Agnes Gill, a former member of the corps, then the three ladies contacted enough interested women to organize a corps which held its charter meeting on Dec. 1st 1921 with 17 members present.

The names of the 17, plus other charter members, entered on the charter were: Agnes Gill, Mary Ann Lutz, Elizabeth Barry, Margaret Wray, Florence Noyes, Clara Hamaker, Ella Lockwood, Rosilia Barry, Helena Allen, Deborah Grenfell, Eliza Stearns, Elnora Oldham, Cora Boyce, Anna McAffee, Rosa Barry, Ellen Ames, Cora Haynes, Anna Thomson, Eliza Steffa, Anna Strang, Adda Mix, Louise Kennedy, Mattie McNurlen.

Ada Woodburn Woodburn, Florence Potter, Martha Wickwire, Anna Emery, Lucinda Haskel, Blanche Healy, Fransula Creagor, Mabel Gill, Nora Embick, Lelia Whitaker, Helen Spoor, Belle Heald, Mamie Scott, Nerva McKee, Alma Featherstone, and Helen Mulford. It was issued December 21, 1921.

Mrs. Agnes Hill was the first president of the Corps. (Florence Noyes, senior vice president, Elizabeth Whitaker, junior vice president, Nora Embick, treasurer, Elizabeth Barry, chaplain, Gussie Gill, conductress, Elnora Oldham, associate conductress, Louise Kennedy, secretary, Anna Strang, guard, Roda Barry, assistant guard, Mamie Scott, patriotic instructor, Anna McAffee, musician, and Mabel Gill, Rebecca Smith, Carrie Johnston, and Margaret Wray, color bearers.